Hello all!
I'm new here.... trying to make a positive connection between my great granddad & his father. I'm all but sure I'm right but feel I need just that little bit more evidence before putting it down in my official genealogy record. I can't seem to get it done with documents/info on this side of the ocean so going back to the source there with you all on Isle of Man. I will give some of what I have, then maybe someone out there can help me.
It's not helping that at any given time Radcliffe can be spelled Ratcliffe in family records, or any other of many variants.
My great great grandfather George Radcliffe was born 1842-1843 in Sandwich South, Ontario, Canada, the youngest of 13 children. (He later married Mary Ann Arnald daughter of Henry Sr & Harriot (Westcott/Wescott) Arnald.) Apparently his parents had for some reason, through death or being widowed/widower possibly, could no longer take care of him as on the 1851 census in Ontario he was listed as a “9 yr old stray” living with James & Jane Hartley (unknown if they were related). In 1861 he was living with the Arnalds at age 19. But….. on the 1871 census he was head of household living with his wife Mary (Arnald), his children Henry 7 (my great granddad) & Harriett 6, AND a William Radcliffe age 77 born Isle of Man. I believe this William was George’s father but I cannot yet for sure say so & I like to be very sure before I include people in my genealogy work.
The above William in question is suredly:
William Radcliffe (a Sr) born on or about Feb 1792 in Isle of Man, and died 18 August 1881 in Warrensville, Ohio while I believe living with his son Wm Jr there. This Wm Sr married Margaret Quirk (?) 25 October 1817 in Arbory, Isle of Man. This may not be all the children of course, especially if more were born after crossing over and/or if there were 13 that George was the youngest of…. but there are christenings(?) listed for the following 8 children of Wm & Margaret. at the Arbory Parish Church(?):
John Radcliffe, b 28 July 1818
Richard Radcliff, b 6 Sept 1820
Elizabeth Radcliff, b 29 Feb 1824
James Radcliffe, b 11 May 1826
William Radcliffe, b 18 Jan 1829 (son Wm Sr lived with on 1851 Ontario census & at time of his death in 1881 in Ohio if this is all accurate…. If mother of these kids had passed possibly while George, if he is Wm Sr’s son, was living with Hartleys at age 9 at that time of that census. Besides Wm Jr & Wm Sr in that 1851 household there was a 3 year old Sarah Meria Radcliffe, possibly daughter of Wm Jr)
Samuel Radcliffe, b 2 Sept 1832
Ann Radcliffe, b 7 March 1835
Jane Radcliffe, b 1838, 22 June or 18 Nov ???? (possibly wife of Thomas Vollans)
Wm & Margaret may have had more on Isle of Man or in North America, hopefully 5 more - so I can positively say that 13th as being my great great granddad, George.
At any given time Ratcliffe is interchangeable for Radcliffe here as it clearly shows in the records the families used both spellings. And… please use the other info as a guide as it may not be absolute. I’m just hoping someone out there can help me connect for once & for final George with Wm Sr so I can continue working on back…… which of course means then this board will be hearing even more pleas for help from me I’m sure.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this drawn out mess of a post. I’d greatly appreciate any replies……………..
terri