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John Bellamy was born in 1839 in Old Cleeve, Washford, Somerset, UK - son of James Bellamy and Elizabeth (nee Stevens).
Mary Anne Thorne was born 25th June, 1839 at Kingswood Stogumber, Somerset, daughter of James Thorne and Jane Thorne (nee Wood).
Her brother, James was born 8th Nov.1844 at Kingswood Stogumber.
When they married 18th April 1866 at the Baptist Chapel, Stogumber Johns address was Newhouse, South Brent, Devon. John was the manager of a slate quarry at South Brent - it may have been called Webber & Co. Mary Annes' address was Yard Farm, Stogumber.
Their daughter, Ada Jane Bellamy, was born at Newhouse, Ugborough, registration district of Totnes, Devon, on 13th October 1867. On her birth certificate her father is the Manager of a slate quarry in South Brent. Ugborough is 5mins from South Brent.
South Brent is 10 mins from Diptford where William and Ann Palmer were living in 1871 census. William Palmer married Anne Bellamy 2Q1863 Williton, (Johns older sister) b.24/8/1834. In 1881 census Ada is with William and Anne. William is a Miller, living in St.Pauls, Bristol.
Sometime after the registration of Ada's birth (7th November, 1867) the small family immigrated to America.- possibly Plymouth to Boston MA, or Bristol to Boston? but so far we have not found them mentioned on any ships passenger list. By 10th January 1869 they were in Bangor Northampton Co.PA where James, their son, was born. They would have had to have travelled sometime in 1868 (same year as the Masters family who arrived in Boston 22nd April 1868 - see below)
We have found information on two of their friends who were with them in the 1870 census in Moore Twp. Northampton Co. Pennsylvania. They were:-
Thomas Masters, who emigrated, Liverpool-Boston MA arriving 28/4/1868. Listed age 29 and intended to reside in Bangor, Northampton Co. PA - from his immigration papers.
Henry Williams emigrated, Liverpool-Boston MA arriving 21/10/1869 and according to his filed declaration of intent, intended to reside in Lower Mount Bethal, Northampton Co. PA. This was filed on 18/8/1873.. He and Thomas both filed their Naturalization Petitions to the court in Easton on the same day, 14th June 1880
John and Mary must have first resided in Bangor as their son, James Thorne Bellamy was born 10th Jan 1869 in Bangor, Northampton Co. PA.
The tax records show that in 1869 John Bellamy is working as a slater in Chapmans quarrys Moore Twp. Northampton Co.PA and his tax assessment was $100
The American 1870 census shows that Marys brother, James Thorne has arrived, he may have traveled with John and family.
All these were living together in 1870 in Moore twp. And as Thomas Masters is listed in the tax assessment of that year as owning a house & lot + a cow, tax value $440, they may all be living in his house.
This is the information from the 1870 census:-
John Bellamy age 30 married, occupation Slate maker. Born Stogumber, Somerset, England
Mary Ann Bellamy age 30 wife of above, at home. Born Stogumber, Somerset, England
Ada Jane Bellamy age 2, born Totnes, Devon, England
James Thorne Bellamy age 1, born Pennsylvania
James Thorne, age 24, unmarried, occupation Slate maker. Born Stogumber, Somerset, England
Henry Williams age 26, unmarried, occupation, Slate maker. Born Cornwall, England.
Thomas Masters age 20, unmarried, occupation Slate maker. Born Tintagel, Cornwall,England
1870 tax assessments show John as a slater at Chapmans value $100. Ditto for Henry Williams, Thomas Masters and James Thorne are both listed as Labourers at Chapmans with a value of $50 each.
In the first quarter of 1871 Nora Annie Bellamy is born in Chapmans Borough - no information or certificates available for births or deaths in PA at this time.
1871
John still works for
Chapmans and has a horse, total value $140. Thomas Masters is not there but James Thorne and Henry Williams are valued the same as 1870.
In 1872 John is still there as a slater with 1 horse and 4 cows. Total Value $310. The other 3 men are not there.
1873 John still there. Tax assessment as above but plus a mule. Total Value $380. James and Thomas are missing but Henry Williams appears in Washington Twp.
The 1873 Triannial tax shows John as a Butcher with a carriage + the animals, total value $665
1874 John is listed as a Butcher $400 + 1 horse $30, 1 horse $75, 1 carriage $310m 1 cow $25, 1 cow $30, Total value $765. James Thorne is also listed as a Butcher $400. Total value $400. Henry Williams was still in Washington twp. Occ. Slater. Value $400
Below is a wonderful picture of Thomas Masters and his wife Minerva Albert, which was kindly sent to me by his direct descendant.
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On 29th May 1875 Thomas Master marries Minerva Albert and Henry Williams marries Caroline Wideman at the Methodist church, Bangor. This is a double wedding, but John and family or James Thorne were not among the guests. Also there is no tax listing for either of them in this year. We assume this is the time that Mary Anne Bellamy died. James T.Bellamy remembered riding with the driver of the hearse that was pulled by 2 plumed black horses. The driver gave him a few coins which he kept on his bedside table till the day he died.
John returned to England with the children. So far we have not found them on any passenger lists.The tax assessment was done by 30/4/1874 with any appeal to be lodged by 22/5/1874 - so John and the children would have left America for England after 30/4/1874, and was away on 29th May1875 when his friends were married. John left the children with relatives and said he was going back to get things sorted out and sold up and then he would be back. They never heard from him again although there was a Bellamy family bible that had newspaper cuttings in from either Easton or Bangor PA newspapers. This unfortunately went missing around 1956 and no-one remembers what the papers said. It could be it was reports of the deaths of Mary Anne and John ???
1876 (tax date 30/4/1876) John Bellamy is in Bangor. The tax assessment says ‘Gent’ 1 horse, Total value $500. - Thomas Masters is living in Bangor and Henry Williams is living in Upper Mount Bethal. Maybe John is staying with, or visiting his friend Thomas Masters? No sign of James Thorne.
After this there is no further sign of John Bellamy or James Thorne.
Obituary of Henry Williams:
Word was received in Easton of the death of Rev.Henry Williams, formerly of East Bangor. He died yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs.J.L.Rider of Cleveland Ohio, he was 83 yrs old. He was born at St.Teath, nr. Tavistock in Cornwall UK in 1844. He came to this country 60yrs ago settling in E.Bangor where he followed the occupation of slater. For 35yrs before his retirement he was a Justice of the Peace. His wife (Caroline O.Wideman whom he married 29/5/1875) died 6yrs ago. He was a member of the Embury local preachers and exhorters association. Prosperity Lodge. I.O.O.F. (thats the odd fellows - http://www.ioof.org ) of E.Bangor and Stone Church Encampment.I.O.O.F.
He is survived by the following sons and daughters. Mrs.J.L.Rider. Mrs.Edwin Rider, and Ray Williams of Cleveland; Oscar of Plainfield; Charles of 141 South Fourteenth St. Easton; Arlington and William of E.Bangor. The body will be taken to E.Bangor for Interment.
In the 1881 UK census Ada Jane Bellamy is aged 13 living with William (age 46 born Luxborough) and Annie Palmer (age 45 born Old Cleeve, Washford. Ada is listed as their ‘Niece’.
They are all living at Flour Mills, Seveir St. St James & St.Paul Out, Bristol. William Palmer is a Miller.
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Norah Annie Bellamy is aged 10 living with James Dyer age 50 a carpenter and his wife Elizabeth Thorne aged 49(older sister of Mary Anne) and their 2 sons at 35 Alfred St. St. Pauls, Bristol. Norah is listed as ‘Niece’. |
James Thorne Bellamy is aged 11 Living in Washford at the Post office with James Bellamy age 38 and his wife Jane Thorne (sister of Mary Anne who married James’s brother John Bellamy) aged 38. James T. Bellamy is listed as ‘nephew’.
On 4th June 1886 Ada Jane Bellamy dies at York Villa, Sussex Place Bristol aged 18 of Phthisis pulmonalis (TB) which can be complicated and exacerbated by stone/slate dust. On her death certificate her father occupation is ‘slate trimmer’ (deceased).
The 1891 census shows that Norah Annie has moved out of the Dyers (on checking, it looks like his wife died as only him and his son James plus his other son John, his wife and 4 children are living together. Norah is now with William and Annie Palmer. In 1901 she is working as a cook in Croydon for Mr. Marchant a lacemaker. Around 1923 she marries a Rev.J.E. Corp . She died on the 4 th July 1935 at Barton St.David. She had no children.
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In 1891 James Thorne Bellamy is in Taunton visiting his fiancé Alice Dorse, a school teacher. James is listed as a railway porter age 22. It is such a long engagement that he gets a Mary Jane Chapman pregnant and has to marry her on 13/10/1897 in Old Cleeve.They had 3 children, James Herbert William Bellamy 28/3/1898 – 23/9/1976 Norah Ada 20/8/1899 – 1992 and Cynthia who was stillborn. On his marriage certificate, his father (John Bellamy) occupation is listed as ‘Butcher’ and that he is deceased. |
1901 census shows James T.Bellamy age 32 married and living in Washford. He dies 24/1/1911 aged 41 the verdict was suicide. He could never understand why his father never came back for them and always wanted to go off to America and find out what happened to him, but unfortunatley his wife didnt want to leave her mother.
John evidently died over there before 1880 as he doesnt appear on the American Census or the 1881 Canadian census.
If anyone reading this can help find where John and Mary died and are buried, or any other information to add please email me............. thankyou
UPDATE:
Thanks to www.genesreunited.co.uk I think we have located James Thorne in Christchurch New Zealand arriving in 1876
James Thorne married Lily Grace Leathorne in Cleveland Ohio c.1871. They had 2 children, born in PA. Amy Blanche Thorne born c.1872 and Winfield James Thorne born c.1875. The whole family then went off to New Zealand where James had a Butchers shop in Sydenham, Christchurch. He died 16th Nov.1917 in Netherby NZ.
Amy married Josiah Willey and Winfield married Elizabeth Johnson. He was a printer and died 11Nov.1948. - I will add more as and when I get it.
Update 2: Winfield James William Thorne was born in Pennsylvania on 8th Feb 1875 but his service records does not state where in PA. Pennsylvania did not require any official birth registration until 1893. However, after his birth the family returned to the UK - most probably they accompanied John Bellamy and his children. James Thorne and family next sailed from Gravesend, London on the Camperdown as assisted immigrants to Nelson in New Zealand. They left Gravesend on 14th April 1876 and arrived at Nelson NZ 4th July 1876.
This is definately James Thorne, the brother of Mary Anne Thorne.
Its still a mystery about what happened to John Bellamy after he returned to America.
The 1876 tax assessment entry for John indicates he was a resident through the assessment date of that year in Bangor. The $500 assessment value referred to the value of his profession and taxable assets. The term "gentleman" usually applied to someone of means who was not required to work for a living.
IT WOULD REALLY HELP IF I COULD FIND JB ON ANY SHIPS LIST TO PROVE WHAT YEAR HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND & THEN WENT BACK TO AMERICA
UPDATE2 - FEB 26TH 2007
Contact by a direct descendant of Thomas Masters who sent me the picture of Thomas and Minerva Masters that is inserted above and told me that her mothers family all once lived in the double house that Thomas built , now 522/524 Market Street, Bangor, they still have papers and photos which they will go through in an effort to shed any light on this mystery.
In 1910,1920,1930 censuses WalterMiller and his wife Anna Maria Masters were living at 524 Market St. and in 1910,1920, William Pritchard and his wife Mary Catherine Masters were living next door at 522 Market St. In 1930 they were at 525 Market St. and Minerva Masters was living at 522 Market St.
Update January 2008
Although the direct decendent of Thomas Masters seemed to be really interested and was keen to get back to me, its now nearly a year since she contacted me and I have not heard from her since dispite several emails asking if she was ok - --
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