|
#1
22-01-14, 13:52
|
|||
|
|||
George Purkis born 1842 - emigrated to the USA?
George Purkis is my great-grandfather's brother.
This is all I have on him: son of James and Charlotte Jane Purkis born 26 Apr 1842 christened 20 May 1842 St Mary’s Portsea 1851 census PORTSEA ISLAND, Hampshire HO107 piece 1657 folio 468 page 32 Trafalgar Place, Portsea, Portsmouth James Purkis Head 41 Shipwright Hants Portsea Charlotte Wife 38 Hants Portsea Ellen Daughter 13 Scholar Hants Portsea James Son 11 Scholar Hants Portsea George Son 9 Scholar Hants Portsea Henry Son 6 Hants Portsea Alfred Son 4 Hants Portsea Ann Douse Servant U 16 House Servant Kent Deal My uncle drew up a family tree in the 1980s and put a note on the tree to the effect that George emigrated to the USA, but no further details. His brother Henry Hatch Purkis emigrated to Australia. Alfred was killed on HMS Captain. My only other thought was that he joined the Royal Navy, but no naval records for him (just his uncle of the same name). Can anyone see sight of him in the USA, please? 
|
|
#2
22-01-14, 14:29
|
||||
|
||||
|
The 1900 US census has a George Purkiss age 60, says he was born Feb 1840 in England, widowed, occupation porter, year of immigration 1888, cousin of one or other of a married couple James and Annie P Bratt ages 55 and 54, both born England. There are a couple of other George Purkisses but their ages are out by quite a few years. The birth month of Feb should rule him out, but sometimes people do have a wrong birth month on the census so I will see if I can find any more info on him. Mind you, if the year of immigration is right, he would be on a few more English censuses so probably not the right person. Unfortunately he is in New Jersey in 1900 and there are not many NJ records online.
|
|
#3
22-01-14, 14:33
|
||||
|
||||
|
Elizabeth, is this not him in 1861? (in England)
1861 census
|
|
#4
22-01-14, 14:38
|
||||
|
||||
|
Then in 1891 there is a George Purkiss, Marine Engineer, age 50, single, born Portsmouth, in the Sculcoates Union Workhouse in Yorkshire:
1891 census
|
|
#5
22-01-14, 14:39
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
His brother William John emigrated to Philadelphia, much later, after a spell in Strangeways for bigamy! I couldn't find his parents in 1861 either, even with a census reference check - they are on Ancesry.
|
|
#6
22-01-14, 14:51
|
|||
|
|||
|
FMP don't have the 1861 record.
I think I have seen the Yorkshire record before. I wonder why my uncle believed he went to the USA. Perhaps he was muddling him with William John. Sad if he ended up away from his family by himself.
|
|
#7
25-02-23, 15:50
|
|||
|
|||
|
I've returned to this. I've been without my main computer for 2 weeks but now I have it back I thought I'd try to find out some more.
FMP have his naval records. Initially he had a good service record but then the demon drink affected his behaviour and he was discharged in 1870. However, I also found the following: First name(s) Geo Last name Purkis Birth year 1842 Birth date 1842 Age 30 Death year 1872 Death date 15 Dec 1872 Reported date 1874 Death place Drowned Place Rinaldo Country Great Britain Type At Sea Vessel name Rinaldo Departure port St Kath Dk HO Source Registers Of Wages And Effects Of Deceased Seamen, 1852-1889 Archive The National Archives Archive reference BT 153 Box 0014 Page 65 Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials Collections from Great Britain, UK None https://search.findmypast.co.uk/reco...0014%2f001-065 Was it possible he could enlist again or is this someone else?
|
|
#8
25-02-23, 15:57
|
|||
|
|||
|
From Wikipedia:
Rinaldo United Kingdom The ship was sighted whilst on a voyage from Leith, Lothian to San Francisco, California, United States. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands.[89]
|
|
#9
25-02-23, 15:59
|
||||
|
||||
|
As far as I can make out from newspaper searches, Crew List Index Project, etc. the Rinaldo was a merchant ship, not a Royal Navy ship, in which case he would not have had to rejoin the Royal Navy to serve on it.
|
|
#10
25-02-23, 16:03
|
|||
|
|||
|
However, it is likely that the George Purkis in the 1891 census is our George as he is a "Marine Engineer". He was an Engineer in the RN, like many of his family.
|
 |
|
|
Linear Mode
