I correspond with a third cousin I “met” through a collaboration website.
She and I share a brickwall – the Townsend family of Coventry.
My Great Great Grandmother was a lady called Harriet Mary Townsend, and she was born in 1811 to John and Mary Townsend, in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Harriet Mary married a Charles Dixon in 1830 in Coventry.
Harriet Mary and Charles appear to have had five children:
- Ann Elizabeth Dixon b1832
- a son Dixon b1833 (the register is burn-damaged and the name is unreadable)
- Charles Matthew Dixon b1835
- Henry Miller Dixon b1837
Charles disappears – I would love to know where to! Thoughts are many and varied – he was in prison, he died, he was transported to Australia as a convict, he left the marriage – as I say, I would love to know…
Meanwhile, Harriet Mary is living in Little Park Street with her mother Mary, who apparently ran a boarding house – as there were “lodgers” in the 1841 census. Namely, one Emanuel Miller…. see any coincidences, yet?
Birth registrations show that Harriet Mary and Emanuel had at least 6 children and possibly 7:
- Henry Miller Dixon b1837
- Harriet Fanny Miller b1838
- John James Miller b1840
- Emma Barbara Miller b1842
- Jane Ann Miller b1843
- Fanny Miller b1844
- Harriet Mary Miller b1850
Henry Miller Dixon b1837 is my Great Grandfather. He arrived in Australia per the ship ALFRED in 1860 under the name Henry Dixon. He died in 1906 in Australia under the name Henry Miller.
My third cousin is descended from John James Miller, so she has no difficulties in identifying Emanuel as her Great Great Grandfather!
But, back to the Townsends – for a long time, I didn’t understand the Census entries that shows Harriet Mary’s mother Mary as INDEPENDENT. My cousin found a will for a William Townsend – it appears that William was Harriet Mary’s uncle, brother to her father John. It also appears that William was quite wealthy! His will allocates £1000s to a number of his nieces and nephews. Including Harriet Mary… and to his sister-in-law Mary, property.
Who was William Townsend? Better still, who were William’s parents? They would be my 3Greats Grandparents!
So – the first question is – “why was Harriet Mary born in Suffolk?”
Second question – “who IS Henry Miller Dixon’s father? – Emanuel Miller or Charles Dixon?”
Third question – “where did Charles Dixon disappear to?’
Fourth question – “who are William (and John’s) parents – my 3GGrandparents?”
Fifth question – “how did William make his money?”