Why do we have a picture of Mary Collis Taylor? - Revisited

So I've been studying the picture of Mary Collis Taylor again. I've been looking through fashion books and websites trying to determine when the picture was taken by dating the clothing she was wearing. And I've come to a shocking conclusion...it can't possibly be Mary Collis Taylor in that picture.

La Couturiere Parisienne has been a valuable site in searching on fashion in the 1800s. And wouldn't you know it...they show a fashion plate that is very similar to the dress in the Mary Collis picture. They have dated it Autumn 1880. I also used Fashion Era, Edwardian & Victorian Photographs - Roger Vaughn Personal Collection, and Liverpool Photographers in the process of dating this and other photographs.

After talking with my cousin, she looked through her files and found a scan of the entire Mary Collis picture.Wow! There's a lot more to the picture than I thought there was. Unfortunately, there is no photographers stamp on the bottom to help in location or date. But the dress is clearly after 1870. But the girl can't be more than 16. By 1870, Mary Collis Taylor was 24. If the picture is later than that--1880 for example, it make it even more impossible.

So if it isn't Mary Collis Taylor, who is it?

My first thought was a sister. If the picture is as late as 1877 or 1880 it could be Annie M Taylor, Charles Jr's, sister. Here is a photograph of her after her marriage. But my cousin doesn't think her face is shaped the same as the Mary Collis picture. What do you think?

But a few other questions come in then. This girl is wearing a very well-made dress. If Annie was a servant where would she get the money for such an expensive dress? Marianne apparently worked for her living by then as well (1881 Census). So who had the money for really nice clothes? I speculated that it might have been taken at the same time as Charles Taylor (Jr)'s picture with the Derby hat...but that has a photographer's name listed and the mat doesn't match this one.

However, look at this:



George Henry Taylor - Charles Taylor [Jr] - ? Taylor

Uncle Samuel Taylor and Money

Charles [Sr.]'s brother Samuel's will is written 1855, with codicils. He dies 1875. His will states that money is to be held in trust for the child or children of his brother, Charles Taylor, living at the time of Samuel's death. In 1855, Charles had only Mary Collis Taylor, who would have been around 9 years old. Anne Clarke Morgan did not die until 1856. But in later codicils, Samuel doesn't bother to change that to state, "the child of my Brother, Charles Taylor, Mary Collis Taylor." Perhaps, Charles' relationship with Mary Ann Moore was a secret? Perhaps not. Perhaps, Mary Collis Taylor was taken on as a poor relation and was not able to marry until she had received this money from her uncle...she doesn't marry until 1880! She was 34. (That also explains why she only had three sons.)

However, there is no mention of money from Samuel in her marriage contract (1908 version). Where did that money go? It was roughly 1000 pounds.

Climbing Down the Family Tree

According to the marriage contract, Edward Allen Dickins & Sydney Howard Dickins were both in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada in 1908, when it was written. On an hunch I searched the FamilySearch Pilot site for Sydney Howard Dickins and Edward Allen Dickins...and found that Edward had come in through Ellis Island in 1904! He was 20 years and 4 months, single, a farmer, from "B'head" [Birkenhead] and going to Lincoln City, Nebraska to meet a friend, J. Watson.

So I started searching for more information on Edward and Sydney. I found that the Canadian censues are nearly all available online through their archive. I couldn't find either of them on the 1906 census or the 1911 census and found that they don't have the 1916 census posted. But Ancestry.com had it indexed and I found both of them in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Now I have to go to the library to get the actual image of the census!

I also have to find out more about this J. Watson character! Nothing so far in immigration on him. In the process, though, I found that FindMyPast.com has indexed out-going ships passenger lists for England, although I didn't find anything that matched the record from Ellis Island. Why? I couldn't find anything on Sydney in those records either. I wonder if they are not yet fully indexed?

Now it is back to the 1901 census and J. Watson. Cheers!

Gwen Morgan & John Bright

Apparently, the Morgan family was of the Quaker faith. Anthony Morgan married Catherine Evans in 1804. Catherine died before 1840, apparently the last of the practicing faith. Their daughter, Anne Clarke Morgan married Charles Taylor in 1844.

However, they had another daughter, Gwen Morgan, who has survived obscurity because of a romance with a well-known politician, John Bright, MP. The basic story is that John Bright met Anthony Thomas Morgan (brother to Gwen & Anne) at Ackworth, a Quaker boarding school in Rochdale. They became friends and eventually, John Bright met Gwen and fell in love. The feeling appears to have been mutual. Something, however stops their courtship and John Bright marries Elizabeth Priestman up near Rochdale while Gwen marries Richard Humphrey Richards in Llangelynnin (see this poem by John Owen, in Welsh...looking for a translation still). What the "something" was is up for debate. The story becomes a little sadder when we find that Gwen dies in 1841 after just five years of marriage and, years later, John Bright begins to visit her grave regularly until his death.

Now, the big question is what stopped their courtship? Here is an article from North Wales Weekly News in 1932 which gives some insight into the story. Also a few pages from J. Travis Mills' John Bright and the Quakers which also discusses their love story.

Why, if Anthony Morgan was so against Gwen's marriage to John Bright, did he then allow Anne to marry Charles Taylor? Wouldn't that be the same type of marriage? Second, Charles Taylor was listed as "independent" on the 1841 census with Anthony Thomas Morgan...did he misrepresent himself? Was it before he actually started working in the family business? Every census thereafter and every record we find him on states that he was a druggist or chemist. Third, Anne Clarke Morgan only had one child, Mary Collis Taylor, and died 12 years into their marriage. Did she have a bad marriage, too? Mary Anne Moore/Marian DeBarcy lived the longest of his wives, but she left him after 10-15 years. His third wife died young as well, after about 10 years of marriage. Each of his wives was quite young (25ish at the time of marriage) while he kept getting older. What do you think?

Anne Clarke Morgan IS Mary Collis Taylor's mother

So today's mail was a really large bundle. The internet is a wonderful thing...a week and a half ago I ordered the certificates and they were in the mail today!

To start with:

Mary Collis Taylor was born 17 June 1846 at 13 Wilton St, Liverpool. Her father was Charles Taylor, Chemist and Druggist. Her mother was Ann Clarke Taylor formerly Morgan.

Next:

14 Feb 1844 married by license in the parish church of Llangelynin, county of Merioneth by Thos. Jones, Curate

Charles Taylor, gentleman, full age, bachelor, residing in Liverpool, Father: John Taylor (no occupation) and
Anne Clarke Morgan, full age, spinster, residing in Hendre, Father: Anthony Morgan, gentleman

Witnesses: Anthony Thomas Morgan & Jane Lewis

Third:

Anne Clarke Taylor died 14 Apr 1856 Sidney Rd, Tranmere, female, 36 years, wife of Charles Taylor, Chemist, of Chronic Headache & Apoplectic fit - certified

So we have clearly found Charles' first marriage.

I searched on Llangelynin and found the correct spelling is Langelynnin. The other spelling is located in Caernarvonshire. In searching for this I found a new resource: A Vision of Britain Through Time. It is a comprehensive gazetteer and mapping system about all places in Britain. You gotta try it!

Anne Clarke Morgan

So I was thinking about Anne Clark (Annie Clerk - 1851) and I realized that Mary Collis Taylor, her daughter, ALWAYS used her middle name of Collis. It is on EVERY record that we have of her. What if "Clark" was Anne's middle name, not her surname?

So I search on FreeBMD.org and found only one "Anne Clark" as given names for a marriage to of all people! Charles Taylor. It was registered in the Mar Quarter of 1844 in Dolgelly District, Merionethshire, Wales. Anne Clark Morgan was her name. The 1851 census says she was born in Merionethshire, Wales, so the marriage location fits. Mary Collis Taylor was born 1846, so the date fits. The name fits, and the husband fits...do we bother to look any farther?

So I took the next step, looking for her death record. And in the June quarter 1856 there is an Anne Clark Taylor who is registered in Wirral District, Cheshire. They were living in Cheshire in 1851, so that fits right in as well and well, I was so excited I order these two certificates and Mary Collis Taylor's birth certificate as well.

I can't wait.

Who is Father?

Charles Taylor, Jr. says "Father: Charles Taylor" and gives all sorts of information on him and his brothers. Assuming that his information is correct...why then do all of the Christening records state the parents names as Charles & Mary (Ann), surname: Moore?

William in 1860:




Anne in 1865:




Charles in 1868:




All three were christened at St Peter's Church in Liverpool.

Maybe the best answer comes from their birth certificates:

William in 1860:




George Henry in 1862:




Charles in 1868:




None of the boys have a father listed. The obvious conclusion is that Charles & Mary Ann are not married. Where does that leave us? Well, one of two things; they were married and Mary Ann was still hiding out (remember the story about leaving France?) or they were not married and all of their children are technically illegitimate. I say "technically", because a relationship that extended through all the time which would account for the births of all five children could be classified as a common-law marriage. However, that doesn't change any of the data. Divorce happens, as well, and Mary Ann and Charles were clearly separated by 1881, as he claims another wife and child, while she is now working for her living and Annie, at least, is a servant in another household. William, we understand, is already in the United States.

So, now is Mary Ann hiding out? Why would she be hiding out for so long? Wouldn't using her husband's name be a better way to hide out? Were they married but by special license? The most simple explanation is that all the records are correct and what they state is exactly what happened. Mary Ann Moore and Charles Taylor had a long-term relationship that was never qualified by marriage. At some point (mid 1870s) they split up. Charles found another woman to be with him, and Mary Ann Moore took her children and raised them on her own, ostensibly a widow. Even after her death the children did not go back to their father, but went on to America to be with their brother. Perhaps he went to America to earn money to help them all come over later.

Why would the christening records give a father's name, but not the birth certificate? I think it is a technical issue. The christening record asks for parents first names and then the surname is in a separate column in which they could easily record the "child's surname" rather than the "parents' surname." Can you see it happening? The priest (or the sexton) asking "Child's name? Parent's given names? Surname?" Very easy to tell the child's surname rather than the father's. In contrast the full name of each parent is given in the birth certificate in totally separate boxes. Harder to disguise the difference.

With the track record Charles had, I don't think I like him very much. His first wife died young, the second wife left him, the third wife died young. But that may be unfair.

Apparently, the family knew that Charles had this relationship with Mary Ann and knew that the children had gone to America, because the family information passed down to me said that the children were "written out of the will because they wouldn't go back to England." Well, we know now that there was no will. Charles died intestate. All of his estate of 539 pounds went to Mary Collis Taylor. The Admon papers do not mention anything about any other children. But it stands to reason that if the Moore children did not go back to England to fight for their rights, then they wouldn't have any, since there were no legal records to tie them to Charles Taylor, Sr.

Now we just have to find out about the four youngest children!

Taylor? Moore? DeBarcy?

Am I crazy? Every so often I wonder if I've jumped to a conclusion that makes these families tie together. Then I have to go through all of the information to validate my conclusion that they are one and the same. So here goes...

Charles Taylor, Jr. [We'll call him this, for clarity] was born 1868 in Liverpool, England and immigrated to the United States in 1885. Charles, Jr. left documents listing information about his family in England.


Charles Taylor, Sr. was a druggist. He did work at #10 Cleveland Sq. (1861, 1871) That building was originally owned by his father, then passed to his brother, Samuel who died 1875, directing that all his property be sold and the proceeds split between his inheritors. So it isn't surprising that in 1881, Charles Taylor Sr. is a retired druggist. #2 Brook Subery....turns out to be Tuebrook Suburb in Liverpool, but we haven't yet been able to locate a Clifton Villars address.

There is indeed a Mary born to Charles Sr. and a previous wife, a Mary Collis Taylor. (Christening, 1851) The christening record gives Mary Collis Taylor, daughter of Charles Taylor (druggist) & Anne Clarke [surnamed Morgan]. The 1851 census gives the three of them, Charles Taylor, druggist; wife Annie Clerk Taylor, & dau. Mary Collis Taylor. There cannot be a mistake.

After her mother's death Mary Collis lived with Sam Taylor (1861-Mary Collis Taylor, neice) and John Taylor, who was a surgeon (1871-Mary C. Taylor, neice) although he was living on Hope St instead of the Parliament St address that Charles Jr. gives.

A little off on the "Dr." Sam Taylor. He was never listed as a doctor. He was a Paint & Varnish Manufacturer & Land owner (does this refer to the Cleveland Square address that he received as inheritance from his father? Have no record of him living at Figueroa Street, either.

So Mary Collis Taylor clearly ties Charles Sr., John and Samuel together as brothers.

Now as to Charles Sr.'s second family--our family. We could never find them by the surname Taylor. They just didn't show up. It wasn't until my sister found their names on the ship's register that we found the surname of "Moore." When we then looked for them with the surname "Moore" we found everything we expected. Our copy of the 1861 census for #10 Cleveland Sq was a really bad copy. We thought we could read Mary A Moore, but we weren't sure until I recently got a cleaner copy. It was definitely, Charles Taylor, druggist 45y & Mary A Moore, servant 24y, but she was born in Liverpool, not France...hmmm....

1871 William Moore 55y chemist, born Wale, Lancashire; wife, Mary Ann 33y born Liverpool; William 11y scholar born Liverpool; George H. 9y scholar born Liverpool; Annie 6y scholar born Liverpool; Charles 3y born Liverpool

1881 Mary Ann More, 44y widow, Machinist born Liverpool; Charles 14y, scholar born Liverpool; Jane 8y, scholar born Liverpool
1881 Groman family on Great Howard St. Ann Moore 15y, servant, born Liverpool.

Marian (Mary) Taylor, most of the information Charles Jr gave we cannot yet validate. However, the fact that Marian was also known as Mary, validates the information that we have found listing her as Mary Ann Moore.

All of the kids: his numbers don't add up, but of the children we have been able to track down birth records for, he's right on except for one thing--the surname. We have Christening & Birth Registration for William. Christening for Annie. Birth Registration for George. Christening & Birth Registration for Charles. Unfortunately, nothing for Alice Jane (Jennie). All of these records give them the surname of "Moore." All of the places that he records them currently living in were correct prior to 1950 (with the surname of "Taylor" in the USA).

Oddball information is that, William, George & Charles Jr's birth registrations have no father listed. However, William's christening record lists Charles Sr. as a bookkeeper, Annie's christening record lists him, a "victualler" and Charles Jr's christening gives him as a druggist.

A couple of other pieces of information not listed on this document: Marian DeBarcy was 20 years younger than Charles Taylor. This is validated by the 1861, 1871 & 1881 censuses & both Mary Ann Moore's death certificate & Charles Taylor Sr's death certificate.

Mary Ann Moore who died in 31 Dec 1882 is the same Mary Ann Moore we've been tracking. Ages match, she is the "widow of Charles Moore, Druggist" and the informant is A. Moore, daughter, with a different address...this would have to be Annie who was a servant in another household.

Charles Taylor Sr. in 1881 is retired druggist born in Liverpool, with wife, Margaret & daughter Nellie, 1y. 1891 census give Charles Taylor Sr. as retired druggist born in Liverpool widowed with four children; Nellie 11y born Liverpool; Fredrick 8y born Walton on the Hill; Margaret 6y born Walton on the Hill; Esther 2y born Walton on the Hill

Charles Taylor Sr. dies 24 Oct 1895, retired chemist, Informant is N. Taylor, daughter with the same address as Charles. His Letters of Administration state the same death date and address and state that Mary Collis Dickins (there's that Collis middle name again!) wife of Edward Francis Dickins "the natural and lawful daughter, and only next of kin" recieved the entire estate. Okay, so the "only next of kin" is a little off, but it is clearly the same Charles Sr. If Mary Collis Taylor is his daughter from the first marriage. His death certificate informant is Nellie Taylor, daughter from the third marriage. We already know that Mary Collis Taylor is the half sister, Mary that Charles Jr. was mentioning.

Therefore, Charles Taylor Sr. druggist/chemist born 1815 married 1st Anne Clarke, their child: Mary Collis Taylor born 1846 who married 1880 Edward Francis Dickins. Charles Sr. married 2nd Mary Ann Moore (Marian DeBarcy), their children: William born 1860, George born 1862, Annie born 1865, Charles Jr. born 1868, & Alice Jane (Jennie) born 1875. Charles Sr. married 3rd Margaret (possibly Rooney), their children: Nellie born 1880, Fredrick born 1881, Margaret born 1885, & Esther born 1889.

One man, three marriages (relationships?), 10 kids. Taylor & Moore surnames.

I guess I'm not crazy...he was!

Why do we have a picture of Mary Collis Taylor Dickins?

When do you think this picture was taken of Mary Collis? My first guess was that it was taken when Mary Ann Moore [Marian DeBarcy] married Charles, Sr. That must have been around 1859. (William was born in 1860.) Mary would have been 13. Did girls put their hair up that early? I wish I could see her pendant better. It looks totally flat. I wonder if it got turned around and what we are looking at is the back of the pendant?

Why would Mary Ann keep this picture of Mary Collis even after she split up with Charles Sr.? The fact that she kept it must mean that it was hers to begin with, which is one reason why I think she commissioned the sitting. Was her early picture (see sidebar) taken at the same time? A girl's day out? Trying to make friends with a [future?] step-child?

Mary Collis Taylor bounced around living with different uncles at different times. In 1851, she lived with her father, Charles & mother, Ann Clarke in Tranmere, Cheshire. In 1861, she lived with Uncle Samuel Taylor at 162 Olive Park in Wavertree. In 1871 she lived with Uncle John Taylor at 51 Hope Street in Everton. In 1881, she was married to Edward Francis Dickins. They are together in 1891 & 1901. Of course we have to take this with a little salt, since the censuses are only a single day's snapsnot in a 10-year period. But, Charles Jr.'s notes say that she lived with Uncle Samuel, so that sounds as if she never did live regularly with Mary Ann & Charles Sr. I wonder why, especially if Mary Ann tried to make friends with Mary Collis as this picture might suggest.

Who has the original photograph? This copy was given me by my cousin. It doesn't have the photographer's stamp on it, so I have no idea whether it was taken in Liverpool, or on a trip they all might have taken together. I might even be able to date it somewhat by the photographer's listing in the directories. If only we knew.

Mary's middle name came from her grandmother, Sophia Collis, who married John Taylor, Esq. A cousin contacted us who had a old transcription of an even older family bible record. His record corroborated what we had researched through wills and censuses and gave us a few more details.

But we still can't locate a marriage record for Charles Taylor and Ann Clarke.

What is it with middle names in this family? In Mary Collis's christening record her mother's name of Anne Clarke appears. In the 1851 census, she has the name Annie Clerk Taylor. In both of these Mary has the middle name"Collis." Why is this so important? In every record we have found Mary shows up as "Mary C." or "Mary Collis" and yet Charles Jr. did not record her middle initial in the family story he provided us.

So it all comes back to the same question; Why do we have a picture of Mary Collis Taylor?