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Archiver > LANCSGEN > 2002-10 > 1033501046


From: "Laura W. Steneck" <>
Subject: RE: [LAN] BLAKELY
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 15:37:26 -0400


Hi Jon,
Well, first may I ask what NBI stands for? Guess if I don't know what it
is I haven't had access to it before :-)
Yes, James BLAKELY, son of Sarah ?? BLAKELY, joined the Catholic faith
before his marriage to Susanna SMYTH, daughter of John Edward SMYTH and
Anna Margaret RUFFNER. They were married at St. Patrick's Church,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 4, 1827. The records I received from
the Diocese of Pittsburgh only give the names of the witnesses (bummer),
not his parents.
James' brother, John had a middle name "Simpson". John Simpson BLAKELY
married Jemima Cecelia FORTUNE August 22, 1833 at St. Patrick's Church.
Again, names of witnesses, but not parents.
The brother William made application for naturalization with James as
sponsor, but can find no evidence that he converted to Catholicism as the
Diocese of Pittsburgh had no records on a William BLAKELY.
The sister, Alice BLAKELY was baptised a Catholic on July 20, 1828 and
married Calvin DODGE on Nov. 27, 1832 at St. Patrick's.
So you see I have followed every lead I've come across not only on James
but also on his siblings, but so far have only found the name of the
mother, Sarah BLAKELY, living with daughter Alice Dodge in the census of
1850. My grandfather recorded the date of her death in his "Dates to
Remember" diary, as did the husband of one of James' children, Sebastian
WIMMER, who kept a daily diary for 65 years and many of which I have
transcribed for the historical society, Elk County, Pennsylvania.
Thanks so much for checking and if you come across any BLAKELY's in
Blackburn, Lancashire, or the ole town of BLAKELEY, which is now a part of
Manchester, I believe. My grandfather visited Ashton-Under-Lyne in 1955,
searching for information, but didn't record anything in the diary he kept
of his trip.
A sincere thanks to you, Jon........and Terry for your replies and
guidence. I will continue searching.
Regards,
Laura Steneck
Clearwater, Florida USA



> [Original Message]
> From: JonB <>
> To: <>
> Date: 10/1/02 1:22:07 PM
> Subject: RE: [LAN] BLAKELY
>
> Hi Laura,
>
> I don't know if you have NBI, but I did a quick search for Burials in
> 1817-1819 and there's none in Lancashire, in fact NBI shows none in Lancs
> for the period 1538-1825 (though NBI is not conclusive).
> It does show a hotspot in West Yorkshire though.
>
> Have you found out if James married (I would guesstimate at about the same
> time he was baptised - perhaps he took the catholic faith before he
married
> into a cathlic family - perhaps linked to one of his sponsors?) the
marriage
> certificate may indicate his father's name?
>
> Another though is that children may be named after grand parents...the
fact
> that one son has a second name (do you know what the 'S' stands for?)it
may
> indicate a grandfather's initial of S. In reality the grandparents could
> have any of the children's names. If you want further info from NBI let
me
> know...it may be a starting point.
>
> I'm not giving any answers just some ideas (questions).
>
> Regards,
> JonB
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Laura W. Steneck [mailto:]
> Sent: 30 September 2002 23:49
> To:
> Subject: Re: [LAN] BLAKELY
>
>
>
> Thanks so much, Terry. Yes, I do have access to an LDS Library, and have
> checked there many times but to no avail.
> When James Blakely converted to Catholicism, he was baptized at St.
> Patricks Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of 22 years. He
was
> "a convert from Calvinism", according to the church records, and the
record
> only gives the names of his sponsors, not his parents.
> I wouldn't know where to begin to look for his "christening" in England.
> And it it especially hard since I don't know the name of his father.
Guess
> I'll just keep hitting my head on this brick wall............but one day
> something will turn up! I just know it will!
> Does anyone have any information on the Philadelphia ship "Tuscora" that
> sailed from Liverpool on Aug. 6, 1819?
> Or any other ship that may have sailed from Liverpool in Aug. or
September,
> 1819? According to James' application for naturalization, he stated he
> "arrived in America Sept. 1819 and had lived in or near Pittsburg since
> arrival".
> I've checked every ships list available and there is nothing online for
the
> years prior to 1820.
> Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!
> Regards,
> Laura Steneck
> Clearwater, Florida USA
>
>
>
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