Eliza "Lida" M. Jenckes

Notes:

When I was very young, we went to visit Eliza, or "Cousin Lida," on Jenckes Lane, off Route 44 in Graniteville, Johnston, RI.

In the 1920 Federal Census, Eliza is age 35, living with her widowed mother Clara Jenckes on Putnam Pike in Johnston, RI.

I believe Lida was a schoolteacher at Graniteville, RI. In the Johnston Museum there is a Graniteville School souvenir booklet dated 1911, and this names Miss Eliza M. Jenckes as one of three teachers there.

From my dad: "I know from what my mother told me that Lida began teaching (as I understood it) at the former Belknap School, which was opposite the Belknap Chapel on Geenville Avenue . . . I do know that after Lida returned to RI from New Britain, Conn., that she began teaching at Graniteville, and taught there until her retirement."

Notes:

In the 1900 Federal Census, this family is living in the northeast section of Johnston, RI. There is a street named Jenckes Lane off Route 44, probably named after this family. When I was very young, we went to visit Eliza, or "Cousin Lida," there.

Daniel's mother, age 71, is living with them in 1900.

Daniel married Clara J. Andrews Abt 1885. Clara (daughter of William ANDREWS and Eliza Jane EDWARDS) was born May 1860, RI; died Aft 21 Jan 1920. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1860 Federal Census, Carrie J. Andrews is 1 month old, living in her parents' household at North Providence, RI.

In the 1920 Federal Census, Clara Jenckes is age 59, widowed, and living on Putnam Pike in Johnston, RI, with her daughter Eliza, who is age 35. It says she was was born in RI, and both parents were born in England.

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, George N. Jencks is living in North Providence, RI, with his wife Eliza, son George, and (probably) mother Susan. In the 1870 Federal Census, George & Eliza are living in the Olneyville section of Johnston (now Providence), RI. In the household are Eleanor, 21; Josephine, 18; Daniel, 15; and Mary Sweet, 64.

George married Eliza Ann Sweet 15 Nov 1847, Johnston, RI. Eliza (daughter of Daniel A. Sweet and Mary Ann Unknown) was born 27 Aug 1827, Johnston, RI; died 4 Nov 1903; was buried , Jenckes Lot, Mathewson St., Graniteville, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1900 Federal Census, Eliza A. Jencks, age 71, is living in Johnston, RI, with the family of her son, Daniel.

Notes:

According to my great-grandma's writings, her father William "was only 13 years old when his mother died -- and he used to work in the factory as a weaver until he went to sea as a cabin boy and followed the sea until his family came to America -- and while they were all working in the factories of Hebronville, for one place, and Central Falls and Pawtucket, I think it was while my aunts -- my father's sisters -- were there, he would go into the mill to see them and my mother was working there also and it was there he met her first."

William probably came to America with his father and sister Mary c1847 (see notes for John Andrews).

In the 1860 Federal Census, William & Eliza J. Andrews, ages 27 & 23, are living at North Providence, RI. He is a weaver. They have two children: William H., 3, and Carrie J., 1 month. In 1870 the family is still at North Providence, Centredale Post Office District.

The family was listed in the 1880 census for Providence / Graniteville; also known as District 1 Johnston:
William Andrews 47 born England
Eliza J Andrews 42 born England
Clara J. 20
James E. 15
Joseph C. 11
Mary E. 8
John F. 6
Estella M. 4
William H. 22

According to Mary's letter, her father William was in the Civil War, and also became an overseer at a mill in Centredale. She said his trade was "boss weaver" -- did she mean a manager of weavers?

His death record at Bristol, RI, identifies him as s/o John & Catherine. According to the record, he died at age 66.

William married Eliza Jane EDWARDS 2 Sep 1856, RI. Eliza (daughter of George EDWARDS and Abigail Abby WRAY) was born 4 Mar 1836, Clones, Monaghan, Ireland; died 2 Dec 1894, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Eliza Jane Edwards: born 4 March 1836 baptized 13 March 1836 Clones, Monaghan, Ireland; father George Edwards, mother Abegail.

Susan Edwards 19 and Eliza Jane Edwards 18, both born Scotland, sailed on the ship Saratoga from Liverpool and arrived at New York City on 27 July 1854.

Her mother and brother James arrived in August 1855.

The RI Death Index identifies her as d/o George & Abigail Edwards. She died at age 56.

Cyril — Susan Briggs. Susan was born 8 Feb 1793, RI; died 21 Jul 1851, RI; was buried , Rockland Lot, Plainfield Pike, Scituate, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, "Susan Jencks" is age 56, living with her son George, and his wife and son in North Providence, RI.

Daniel — Mary Ann Unknown. Mary was born Between 1806 and 1807, RI; died 16 Jan 1886, Johnston, RI; was buried , Jenckes Lot, Mathewson St., Graniteville, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The surname is spelled Andrew in most records, but also Andrews, particularly in America.

In the 1841 England census, the family is living on Church St. in Ashton under Lyne, Salford, Lancashire, England: John Andrew 35 occupation cotton dresser (? hard to read), Catherine 35, Ann 15 weaver, William 8, Mary 6, Eliza 2, and Betty 2 mo. John and all the children were born in Lancashire, but Catherine was not.

In the microfilm of naturalization records at the National Archives and Records Administration, I found a naturalization record dated Dec. 1853 from the Court of Common Pleas, Providence, for a John Andrew. This is our ancestor. His address is given as Smithfield, RI, and date of birth as 27 April 1803, birthplace "Ashton on the line" in Lancashire County, England. He arrived in New York City on 9 Sept 1847 and said since then he has continued to live in Blackstone, MA, and Smithfield, RI. Witnesses in Court were John Miller and John Scott of Smithfield.

His baptismal record at Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England, has his birth date as 27 Apr 1803, which agrees with the naturalization record; parents Samuel and Ann.

In the 1850 Federal Census, John is married to Sarah and living in Blacklstone, MA: John Andrew a Dresser Tender age 48 England, Sarah G. Andrew 37, William 17 a Weaver (my 2x-gr-grandfather), Mary 15, Eliza 12, Elizabeth 10, Alice 6.

In the 1860 Federal Census, is he the John Andrews, age 54 b England, a Dresser Tender, living at Warwick, RI, in the household of Samuel Mathews? There is a woman or wife there -- (Unknown) Andrews -- age 42 or 49, birthplace unknown. I don't know if this is our John Andrews, but it looks like he could be.

According to the 1900 Federal Census, John's daughter Mary immigrated in 1847. This seems to confirm the above date.

According to writings by my Great-grandma Chafee, her grandfather "was a slacher tender by trade in a factory. There was a time when he had a factory store -- and trusted the factory workers for their groceries -- when payday came."

He is undoubtedly the John Andrew buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Pawtucket. The date of death is the same as she wrote. The death record at Attleboro says he died 2 Nov 1868 at age 65, which agrees with the birth year of 1803. The death record does not name his parents.

According to Aunt Ann (Andrews) Abbey, John was a hard and cruel man. From my great-grandmother's notes: "My grandfather married twice after his wife Catherine died; the first wife wouldn't live with him because he wouldn't pay her sister's passage to America so she left him -- then he married a woman named Caroline -- she came to America with the family. After my grandfather died -- I was quite small -- this Caroline would come and visit my father. I remember her -- seeing a feather bed all tied up in a sheet, she somehow brought it everywhere she went. I never saw who it was brought it, but I remember seeing her. I have her earrings now, and a cameo pin Cousin Ida gave me -- belonged to her; and the earrings Aunt Mary gave them to Mrs. Hartford, but Mrs. Hartford thought I should have them (so I still have)."

I am not sure if the Sarah in 1850 is Caroline?

John married Catherine SMITH 25 Aug 1822, Manchester, Lancashire, England. Catherine (daughter of Joseph SMITH and Juliana Unknown) was born 12 Feb1804, Woolwich, Kent, England; died 8 Jul 1846, Lancashire, England; was buried 13 Jul 1846, Parish Of Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her parents may have been Joseph and Juliana. See the following notes:

This is the birth date for Catherine given in my Great-grandma Chafee's writings. She said she got the info from her Aunt Ann. According to records online, that date of birth, 12 Feb 1804, is for a Catherine Smith, daughter of Joseph and Juliana Smith in Woolwich, Kent, England; christened 26 Feb 1804; denomination Scots church.

"Catherine, daughter of Joseph Smith, Sergeant Major in (?) Horse Brigade of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the Parish of Woolwich and County of Kent, and of Juliana his wife was borne February 12th 1804 and Baptized February 26th 1804 by me John Blythe." (England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970)

Her death record notes residence Charlestown. I believe this is a district of Manchester.

Notes:

Married:
I think this is the correct date and location for my ancestors' marriage. The names, general location, and time frame seem correct.

Notes:

England census of 1841 at Ledbury, Herefordshire: George Edwards 60 soldier born England, Abegal 35 born Ireland, Susan 7 Ireland, Eliza 5 Ireland, and James 2 England.

England census of 1851 at Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire: George Edwards 61 (after that illegible), Abigal 47 Ireland, Harriet 19 Ireland, Susan 16 Ireland, Eliza J. 14 Ireland, James 12 born Brood Moor Common, Herefordshire; plus two lodgers, Jane Lynch 36 and John Mcalister 25.

George Edwards was an English soldier. Because of his duties, he was away from home a lot. His daughter, Eliza Jane Edwards Andrews (the mother of Mary Elizabeth, the mother of Laura, the mother of Norman . . .), remembered him as a wonderfully kind and good man. It was said by her that he never knowingly killed a man in battle (did he just tell her that to calm her fears?). Once when he was assigned to guard duty over the bodies of some dead soldiers, he was very sleepy and dozed off. When another soldier came along and asked him the password, he didn't answer. He asked again, and still no answer. After the third time, he was supposed to be shot. George said he felt someone slap him with a cold hand, and he awoke just in time to answer with the correct password. He felt it was one of the dead soldiers that had somehow saved his life (an angel?).

He was at home on sick leave when he heard bells tolling, signifying the death of an important person. He looked up from his bed and asked his wife whom the bells were tolling for, and she answered, "The Duke of Wellington." George looked over at a picture of Wellington which hung on the wall; he had been his commanding officer in the army (perhaps at Waterloo? or later?). At that, George turned over and died.

It was sometime after that, I gather, that his family became very poor. They lived in the area of Herefordshire, as nearly as I can determine. The oldest daughter, Helen, by his first wife Charlotte, had married a wealthy man. At some point she must have either died or moved away, otherwise she would have helped the family. Eliza Jane worked in a factory, where she caught her finger in the gears. Her boss let her go to the doctor, who cut it off, bandaged her hand, and sent her back to work. It was probably the little finger of the left hand, as her daughter Mary Elizabeth remembered in later years.

The girls eventually traveled to America (Eliza Jane was probably not more than 17), around 1854 (below decks by steerage), to set up a home for their mother, Abigail, who came later with their younger brother, Jimmy. They settled in the area of Central Falls or Pawtucket.

Margaret, the oldest, married and went to Sacramento, California, where it is thought that she and her husband may have died in a flood. Susan married and moved to New York. Elizabeth, or Aunt Lizzie, married William Wardell and went to live in Bristol, RI, where she is now buried along with her husband and mother, Abigail Ray (Wray) Edwards. Harriet married Jacob Roe, and had a son, George, and two daughters, Margaret and Hattie. Uncle Jacob went to the Civil War along with his brother-in-law, William Andrews (Eliza Jane's husband). Sadly, Jacob was killed.

Eliza Jane, my great-great grandmother, married William Andrews, who had originally come from the area of Manchester/Lancashire, England. Besides fighting in the Civil War, he became an overseer at a mill in Centerdale, RI. During that time Eliza Jane took a charitable interest in her sister-in-law "Nappy," the deserted and destitute wife of James, her younger brother. He had taken his young son Jimmy and run off, leaving his wife with their daughter Etta. At Eliza Jane's encouragement, William gave Nappy a job and saw that she had a place to live in one of the mill tenements in Centerdale.

Years later, Uncle James wrote asking for help, so Eliza Jane and her niece (one of Harriet's daughters) traveled to Philadelphia to meet with him. After a long time they brought him back. They learned he had gone to Florida, married another woman, had four more sons, and now his second wife had died; money and food were scarce for James and the boys. By this time his daughter, Etta, was about 26, and was trying to care for her mother, Nappy, who had gone"crazy" with grief over the loss of her son over all the years. James married for a third time, so this wife was stepmother to his four boys (one of whom was named George, after Grandfather Andrews). The oldest boy, Jimmy (his son by Nappy), came back to Rhode Island and lived for a while with his mother and sister, Etta, but would wander off to Philadelphia, and eventually married a girl there. So there were some hard times and hard feelings in the family at that time. Mary Elizabeth later reflected that the families did better as time went on, and she hoped they would all know each other better in the next world.

George married Abigail Abby WRAY Abt 1825. Abigail (daughter of George WRAY and Betsey Unknown) was born Abt 1804, Ireland; died 10 Dec 1863, Thames Street, Bristol, RI; was buried , North Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

My information on Abigail's life came primarily from the writings of my great-grandmother Chafee (nee Mary Andrews). I followed this up with two visits to the vault at the Bristol Town Hall in Bristol, RI, where I located and photocopied the death record, which gave additional facts such as date of death, age at death, parents' names, and place of birth. It says that her family was Scotch-No. Irish, and that she was born in Scotland. Gr-Grandma thought "her people were from the north of Ireland."

Abigail married the widower of her sister Charlotte.

(Bristol official record book #5, p.39)

According to the 1840 and 1851 England censuses, Abigail was born in Ireland. A posting on the Wray forum at genealogy.com says she was from Clonkirk, Ireland.

Abby Edwards age 48 housekeeper and James Edwards age 17 cotton spinner are listed on the ship's manifest, arriving in New York City on 27 August 1855. They sailed from Liverpool on the ship Thornton.

Notes:

I have estimated their year of marriage.