Disappearing Families

This page has information on whole families that seem to have disappeared.

James Rudd Lucas

James is the ninth and last child of William Lucas and Mary Anne Hall. His oldest brother William left Billericay, Essex to go to South Africa in 1862, the year he was born. His brother William married in South Africa and raised his family there.

The next brother was Reginald Thomas Hall Lucas. He married Martha Frances Boughton, had a number of children, and became headmaster of Moulton Grammar School.

The next sister was Mary Annie Lucas. She married William Grierson Beall in England, and then they emigrated to South Africa. Then we have Charles Low Lucas, died a bachelor at age 44, another sister who remained unmarried, and a brother who died at age 14.

Finally at the end there is James Rudd Lucas. In the 1881 census he is 17 years old and living at home. The Lucas Book has him marrying on 9 Sept 1886 Elizabeth Adelia, no surname given, and then six children are listed with birthdates from 1890 to 1900.

The family completely disappears by the time the 1901 census is taken, leading me to think that they emigrated somewhere. But where???

Found them! They went to Ontario! Here is a link to an extract of their marriage entry in 1886 in Ontario.

Here is their marriage entry:

5804-86 James Rudd LUCAS, 22, farmer, Essex Co. England, Kent Co., s/o William & Mary Ann, married Elizabeth A. TAYLOR, 16, Elgin Co., Sombra, d/o William C. & Mary Ann, witn: William C. & Mary Ann TAYLOR of Sombra, 9 Sept [1886] at Rectory, Sarnia

Emily Lucas (b.27 Apr 1855) m. Thomas Durbridge

[Note to self: I wrote this out and then realized she hadn’t really disappeared. She isn’t on the 1881 census, and he isn’t on the 1901 census. I should just move this family to it’s own page.] Emily is on p.29 of the Lucas Book. She is the eighth child of John Lucas and Jane Freestone, and the granddaughter of Lawrence Lucas (1785-1857). Lawrence Lucas was a major beneficiary of the will of Joseph Lucas, d. 1807, receiving land at Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, which he subsequently remained at for his life, farming there. In his will of 1857 he completely cuts out his only son John Lucas, saying that he has already been adequately provided for, and leaves everything to his two daughters.

As it turned out John had nine children, and by the time the 1881 census was taken he was living at Spratton, Northamptonshire and farming on 12 acres. Quite a step down. Six of his children never married or died young. One son, William (b.circa 1845 in Irthlingborough), emigrated to the United States and settled in northern New York State at Ilion, NY. He married 15 Jan 1878 to Alicia Jones and had two children, then at some point she must have died as he remarried and had some more children. His second wife, Isabelle (no maiden name), is buried in the cemetery at Ilion, NY with the dates 1863-1922, husb. William.

Emily was born at Weedon, Bucks, 27 April 1855,, and married Thomas Durbridge on 6 Nov 1886. He is listed as of Easwood, Quarry Drive, Aughton, Lancs. Purser. Then follow the names of two children, Gertrude Emily Durbridge, b. 1889, and Herbert Thomas Durbridge, b. 1898.