05 March 2007

Looking For Ancestors In Great Britain, Part One

William Howard was born in England and died in Canada. His father was supposedly a surgeon in the Royal Navy who was "slain" in North America at the "commencement of the war." Are there any records in the Archives in England (or elsewhere) that support this information?

OBITUARY OF WILLIAM HOWARD

1st March 1843: Death Notices of Ontario by William D. Reid:

On the 23rd of January, William Howard, of the township of Grimsby, in the 67th year of his age. He was brought from England to America at the time of the Revolution, by his father, who was a Surgeon, in the Royal Navy and who was slain in the commencement of the war. His mother was afterwards married to a Lieutenant McDonald, with whom he removed to Upper Canada when but a boy. He leaves a widow and seven children.

William Howard IS our ancestor ---

His father MIGHT be Abraham Howard….

His father MIGHT be an UNKNOWN Howard, a Surgeon in the Royal Navy

His father DIED between approximately 1775 and ?

Is his father recorded in any of these documents? Or did he die too early. Perhaps in the Letters of Administration…

Is his mother, the former Widow Howard, then Mrs. McDonald/McDonnell, listed in any probate or Navy papers?

FAQ for the National Archives (where it’s located, requirements, etc.)

This website shows Abraham Howard, Surgeon, on the 64th (or 2nd Staffordshire) Regiment roster in 1785, so did he die at the “commencement” of the war, or later, or perhaps our ancestor is not Abraham Howard.

On his WorldConnect database, the late John Young named William Howard’s father as Abraham Howard. John died before I was able to determine how sure he was about the identity of William Howard’s father – perhaps his branch of the family knew details that ours didn’t. He also listed a date and place of birth for William Howard – 28 Nov 1773 in Ringwood, Hampshire, England [source: {*FHC} Film # 0994051 Items 3-5 Ringwood parish registers, 1561-1840 Church of England. Parish Church of Ringwood. *FHC – Family History Center of the LDS Church


For additional family details, see my WorldConnect database.

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