EDITORS NOTES
Welcome again to the Bateman Family Tree! There is an old Chinese Proverb that says "to forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source or a tree without a root". With that in mind it has been my privilege for these past 20+ years to have been able to have researched, remembered and recorded my ancestors using this Bateman Family Tree.
With grateful thanks, all the ancestors that I have discovered have enabled me to explore their lives, the places that they called home and, in so many instances, allowed me to travel with them to new places. Whilst the majority of ancestors remained in the United Kingdom many ventured far and wide, to the United States of America, Canada, Australia and the Far East as well as to India and other world wide locations.
Today, the question that I always come back to, and one that intrigues me the most is, "how and why did they do that?"
Given it was well known that for breaking the UK Laws from 1787 onwards it would get a person a free ride to Australia, that was not really the best way to travel. Nor were the cramped stagecoaches that only managed 15 miles a day. The railways from 1870 proved to be a big improvement but since they cost a Labourer at least a weeks wages, many journeys were prohibitive. Walking was always an option but that ran the risk of being picked up for Vagrancy. Those that did travel frequently were often part of the Armed Forces sent to protect our Colonies and Dominions, the Civil Servants sent to represent the Crown and the Parliament of the United Kingdom or individual business Entrepreneurs seeking to set up new lives abroad.
So, "how and why did my 3 x great uncle Elias Palmer manage to travel, on his own, 3,500 miles to the USA in June 1863?"
His immigration papers show him landing at Castle Gardens, New York, before he settled 350 miles away in Onondaga County, New York State. In 1868 he met and married another English immigrant, Mary Squires, and they started a family. Four years later he then encouraged his 60 year old parents George and Elizabeth (my 3 x great grandparents) to come and join him - and they did!
Eventually most of Elias' siblings travelled to America but not his eldest brother William. He was my 2 x great grandfather and his eldest daughter, Mary Ann would marry Christopher Bateman. This union would then provide me with a whole new branch to my Family Tree but also, one that kept the Bateman's in England!
Geoffrey Bateman 2020
FOOTNOTE:
Whilst this page allows the author to reminisce and share with others his ancestors lives, readers are very welcome to contribute their thoughts. If you wish to find out more, discuss family history matters or contribute to the family tree please use the contact us page.
With grateful thanks, all the ancestors that I have discovered have enabled me to explore their lives, the places that they called home and, in so many instances, allowed me to travel with them to new places. Whilst the majority of ancestors remained in the United Kingdom many ventured far and wide, to the United States of America, Canada, Australia and the Far East as well as to India and other world wide locations.
Today, the question that I always come back to, and one that intrigues me the most is, "how and why did they do that?"
Given it was well known that for breaking the UK Laws from 1787 onwards it would get a person a free ride to Australia, that was not really the best way to travel. Nor were the cramped stagecoaches that only managed 15 miles a day. The railways from 1870 proved to be a big improvement but since they cost a Labourer at least a weeks wages, many journeys were prohibitive. Walking was always an option but that ran the risk of being picked up for Vagrancy. Those that did travel frequently were often part of the Armed Forces sent to protect our Colonies and Dominions, the Civil Servants sent to represent the Crown and the Parliament of the United Kingdom or individual business Entrepreneurs seeking to set up new lives abroad.
So, "how and why did my 3 x great uncle Elias Palmer manage to travel, on his own, 3,500 miles to the USA in June 1863?"
His immigration papers show him landing at Castle Gardens, New York, before he settled 350 miles away in Onondaga County, New York State. In 1868 he met and married another English immigrant, Mary Squires, and they started a family. Four years later he then encouraged his 60 year old parents George and Elizabeth (my 3 x great grandparents) to come and join him - and they did!
Eventually most of Elias' siblings travelled to America but not his eldest brother William. He was my 2 x great grandfather and his eldest daughter, Mary Ann would marry Christopher Bateman. This union would then provide me with a whole new branch to my Family Tree but also, one that kept the Bateman's in England!
Geoffrey Bateman 2020
FOOTNOTE:
Whilst this page allows the author to reminisce and share with others his ancestors lives, readers are very welcome to contribute their thoughts. If you wish to find out more, discuss family history matters or contribute to the family tree please use the contact us page.