Answers

MARSHALL, ICKLEFORD > ?? USA??, 19th century

April 2002

Bob Allen of San Jose, California, USA, say My immigrant ancestor was Charles H. Marshall.  He immigrated to America from England between 1850-1855.  He married Sarah Ann Uttley (probably in England) about 1850.  Their first child, James B. Marshall was born between 1850-1854 (possibly in England).  I cannot find their marriage or the birth of James in the IGI. Charles H. Marshall was born on or about November 10, 1826 in England. Charles H. Marshall's death Cetificate in America in 1901, says his parents were Joseph Marshall and Jane __?__.  I cannot find a Joseph Marshall with any wife who had a son Charles Marshall in the IGI in any County. 

I find a Charles Marshall who was christened on 31 Dec. 1826 in Ickleford, Hertfordshire, England, son of James Baker (or Barker) Marshall and Ann Newbery (who married in Ickleford, Hertfordshire, England on 23 July 1824.  I am looking for help to determine whether this Charles is my Charles H. Marshall.  My Charles H. Marshall had a connection with a Baker family after arriving in America.

There are so many coincidences suggesting that there is a very close connection with James Baker Marshall from Ickleford/Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, that I just need to check out this possibility further.  Do you have access to any information that verifies the existence of a Joseph Marshall with a wife Jane who lived in Ickleford or Hitchin who would have been born about 1800 and may have lived until about 1880? 

Clearly there were Marshalls in the Ickleford area and the 1881 census shows a Willoughby Marshall (56, born Ickleford) and his brother James Marshall (52, agricultural labourer, born Hitchin) living in Ickleford - and they might well be the brothers to the Charles Marshall that you found on the IGI - and you may find their baptisms (and maybe other siblings) by looking on familysearch - a quick glance showing that the uncommon given name Willoughby seems to occur frequently in the Marshall family in the area.

However Marshall is a common surname and at the 1881 census there were over 50,000 people with the surname, including nearly 1000 people recorded called Charles Marshall, 74 of whom were born within 5 years of 1826. Allowing for infant deaths, emigration, etc., there were probably about 10 children called Charles Marshall being born each year around 1826. James is a commoner given name than Charles - with about 40 children a year being born about 1852. Joseph is about as common as Charles. If the information is correct your Charles H. Marshall, son of Joseph and Jane is clearly not the Charles Marshall, son of James and Ann of Ickleford. The surname Uttley is virtually unknown in the county.

Unless there are definite evidence - such as  that when living in the US Charles still owned property in Hertfordshire - or strong circumstantial evidence such as that the James B(?) Marshall born circa 1851 was another James Baker Marshall and/or Charles had another son which he called Willoughby - you would be well advised to look elsewhere,

I suspect, from your mentions of the IGI, that you have been putting far too much emphasis on the results of negative searches in this incomplete index - see The Limits of Familysearch. If Charles married in England and/or James B Marshall was born in England the obvious place to look is the GRO indexes of births, marriages and deaths, which is almost certainly available on microfiche or microfilm at a genealogical library near you - possible an LDS Family History Centre. If positive this would allow you to purchase the relevant birth or marriage certificates. If you were not aware of this resource you should have a good look at the How to ... pages on this site, the beginners guide on GENUKI, or read a good book on researching your English Origins.

You may also find  My Ancestors Emigrated from Hertfordshire useful, and should be aware of the kind of problem highlighted in What did you Ancestor call himself.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.

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