Have I mentioned how much I am loving having access to the English records on Ancestry....just about every other blog recently...LOL Here is yet another find.
Years back I located an application for a passport for my paternal Hughes great grandparents. It was filed on November 6, 1919 and I figured that since John George Hughes, in particular, had not traveled back to West Hartlepool, England since he and his family crossed the pond in 1906, that he was due. As it turned out, he made it over to visit about a year before his death.
A bonus from the passport application, was a photo of my paternal great grandparents.
My paternal Hughes great grandmother, Elizabeth Olesen Hughes, crossed the pond twice before the 1920 voyage. Traveling in 1907 to West Hartlepool accompanied by her young son and my paternal grandfather, George Henry Hughes. This crossing was about fifteen months after the family arrived in the United States. When I visited Hartlepool in 2003, John Marsh, a Hughes cousin, recalled that whenever Elizabeth would visit, she would leave with a trunk a full of Hughes and Olesen "stuff".
A second time Elizabeth traveled alone to England. Her brother, Bill Olesen, accompanied her back to the US in 1910. I will admit that I need to follow Bill Olesen's travel records. I do not think he remained in the United States. He was there for a visit.
 |
| UK map showing itinerary and Olesen home in Seacombe |
From other travel records, it appears it took about a week to cross the pond. John George and Elizabeth Hughes sailed from the Port of New York around December 30 or 31. They arrived in Liverpool, England on January 6, 1920. First stop was Elizabeth's mother's home, 39 Clarence, Seacombe, located in a town directly across from Liverpool. Her mother, my paternal great great grandmother, Ferdinande (Ann/Annie) Weiss Olesen moved from West Hartlepool to Seacombe sometime between 1911-1920. I have tried to track down who else lived with Ann Olesen. My guess is, her married daughter, Emily Olesen Richards and her son, William Christian (Bill) Olesen. Emily's husband Rowland Richards had immigrated in 1914 and was living with John George and Elizabeth Hughes in Woodlawn, Pennsylvania.
No wonder I was not able to locate my paternal great grandparents on the 1920 census--they were in England....lol. Years back I wondered where they were as someone else living in their company house, 131 Spring Street, Woodlawn (now Aliquippa), Pennsylvania.
 |
| Hughes Green Grocer 70 Florence Street Longhill, West Hartlepool, England |
John George and Elizabeth stayed in England for over six months. Certainly a portion of the time was spent in West Hartlepool, probably staying with John George's parents. There were countless Hughes relations to visit as well as many friends. Both John George and Elizabeth Hughes were born in West Hartlepool.
Years back I had located the immigration records for my Great Great Grandmother Olesen. She, her son Bill and daughter Emily all traveled from Liverpool on July 17, 1920 to the Port of New York on the S.S. Aquitania arriving on July 24, 1920. Emily was on medical call on arrival for a possible illness, but discharged at 10:15am. Her husband, Rowland Richards, had traveled from Woodlawn, Pennsylvania to welcome her to the United States.
The immediate Olesen and Hughes Family destination was Ann's youngest son's, Ernest Alfred Olesen, home in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York.
The information that was found when I added foreign exploration to ancestry was that my paternal great grandparents were also coming back to the United States on the same ship. Departing on the SS Aquitania on July 17, 1920 from Liverpool and arriving at the Port of New York on July 24, 1920. The Hughes and Olesen's all traveled back together. Once everyone returned to Pennsylvania, they all lived together, for a time, at 131 Spring Street, Woodlawn, Pennsylvania.
Amusing to me. While John George and Elizabeth Hughes were overseas, their son, and only child, George Henry Hughes, my paternal grandfather, married Sarah Margaret VanGilder. In a ceremony on June 5, 1920, in Fairmont, West Virginia my paternal grandparents began over fifty years of married life together. It is said Elizabeth Hughes never wanted her son to marry and I have been told by those who were witnesses, that she was very nasty to my grandmother. Perhaps one reason is that they married when Elizabeth was too far away to stop the wedding.
Olesen Family Blogs on Flipside
Ferdinande (Annie) Weiss Olesen--wife of Christian Invart Olesen and mother of Elizabeth, Frederick, Bill, Emily and Ernie Olesen.
Christian Invart Olesen--husband of Annie Olesen and father of Elizabeth, Frederick, Bill, Emily and Ernie Olesen
Ernest Alfred Olesen--blog link in this blog
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published. PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2020, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser
No comments:
Post a Comment