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Hi

I have bean away from researching my family tree for a number of years and am planning on picking it up again. I am still desperate to find information on my Great Grandmother who has so far eluded me. I did post asking for help with her in 2009 so hope it is OK to do this.

Minnie Nelson born 1873, Shanghai.
Appears on the 1891 census in the house of Mary Thomas in Wales, aged 17. Appears as a 'niece' but this could be a transcription error. Mary Thomas also has a number of other girls staying with her who are her nieces, so it might be Minnie Nelson has just been assumed to be one as well.
Married Thomas Rogers Evans in 1894. I have the marriage certificate which lists her father as Andrew Nelson, deceased.

I know all about her married life, and children, but prior to 1891 I know very little.

I would love to know who her parents are - Andrew Nelson - who is he, where did he hail from, who was her mother?

It would seem impossible to find her birth in Shanghai in 1873.

I have had no luck tracing her passage to the UK either.

Any ideas please!

Thanks

Vicki

On the 1911 Census Minnie, now married to Thomas Rogers Evans, states she was born Shanghai, China however she gives her nationality as SWEDISH.

So it looks like her father at least, Andrew Nelson, was Swedish.

??

England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921

Name: Andrew Nelson
Gender: Male
Initiation Date: 15 Jul 1872
First Payment Year on Register: 1872
Year Range: 1863-1887
Profession: Pilot
Lodge: Royal Sussex Lodge
Lodge Location: Shanghai China
Lodge Number: 501, 735
Folio Number: 42

After her marriage it looks like Minnie visits the US a few occasions- I'm having difficulty reading the details on them, perhaps someone else can look :-

1915- difficult to read, but I think she's going to her husband, but she gives her nearest relative as her COUSIN, Mrs L Parry, Egremont:

Name: Minnie Evans
Arrival Date: 12 Jul 1915
Birth Date: abt 1873
Birth Location: Chena
Birth Location Other: sharyhe
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: St Paul
------------------------------------------------------

1908:
Name: Minnie Evans
Arrival Date: 16 Sep 1908
Birth Date: abt 1873
Birth Location: China
Birth Location Other: shaughai
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality: Welsh
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Etruria

http://www.genesreunited.com.au/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1134021

http://www.genesreunited.co.nz/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1134630


http://www.genesreunited.com.au/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1240854?d=asc

(Can anyone help me please, I am trying to locate an Andrew Nelson, but I have very limited information. All I know is he was called Andrew Nelson and was a master mariner, he was in Shanghai around 1873 as that is where his daughter was born, and he had died by 1894.)

Flick Report 17 Sep 2010 13:30

Not NORTH Wales.......but, is this perhaps relevant?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Sep 1868 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JONES Sarah Ann Newport M. 11a 263
Nelson Andrew Newport Mon 11a 263
REES John Newport Mon 11a 263
Thomas Elizabeth Newport Mon 11a 263


(in case anything else on above, previous)

Chris :)

Edits (looking at Lodge above, google brings below)

https://www.hrionline.ac.uk/lane/record.php?ID=1962

Wow, thank you so much for this help.

I had never noticed the Swedish nationality on the 1911 census but in my searches for Andrew Nelson i did find quite a few from Sweden so will have to circle back to these.

The Freemason records are not something I would have ever thought of checking, and didn't realise you could. Do you know if these records could yield further information, like more on his profession? We had always assumed he was a mariner as Minnie's husbands family were all mariners, so pilot is surprising!

The visiting ports in the US is highly likely. Both my great aunt and grandfather spoke about being educated on board ship by their mother prior to her death in 1919, as they sailed round the world with their father.

Off the top of my head Mrs L Parry is a cousin, she was one of the nieces in Mary Thomas' house on the 1891 census, Lily Williams I believe.

All this new information is amazing, thank you

Does anyone have any advice on further searches for this Andrew nelson now along the Swedish thread?

I think pilot in his case is likely to be maritime, guiding ships.

I've just realised. On the 1891 census Minnie Nelson is down as niece to Mary Thomas which we had assumed was a transcription error due to the other girls in the house who really were nieces - Ada and Mabel Pearson and the 2 Williams girls. However, the ships records found above where she lists Mrs L Parry as a cousin suggests they were cousins. The Williams and Pearson were first cousins of Minnie's husband Thomas Rogers Evans which suggests Minnie and her husband may have been first cousins? Unless of course she just calls L Parry her cousin when in fact L Parry is her husbands cousins!

Complicated and hopefully others can follow this!

On another trip to US in 1908 she's with children Glyn, 6 and Myfi, 1 and also Richard Evans, 77. Name of nearest relative at home was cousin Thos. Roberts, Bangor, Wales. They're going to Quincy near Boston, Massachusetts to join Minnie's husband Howell Evans!!! Richard says he's going to join son Howell Evans.

Minnie Evans

in the New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
Record Image View

View image(s) of the ship

Name: Minnie Evans
Arrival Date: 16 Sep 1908
Birth Date: abt 1873
Birth Location: China
Birth Location Other: shaughai
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality: Welsh
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Etruria
Search Ship Database: Search for the Etruria in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

Howell Evans is a brother of her husbands, not husband! But another clue - I hadn't realised that he had ended up in the US so something else to research :) thanks!

This looks to be Mary Thomas from the 1891 Census in 1881 Census

Name: Mary Thomas
Age: 43
Estimated birth year: abt 1838
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Carnarvon, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Civil Parish: Llanwnda
County/Island: Caernarvonshire
Country: Wales
Street address: Bryn Rhedydd
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education: View image
Employment status: View image
Occupation: Farmers Wife
Registration district: Carnarvon
Sub registration district: Llandwrog
ED, institution, or vessel: 23
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 5564
Folio: 77
Page Number: 8
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Thomas 43 Married, Farmer's Wife
Thomas R. Evans 17 Visitor b Liverpool occ Seaman
Samuel Evans 9 Visitor b Bangor
Catherine Williams 17 General Servant b Llandwrog, Caernavonshire
Evan Williams 58 Farm Servant Indoors b Aberdaron, Caernarvonshire,
John D. Evans 15 Visitor b Holyhead, Anglesey occ Seaman

Mary Thomas in the 1901 Census

Name: Mary Thomas
Age in 1901: 62
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Bangor, Caernarvonshire, Wales
Civil Parish: Llanwnda
Search Photos: Search for 'Llanwnda' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish: Llanwnda St Gwyndaf
County/Island: Caernarvonshire
Country: Wales
Street address: View image
Condition as to marriage: View image
Education: View image
Employment status: View image
Occupation: View image
Registration district: Carnarvon
Sub-registration district: Llandwrog
ED, institution, or vessel: 23
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 36
Piece: 5269
Folio: 126
Page Number: 5
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Thomas 62
Frederick E Rogers 13 Nephew b Liverpool
John Evans 29 Servant b Llanwnda
Mary Roberts 16 Servant b Llanwrog
C Andrews 42 Male Boarder, American Subject
C Andrews 36 Female Boarder American Subject

Brother Howell in 1920:

Howell Evans

in the 1920 United States Federal Census
Record Image View

View blank form

Name: Howell Evans
Age: 43
Birth Year: abt 1877
Birthplace: Wales
Home in 1920: Schenectady Ward 12, Schenectady, New York
House Number: 3
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1905
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Isabelle D Evans
Father's Birthplace: Wales
Mother's Birthplace: Wales
Native Tongue: Welsh
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Inspector
Industry: Electric Co
Employment Field: Wage or Salary
Naturalization Status: Naturalized
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Howell Evans 43, immigrated 1905
Isabelle D Evans 43, born Mass
John L Evans 6, "
Roger B Evans 3, "
[3 1/12]
Sebina U Weltin 76, mother-in-law, born Maine

Brilliant, thanks, John, Samuel and Thomas seen on the 1881 census with Mary Thomas are all brothers. I guess I need to find Mary Thomas' husband - William Thomas and his early life. If he had a sister Elizabeth - then the marriage in Newport shown above between Elizabeth Thomas and Andrew Nelson may well be my great, great grandparents!

Margaret M thank you! Another branch - please can you tell me if you have found this on ancestry? I only have basic membership and don't seem to be finding half this info!

Yes, it's from Ancestry Worldwide.

You say that William Thomas is Mary Thomas' husband ....can I ask how you know this?

I have a photocopy of something called 'The Ships Log' which was some kind of maritime publication which my great, great grandfather use to write for. The one we have is The memoirs of a Captains wife which was written by Thomas Rogers Evans mother Margaret and in it she speaks of her sister Mary marrying a Thomas Williams on board ship. I will dig it out so I can fully check the facts

I'm wondering if perhaps Thomas Rogers Evans Mother's Maiden name was Rogers as he has that name as a middle name.

Did you you mean Mary marrying a Thomas Williams? or are talking about Mary marrying William Thomas?

I am getting confused now! Yes I meant William Thomas (my son' first 2 names are Thomas william!)