Our own Dewhurst/McPherson Line

Researched by Jana McPherson Black and Nancy McPherson Petersen with assistance wherever we can find it!
Many, many thanks to Sylvia Green for making the connection to our next generation back!

Family stories say this line began in the Bavarian Alps, then went to Austria (surname d'Hurst or duHurst) as courtiers to the Von Hapsburg family. Supposedly, they went to France abt. 1770 in attendance to the court of Marie Louise Antoinette von Hapsburg (b. 1755) when she went to marry Louis XVIII, and became Queen of France. As the French Revolution began and the political climate became dangerous, our oral history claimed the family fled by hay-wagon to Normandy then went by boat for Hull, Yorkshire, England about 1793. They fled carrying jewels sewn into the hems of their coats, when Marie suggested the people eat cake. We can't prove a word of it ... And, any jewels are long gone.... the story may be connected to another line of the family, but only time will tell.

Another story says there was a son, James who "was a Scotland Yard detective, spending most of his life in Algiers and Tangiers, in service to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. He died in London. Did not marry." We have not found evidence of this man, however, he could be the reason our great grandfather used his middle name, William, as a call name by the time he married rather than the name James. It is not unusual to re-use the same first name for many children and to call them by a middle name in England.

Descendants of Richard Dewhirst, Schoolmaster of Horbury, W. Yorkshire

(click on above link to see the charts for John Robert Dewhirst's birth family)

DEWHURST DNA #43192

Family of John Robert Dewhurst and Caroline Eagle

[1] John Robert Dewhirst lists himself as from St. James Parish, Bury St. Edmunds on his marriage certificate suggesting he was living with relations. Marriage certificate for William Henry and Mary Pearson Dewhurst show John working as a Land Surveyor, in other documents he shows up as a Civil Engineer or a Sawyer. Death was at age 51 at 10 St. John Street, Lambeth, Surrey. He is listed as father to William Henry on WHD's Constabulary Records, with a wife named Caroline.

1841 Census data:

[2] Information source - Boyd's Marriage Index, Essex; marriage certificate, Belchamp St. Paul, Essex

[3] Birth date for William Henry is stated on his "Return of Discharge" papers as he resigned the Constabulary in 1855 after 17 years of service. The Christening of Arthur Gebhardt Leberecht Dewhirst and his brother William Henry Dewhirst took place the same day, 29 December 1815 at St. John's, Hackney, Middlesex. Are they twins or not??? The Christening Record lists Arthur first, which seems to imply that he was the first born child, but not necessarily so. It is possible Arthur could have born between August and December of 1815 and the boys were merely Christened at the same time. Looking at the birth date for William Henry in October 1814 and comparing it to his parents wedding in April of the same year suggests Caroline was pregnant with him when they married. Perhaps they did not want her status revealed. So, until we have better proof of the birthdate for Arthur, I list them as possible twins (Grama said there were lots of twins in the Dewhurst line) and I am listing William Henry as the elder brother. In the 1841 census, Arthur states he is 24, which would put his birth abt. 1817. William Henry is not listed with Mary in 1841, but in 1851, he states his age as 35, putting his birth year abt. 1815-16. In 1861 he says he is 43, making his birthdate 1818.... Arthur d. in 1846, so 1841 is the only census record for him. Arthur is listed as a witness to the marriage of Edward, along with his mother, Caroline. Arthur and wife Elizabeth do not show up with children in census records. See next footnote for further information.

[4] Elizabeth Davenport O'Meara was b. abt. 1821 in Chelsea, London, wife of Arthur Dewhirst. After his death, she married Charles Wright and eventually she married Richard Giles, which explains why the son of Emma Dewhurst and Thomas Rees as well as the son of Ellen Dewhurst and Charles Burrows show up in the Giles household in the 1881 Census. Arthur Dewhirst died in 1846, and the 1851 census shows Elizabeth remarried to Charles Wright and no children. Her birthplace is Chelsea, they live in Lambeth, and Charles is a tailor. Their street address is Postland Place South. In 1851, a Richard Giles lives with his wife, Hannah Elizabeth and children: Richard, b. 1848; Julia, b. 1849 and John, b. 1851. In 1861, Elizabeth is enumerated as married and working in the household of Ephraim & Mary Ann Burford, but Charles Wright is not enumerated with her. In 1861, Richard lives with wife, Elizabeth, and children; Richard, Julia and John plus Alfred, b. 1856 and James, b. 1859. In 1871, Elizabeth lives as a widow in St. Sepulchre, Middlesex on (76?) St. John Street. In 1871, Richard Giles, b. Clerkenwell, Middlesex, is listed as a widower with children, John and Alfred. In 1873, Richard Giles and Elizabeth Wright marry. In 1881, Richard Giles, b. Clerkenwell, Middlesex, occupation blacksmith, has remarried Elizabeth Davenport O'Meard (sic) Wright. Living with them is Thomas Rees, age 23, nephew, and John Burrows, age 18, nephew. Thomas is known to be the son of Emma Dewhirst and Thomas Rees (see footnote 8 below). John is known to be the son of Charles and Ellen Dewhirst Burrows (see footnote 10 below). Richard Giles dies in 1885 at 13 Queen Street, the informant is E Giles, wife. In 1891 and 1901, Elizabeth lives as a widow at Malta Street, Clerkenwell, London - her occupation is "laundress, wash."

[5] Alfred was Baptised at St. Saviour, Southwark, Surrey. The record lists his birth as recorded above, while Census records say he was b. in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Marriage certificate suggests they went to where Alfred's elder brother, Arthur lived, St. Saviour, Southwark to marry after John Dewhirst has died. Arthur is witness to the marriage, along with Caroline, wife of John. The 1851 Census shows Alfred, 32, Print Colourer, b. Wakefield, York, and Elizabeth Dewhirst, 30, Straw Bonnet maker, born in Oxford City, living on Pleasant Row in Lambeth. In 1861, they lived at 18 Bowling Green, Lambeth, Surrey - no children. A death record for an Elizabeth Dewhurst in 1862 makes it appear that Elizabeth likely preceeded Alfred in death and may explain why he appears to have died alone in a London Workhouse from complications of TB.

Death record for Alfred:

Reg. Dist.: Lambeth
1863 Death in the SubDistrict of Lambeth Church 2nd Part in the County of Surrey
#389 - Sixteenth April 1863, Workhouse, Princes Road
Alfred Dewhirst - male - 44 years - Print Colourer - cause of death: Phthisis (consumption, a form of TB) followed by Dementia
Informant: E.J. Elliott, in attendence Workhouse, Princes Road, Lambeth
Registered: Seventeenth April 1863
Registrar: J. Barnett

[6] Adult Baptism Record at St. Mary's, Haggerston lists her address as Regent St., Kensington - the family residence. Marriage Certificate for Elizabeth Dewhurst and John Woodfield lists her father as John Dewhurst, Land Surveyor and is witnessed by Caroline Dewhurst and David Boast. Address of the bride is Regent Street, Kensington. Click on link for John Woodfield to see the family group of John and Elizabeth. In the 1851 census, Elizabeth's birthplace is listed as Wakefield, Yorkshire. In both 1861 and 1871, the birthplace is listed as Huddersfield, Yorkshire. In 1881, Elizabeth lives with her daughter Florence and is identified as Jane E. Woodfield, born Wakefield. In 1891, her birthplace is listed as Criggleston, Yorks. Huddersfield is west of Wakefield and Criggleston is just SW of Wakefield. Later records suggest she may have assumed the name, Jane, also Annie.

[7] No Christening Record for Edward has been found, but it appears most of the children were not Chr. as babies, so he may have died before they go around to it. In the 1841 census, 21 Regent Street, Brixton, Brixton, eastern division, Surrey includes Edward as a son of John and Caroline, age 11, born in county. Death record, 11 Jan 1845, shows Edward Dewhirst, son of John Dewhirst, Land Surveyor, deceased and Caroline Dewhirst, present at the death, 5 Saunders Place, Saunders Street, Lambeth, Surrey, COD: "fever produced by a hurt in the groin."

[8] Although Census records put her birth abt 1834, Emma was Baptised 25 July 1837 at St. Mary's, Lambeth, Surrey. No marriage record has yet been found, however, Emma Dewhirst and Thomas Rees must have married between 1851 and 1857 then produced one son, Thomas, 23 Oct. 1857 at the Workhouse, Princes Road, Lambeth, Surrey (the same place both Alfred and Maria died). The informant on Thomas' birth certificate was Emma Rees, formerly Dewhirst. She must have died prior to 1861, as the 1861 census shows Thomas Dewhirst (sic) - aka Rees, grandson, age 3, living with Caroline Eagle Dewhirst, Ellen and Maria. In 1871, Thomas Rees Jr. lives with Maria Dewhirst as a nephew, then Maria dies in 1877. In 1881, Thomas Jr. lives in the household of Richard Giles (see footnote 4 above).

[9] Census records place Maria's birth abt. 1837, but her Baptism took place in 1845 at St. Mary the Less in Lambeth after her father had died. Death Record for Maria shows that she died of Erysipelas - a superficial bacterial skin infection, usually caused by the streptococcus bacteria.

[10] Ellen is the only child Christening records show with the DewhUrst spelling which may be explained in that she was Christened afer her father died. She had two children with Charles Burrows, (b. 9 June 1839 in Newington, Surrey to Hy and Sophia Burrows, d. 2 February 1878, Workhouse Infirmary, Princes Road of TB) though no marriage record has been found. In the 1871 census, Ellen is listed as "wife" and they live at 23 St. Alban's St., Lambeth with son, John, age 7. Ellen was institutionalized listing her sister, Maria, as next of kin, one month before her death. Cause of Death was Phthisis (a form of Tuberculosis) at age 33 at the Brookwood Asylum. Children of Charles Burrows and Ellen Dewhirst are: John Burrows, b. 2 July 1863, Lambeth, Surrey, England, d. 11 April 1926 and Ellen Burrows, b. 9 July 1868, Lambeth, Surrey, England, d. 16 August 1868. John Burrows shows up in the 1881 census with his cousin Thomas Rees in the household of Richard and Elizabeth Giles - see footnote 6 above. Source: Rick Burrows, great grandson of Charles and Ellen Dewhirst Burrows.

Family of William Henry Dewhurst and Mary Pearson

[1] 1838 JULY 17 – William Henry Dewhurst joins “S” Division of the London Metropolitan Police Force; warrant # 13996; recommended by E. Glascock, 19 Duke St., Portland Place and Mr. J. Dewhurst, 21 Regent St., Kensington. He retires from service with the London Metropolitan Police Force, S Division, 5 December 1855 with an annual pension of £ 27. Description of Pensioner upon retirement: age 37, 5’7” tall, brown hair, grey eyes, fair complexion; parents, John and Caroline; married, next-of-kin; brother – Alfred; residing in London, present address, Post Office Row, Finchley. The entry in a book of “Gratuities … allowed …” states he had “become worn out and unfit for further duty.” NOTE: We have been unable to find WHD in the 1841 census and Mary is enumerated alone - perhaps he was working? The following postcard features a London Constable and was taken in the area where the family lived. It was found amongst miscellaneous items and is the wrong era to picture WHD, but is still kinda fun ...

[2] Mary's father shows up as "Thomas, shoemaker" on the wedding certificate of William and Mary. Witnesses to the marriage are John Shaw and Elizabeth Dewhurst. Her birthdate was approximately 1818 based upon information found in the 1841 & 1871 censuses. See the link above to Mary Pearson for further details.

[3] Baptismal Record for Caroline is dated 4 December 1841. Caroline and Frederick had several children (follow the link from Huskinson above). Huskinson, himself, died 1st Q 1889 in Lewisham, Kent.

[4] Baptismal Record states Mary Elizabeth was born at College House, Kentish Town. Family history says Mary Elizabeth went by Elizabeth and worked her life as a matron at Guys Hospital in London. Facts so far do not support this but census records do show her living unmarried through 1891 always near to where her mother was institutionalized. In 1871, Mary shows up working as a nurse/domestic servant for the family of George Bauer in Wandsworth (near where her mother was institutionalized); in 1881 she is listed as a domestic servant working for a Jones family in Streatham, Surrey (again near the Asylum); in 1891, she is listed as a "nurse domestic" in the employ of Joseph H. P. Staples, a General Practitioner in Paddington. I cannot yet find her in 1901 and am trying to learn if there are records at Guys Hospital after the turn of the century.

[5] Baptismal records show that Madeline and William James were both Christened the same day, 27 February 1856 at St. Mary's, Princes Road, Lambeth, Surrey. Family oral history said Frederick William McDonald was an English Teacher at a private school, but we have no proof as Frederick and Madeline are not in a census together. In 1871, he is enumerated with his mother and step-father just months before he married Madeline; his occupation is listed as a Pencil-case maker. In March 1874, Frederick and Madeline have a daughter who was named Madeline Mary McDonald, but Frederick, himself, also died in the 1st Q 1874 in Shoreditch. In 1881 there is a Madeline McDonald, age 31, widow, born in Finchley, working as a servant for W. G. Guerrier in Islington. There is a 7 year old child named Madeline McDonald living as a student in the Sunnyside Rd., Hornsey Rise "Alexandra Orphanage" in London, Middlesex, England. Looks like Madeline could not support her daughter and earn a living. In 1891, a 42 year old Madeline and a 17 year old Madeline M. are enumerated living at 42 Norfolk Terrace, where they have boarders and Madeline works as a Sick Nurse and Madeline Mary is a scholar - our mother and daughter, reunited in better times! In 1901, a 50 year old Madeline McDonald works as a "Sub Nursing Sister" in Paddington and a 26 year old Madeline McDonald  works as a "Sculpt Artist."

NOTE from Sylvia Green: "... in reading through the will of Ann Youngman, nee Dewhirst, daughter of the Rev. Charles (Chantler Dewhirst), I found that she had left a legacy of £10. to a Mrs Madeline Dewhirst Macdonald.

[6] Baptismal records show that Madeline and William James were both Christened the same day, 27 February 1856 at St. Mary's, Princes Road, Lambeth Surrey. Some family members believe James William was born in Edinburgh, and that the family owned a farm outside of the city, but he has a London birth certificate ... some connection to Scotland has neither been established nor eliminated and the land was supposedly sold to finance the family's move to the New World in 1905. None of this is likely true although Sidney James, son of William lists his place of birth as Gladcow, Scotland when he enlisted in WWI.

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THE SURNAME CHANGE: As a young child, I overheard, but did not always fully understand "grown-up" conversations. I specifically recall hearing Grama, Dad and Uncle Bill say that "McPherson" meant "son of a Pearson" and that Pearson meant "parson" and that there were lots of parsons in the family, way back - this has proved to be somewhat true. I also heard them discuss how my great grandfather was determined not to lose his sole surviving son in any wars after losing his older two boys in the Boer War (NOTE: deaths we still have not been able to prove). Stories from various family members underscore that relationships between James William Dewhurst and his children were often tense, and it appears that many of his children tried to distance themselves from their father at one time or another in their lives. The 1910 census suggests that my grandfather, Sidney, had run away from his father at age 16, as he is enumerated working under the assumed name, "Sidney James," in a mine in Wyoming while his father is enumerated in Montana, near Yellowstone. The two must have patched things up as we know that Sidney went to school in Salt Lake City about 1911-12 while his father worked to help the Morman Church move the old organ from the Tabernacle to the Temple. Sidney was using the name, McPherson, by 1913 (when he was 19 years old) as we have an undated handwritten letter of character to certifying that "Sidney McPherson" is "faithful, honest and steady" from Mother M. Vincent on Judge Mercy Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah - the Catholic facility that included a parish school where Sidney completed High School. We also have a letter of recommendation written by J. McElroy of McElroy Plumbing and Engineering Company in Billings, Montana dated February 8, 1913. By this time WWI was grinding on ... Perhaps Sidney wanted to go back to England to fight which would have been controversial with his father given the deaths of his two older brothers in the Boer War. What we know for sure is that in 1915, the two came to San Francisco to visit Mabel (see below) and to see the Panama Pacific International Exposition. This could be the time when the name change took place. The story I was told was that they the SF Bay Area so much that they stayed. Sidney went to Vacaville and worked at the Pacific Portland Cement Company as an electrician and William James apparently took metal work wherever he could find it until he opened up a sheet metal shop in Walnut Creek about 1922. On 2 March 1920, on the day my father was born that same evening on Lily Street in San Francisco, William James Dewhurst is enumerated lodging in Prattville, Seneca Township, Camp 5, Bull Valley, Plumas County, CA as a metal worker. In 1930, he is enumerated in Crockett living with the family.

According to a letter dated 1998, Uncle Bill told his daughter, Nancy McPherson Petersen:

"Sydney came over with the British Navy, sailing around South America and stopping in San Francisco to refuel. At that point, he left for shore, and never returned to the ship. He assumed another name, apparently the name of a sailor that had died, and kept it for the remainder of his life ... Sydney became an American Citizen and this part of his life was kept very secret." Uncle Bill never knew any of the details until after his father had passed in 1952 when Grama told him."

My father had told me earlier that Grampa was blackballed from the Masons in Vacaville for going AWOL and in the 1920 census, Sidney's family is again enumerated under an (at least) incomplete name, "Sydney James" - suggesting perhaps, he was hiding from the Army. Considering that the consequences of getting caught could have included a long prison sentence, it is easy to understand why he was cautious. Meanwhile, I have been unable to find any record of Sidney in US Army records or in UK Naval records, so the mystery continues.

In any case, James Sidney Dewhurst assumed the name Sidney James McPherson and all of his sons had that name on their birth certificates for him as their father. Records show he applied at least twice, but he did not acquire Naturalization papers until 1928. In 1930, the entire family, under the name McPherson lives in Crockett, CA. An affadavit of Birth is handwritten and signed by William James McPherson (aka James William Dewhurst) in 1939, the night before Sidney's 45th birthday, and seems to complete the the name change.

Why the name McPherson was chosen as our alternate surname remains a mystery. WE do have another possible theory .... Nancy and I eventually learned that our great grandfather's mother was Mary Pearson. As Mary Pearson's son, James William Dewhurst was indeed a "son of a Pearson." Finally, the overheard conversations from my childhood had a factual context. Researching the family genealogy above demonstrates that eary life for William must have been tough. His mother was institutionalized as a "lunatic" from before the time he was born, but she outlived his father and the family consistently lived near enough to visit her until she did die. His grandmother was widowed early and many of his uncles and aunts died of TB or lost their spouses to TB. Thus he was one of very few surviving men surrounded by lots of needy women who were either unmarried, ill or widowed early. He lost his own wife to an infected tooth when Sidney was only seven months old and he was left at the age of 43 to raise seven children alone. His eldest daughter married, but his younger daughters ran off (stories say "likely to get away from him") then had life complications of their own. Next, his two older boys died by 1903. Imagining what it must have been like to live inside his skin, I suspect he just wanted a new start when he left London for Canada, later crossing over the open border into the United States. However, in so doing, he further angered his daughters by literally leaving all the family furniture and memorabilia behind and the adage, "you can run away from your problems, but you will still always have yourself with you," seems to have persisted in following years as his female children remained resentful. After he left England, one of the two daughters who remained in London, Ethel Leah, died in a tragic factory fire (see link to news article in Footnote 8 of the next chart). We do not know yet what happened to the relationship between our great grandfather and his eldest daughter Nelle Maud Louise Dewhurst Hill after the rest of the family went to the USA. We have learned more about Nellie's children and grand children so we continue to patch that together (see the link in the next chart to James Eastman Hill).

We may never absolutely prove all of the facts, but as I mused to my Uncle Bill when he told me about the World War I incident, "had these folks not done what they did, we all likely would not be here." For me, learning about our heritage has vastly enriched my understanding of the underlying, if unexpressed in an all-too-British way, feelings of love and perserverance our ancestors stubbornly held believing that this family gene pool needed to persist! I am very grateful for the choices they made making it possible for their descendants to have a chance to live out their own lives and hopefully to give our own children a similar proud legacy to carry forward into the future! JMB

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Family of James William Dewhurst (aka William James McPherson) and Ellen Elizabeth Reeves

photo of James William and his youngest son, James Sidney; London

NAME	PIX	BIRTH	LOCATION	DEATH	LOCATION	MARRIAGE	LOCATION	SPOUSE
James William Dewhurst (aka William James McPherson) [1]		02 February 1852	Finchley, Middlesex, England	02 June 1943	Oakland, Alameda, California	25 December 1874	St. John the Baptist, Shoreditch, Middlesex, London,   England	Ellen Elizabeth Reeves
Nelle/ie Maud Louise Dewhurst [2]		01 February 1876	Pentonville, Middlesex, England	23 October 1963	St. Marylebone, London, England	December 26, 1896	St. Paul's Church, St. Pancras Parish, London, England	James  Eastman Hill
William Henry Dewhurst [3]		23 January 1878	Islington, Middlesex, England	26 October 1937	7 Moatland House, Cromer Street, King's Cross, South East, St Pancras, Middlesex, England	~	~	Beatrice Dorothy ?? (present at his death)
Mabel Caroline Dewhurst [4]		23 February 1880	Islington, Middlesex, England	01 November 1963	San Anselmo, California	1) 2 November 1899 [4] 2) betw 1911-1915	1) Islington, London, England 2) Manhattan, New York, USA	1) Richard Pomeroy 2) Ferdinand Karl Butzman
Arthur Frederick Dewhurst [5]		29 May 1882	Islington, Middlesex, England	Betw. 1899-1902	Boer War, South Africa?	~	~	~
Madeline E. Dewhurst		04 May or 29 May 1885	Islington, Middlesex, England	26 April 1975	Baltimore, Maryland	1) abt 1902 2) 20 May 1920	1) London, England 2) Bronx, New York	1) Thomas Laurence [6] 2) Richard Brown [7]
Edith Emily Dewhurst [8]		12 November 1887	Islington, Middlesex, England	15 September 1888, bur. 20 September 1888	Islington, Middlesex, England, bur.Islington Cemetery, Islington	~	~	~
Ethel Leah Dewhurst [8]		12 November 1887	Islington, Middlesex, England	18 July 1908 buried 25 February 1908	Islington, Middlesex, England	~	~	~
James Sidney Dewhurst (aka Sidney James McPherson)		27 October 1894	Islington, Middlesex, England	21 August 1950	Crockett, Contra Costa County, California	07 July 1917	St. Patrick's Church, San Francisco, California	Rose Lily Colsell

[1] Baptismal records show that sister, Madeline and William James were both Christened the same day, 27 February 1856 at St. Mary's, Princes Road, Lambeth Surrey. This would have been while their mother, Mary, was institutionalized. Not exactly following family oral history, which said James William Dewhurst and James Sidney Dewhurst went to Canada from England together, UK emigration records show William Dewhurst, Zinc Worker, immigrated to New York leaving Southampton on the SS St. Louis, 5 May 1905. No records are found at Ellis Island for arrival of this ship, but the trip was estimated to take 24 days suggesting William must have arrived in New York the beginning of June. Similar records from England to Canada, show Madeline Dewhurst, Wife" who had given birth to her son, Thomas Laurence in 1903, accompanied by "Sidney and Thomas Dewhurst," traveling to St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada. This voyage on the SS Lake Manitoba left Liverpool 19 December 1905 with estimated travel time of 28 days placing arrival about 16 January 1906. These records explain why census records show a discrepancy in the dates William James and Sidney James each arrived in the USA.

[2} Baptism record names her "Mary Ellen Maude" Christened at St. James Parish, Pentonville, Middlesex, but all other records use the name Maud Nelly or Nelly Maud Louise. In 1920, Nelle witnessed the marriage of her daughter Ursula as N.M.L. Dewhurst suggesting she and James Eastman Hill had divorced, or that he had died. There are listings for JE Hill in the telephone book for years, but she may have just kept on using his name in the directory. Her death certificate is registered under the name Nellie Ellen Louise Dewhurst, age 87, of 30 Lambelle Lambolle Road, Hampstead; Widow of James Dewhurst (sic) of Private Means. COD: I (a) Bronchopneumonia (b) Carcinomatosis - certified by I C Balfour, Hospital of St. John and St. Elizabeth, St. Marylebone. Witness Phyllis Gee, Niece, 14 Chesterfield Gardens, N. W. 3; registrar D P Thorpe ~ Phyllis Gee must be a niece on the Hill side as no Dewhurst nieces remained in Engladn after 1905.

[3] William Henry was Baptised 7 April 1878 at St. James, Pentonville, Middlesex. A researcher specializing in the Boer War found no service records for either William Henry Dewhurst nor Arthur Frederick Dewhurst, nor any death records. Given this, I took a look for any other evidence of what happened to these two men. I found and ordered a death record in 1937 for a 58 year old Wm. Henry listed in the Death Index. On 26 October 1937, a William Henry Dewhurst died at 7 Moatland's House, Cromer Street, Southeast St. Pancras of Hyperpiesis (persistent and pathological high blood pressure for which no specific cause can be found). The record appears to say he was 50 years old (b.1887 - later than out Wm. Henry), but the top of the "8" may not have come through on the copy, as the Index says he was 58 ... This man was an Actor which is interesting as we have a family photo of a man dressed as a Pierrot Clown that Grama told me was "one of Grampa's brothers" and she later told my brother he was "an uncle" when my brother was looking to find anyone else in the family who acted. This death was reported by "Dorothy Dewhurst, present at the death...." I later found a record stating her name was Beatrice Dorothy. Guess we will have to wait for the 1911 census ...

[4] Mabel was Baptised at St. James Pentonville, Middlesex on 29 August 1880. Marriage certificate for Mabel Dewhurst lists Richard Pomeroy as a 37 year old photographer and the son of James Pomeroy (deceased Iron Monger). He was listed as living at the Dewhurst family home at 312 York Road, Islington, London. Mabel is 21 at the time of her marriage (16 years younger than Richard) and WJD is listed as an Iron Founder - perhaps the fathers knew each other and that is how the couple met. It was not unusual for thr Pomeroys to take iron from Devonshire to London. The marriage was performed at the Register Office in Islington and was witnessed by E. Haw and J. (James) Edgecombe Pomeroy (Richard's younger brother). Richard and Mabel show up in the 1901 census living in Nelson, NE Lancashire. It is not known when or if the couple divorced. A family story suggests Mabel had an affair which produced her daugher Ethel in 1909 and Richard did not accept the child as his own. Mabel left England following the rest of the family to New York, likely on the SS St. Louis, the same ship her father used, in the company of an Edgar C Pomeroy, under the names Mabel C and Mabel R Pomeroy. The shipping list only asks for names of adults over 18, so they did not need to be a married couple - perhaps Edgar is a cousin? There is an Edgar C. Pomeroy listed in the census in New York. In New York, Mabel worked as a Nanny, then married Fred Butzman who was b. 27 June 1880, in Germany and d. 2 October 1942. They moved to San Francisco abt 1915, living 32 years at 2170 Beach Street, where a second daughter Bertha Caroline was born. After Fred Butzman died, Mabel joined her daughter Ethel and family living next door to them for many more years in Marysville, California where she was known for her cooking and her generosity. In the late 50s or early 60s, she moved south to San Anselmo, California to be closer to her daughter, Caroline and family until she passed.

[5] Baptism for Arthur Frederick was 18 June 1882 at St. James, Pentonville, Middlesex. Family oral history says he died in the Boer War, but no proof has been found. There is a Death Record for an Arthur F Dewhurst in 1Q 1947, age 64, W. Ham., Essex; Vol. 5a, pg 835.

[6] Madeline was Baptised at St. Pauls, Camden, St. Pancras on 7 March 1889, with a note on the record saying she was born 29 May 1885; the Civil Record shows her birthdate as 4 May 1885. See note above for William Henry. Issue of this couple is Thomas Laurence aka Dewhurst b. 12 December 1903, London, England, d. 1977, Columbus, Ohio. See notes on William James (#1 above) for USA immigration information.

[7] Marriage ctf #2447, Bronx, NY, May 20, 1920:

[8] Twins Ethel and Edith were Baptised 14 March 1888 at St. Augustine's, Holburn, London, England. Edith died as an infant, Ethel died in factory fire in 1908 - click on the link to read the London Times article.

Family of James Sidney Dewhurst (aka Sidney James McPherson) and Rose Lily Colsell

NAME	PIX	BIRTH	LOCATION	DEATH	LOCATION	MARRIAGE	LOCATION	SPOUSE
James Sidney Dewhurst (aka Sidney James McPherson) [1]		B: 27 October 1894 Chr: 25 November 1894	B. Islington, Middlesex, England Chr: St. Paul's, St. Pancras, London	21 August 1950	Crockett, Contra Costa, California	07 July 1917	St. Patrick's Church, San Francisco, California	Rose Lily Colsell
James Edward McPherson [2]		30 July 1918	Woodland, Yolo County, California	3 November 1944	Mare Island, Solano, CA; buried Golden Gate National Cemetery; San Bruno, San Mateo County, California	~	~	~
Allan Arthur McPherson [3]		2 March 1920	235 Lily Street next to Rose, San Francisco, San Francisco County, California	9 October 1991	Novato, Marin County, California; buried Paradise Cemetery, Paradise, Butte County, California	2 January 1945	Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida	Wanda Ruth Harman
Wilbur Franklin McPherson [4]		12 January 1922	Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California	9 February 2001	Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, California	24 January 1953	San Francisco, San Francisco County, California	living

[1] Apparently, Sidney was registered under the name James Sidney Dewhurst, then Baptised as Cecil James Dewhurst at St. Paul's St. Pancras, 25 November 1894 by his mother. Grama told me that Ellen was Catholic while William was C of E and she wanted this last child to be raised Catholic - a promise William made and kept. See information above on the name change for Sidney's story. Sidney at 52 died of a massive heart attack with complications from emphysema. He had worked for many years as an electrician at C&H Sugar Company in Crockett, CA. He gave all of his sons his love of fishing, camping, spending much time in God's outdoor cathedrals, up and down the state of California. Allan and Bill later enlarged the fishing spots with trips to Canada, Wyoming and Montana.

[2] Jim died of a recurrance, while serving in the Army in WWII, of childhood meningitus. He was not in good health when he was drafted and in service, then became so frail while in service that the disease returned. He was initially hospitalized in Salt Lake City, Utah before transfer to Mare Island, California where he died. He was known as a great friend with a wonderful sense of humor and a particular talent for photography.

[3] Allan was the first to make the change form blue collar to whiter collar worker in the family and had careers first with the U.S. Board of Trade in San Francisco then was hired away to work the remainder of his career with Owens Illinois Glass Co in various Credit Management positions, both nationally and in the West Coast Region. He became President of the Credit Manager's Association of America and joined the Mason's - very important to him since his father had been blackballed after going AWOL in WWI. Like his father and his father's father, Allan never could stop smoking. He died of a massive stroke with complications from the same disease, emphysema, that killed both his father and grandfather.

[4] After a long career with Lockheed, Bill outlived the rest of his birth family living until the age of 79. He was able to kick the smoking habit and enhanced his life with a healthy diet in his last years. Sadly, he died of Parkinson's Disease.