From Gawcott to Erwin, New York
They were not the first Blencowes from Gawcott to emigrate nor the last, and while they knew of successful emigrations they were not closely related even by several generations to the other Blencowes. In a location that was close to the epi centre of Blencowe families who had move to Northamptonshire hundreds a years before many carried that name or spelling variations.
A family emigration to New York State
In 1872 two Blencowe brothers William Blencow b. 1841 and John Henry Blencowe b. 1843, and their families sailed together, to New York. No records have been found, that show the details and the ship of this voyage. The travel party consisted of brother William Blencowe 1841, his wife Elizabeth Blencowe (nee Paragreen), their son Frederick Blencowe 1864 and John’ Henry Blencowe 1843 and his family, wife Rachel Elizabeth Blencowe (nee Whitehead) 1845, sons William George Blencowe 1865 and Walter Thomas Blencowe 1871.
Life before Emigration
William and his siblings were all born in Gawcott,the ceremonies baptism, marriage and funerals were conducted at the relatively new Holy Trinity Church in the village.
Life changed for William and John Henry when their Mother Martha (Collier) died in 1847. This was most likely in the childbirth of Edwin Blencowe in 1847. The baby Edwin Blencowe, died 3 months after his birth. Thier father Henry having young children to look after, needed to re-marry, which he did very quickly to Ann Smith from nearby Padbury. Ann took on the young children, but quickly she and Henry began to have children of their own.
In 1851 Census. There is a new stepsister named Susan for the two brothers, but unfortunately, she died young, however more siblings Martha and Joseph came along in the next few years. In the 1861 Census the family is in High St. Gawcott the children ranged from Joseph 2 to William age 20. Their Father Henry was a labourer in the census (but a mason it seems from other sources), eldest son William is classed a labourer, stepmother Ann a Lacemaker. The Lacemaker occupation for women of the household which was a fairly common at this time, especially in the county of Bucks .
In 1871 Census the two brothers were now both married and with children, and they have moved out of the family home, but not gone that far. John Henry is next door to the family at number 38 High St. and brother William and his family at number 68 High St.
Catalyst for the emigration decision
Both brothers in 1871 were agricultural labourers, dependent on daily work most likely and unlike their father who had a masons skill, they would have been subject to changing demands and supply of labour. The village tales and history of other Blencowe emigrants from the village would have been well known. Cousin Jesse Blencowe 5 years younger than John Henry had emigrated just 4 years prior to New York State. I think this is, the most likely to have influenced not only the move, but also the destination.
In Gawcott, the family dynamics had changed, their father with a wife and young family was obviously preoccipied with them, and the brothers own struggles to provide for their families, possibly caused a feeling that “they had nothing to lose” in trying emigration. What is most likely, is the two brothers had a plan for some time to make this trip and that New York State was the chosen destination. However, they needed to save the fares and relocation expenses, because they paid their own passage, as all emigrants to USA did. A steerage ticket from Liverpool to New York in 1872 cost: £4–£6 (one month’s wages for a labourer). For John Henry this means that his family of four would be in the range £16-£24 or 4 months wages (very possible over 1-2 yrs of saving).
The Voyage and Entry to New York State- Castle Garden
Travelling first from Gawcott to Liverpool 1872 was travel done relatively comfortably and quick (in a day) by rail as compared to John B Blencowe and family voyage in 1832. By 1872 Steam Liner Companies were establish and competitive rates and tickets could be bought well beforehand. An example of the type of ticket that the brothers would have bought shown below:
The RMS Germanic Agent’s Record for Prepaid Steerage Passage, dated 29 May 1880, is an important historical document reflecting the migration of working-class Europeans to the United States during the late 19th century.
“This particular prepaid ticket was purchased for John Price, a 43-year-old British laborer, traveling from Cardiff, Wales, to Scranton, Pennsylvania via steerage class on the RMS Germanic of the White Star Line. For genealogists, this passage record offers valuable details on an ancestor’s migration journey, including who purchased the ticket, where the journey started, and the ultimate destination.”
“The prepaid ticket was a lifeline for many working-class immigrants, as it allowed families already in America to send money for loved ones to join them, facilitating family reunification and the growth of immigrant communities in the United States.” Note: There is no evidence of anyone from the family sponsoring, meeting the two brothers in the USA two cousins were in USA by 1872 William Henry 1834 and Jesse 1848, Jesse was actually in Wisconsin by this time even further away. I dont believe they met up in America.
The Blencowes arrived in New York between spring and summer of 1872, and disembarked to the immigration processing facility of the Castle Garden.
The immigration building was originally a fort, situated on a small island off the New York Battery it was where all immigrants were processed. The process was relatively relaxed compared to the 20th-century. The Blencowes were allowed when disembarked from the ship into the Castle Garden to freely roam the interior of the building. Although subjected to a immigration officer interogation, mainly questions were about planned destination and how the family was going to pay for the travel and shipping of their baggage to the destination. One could speculate that they gave their cousins Norwich, NY adress but did not intend to go there, because it seems in fairly short order they are instead in Erwin/Corning, Steuben County, NY some 170 miles away Norwich.
The New home- Mulholland Road and its farming plots
We know from later census information that the brothers John Henry 1843 and William 1841 each obtained land to farm in the hilly forested land that borders this Mullholland road and creek and the Corning Town boundary. Research shows, this land was all sold by the Pulteney Estate. and in the case of both brothers, I believe we have the evidence to suggest it was originally ‘leased to buy’. The land was poor forested land and clearing for farming would have been back breaking work. The timber was taken to the nearby Gang Mills I suspect and this was income was originally derived for the two families from this. Later farming of crops was probably the most likely income that sustained the families. The green area of this section of the 1873 survey map shows the plots that the Blencowes were to settle from later census information its plot 4 or 5 on this map..
1875 New York Census
Mullholland Rd., Erwin, Steuben County
William Blencowe is in a location with three neighbours between him and brother John Henry. John Henry’s property is valued at $200 whilst Williams is $50, perhaps indicative of lot size. The family has grown by one since arrival , Alfred was born almost on arrival in Erwin.
| William Blencome 33 Labourer | |
| Elizebeth Blencome 36 | |
| Fred Blencome 10 | |
| Alfred Blencome 2 | |
1880 Census
Mullholland Rd. Erwin , Steuben, New York
| William Blinco 39 Self (Head) Labourer Elisabeth Blinco 41 Wife Frederick Blinco 15 Son Alfred Blinco 7 Son Elisabeth Blinco 3 Daughter |
The District 6 Schoolhouse
William’s children would have attended this school on Mullholland Rd. For Fred, Alfred and Elizabeth this was the one school room they attended all together, the walk to the District 6 schoolhouse would have been roughly 1 to 2 miles along the dirt path of Mulholland Road.
1892 New York Census
Mullholland Rd. Erwin , Steuben, New York
| William Blinco 50 Self (Head) Farmer Elisabeth Blinco 45 Wife Alfred Blinco 20 Son Labourer Elisabeth Blinco 14 Daughter |
The move to Duncan, Tioga County, Pennsylvania
Son Frederick had married in 1889 to Phebe Caroline Stafford a native of Tioga County, Pennsylvannia. It seems they planned to settle there and so sometime after 1892 William and family decided to move 46 miles away from brother John Henry and family and go to Duncan, Tioga County . They remained farmers.
1900 Census
Brownlee St., Duncan, Tioga County, Pa
| William Blencome | 33 |
| Elizebeth Blencome | 36 |
| Fred Blencome | 10 |
| Alfred Blencome | 2 |
| William Bennett | 50 |
Death 26 October 1908
Obituary
Mr. William Blencowe, aged nearly 68, died at 10 o’clock Monday morning at his home at Brownlee. He was born February 21, 1841, in the village of Gawcott, Buckinghamshire, England, and came to America in 1872. He located at Mulhollen, Steuben county, N.Y., where he resided until 1896, when he removed to Brownlee where he had since made his home.
He is survived by his wife and three children -- Frederick, Alfred and Elizabeth all of Brownlee, and by one brother, Mr. John Blencowe, of Painted Post, N.Y.
The funeral will be held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the late home of the deceased; burial in the Shumway Hill cemetery."
The Wellsboro Agitgator, Wellsboro, Pa. - Wednesday, 28-Oct-1908.Burial:
| Cemetery | Shumway Hill Cemetery |
|---|---|
| Burial Place | Wellsboro, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, |
1910 Census
William survived by his wife Elizabeth by 3 years, she appears in 1910 Census with son Fred and daughter Elizabeth in Duncan, Tioga County
| Elizabeth Blencome | 71 |
| Elizebeth Blencome | 33 |
| Fred Blencome | 45 |