Theme: Conflicting Clues.

After over 20 years of occasional searching, my GGGUncle Reuben Hunt remains undiscovered. Born on February 6, 1824 to Thomas Hunt and Ann (Nancy) Welding, he was baptised on October 25 in St. Lawrence, Reading.

He is in the 1841 Census (name misspelled) with his parents and siblings. His father is described as a Shoemaker (which confirms earlier evidence) and he is 17, a shoemaker’s apprentice. It is probable he was born in Pendock, Worcestershire where his parents were married and lived for some years and his eldest sister was born in 1820.

What happened to him after that? As a young man of 17 it is unlikely he would settle down immediately. His eldest sister had already left home. Quite possibly he decided not to be a shoemaker all his life.

The only likely entry in the 1851 Census is for a Reuben aged 27, born in Eydon, Northamptonshire, a hand loom weaver with a wife Elizabeth (“British subject, born in North America”) and one year old son Thomas, born in Shutford, Oxfordshire where the Census was recorded.

This family emigrated to the US, as so many others did at that time – and turned up in Fayetteville, Iowa in the 1860 Census – Reuben Hunt, 35, master mason, b. England with wife Elizabeth b. New York and 3 children born in England (the eldest a Thomas aged 11) plus one in New York. This family were also in the 1880 US Census where father Reuben is now a stone mason-beer retailer. He was aged 82 in 1905, in the US 48 years and in Iowa 44 years. Widowed.

Searching for the parents of an Eydon-born Reuben baptised on 13 July1856 turned up William and Hannah Hunt. So, definitely not my Reuben. (There was also an earlier Eydon-born Reuben baptised on 3 Aug 1820, parents John and Sarah! )

Yet another Reuben Hunt of the correct age was born in Abingdon, Berks according to the 1861 Census, a fishmonger with a wife Elizabeth and 2 children born in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire where they were then living. This Reuben was actually born 1823 died October 1865 in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire. Not my Reuben. And incidentally, another Reuben was born May 1824 in Abingdon, Plymouth, Massachusetts where he and his family always lived!

And another Reuben Hunt born Blackwater, Hampshire; and one in Roxwell, Sussex … and so on. All born in the same year. Sigh.

And also ….. A Reuben Hunt was born to parents Thomas and Ann Hunt in Tarrant-Crawford, Dorset – but baptised in 1821. Not my Reuben.

A Reuben Hunt born in Sedgebarrow, Worcs (close to Pendock) unfortunately died in 1837 in Evesham, Worcs. His family continued to live there for more than one generation; a much younger Reuben Hunt is in the ERs for 1884-1908. Not my Reuben. (He’s claimed by another family on Ancestry).

A child Esther was born in Lighthorne, Warwick in June 1870 to Reuben, a labourer, and Mary Anne Hunt. Unlikely – he would have been 46 then.

A Reuben born about 1826 died in Wiltshire in 1884.

And finally, there is a private photo on Ancestry of a Reuben Hunt born May 1824 died 1854. I have messaged the owner but do not have much hope that it is my Reuben.

It would be lovely to finally find him and put him to rest in the family tree!!