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Surnames: Castle, Francis
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/JFI.2ACIB/841
Message Board Post:
Searching for ancestry of my ggrandfather John Edward Castle. Here's what I know so
far:
1. He was born about 1839 in England. (based on death certificate, 1880 census, and his
obituary in 1899 saying that he was about 60.)
2. He was an engineer by trade, and had worked on steamboats in Russia and England before
arriving in the United States sometime prior to 1874. (From my grandmother’s recollection,
repeated in obituary)
3. He married Sarah Ann Francis in Waterloo, Iowa, US, 28 Sep 1874. (have marriage
certificate)
4. According to her 1919 obituary, Sarah Ann Francis was a native of Queenborough, Kent (I
have had no success tracking down her ancestry, either!) My grandmother said that Sarah
didn’t know John before meeting in Iowa, but found out afterwards that “they didn't
live many miles apart in different towns” in England.
5. After marriage, John and Sarah had 7 children between 1875 and 1891 in Waterloo and
Dubuque, Iowa, while he was a machinist/engineer with the Illinois Central Railroad. They
migrated west in 1890 to Thurston Co, Washington State, where he was a boiler technician,
repairman, and operator of the “donkey engine” at a logging camp. He died 3 June 1899,
Olympia, Thurston, WA, after being hospitalized with heart trouble.
IGI, Kent parish records, and UK census data suggest several contender John Castles that I
haven't ruled out yet by conflicting data (such as being listed in 1880 UK census,
especially with wife and kids!). My leading candidate at this point is John Edward Castle,
bp 18 Sep 1839, Halling, Kent.
Does anyone have info on any John Castle b. Kent who could be a ringer for my John Edward
Castle, or disprove that the John Castle of Halling was my ggrandfather?
Thanks,
Wayne Olsen