John Clare and family

John is my Great Great Great Greatt grandfather on my grandmothers side. I recently came across the Clares whilst having a new look at the family tree. They caught my eye as they have an interesting story to tell.

John Clare born 1790 Stockport, Cheshire
In 1812 joined the Army with 84th Foot Reg.
Served from 1813 in the East Indies.
In 1820 he was made a Corporal.
He was described as being 5'4'', light brown hair, grey eyes and having an oval face.

At some point he married Ann (maiden name unknown) and had a daughter Elizabeth (GGG Grandmother) in 1826.
Elizabeth is recoreded being born at sea near the Island of St Helena, whilst her father was in the 69th Foot Reg.
Their second daughter Julia was born in Ireland 1833.

In the 1851 census he is recorded as a  Chelsie Pensioner.

I still have lots of research to do on John and his immediate family. But once again I have found another link to the military. At the same time I have my Gt x4 Grandfather also on Grandmothers side, but a whole other branch. serving from 1812 in the East Indies, I like to  think that maybe they once met....

Sepia Saturday - Brothers and Sisters

Here is my Great grandfather and his sisters.

The photo on the right was taken in Napoleon Ohio before 1894 and the one on the left I calculate around 1910 as George looks around 15. This was taken in Salford, Manchester.

George has the same hair cut in both photos!

middle George Arthur Beard 1886 - 1952

left Nellie Grace Beard   1884-1976

right Ada May Beard 1883 - ?

Sepia Saturday - Alfred Beard

 Alfred Beard

28th December 1851

Salford, Manchester, England

Mother Hannah Downes b.1818

Father Solomon Beard 1809-1859

Baptised 15th April 1855

14th May 1871 Emigrated to America

Lived in Napoleon, Ohio and Danville, Illinois

Alfred emigrated to be with his mother and five brothers, leaving a sister at home.

Alfred and two brothers established the Beard Electric Company in Napoleon, Ohio.

There's a family rumour he set up the electrics of the Buffalo Bill Tour.

In 1883 he patented a pipe-vise, I have all the original documents for this.

31st August 1881 Married Mary Hannah Wakerley

Newspaper article reports that the bride was attired in purple velvet trimmed with anchor satin and they left on the 12 o'clock train for Canada for their honeymoon.

Three children 

Ada May 1883

Nellie Grace 1884

George Arthur 1887

3rd November 1890 Became a naturalised citizen of the United States

6th September 1891 Died of Dropsey

After he died his wife Mary Hannah returned to England with her children, hence why I'm English and not American.

Photo of the funeral flowers

Funeral Notice

Alfred Beard is my Great Great Grandfather, I have a lot of his documents, probably the most of any family member from original baptism certificates, bibles and funeral cards. 

One day I would like to visit Ohio and Illinois to see where my family ended up.

Family Traits - Sepia Saturday

This one of my favourite family photos as I too have two girls followed by twin boys, I have many similar photos of me and my brood.

Centre
Nellie Grace Beard
Born 1884 Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana
Emigrated to England 1894 with her mother, sister and brother.
Married James Harold Lowe 1914
Died 1976

Right
Edna Lowe 1915

Left
Dorothy Lowe 1918

The two babies are James Eric and George Arthur born 1925 and both died before a year old.

Nellie is my Great Aunt (my grandfathers aunt!)

Sepia Saturday - A Wedding

I have gone with the wedding theme I love this photo, this my Mum and Grandad on her wedding day

Norma Beard ( not giving away mums age ;) ) and Alfred Beard 1917-2005

6th May 1972

Taken at St Martins Church, Orpington, Kent

sorry about the big gap in blogging, the computer broke! will take a while to catch up on every ones sepia Saturdays posts.

Almost Wordless Wednesday on a Thursday

May Beard nee Newton

1886 - 1968

I wrote about May on last Sepia Saturday hasn't she changed a lot!

Fearless Females

 (top row l-r) Caroline Pickup, Polly and Nellie Grace Lowe (nee Beard). 

(bottom row l-r) Dorothy Lowe and Sissy Lowe. 

I'm very sorry its a tiny picture, you will have to squint hard.

I don't have the original just an emailed copy.

But I thought this would be the best photo to start my Fearless Female posts with.

My Great Great Aunt Nellie Grace nee Beard married James Harold Lowe. In the above photo she is sat with Sissy who was James Harold's sister and Polly is Sissys "partner" - very modern! The photo was taken in the 1920's. 

So my Fearless Females are Sissy and Polly.