Sorting out Henrys and Ann(e)s.

 

Just before Christmas I came across an Ancestry tree and on it was my grandmother, her brother and her mum, the dad had a middle name and there were several other children. As I knew my Henry had been married before he married Ann, I though I had 'found" the other children. Below is the letter I sent to her, with my reasons as to why my grandmother, Louisa and her mother and brother shouldn't be on her tree. (I should say that I had been messaging her and we had exchanged email addresses.)

Was thrilled when I saw your tree because on Henry's Death Certificate, (1866/4257), it has Henry having six boys, two girls, all living, at the time if his death 31 July 1866. I was puzzled as you have, apart from Louisa and Frederick, seven others, I didn’t have, so I’ve been researching.

Bear with me.

My first problem was;

 There were two Henry Nicolls, marring ladies called Ann, in Goulburn, between 1860 and 1863.

 First Henry and Ann hereby known as Henry1 and Ann1.

Henry1 (no middle name) Nicolls, (no H in Nicolls) Married, in Goulburn, Anne (no E on the end of Ann) Enright, (various spellings of that occur), on 16 July 1860, (01660/1860). He was 41, shoemaker, widower, from Cork. Ann1, was Spinster, servant, 21, from Dublin.

 

Second Henry and Anne, hereby known as Henry2 and Anne2.

Henry2 George Nicholls (with the H in Nicholls) married Anne2, (with and E) Snooks in Goulburn, in 1863 (1863/1900).

This is where we get tangled up.

 The first Henry and Ann,

Henry1, married Elizabeth Whitehead in Windsor, NSW, 1838, (V1838506123),  they had Alexander b 1846 (V150, Number 2033, Year 1846), William, b 1849 (Vol34A, Number 1338, Year 1849) and John b 1851 (Vol37A, Number 1963, Year 1851).  Elizabeth then disappears, as Henry1 places notices in the papers, that he will let her know how the children are doing.  I am still looking for any children born between 1838 and 1846, as they might be the missing boy and girl.

Henry1 then marries Ann1 in 1860, they have Louisa in 1860 (1860/07348) and Frederick Vincent in 1863 (07963/1863).

Henry1 dies 31 July 1863, (1866/4257). On this certificate Drew is given as a middle name,  but need to check that it could have been his mother’s maiden name.

Henry1 facts from various certificates.

1)      Didn’t use H in Nicolls.

2)      Was listed as either a bootmaker or shoemaker on all but one certificate, when he is listed as a labourer.

3)      Said to have been 30 years in the Colony at the time of his death, making his arrival around 1836. Still looking for that, too.

4)      All of the children from both his marriages use Nicolls, without the H.     

5)      Stayed close to Goulburn and events were registered in Goulburn.

       Also on Ann's death certificate (06562/1916), it only shows two children, Frederick, 45, living and one female, deceased. As Louisa died in 1904, these details are correct.

 Now for the other Henry and Ann(e).

Henry2 and Anne2, married in 1863, (1900/1863) and had seven children, Sarah b 1864 (1864/8467), Henry George b 1868 (1868/9535), Margaret Emily b 1873 (1873/10609), Christina b 1875 (1875/10273), Clarice M b 1878 (1878/12334), George A b 1883 (1883/25562) and Isabella I M b 1890 (1890/11565).

Henry2 facts.

1)      Used either George or G on his marriage and children’s certificates.

2)      Always spelt Nicholls, with the H.

3)      Moved around, as evidenced by the places his children’s births were registered; Sarah, Henry and Margaret, were in Goulburn, Christina and Isabella were in Cowra, Clarice in Forbes and George in Hillston.

I don’t think it was Henry George2, who died in 1880 but his son Henry George. I found deaths of two Henry G Nicholls, the one I just mentioned and one in 1883 in Paddington.

I also don’t think Henry George2 died in 1880 as he went on to have George and Isabella after that. I know Anne could have had children, with someone else but would she have used Henry's name, so long after his death? (Would be interesting to see the last child's birth certificate.)

I did find a birth of Anne Snook(s) in 1845 to William Snook and Martha, (Vol 3A Number 1913 Year 1845). This is around the time Henry1 was married to Elizabeth and having children.

 

I have really tried to see if there were connections, but I can’t find any. Between 1850 and 1899 there were 11 children born to Henry and Ann(e) Nic(h)olls, nine to Henry G and Anne and two to Henry and Ann

 My own thoughts, not in the letter.

Have I got is sorted?  Can I 'claim' Henry1 and Ann1 as MINE? I think so.