Can you break down my American brick wall?
QCan you suggest how I might find details of my American grandfather and his parents? My grandfather’s name was Charles Henry Washington, and he originally came to England as a member of Buffalo
Bill’s Wild West Show when it was performed for Queen Victoria. He worked as a manager at the Hammersmith Empire and later at a small local theatre in Maidstone.
His death certificate indicates that he was born in 1869 and that his father was also named Charles Henry Washington. I believe he was born in Brooklyn.
DNA tests have confirmed my connection to John Washington (1631-1677), the English great grandfather of the US President whose surname I bear. I’ve managed to trace John’s descendants, but only to the generation immediately before my great grandfather. What should I do? Keith Washington
AYour grandfather’s surname makes this brick wall difficult, but you have several avenues for further investigation. Firstly, research every last detail of Charles in England, as family connections may shed light on Charles’ past in the US. The 1901 census says he was born in New York, while the 1911 says Poplar, London. Are there any records of him in England prior to his 1898 marriage? Have you tried a thorough search of the 1891 census?
You should also follow up the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show connection. The show was performed for Queen Victoria on 11 May 1887 and returned for a second command performance in 1892. The William F Cody Archive ( codyarchive.org) is a wonderful resource for the show’s chronology, as well as digitised programmes, which include cast and crew members. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s website is also worth consulting ( library.
centerofthewest.org).
If Charles Henry Washington arrived with Cody’s show then it is possible that their entry at Gravesend on the SS State of Nebraska bypassed usual customs. However, the Buffalo Bill Museum ( buffalobill.org) reportedly has a copy of the
Nebraska’s passenger manifest. The passenger list for their return can be found in New York Passenger Lists on Ancestry – they arrived in New York on the SS Persian
Monarch on 21 May 1888 although Charles is not listed.
You should also research additional resources for Brooklyn and Kings County in New York. Assuming you haven’t been able to locate Charles or his father in Brooklyn in the 1870 or 1880 US census, you might also try the 1875 New York state census, available on both Ancestry and FamilySearch. City directories for Brooklyn have been digitised and can be explored at archive.org/details/
brooklynpubliclibrary and Ancestry, while Brooklyn newspapers are found at bklyn.newspapers.com and fultonhistory.com.
Finally, consider that some of your information may be incorrect. Perhaps Charles was born in New York, but in Buffalo instead of Brooklyn? Or not in New York at all? Expand your search to consider these possibilities. Kimberly Powell