IGI

I know that it's been a long time since I did any family history,  especially for the further back ones, but I was quite disappointed when I looked at IGI today. In order to do a search you have to create an account - it's still free, but they want far too many personal details. It's a shame, but I won't be using it.

More on the Mills Family

In the 1871 census John Saunders is living in Dudley with his wife, now called Mariam, his 6 year old son and Hannah Mills who is 17 and visiting

John Saunders married Julia Mills in Dudley in 1865, but she died in 1866. A John Saunders married Myra Mills in 1869. Is this our Miriam, and he re-married to Julia’s sister.

In the 1881 census William and Elizabeth Mills are living in Ladywood in Birmingham with the Saunders family. William, aged 79 is described as formerly whitesmith. At this stage John’s wife name is clearly written as Myra. I’m sure that I have the right family because Alexander Saunders was one of the witnesses at the marriage of Sarah Emily Mills to Joseph Hamilton.

By the 1891 census we know that Elizabeth Mills is living with Sarah Emily and Joseph Hamilton and I can’t find the Saunders family.

We must therefore assume that William died between 1881 and 1891, but there were an awful lot of William Mills of the right age died in Birmingham and the Black Country in those ten years, so without more to go on, I can do no more.