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Owen, James the bloody steps murderer

B

Brummiebell

master brummie
Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me, my ancestor James was hung in 1840 for murdering a passenger on his Pickfords' canal boat so he is a very interesting person in our family tree. (Also a horrible piece of work) I have his mother and father Joseph and Avis and his brothers and sisters but although I definitely know he was married with children cannot find a record of his wife's name or his children or in fact what happened to them after his death. I suspect it was a case of the the poor house as his father ended up there in his 80s but I am so frustrated that I can't find any mention of them at all and don't know where I am going wrong. Please can anyone help. Many Thanks Maria
 
Baptised and buried in Brinklow? What information do you have? Was he a direct ancestor?

There are some marriages listed on familysearch but as he was a boatman he could have married anywhere.
 
Hi MWS, he was a cousin of my great grandmother and I am writing up the story as part of a family History book. I have even read the trial transcripts and am in contact with the murder victims ancestors but although mention is made that he was married and that his wife visited him in jail and was. so overcome she had some kind of seizure, poor lady. I would just like to complete the story of what happened to his poor unfortunate family. His brothers and sister were also boatmen and married boatmen as was his father and they all married in Brinklow which was where his mother lived while his father worked the canals but I can't find any record of his marriage. Just wondered if anyone else may spot something that I have missed.
 
Hi postie, thanks for that, no mention of wifes name but its a lovely site and some super pictures, I love what Colin Dexter did with the story, so very clever and the real murder victim was actually married to a magician who died in Ireland. Shame that James Owen and his men were very very guilty the trial and witnesses show that and it looks as if they were so drunk they didn't even know what they had done. Lovely episode of Morse though and some of Christina's descendants even took parts in the episode so I don't think they were upset at his casting doubt on Owens guilt. Thank you for that.
 
I take it you have seen the baptism record for James with the added note about his execution?

Janice
 
Hi Janice, yes I spotted that, first time I have ever seen anything like that. In fact it made me think more than ever that James was married at Brinklow as the clergy must still have had knowledge of the family to write that in the records. All of the children were baptized there and all the rest were married so wonder what happened with James. Thank you for finding that though.
 
hi, i am also a relative of james owen, he was my granfathers gg uncle and have also lost the thread of his family and what happened to them after 1840 wou.d love to see more info, dave
 
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