Emmeline claimed to be a widow on the 1901 England census. However, I discovered that John Samuel Travis had moved to Monmouthshire, Wales. In 1891, he lived in Trevethin. In 1911 he lived in Mynyddislwyn.

Charles Bertie Oxborough

Born: 11 JAN 1881 in Fakenham, Norfolk County, England

Father: Stephen Inkerman Oxborough (1855 to 1946)
Mother: Mary Ann Francis (1856 to 1920)

Spouse: Emmeline Barker (1870 to 1942)

Married: 1906 in Nelson, Lancashire County, England

Children: None

Died: 1954 in Ashton, Lancashire County, England

Timeline:

1881 Beccles, Suffolk County, England
1891 Nelson, Lancashire County, England
1897 Death of brother, Leonard
1901 Oldham, Lancashire County, England
1906 Marriage to Emmeline
1920 Death of mother, Mary Ann
1939 Chadderton, Lancashire County, England
1942 Death of wife, Emmeline
1944 Death of sister, Ethel
1946 Death of father, Stephen
1947 Death of brother, Sidney
1950 Death of brother, James
1954 Death and Burial

Occupation: cotton weaver (1911), firebeater at a cotton mill (1939)

Records:

1881, 1891, and 1911 England Census Records
1939 England and Wales Register
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005

Variations of Surname: none

Spouse:

Emmeline Barker:

Emmeline was born on 12 JAN 1870 in Aberford, West Yorkshire, England. She died in 1942 in Oldham, Lancashire County, England

Emmeline used the nicknames of Emma and Emily.

Emmeline was born out of wedlock to Alice Barker.

Alice Barker was born in 1844 in Ledston, West Yorkshire, England. She died in 1902 in Sharlston, West Yorkshire, England.

Alice married William Atkinson on 27 NOV 1871 in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. Two known children were born to this marriage. Both the children were born in West Yorkshire.

Fanny Atkinson (1873 Stapleton)
Edwin Atkinson (1880 Sharlston)

William Atkinson was born in 1845 in Ackworth, West Yorkshire, England. He died in 1926 in South Kirkby, West Yorkshire, England.

Emmeline had previously married John Samuel Travis on 26 MAR 1887 in Warmfield, West Yorkshire, England. One known child was born to this marriage:

Edith Ellen Travis (1887 Gawthorpe)

John Samuel Travis was born on 5 JUN 1863 in Darley, Derbyshire County, England. I do not know when John died.

Emmeline and John must have separated shortly after they married. The 1891 England census shows that John was living with his mother, Sarah, and her second husband, William Forsyth, in Marsden, West Yorkshire, England. His marital status was listed as unmarried.

I could not find Emmeline or her daughter on the 1891 England census. The 1901 England census shows that Emmeline was a prisoner of His Majesty’s Prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Her marital status was listed as widowed.

The West Yorkshire, England, Prison Records, 1801-1914 shows that Emmeline sold beer without a license. She was sentenced to two months in prison.

What happened to John Samuel Travis?

Emmeline claimed to be a widow on the 1901 England census. Yet, I had my doubts.

From his daughter’s 1887 baptism record, I knew John was a sinker in a coal mine. A comment on Rootschat.com explained:

“A sinker was a highly skilled man who ‘sank’ or dug the shafts for coal mines. Skilled sinkers were in great demand and moved from colliery to colliery to dig shafts.”

The 1901 England census shows that Edith was living with her uncle, George Raymond Travis, and his wife in Grimthorpe, West Yorkshire, England.

I then backtracked and searched for George in 1891. I discovered that he was living in Wales.

The 1891 Wales census shows that George was living in Mynyddyslwyn, Monmouthshire, Wales. His occupation was listed as a coal miner. His birthplace was listed Matlock, Derbyshire, England. The parish of Matlock is three miles southeast of Darley.

As George had moved to Wales, I wondered if John had done the same. I searched the 1891 Wales census and discovered a man named John Travis was living in Trevethin, Monmouthshire, Wales. This parish is ten miles east of Mynyddyslwyn.

The 1891 Wales census also noted that John Travis was 27 years old and his birthplace was listed as Derbyshire, England. His occupation was listed as a coal miner.

This census shows that John was married to another woman. Elizabeth Jones was born in 1864 in Trevethin, Monmouthshire, Wales. I discovered that they had married in 1889 in this parish.

I then performed another search for John Travis. I found him on the 1911 Wales census living in Mynyddislwyn, Monmouthshire, Wales.

The 1911 Wales census also noted that John Travis was 47 years old and his birthplace was listed as Matlock, Derbyshire, England. His occupation was listed as a foreman sinker for a coal mine.

This census shows that John was married to yet another woman. Harriet was born in 1871 in Lanchester, Durham, England. I do not know her maiden name.

Could it be a coincidence that George and John listed their birthplaces as Matlock, Derbyshire, England? I do not think so. I believe it helps confirm my theory that this man is John Samuel Travis, Emmeline’s husband.

Notes:

The surname, Oxborough, originated in Norfolk County, England. It appears in church registers as early as the mid-16th century. As the world population grew, these Oxborough ancestors moved to other counties in England. By the late 19th century, some had immigrated to Canada and Australia.

Creating Your Family Tree:

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for vital records.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. Records should include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestors.

If you have a unique surname, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are other websites on the internet for countries like Italy and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on. There are also family trees that go “forward into time.” Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty. They would then move forward into the present time. The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!