Mary and Kay: Many thanks for your trouble. I'll try to be brief and show you what info I do have to date:
IGI:
Eliza Oates
ch 15 Sep 1821 St Georges, Douglas
d/o Robert and Mary Thomson
IGI:
Margaret Oates (sister to Eliza, m. S. SHELLEY)
ch Jan 1827 St Georges, Douglas
d/o Robert and Mary Thompson
To answer Mary's question first - Eliza's date of death was sourced through the courtesy of Donna Douglas as follows:
MI – courtesy Donna Douglas:
St. George's Church
Douglas
#243
In loving remembrance of Elizabeth RICHARDSON who died 25th April 1876 aged 55 years.
(dob 1821)
A Will was located on Brian's site which included the following:
Last Will & Testament – Brian Lawson’s site:
“...Elizabeth Wilson alias Richardson...”
“...Elizabeth Wilson late of the town of Douglas, Widow, deceased, who died on or about the month of April 1876...”
Burial – Brian Lawson’s site:
WILSON, Elizabeth, aged 55 years/Dsg/BURIED 1 May 1876 (DIED April 1876)
Her Will mentions her sister “Margaret Shelley” (nee OATES b 1827, married to Samson Shelley). acting as a pledge. The 1881 UK census shows Margaret Shelley residing with “Head” Mary Richardson (Eliza’s daughter) and is indicated to be her Aunt. Also, Mary Richardson had a son 1888-1889 named George "Oates" Bell. This tells me that David Richardson’s wife’s surname was indeed OATES.
Eliza Wilson’s Will also indicates her entire estate is to be left to “Mary Richardson, Spinster, a daughter of the deceased”.
The "Handbook of Texas Online" indicates that "David Richardson married his first wife Eliza about 1839". The first 4 children born in England, and included in the 1850 Galveston census were born between 1839 and 1845. This tells me they were Eliza's children - BUT nothing is written in stone.
There is an IGI entry of marriage between an Eliza Oates and Robert Wilson, however, the date is 1842?? From this union one child was born on the IOM named Frederick Walton Wilson (b 1843)...The dates are wrong, but these were the ONLY entries I could locate. The Frederick Richardson listed on the 1850 Galveston census is shown to be 2 years of age (b 1848) in Louisana, USA.
Willard Richardson was NOT related to David. David was hired by Willard as a partner/managing editor with the Galveston Daily Newspaper. The marriage certificate of Mary Richardson (Eliza’s daughter), to Henry Edward Bell dated 1882 shows her father to be an “Editor of a newspaper”.
The 4 others named in the Galveston 1850 census residing at the same residence as the Richardson family, could well be visitors/employees or ? I don’t see any personal connection to the family.
Why is Eliza buried under the name Richardson if she married a Mr. Wilson AFTER returning to the IOM?
-Why is her Will in the name of Wilson alias Richardson? Should her birth name Oates not also be shown?
-Why does the Handbook of Texas say she was married in 1839 to David Richardson?
I was hoping a marriage record between Richardson and Eliza Oates might help me determine what is what.
My apologies for this very lengthy message. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.