Mystery First Wife - Genealogists' Forum

Kit · #1 18-02-18, 03:30

FMP have released new India Office records so I have been having a look to see if I can fill in any blanks.

What I have discovered is that for several years I have had my 2g grandparents marriage record and have not seen that my 2g grandfather was a widow.

My 2g grandparents are Thomas William Duhan Clarke and Emma McDonald (nee Crawford). I think I researched Emma and forgot that Thomas had married twice.

Thomas was born 24/9/1835 in Dinapore, India and died 16/8/1918 in India, probably Cawnpore. Emma and Thomas married 9/12/1863 at Lucknow. Emma previously married William McDonald on 24/8/1858. I do not know when or where William died. (anyone that wants to find that death is very welcome)

Can anyone find the first wife?

Note Duhan has been mistranscribed by every FH site I know of.

Merry · #2 18-02-18, 07:29

I looked at deaths of female Clarkes in India in the five years before Thomas's second marriage where the woman was born within ten years of 1840. I didn't see any the wife of Thomas William, though there was one named Helen, the wife of Thomas, who died after childbirth in May 1863 aged 19. Her husband was an accountant in the central office. There were a couple of deaths where it just stated the husband's occ but not his name.

I looked at Clarke children baptised in the ten years before the second marriage and whilst there were quite a few with father Thomas, none had any further forenames.

Merry · #3 18-02-18, 07:55

I just looked at the marriage for Thomas Clarke and Helen (Morrisey) which took place in 1859. At that date she was aged 15 and already a widow

Thomas was recorded as aged 23.

The other interesting news is that the groom is recorded as just Thomas Clarke, but he signed Thos Wm Clarke. His father was recorded as Thomas Clarke (Helen's father was not recorded). Thomas William Clarke's occ was Clerk in central office.

I see from the 1863 marriage that your TWD Clarke was an accountant and his father was Thomas Matthew Clarke, so a good match but not quite perfect!

Merry · #4 18-02-18, 08:09

The only child I could see that could be for Thomas and Helen is George Stanley Clarke, but if Helen died "after childbirth" it was quite a long time after, as GS was born 26 March 1863 and Helen wasn't buried until May. The place of residence at the baptism is Roorkee and Thomas is an Accountant General Office, Ganges Canal.

Roorkee is where Helen was buried, 15 May 1863. George Stanley was bap 1 May 1863.

I had hoped that when George Stanley Clarke married in 1896 he might have given more names for his father, but he just says Thomas! There is a Clarke witness to the marriage, but I'm not sure of their initial.

Kit · #5 18-02-18, 11:41

Thanks Merry, I'll have a look and see if any of the witnesses ring a bell.

Kit · #6 19-02-18, 08:51

None of the witnesses help.

I even tried the witnesses of the marriages of the children of the second marriage but no luck there either.

I can't find a will for TWD or Emma which could have helped. I'll keep digging as the marriage to Helen looks promising.

Kit · #7 19-02-18, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merry

I had hoped that when George Stanley Clarke married in 1896 he might have given more names for his father, but he just says Thomas! There is a Clarke witness to the marriage, but I'm not sure of their initial.

I think the initial is a T based on the T's in both parents surnames but it is very close to the S in Stanley too.