Genealogy Chat

Hi, Hope someone can help with this one!! I have a Richard McGinty born c1863 who married Ann Kirby Johnson born c1864 in Market Weighton. Their first child is called Charlotte Ann Mcginty. A year after Charlotte's birth the name changes from McGinty to Sherwood. A lady on here told me before it could have been to do with Irish people not being held in a very high regard so they may have changed names. However, I bought Richard and Ann's marriage cert and one of the witnesses is called Sarah Ann Sherwood who later marries George Campling of Cottingham. So there is a Sherwood connection there on the marriage cert. Could this be some kind of coincidence or is Sarah Ann a relative? Could she be Richards half sister from his mothers marriage to a Sherwood??? Any help or suggestions would help!!!

To make it easier to read! .... Hi, Hope someone can help with this one!! I have a Richard McGinty born c1863 who married Ann Kirby Johnson born c1864 in Market Weighton. Their first child is called Charlotte Ann Mcginty. A year after Charlotte's birth the name changes from McGinty to Sherwood. A lady on here told me before it could have been to do with Irish people not being held in a very high regard so they may have changed names. However, I bought Richard and Ann's marriage cert and one of the witnesses is called Sarah Ann Sherwood who later marries George Campling of Cottingham. So there is a Sherwood connection there on the marriage cert. Could this be some kind of coincidence or is Sarah Ann a relative? Could she be Richards half sister from his mothers marriage to a Sherwood??? Any help or suggestions would help!!!

This is probably Sarah... James Sherwood abt 1821 Inard, Ireland Head Market Weighton Yorkshire Jane Sherwood abt 1826 Newport, Hampshire, England Wife Market Weighton Yorkshire Sarah A Sherwood abt 1861 Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Daughter Market Weighton Yorkshire James Sherwood abt 1864 Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Son Market Weighton Yorkshire Mary J Sherwood abt 1865 Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Daughter Market Weighton Yorkshire Elizabeth Sherwood abt 1869 Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Daughter Market Weighton Yorkshire Anything ring a bell with them?

It's possible this could be her but this would rule out her being Richard's half sister as she would be older that him. On free BMD there is a Sarah Ann born sept qtr1876 in Pocklington. I thought this could have been her? What do you think?

This is Sarah in 1881... George Campling abt 1861 Cottingham, Yorkshire, England Head Market Weighton and Arras Yorkshire Sarah A. Campling abt 1862 Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Wife Market Weighton and Arras Yorkshire The 1876 one could be her daughter I guess, or a neice. Deaths Jun 1878 Sherwood Sarah Ann 2 Pocklington 9d 50

Yeah that would tie in. It's the name change to Sherwood though that gets me. I just see it as too much of a coincidence for Richard to change his name to Sherwood and Sarah Ann Sherwood be on the marriage cert. It's sooooooooo frustrating!!!!

Got this in 1871... Name: Richard Sherwood Age: 12 Estimated birth year: abt 1859 Relation: Servant Gender: Male Where born: Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Civil parish: Hayton Ecclesiastical parish: Hayton Town: Hayton County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England Registration district: Pocklington Sub-registration district: Market Weighton Are you sure it's the same guy?

Got him in 1861! Name: Richard Magginsey Age: 2 Estimated birth year: abt 1859 Relation: Lodger Gender: Male Where born: Isle of Wight, Newport Civil parish: Market Weighton Town: Market Weighton County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England Registration district: Pocklington Sub-registration district: Market Weighton James Magginsey abt 1828 Ireland Lodger Market Weighton Yorkshire Jane Magginsey abt 1827 Isle of Wight, Newport Lodger Market Weighton Yorkshire Richard Magginsey abt 1859 Isle of Wight, Newport Lodger Market Weighton Yorkshire (Ignore the POB - not sure what it's supposed to be!) Looks like James changed his name. Sarah would be the daughter of this lot.

Richard marries as a McGinty and his first child is Charlotte Ann McGinty. All other children after Charlotte are Sherwoods. My great aunt remembers as a child Charlotte finding out about being a McGinty and story was made up to say the McGinty's were Irish Horse Theives and took the name Sherwood when they settled at Sherwood forest when they escaped from Ireland. It's only when I started doing all this that we realised that was just a story and it was highly unlikely to be true. Does this help at all?

Not sure if this is anything to do with the puzzle - but worth looking into: Name: Jane McGinty Year of Registration: 1866 Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun District: Pocklington (1837-1937) County: Yorkshire - East Riding Volume: 9d Page: 153 Others on same page include a JAMES SHEARWOOD. Regards Athena

Hi Is this the same Richard in 1871? Name: Richard Sherwood Age: 12 Estimated birth year: abt 1859 Relation: Servant Gender: Male Where born: Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England Civil parish: Hayton Ecclesiastical parish: Hayton Town: Hayton County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England Registration district: Pocklington Sub-registration district: Market Weighton If it is why was he Sherwood in 1871 and married under the name of Mcginty? the mystery deepens. I'll see if I can find him in 1861 Regards Cheryl

I think Athena has found the missing piece :) Now I wonder if James and James are the same person lol 1851 Jane McGinty abt 1825 Isle of Wight, Newport Lodger Howden Yorkshire She's married to a guy called John. They have 2 children - John 6 and Joseph 10m

Just been having a think since finding the above marriage of Jane McGinty to James Shearwood and wondering... could it be that Jane and James were living as husband and wife and having children, hence the children taking the mother's maiden name - but once the parents married in 1866 the children changed their surname officially? It could be that unofficially they used the surname Sherwood, anyway, but on a marriage doc Richard may have used his birth name? Just some ideas...

I think Athena may be right. Still can't work out the name change of James McGinty/Magginsey to James Sherwood if he is Richards father. Maybe the family story could be true to an extent?!?!?

Jane stays as Sherwood to 1901. Here she is with her daughter and son in law: Richard Dandy 36 Elizabeth Dandy 33 Jane Sherwood 75 James appears to have died between 1871 and 1881, though I can't find a death for him!

Hi I think Athena has hit the nail on the head. What she says makes sense, my gt grans first husband (Charles Harvey) died 1 year before my gran was born. My Gt Gran went to live with George Beech (they never married.)although they lived as husband and wife. My Gran was their child, but on her birth certificate no father is named. On her marriage certificate her maiden name is Harvey.But on my mothers birth certifcate its Beech. So he actually used is his mothers name when he married but then reverted to his fathers name after. Cheryl

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deaths Dec 1889 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sherwood James 74 Pocklington 9d 58 Could this be James?

It could be. I think Jane is listed as married in 1881, but widowed in 1891.

Here's another thought to ponder over - not trying to confuse matters but just trying to cover all possibilities. What if there were TWO James'? The first one, James McGinty may have died after 1861 and Jane may have taken up with James Shearwood and married him in 1866. Sarah - it might be useful to get some of the birth certs if you can, to clarify father's names and piece it all together that way.

I think you could have a valid point there Athena. Tracey found a census showing Jane and James Magginsey and my Richard as their son. If Jane and James M were already married why would she marry him again in 1866 when he changed his name to Sherwood? Does that make sense? lol I think you are right with the two James' that would then crack the Mcginty to Sherwood name change!!!!