I am looking for information related to a James Louis Woods. He was born in 1849 in Bedfordshire, England. He immigrated to America. He was married in Spencer, Iowa, United States in 1871.

Thank You,

Eric Rustad
Big Lake, Minnesota, United States

There are three James Wood(s) baptisms in Beds 1849 +/-1 on the IGI at www.familysearch.org, one at Eaton Bray on 12 Nov 1848 father John; one at Woburn on 22 Oct 1848, father Thomas; and one at Potton on 23 Apr 1848, illegitimate. None of them had a middle name Louis.

I can trace the Eaton Bray and Woburn families in 1851, but neither of them has a son James, so they possibly both died. Which leaves just the Potton James who I can see in 1851 and 1861, but again in 1891.

Which seems to rule out all three James.

When did he emigrate - was he alone or with other family members? Does his US marriage certificate/entry give his father's name?

David

I would need to look on the certificate to see what his father name is, if it is on it?

Most people from England did not change their names when they immigrated to America, is that correct?

Thank You,

Eric Rustad
Big Lake, Minnesota, United States

I went on to FreeBMD and found the following information;

Name: James Woods June 1848
District: Biggleswade
Volume: 6
Page: *4

Name: James Woods June 1849
District: Hitchin
Volume: 6
Page: 585

Name: James Woods December 1849
District: Hitchen
Volume: 6
Page: 550

Eric

I found the 1870 Census of Coon TWP in Buena Vista County, IA.
http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/ia/buenavista/1...

James Woods born in England, Age 22, Farm Laborer. His age would put him at either 1848 or 1847 to be born possible 1849. He may have stated his age to be older.

I also found him in the 1880 Census in Barnes TWP in Buena Vista County, IA.

http://iagenweb.org/buenavista/barnes1880.html

James Woods age 31 born in England and parents are born in England also. His age here would indicate 1848 or 1849.

Eric

I looked further and found him in Grant TWP in the 1885 Iowa State Census.

http://iagenweb.org/buenavista/bv85gran.htm

Here it states him as 37 years old and born in England. This would put him at 1848 or 1847 for birth.

I looked in the 1860 Census and found no Woods name at all. My best guess would be that he immigrated somwhere between 1860 and 1870 and probably closer to 1870.

Eric

I'm not sure what information is included on a US marriage certificate at that time. But you certainly need to find it to double check, as without his father's name, and as there's no James Wood(s) with a middle name Louis, you're struggling.

I'm not aware of any examples of an emigrant changing names but I'm sure it must have happened

Where does the information that he was from Beds come from?

David

My wifes aunt gave me the information. She has been doing genealogy for years. I asked her what source she had and she couldn't remember but she is looking through of her papers to find where she came up with it.

Hopefully she hasn't lost it.

Eric

I was talking to a person in England. She thinks James Woods mother is Rebecca Woods from Potton, Befordshsire, England. His father is unknown because he was probably illegitimate.

If you have any more information it would be great.

Eric

I disagree with the lady in England that the James Woods in Iowa is the James Woods born in Potton - this is the birth you found in Biggleswade registration district, and the illegitimate birth in Potton that I referred to earlier. He was the illegitimate son of Rebecca, and was living in Potton in 1851 aged 3. By the 1861 census his mother had married Henry Gilbert and James Woods age 13 was living with them in Potton

I can't find him in 1871

In 1881 in East Ham London is James Woods 32 born Potton with wife Mary Ann 30 born Biggleswade and four children aged 11 to 10 months, the eldest three being born at Biggleswade

In 1891 still living in East Ham was James Wood 42 b Potton plus family; and in 1901 still in East Ham James Woods 52 b Potton

There are no other James Wood(s) baptised in Potton around 1848/9, nor are there are any other James Wood(s) births registered at that time on the GRO index. There are no other James Wood(s) born in, or living in, Potton in either the 1851 or 1861 censuses

I think it therefore reasonable to assume that the James in East Ham is the same person as the James, illegitimate son of Rebecca, living in Potton in 1851-61. As he was having children in Biggleswade starting c1870 he couldn't have been the James Woods you've found in Iowa in 1870, 1880 and 1885.

You need his marriage certificate to get his father's name.

David