Ellen/Helen Howells

Birth Name Ellen/Helen Howells
Gender female
Age at Death about 80 years

Narrative

Based on Grace and Norma's recollections, Ellen/Helen (Howells)
Hughes told her son William that his father had died while she
was pregnant with him, possibly trampled to death by a horse. But
neighbors and/or other family members told William that his
father had gone to America. In any case he was not with the
family in 1881.

Ellen/Helen is called Ellen on her sons' birth records and in the
1881 Census. On her son William's mariage record and SS
application he gave her name as Helen. If we have the right
records, then her marriage record and the 1871 Census also call
her Helen.

According to Norma (Hughes) Kennedy, Ellen/Helen Howells was
married three times, but all her children were from the same
marriage. It seems that the other marriages were after this one.
William did not get along with his step-fathers.

Ellen/Helen and her three youngest children were living in
Bridgnorth Workhouse in 1881, where William had been born. Mary
Ann (if correctly identified as a daughter of this family) was
with her grandparents, John and Mary Ann Howells, in Linley,
Shropshire.

In 1891 the three youngest children are boarding at the
Shropshire District School in Quatt Jarvis. Mary Ann (if
identified correctly) is on the 1891 Census as a servant in the
home of Francis and Annie James on Aqueduct Road, Stirchley,
Salop.

Ellen/Helen remarried on 4 Jul 1895. Her second husband was John
Wright, a laborer who resided at St. Mary's Steps, Bridgnorth.
They were married at Stoneway Chapel, Bridgnorth. His age was
given as 35, but census records found by Jennifer Tyler indicate
he was more likely 33. Her age was given as 36. She was a domestic servant at the time. Her father, John Howell, was deceased.
Grace said that her father corresponded with his family in
England until about the time his daughter Verly was born (1925).
Is this a clue to when Ellen/Helen died?

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth about 1854 Sutton Maddock, Shropshire, England   1a
Census (daughter) April 7, 1861 Madeley, Shropshire, England 25 Hills Lane 1a
Event Note

1861 Census, Madeley, Shropshire
Registration District: Madeley, Sub Registration District: Madeley, ED 12, piece 1858, folio 53, page 32, household 197
at 25 Hills Lane

John Howells, head, 48, agricultural laborer, born Morville, Salop
Mary A Howells, wife, 36, born Much Wenlock
John Howells, son, 15, coal miner, born
Ellen Howells, daughter, 6, born Sutton
Hannah Howells, daughter, 4, born Sutton

Census (daughter) April 2, 1871 Madeley, Shropshire, England Twining Farm 2a
Event Note

1871 Census
Civil Parish: Barrow, Shropshire, Eng
Registration District, Madeley
Parliamentary Borough: Wenlock
Municipal Borough: Broseley
RG10/2758; ED Institution or vessel 7; Folio 63; Page 16

Family 58; in Twining Farm

Ann Grier?, farmer's wife, 57
Mary Ann Howells, wife, 49, laborer's wife, Born: Bounton, Salop
3 other servants

Family 59; In Twining Cottage

John Howells, 55, head, married, agricultural laborer, born in Eaton, Salop
Helen Howells, 16, dau., grn servant, born in Sutton Maddock, Shropshire

Census (mother) April 3, 1881 Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England 16 North Gate, poorhouse 3a
Event Note

1881 Census, Bridgnorth, St Leonards, Shropshire
3 April 1881
Workhouse 16 North Gate
ED 1, piece 2629, folio 17, page 26

Ellen Hughes, married, 31, born Sutton Maddock, Salop
James Howell, 5, born Dudley, Worcestershire
Ellen Howell, 3, born Wolverley, Worcestershire
William Howell, under 10m, born Bridgnorth, Salop

all pauper inmates

Census March 31, 1901 Norton, Shropshire, England Norton 4a
Event Note

1901 Census of England
Norton, Shropshire, England
ED 7, piece 2521, folio 71, page 4, household 21
31 March 1901
Jane Merrick household, 74, widow, living on own means
Helen Wright, 46, married, housekeeper, born Sutton Maddock, Shropshire

Residence November 1910 Buildwas, Shropshire, England   5a
Event Note

Ellen was living in Buildwas, England, when her son William entered the US from Montreal in November 1910, according to his information on the list of aliens applying for admission.

Census June 1, 1911 Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England 21 Little Wenlock, Horsehay 6a
Event Note

1911 Census of England
Little Wenlock, Madeley, Shropshire
June 1, 1911
at 21 Little Wenlock, Horsehay

James Banks, head, widowed, boot maker, living on own account
Helen Wright, 56, widow, domestic servant, born in Sutton Maddock

Death 1934 Madeley, Shropshire, England   7
Event Note

This could be Helen Howells' death:
Deaths Jun Qtr 1934 in Shropshire
Harper Helen 79 Madeley 6a 666

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father John Howells18081888
Mother Mary Ann Davis1812after 1881
    Sister     Emma Howells about 1840
    Brother     Henry Howells July 17, 1844 July 26, 1846
    Brother     John Howells about 1846
    Sister     Anne Howells November 2, 1848 May 12, 1854
    Brother     James Howells October 12, 1851
         Ellen/Helen Howells about 1854 1934
    Sister     Hannah Howells about 1856

Families

Family of William Hughes and Ellen/Helen Howells
Married Husband William Hughes ( b. about 1849 d. ... )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage January 21, 1872 Madeley, Shropshire, England    
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Mary Ann HughesAugust 10, 1873
James Richard HughesMay 25, 1876September 10, 1963
Ellen Hughesabout 1877
William HughesJune 13, 1880November 12, 1976

Family of John Wright and Ellen/Helen Howells
Married Husband John Wright ( b. d. ... )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage July 4, 1895 Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England    
Event Note

Ellen/Helen remarried on 4 Jul 1895. Her second husband was John Wright, a laborer who resided at St. Mary's Steps, Bridgnorth. They were married at Stoneway Chapel, Bridgnorth. His age was given as 35, but census records found by Jennifer Tyler indicate he was more likely 33. Her age was given as 36. She was a domestic servant at the time. Her father, John Howell, was deceased.

[source for the above information is probably Jennifer Tyler's research. Jennifer is Karen (Kennedy) Meriwether's daughter.]

from freebmd
Marriages 3rd Qtr 1895
Hughes Ellen Bridgnorth 6a 1081
Wright John Bridgnorth 6a 1081

Family of Thomas Harper and Ellen/Helen Howells
Married Husband Thomas Harper ( b. d. 1932 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage between January 1912 and March 1912      
Event Note

Marriages Mar Qtr 1912, in Shropshire
Harper Thomas Wem 6a 1018
Wright Helen Wem 6a 1018

Source References

  1. 1861 Census of England
      • Page: Registration District: Madeley, Sub Registration District: Madeley, ED 12, piece 1858, folio 53, page 32, household 197
      • Citation:

        https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1861&indiv=try&h=19688175

  2. 1871 Census of England
      • Page: Barrow, Shropshire, Registration District, Madeley, RG10/2758; ED Institution or vessel 7; Folio 63; Page 16
      • Citation:

        https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9408516:7619?tid=&pid=&queryId=339d24c5ab60787261cf71f5d64b999d&_phsrc=DDU1151&_phstart=successSource

  3. 1881 Census of England
      • Page: Bridgnorth, St Leonards, Shropshire
      • Citation:

        https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7572/images/SALRG11_2626_2631-0609?pId=18215335

  4. 1901 Census of England
      • Page: Norton, Shropshire, England, ED 7, piece 2521, folio 71, page 4, household 21
  5. Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954
      • Page: Wm Hughes, Nov 1910, from Montreal, examined Nov 18, 1910
      • Citation:

        "Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK3Y-21J2 : 23 February 2021), William Hughes, 1910; citing M1464, Soundex Index to Canadian Border Entries through the St. Albans, Vermont, District, 1895-1924, 139, NARA microfilm publications M1461, M1463, M1464, and M1465 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, publication year); FHL microfilm 1,561,225.

  6. 1911 Census of England
      • Page: Little Wenlock, Madeley, Shropshire
      • Citation:

        https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2352&h=43513642&tid=&pid=&queryId=f93d8047d9b570d1aa41843b6495b12c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=DDU1174&_phstart=successSource

  7. FreeBMD