• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Wives of John Thomas Sheldon born 1808 Aston Juxta Warwick England

S

Struggling Genealogist

New Member
My husband Gary Barford descends from Emma Cook born 1823 Redditch Worchestershire England, married 1849 Saint George, Birmingham, Warwick, England.
I have Elizabeth Birch born 1806 married in 1830 Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England as his previous wife daughters Sarah, Ellen, Emily but thought there was a boy as well.
Could there have been another wife?
 
1851 census Snow hill , birmingham

John Sheldon age 43. Licensed Victular
Emma age 26 born Redditch
Sarah, Emily,Louisa and Arthur 5
Edwin, it says age 2 but believe that Edwin was born in 1847 who would be the son of Elizabeth who died in Mar 1848.
Albert age 2 who would be Emmas child

In 1861
Arthur 14, Edwin 13, Albert 12 + Alfred 10, Joseph 7, Alice 3 and living with John and Emma at Yardley fields are
Emmas parents Edward and Elizabeth Cook.
 
It looks as if John Sheldon is already widowed by the 1841. Elizabeth possibly dying in 1840.

Louisa (1843), Arthur (1846), Edwin (1847) & Albert (1849) as well as an Albert Edward (1844, d1847) are all baptised as the children of John & Emma before they married. Can't see a registration for Louisa but the 4 boys are all registered with mmn Cooke/Cook.
 
Last edited:
There is a John Sheldon b1827 who is baptised a son of a John & an Elizabeth. There are a couple of other children baptised, parents John & Elizabeth. If any of them are relevant I don't know.

Can't see another marriage of a John Sheldon to an Elizabeth so perhaps he was born before their marriage also.
 
Last edited:
However there is a marriage for a John Sheldon to an Elizabeth Martin in Harborne 1826. Can't really say if that's relevant or if any of the children baptised are theirs.
 
On the 1841 census there is a John Sheldon living on Moor St. He appears to be a widow and with him there are 2 probable children - John 13 & Emma 4. He is listed as a bookbinder so would have had to have changed professions before 1851.

However, on the burial record for Ellen (1836) daughter of John & Elizabeth the address is listed as Moor St. Also on the 1841 census there is a Sarah 9 living with her grandmother (Elizabeth) possibly, on Moor St as well. She (grandmother) is listed as a shop keeper.
 
If the John Sheldon living on Moor St is the correct person and the John Sheldon with him is his son then there appears to be 3 possibilities...

1. John Sheldon married both Elizabeth Martin and Elizabeth Birch after the first Elizabeth died. John Sheldon b1827 being the son of John Sheldon & Elizabeth Martin.

2. John Sheldon married only Elizabeth Birch and John Sheldon b1827 was their son, born before they married.

3. John Sheldon married only Elizabeth Martin and John Sheldon b1827 (as well as Sarah & Emily) was their son and some other John Sheldon married Elizabeth Birch.
 
Thank you everyone I have to admit these families and marriages really does my head in. Is it possible to discover when Emma and the two Elizabeths died ? I suppose it could be worse most men seemed in the past to marry women with the same name as their mothers. So it is possible to get generations muddled up or cousins and their wives.
 
Unfortunately nothing is certain. As mentioned there is a death for an Elizabeth Sheldon in 1840, registered Bham Jun 1840. Her ages is listed as 32, so of a similar age to John. This could be his wife.

There is a burial that seems to match (31 May 1840) but no other details are given. There is another burial in Bham (19 Oct 1840) that doesn't appear to have a matching death registration, again no other details.

Elizabeth Martin seems to have been born in 1806, don't know about Elizabeth Birch.

Seeing the church burial records might give an address but I can't find them. Alternatively the death registration should give more details but if it's not the right one you're just wasting your money. But even if one of them is the correct one it wouldn't tell you if it was Elizabeth Martin or Elizabeth Birch.

Can't see a death for Emma atm, John seems to die in 1863 but Emma and the younger children don't seem to appear on the 1871 census.
 
Found Emma, she remarried in 1864 to a Robert George Scholefield and she died in 1873. In 1871 she was living in Abingdon with Robert (a grocer), her youngest Sheldon daughter (Alice) and her Scholefield daughter (Amelia).
 
Apart from the 3 daughters you mentioned originally it appears that John and Elizabeth had at least one more daughter. She was Elizabeth Weaver Sheldon born & baptised 1829.

Emily who never marries is living with family on all censuses and on 1871 she is listed as sister, living in Edgbaston with William & Elizabeth Townson and their children.

William Frederick Townson married Elizabeth Weaver Sheldon in 1849.

It maybe that Weaver is the surname of an ancestor (a common practice) and if on the maternal side may help to identify which Elizabeth is her mother.

And they probably had a son William b1833 & d1834, address is listed as Moor St on burial.
 
Last edited:
Found a possible connection with Weaver, unfortunately on the paternal side so would be no help with wife.

There is marriage between a John Sheldon and an Elizabeth Weaver - 5 Apr 1790 at St Thomas' Dudley.

This would tie in with the Elizabeth Sheldon living on Moor St with Sarah (John's daughter) in 1841. Her age is listed as 70 and not Warwickshire.

Can't make the connection between them atm though but a possible.

moved to Surnames
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Struggling Genealogist said:
My husband Gary Barford descends from Emma Cook born 1823 Redditch Worchestershire England, married 1849 Saint George, Birmingham, Warwick, England.
I have Elizabeth Birch born 1806 married in 1830 Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England as his previous wife daughters Sarah, Ellen, Emily but thought there was a boy as well.
Could there have been another wife?
Click to expand...
Hi, I am also descended from Emma Cook, later Sheldon, later Scholefield. She met a grizzly end at the hands of her last husband it appears. I had Elizabeth as a former wife of JTS too but uncertain of surname. Did you find out any more?
 
Robert George Scholefield petitioned his wife Emma for Divorce on 16th december 1872, she did not appear in court on 6th Jan 1873 and was given 14 days to do so. On 15th Jan her solicitor appeared for her.
Roberts petition to the judge in March 1873 states that they had one child Amelia Elizabeth and that in Oct 1872 Emma left their home in Berner street Birmingham and he petitions that she return home to cohabit and render him his conjugal rights.
Amongst the records there does not seem to any conclusion, perhaps both deaths before it was settled.

Robert George Scholefield death registered June 1873 age 50
Emma Scholefield death registered Sept 1873 age 49
 
Last edited:
Alberta said:
Robert George Scholefield petitioned his wife Emma for Divorce on 16th december 1872, she did not appear in court on 6th Jan 1873 and was given 14 days to do so. On 15th Jan her solicitor appeared for her.
Robert George Scholefield death registered June 1873 age 50
Emma Scholefield death registered Sept 1873 age 49
Click to expand...
how odd alberta....both dying the same year as their divorce and so young as well

lyn
 
I have added to my post as I found the divorce petition papers .

My thoughts were that as JANPH says Emma met a grizzly end that he may have killed her and hanged but his death is entered before hers and he is not on the list of people hanged.

Emma died on 9th August 1873 and probate was granted to Arthur Sheldon, her son.
 
Last edited:
The incident is reported in many newspapers. He shot her, her son and then himself.
 
Last edited:
Yes, Emma was my 3x great grandmother. I am struggling to find any record of Robert George Scholefield before he married her. It’s mentioned him living in America and waiting for some money- I’m thinking he was a complete charleton and had seen that she was widowed with some property. It appears that was always a bone of contention. Interesting she could afford to send a solicitor on her behalf?
 
hi janph...at least you now have the newspaper articles giving full details of that very sad event

lyn
 
Emmas probate was around £50, which in those days might have bought you a small terrraced house.

On 31st, August 1864 Yardley
Marriage
Robert George Scholefield , bachelor occupation Gentleman ,father Samuel looks like Boot maker.
Emma Sheldon, widow, father samuel cook Nail manufacturer.
Gentleman I think means doesn't work and doesn't need to.
 
Last edited:
Yes, thank you, I had seen these and many others, obe gives an account of the judges questioning of Emma, she was bandaged and in obvious pain as they could not retrieve the bullet lodged at the base of her skull, but they still say she gave a good account of herself and to be honest the judges questions did seem more than a little accusatory…
Alberta said:
Emmas probate was around £50, which in those days might have bought you a small terrraced house.

On 31st, August 1864 Yardley
Marriage
Robert George Scholefield , bachelor occupation Gentleman ,father Samuel looks like Boot maker.
Emma Sheldon, widow, father samuel cook Nail manufacturer.
Gentleman I think means doesn't work and doesn't need to.
Click to expand...
hi, that’s interesting as I had Emma’s dad as Edward/Edwin Cook….
The plot thickens….
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top