Child travel to USA 1841-1850

It seems I can't leave well enough alone.

What I know is that Catherine Martin widow of my then deceased 2nd Gt.Gt. Uncle Joseph, married Mr William Bridger in 1832, their son William John Dowsett Bridger was born 2nd Nov 1832, Baptised 2 Dec. 1832. Catherine died in 1833.

Code:

http://www.genealogy-specialists.com/threads/birth-baptism-of-catherine-dowsett-dawset.3027/#post-37288

#5

I then have a note [from where?] that young William John went to USA in 1842.
I have a poss. sighting of him in 1841 in a school in Croydon area.
Class: HO107; Piece: 1078; Book: 12; Civil Parish: Croydon; County: Surrey; Enumeration District: Aubins Norwood School of Industry; Folio: 25; Page: 1; Line: 24
No proof that it is him of course.

I have no other real sighting of his father William after 1832 marriage & Bapt. of his son & don't know his birth date or place of birth. I wondered if William John had been for some reason placed with family or elsewhere other than with his Father.

1850 USA census has a William [Bridget] (sic)16- a shoemaker in the home of Canadian Lewis Breer b. 1825- shoemaker & his wife South Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA.

25 Jun 1854 Marriage Date:
William J Bridger-22
Birth Year: abt 1832: London England
Marriage Place: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Father: William

1860
William A. Bridger son of William J. & Lucy A.-South Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts abt 1854 Massachusetts [unable to raise 1860 census on William J's name.]
1860; Census Place: South Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_509; Page: 130

I have not been able to find transport of William to USA in any of those years.
His petition for naturalisation has his date of arrival as 5 Apr. 1850
Name: William J Bridger
Record Type: Petition
Birth Date: 2 Nov 1832
Birth Place: Deal, England ? unable to follow this up in UK
Arrival Date: 1 Apr 1850
Arrival Place: Boston, Massachusetts
................
Name: William J. Bridger
Birth Date: 2 Nov 1832
Birth Place: England
Age at event: 34
Court District: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont
Date of Action: 10 Oct 1867
....
Date of death Dec. 19th 1906 age : 74 yrs. 1mth+ 14 days.

I've seen later instances of travel to Massachusetts for William or W.J. going to same address in Wakefield but none for his arrival in UK.
This one I think he was listed as a tutor. retired
Massachusetts, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963
Passenger Lists
Name: William John Bridger
Birth: abt 1835
Departure: Liverpool, England
Arrival: 14 Dec 1905 - Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Residence: USA, Eng.

Now I cannot find any travel for him any which way.

Can some-one suggest how a child of either 9 or 15 yrs would travel to USA between 1841 + 1851 with or with out an adult please?

I've stayed with the belief that this is William John Dowsett BRIDGER because of the consistent birth date.

 

FS has William J Bridger yob 1832 residence 1900 Wakefield Town, Middlesex, Massachusetts, spouse Lucy, immigration 1842

 

Poor Lewis Breer drowned in 1853.
Lots of shoemakers on that 1850 census in Reading. A factory of some kind?
I wonder if his wife S. Ellen was a relative of some kind but as she was born in Massachusetts who would know.
William John naturalisation 10/10/1867 I should read.

 

Sarah Ellen was his wife, forget her last name + I didn't copy down from their marriage,

Thanks Sue, I missed that in my hurried retake of censuses today. fter an earlier post I tried to make sure I had all of my details in order

 

We are a patient bunch here
I also had a thought that maybe his older half brother, Joseph, also went to the US. Have you found him anywhere?
Didn't mean to use 'also' twice in the same sentence but I did.

 

'tis your sentence Lass, us whatever however many times you wish.;

Joseph Edward Martin b 1828 married Phebe James of Sutton
15 Sep 1853 Sutton by Croydon, Surrey. Followed through censuses & childrens births.

 

Did you just edit that? Or am I going bonkers?
A minute ago there was a link to the other thread.....or have I gone bonkers?

 

Sorry Sue, I think I cut it when I added the death date. Connected to initial post.
http://www.genealogy-specialists.co...-of-catherine-dowsett-dawset.3027/#post-37288
#1

 

Wendy
you have his date of birth as 1832 and say he arrived in april 1850
doesn't that make him 18 not 8 when he left for America.......think my maths is right ! but am never sure

 

Sandie this all came from his petition for naturalisation, only the birth date is same as all other info.

I always had noted that he arrived in 1842 but lost the source, AM found it.
1900; Census Place: Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 667; Page: 28B
Immigration Year: 1842
William J Bridger 67
Lucy A Bridger 62

 

funny about birth place Deal he was born 2 Nov 1832 and baptised 2 Dec 1832 in Christchurch London

 

there is a William bridger born Deal in 1841 census b 1833 but different older female

 

there is a marriage to William Bridger and Catherine Martin in 1832 St Martins Ludgate.......so I would think their son being born London would be likely

 

No joy at NEGHS or ISTG sites.

 

In the 1888 Directory for Wakefield, MA: William J Bridger is a cordwainer. Home on Pleasant near Pearl. In other years, he is shoemaker.

 

Oh! Here is something that might lead to more info:

"The Massachusetts Register" 1862 has lists of Civil War military units, Infantry Volunteers, Company C, 1st Battalion, Captain Jonathan Pierce of Boston:
Privates - Bridger, William J, Reading.

I will see if any of the Civil War research sites have more.

Also, here was a Massachusetts State Census in 1855 and 1865. I can't remember which cite has those, though.

 

Just about the same thing. Shoemaker and cordwainer. I think a cordwainer uses different leathers or some such thing. I think!!???

 

Vol III, p 467
Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, Vols I-VIII:
Thirty-second Regiment, Mass Volunteer Infantry
Company "C"
Bridger, William J. - Private; res. Reading; 23; shoemaker; enl. and must. Oct 28, 1861; disch. for disability, Dec 21, 1862.
See V.R.C (whatever that is - need more research!)

 

Okay, Vol VII, p. 137
Massachusetts Enlistment Veterans Reserve Corps (VRC)
Bridger, William J, private - Company "A" 12th V.R.C.; Res. ---; credit Reading, Mass.; 30; cordwainer; re-enlist and re-must Dec 6, 1864, Boston for 3 yrs; must. out Nov 14, 1865, Washington, D.C. as Corporal, Company "A" 12th V.R.C; see Co "C" 32nd Mass Infantry. (cited in #18 above).

Hey! He's a Corporal!

All these are from HeritageQuest, which uses Ancestry as it's main source. I would say that A.. might have his pension records, if he has any... but that would be Fold3.

Let me see what else I can find...