3xg grandad brick wall!

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

There is a 2 year old Charles, son of Jacob on the 1850 Census:

First name(s) Charles
Last name Prime
Gender: Male
Age 2
Birth year 1848
Birth place Pennsylvania
Race Black
Dwelling 52
City/township South Easton
County Northampton
State Pennsylvania
NARA series 444770
Record set Us Census 1850
Category Census, land & surveys
Subcategory Census
Collections from Americas, United States

That one is still in Pennsylvania on the 1870 US census.

[Phoenix]

I know, but I couldn't see him on the 1880 census.

Actually, I imagine that he was probably east coast, with a father who was possibly a steward on a merchant ship. Or his father is to be found somewhere in London in 1871. Lots of families went to America and came back.

[kiterunner]

Just to save anyone else going this route, UK Census Online lists a John Prime, lodging house keeper, in Kent on the 1871 census, but his surname is really Penn.

[kiterunner]

Ancestry has a database of "Missing Friends" adverts placed in the "Boston Pilot" (indexed by the World Archives Project volunteers).
1 Jan 1876:
OF JACOB PRIME (colored), who left Connecticut about seven years ago; he wrote a letter five years ago, and I have not heard of or from him. I have written to London, where he was at the time he wrote, but the letters were sent back. His mother, Mary Prime, is anxious about him. Direct to Mary Prime, 10 Morgan street, New Bedford, Mass.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti..._B132607-00547

This could be that Jacob on the 1850 US Census:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...=successSource

New Haven, Connecticut
John Prime 50 Black, laborer, born New York
Mary " 35 born New York
Children: Julia A 16, John L 15, Louisa 11, Ralphaella 9, Martha (or Marsha?) 7, Jacob R 14, Joseph 1, all born Connecticut.

John L Prime, born 1835 New Haven, Connecticut, appears in the Civil War Sailors database with occupation waiter. So maybe other family members had that occupation at one time or another?

[kiterunner]

This is the Civil War record of Jacob Prime from New Haven, Connecticut, age 19 in 1864.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...=successSource
(make sure to keep clicking to view the next image as there are a lot of pages in his record.)

So I'm thinking the age 14 on the 1850 census could be a mistake and it was supposed to say 4. Just looking for the 1860 census to confirm...

[kiterunner]

Ah yes, here he is in 1860 age 13 (transcribed as Prieve on ancestry), so the 1850 census age was a mistake.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...nSearchResults

New Haven, Connecticut
Mary Prime 40, Black, Washer
Children: Harriet L 19, Raphaella 17, Martha 15, Jacob 13, Joseph 10, Andrew 8, Sarah 6.

[kiterunner]

So, your Jacob is the one born New Haven, Connecticut with parents John and Mary, since we have the newspaper ad saying he went to London.