BIRTH-CHRISTENING-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1827-1839, Breage Parish,
Cornwall, England; LDS film #1545324; Eng. film P18/1/13; page 16, #668.
NOTE: father listed as mason.
MARRIAGE: Marriage Records, 1848-1873, Breage Parish, Cornwall, England;
LDS #1545325; Eng.film P18/1/17; page 98, #196. NOTE: John Orchard was a
Carpenter, his father a Husbandman. Witnesses: William Kitto & William Kitto
(Elizabeth Kitto's father & brother.)
!DEATH: Monument in Breage Parish Churchyard, listed with her parents. Viewed
by Roger & Roberta Peeples June 1995; photographic copy in poss of Roberta
Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif. NOTE: Eliz. Kitto Orchard was Aged 28 years.
!DEATH-BURIAL: Burial Records, 1836-1861, Breage Parish, Cornwall, England;
LDS film #1545325; Eng.film P18/1/18; page 285, #2276 (#76 for the year).
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 257, #2049.NOTE: father
listed as a carpenter.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 277, #2209.NOTE: father
listed as carpenter.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 292, #2333. NOTE:
Christened along with older brother and younger sister in 1860 at about 3 yrs.
Father listed as mason. Family living in Trevithick, Breage Parish in 1860.
!MARRIAGE-PARENTS: Marriage Records, 1873-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545325; Eng.film P18/1/21; page 43, #86. NOTE: He lived in
Troon, she lived in The Old Vicarage at time of marriage. His father listed as
mason, hers as a miner. Witnesses: Elizabeth Ann Jose, Charles H. Eva.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 435, #3474. NOTE: father
listed as mason.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 439. #3506. NOTE: father
listed as mason.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 449, #3590. NOTE: father
listed as mason.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 460, #3674. NOTE: father
listed as a mason.
BIRTH-PARENTS: Christening Records, 1839-1900, Breage Parish, Cornwall,
England; LDS film #1545324; Eng.film P18/1/14; page 466, #3727. NOTE: father
listed as a mason.
BIRTH-PARENTS-DEATH: Joseph Thomas/Mary Trembath family bible, in poss of
Richard Biggs, Lafayette, Calif; copy of front pages in poss of Roberta
Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.NOTE: discrepancy between bible birth date
(22 Apr 1846) and birth cert (15 May 1846). Birth Cert date used as it was
registered 11 Jun 1846 and it doesn't seem reasonable to make a mistake in day and month so soon after birth.
!BIRTH-PARENTS: Birth cert; 1846; General Register Office, St.Catherine's
House, 10 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP, England, Cert BXBZ775036; in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples.
!BIRTH: Per Oral History from Edith Richards Biggs circa 1978, Mary Trembath
was an only child. Her parents did not want her to marry Joseph Thomas as she
was so young and they disapproved of the family. There were many drinkers in
the Thomas family, including Joseph's mother, Ann SARAH THOMAS.
!DEATH: Death cert, Calif. State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics,
Sacramento, California; cert #9-001492, State index #215 315, Local reg #35.
NOTE: died of Myocarditis, lived 2yrs at place of death & 30yrs in
California; age 62yrs 8mo 21da, father listed as Benedict Trembath, Informant
was H.A.Nauman(mortician).
!DEATH: Newspaper article, "The Amador Record", 21 Jan 1909, copy in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif. NOTE: Very lengthy obituary
supporting many dates and family relationships, detailed description of her
funeral (choir consisted of 4 people, one of whom was Thomas Richards, father
of her dgter's husband). Services were at the M.E. Church at Amador City.
Also, states her husband Joseph came to Calif in 1866, went back for family &
brought them out in 1871, left mines to start their mercantile business
somewhere about the year of 1877 to which they added farming and teaming, and
that business was crippled by fire in Sept 1891 which destroyed their store,
most of their merchandise, and also their dwelling {actually their boarding
house I believe}.
BIRTH-PARENTS; Birth cert; 1842; General Register Office, St Catherine's
House, 10 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP, England; Cert BXBZ775277; in Poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples.NOTE: Mother listed as Ann Thomas formerly Dunn, but I can find no confirmation of Dunn elsewhere.
BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: Joseph H. Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages
in poss of Roberta Richards Peeples. NOTE: Marriage date in bible is
1 June 1861, which disagrees with their marriage cert. in English records.
MARRIAGE: Marriage cert; 1861; General Register Office, St Catherine's House,
10 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP, England; Cert MX709637, item #478; copy in poss
of Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.NOTE: Marriage date listed as
30 MAY 1861, which disagrees with bible record. I've chosen to go with bible
record as they ought to have known their own marriage date and I'm not about to say my own ancestors are forgetful! Besides, all the family reunion booklets already have the bible record date.
!DEATH: Death cert; Calif. State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics;
Sacramento, California; cert #20-029140, state index #1076, local reg #710.
NOTE: died at 301-19th St, Sacramento; age 78yrs 2mo 8da; 54 yrs in Calif,
14 yrs at place of death; parents: Richard Thomas & Ann H. Sarah; died of
Cancer of Stomach. Informant was his dgter Mary Annie Thomas.
!DEATH; Newspaper article, "The Amador Dispatch", 16 July 1920. NOTE: "Deaths; THOMAS- In Sacramento, Ca. July 10, 1920, Joseph H. Thomas aged 75 years. (Mr. Thomas was formerly a business man in Amador City but retired from active life some years ago. The funeral was held in Amador Tuesday under auspices of Sutter Creek Lodge I.O.O.F.)"
Mary Ann Trembath Thomas Thomas was known as Mary Annie.
!BIRTH-DEATH: Info from research by Richard W. Sanders, Portland, Oregon,
gr-grandson of Richard Thomas & Mary Annie Thomas Thomas.
!BURIAL: Per Rick Sanders records, Mary Annie was buried in Thomas Plot,
lot #1164.
DEATH-BURIAL: Death Certificate; Sacto Co, Calif, Vital Statistics.NOTE: Cause of death was Sarcoma of Nose and Accessory Sinuses.
!BIRTH: Family sources from Rick Sanders, Portland, Oregon; descendant of
Richard & Mary Annie Thomas.
!CHRISTENING: LDS Sithney Parish Records; Extracted by Rick Sanders.
!RESIDENCE-PARENTS: 1861 Census; Sithney Parish, Borough of Helston,
Prospidnick, Household 69, page 88a, Cornwall, England; LDS microfilm.
!RESIDENCE: Voter Register; GREAT REGISTER OF AMADOR COUNTY; California State
Library, Sacramento, Calif.NOTE: Richard Thomas & his brother Joseph Thomas
listed on voter register starting in 1884, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1892.(not in 1894) 1892 description of Richard Thomas: age 36, height 5 ft 7 in, complexion- sandy, eyes- blue, hair- auburn, marks- scar under lower jaw left side, occupation- miner, born- England, precinct- N. Amador, Naturalization-
7 Aug 1882 Amador Co.
William Alexander Penhorwood Sowden
BIRTH: From family records held by Leanne Stanley, California.
!CHRISTENING: Baptisms, North Molton Parish, Devon, England; Copy from North Devon Record Office, Tuly Street, Barnstaple, EX31 1EL; page 105, #838. NOTE: Name listed as "William Alexander Penhorwood Sowden".
!CENSUS:
1861 Census, Northam Parish, Devon, Cornwall, England
Eastside Fore Street
John SOWDEN Head Mar 31 Miner Cornwall, St.Blazey
Caroline SOWDEN Wife Mar 33 Housekeeper Devon, Northam
Francies SOWDEN Daur Un 8 Scholar do do
William SOWDEN Son 7 do Devon, Northmolton
Elizth Ann SOWDEN Daur 5 do do1871 Census, Northam Parish, Devon, Cornwall, England
Caroline SOWDEN Head Mar 42 Charwoman Devon, Northam
Frances P. do Daur Unm 18 Dressmaker do do
William A.P. do Son do 17 Mason's Lab do Northmolton
Emma J. do Daur 9 Scholar do Northam
Ellen P. do do 8 do do do
John T. do Son 5 do do do1880 Census- William SOWDEN is in Amador City, California
DEATH-BURIAL: Monument at Oak Knoll Cemetery on Taylor Ranch, New Chicago area near Amador City.NOTE: Monument reads: William Sowden, Departed the life, Dec. 22, 1896, Aged 43 yrs, 10 mo's 6 days, Native of England, May his Soul Rest In Peace.
!Per Edith Richards Biggs, William Sowden, Elizabeth Jane Thomas' first
husband, and John Sowden, Elizabeth Jane Thomas' second husband were brothers
!DEATH: Per Calaveras County newspaper article on death of his brother, John SOWDEN, William SOWDEN died of miners consumption.
BIRTH: Birth Certificate, General Register Office, obtained 1998 by Roberta Richards Peeples. NOTE: John Thomas Sowden, father John Sowden a miner, mother Caroline Sowden, formerly Penhorwood. Informant was Caroline Sowden, Mother residing Fore Street, Northam.
!CENSUS:
1861 Census, Northam Parish, Devon, Cornwall, England
Eastside Fore Street
John SOWDEN Head Mar 31 Miner Cornwall, St.Blazey
Caroline SOWDEN Wife Mar 33 Housekeeper Devon, Northam
Francies SOWDEN Daur Un 8 Scholar do do
William SOWDEN Son 7 do Devon, Northmolton
Elizth Ann SOWDEN Daur 5 do do1871 Census, Northam Parish, Devon, Cornwall, England
Caroline SOWDEN Head Mar 42 Charwoman Devon, Northam
Frances P. do Daur Unm 18 Dressmaker do do
William A.P. do Son do 17 Mason's Lab do Northmolton
Emma J. do Daur 9 Scholar do Northam
Ellen P. do do 8 do do do
John T. do Son 5 do do doEMMIGRATION: Per 1900 Census, Calaveras Co, California, John Thomas SOWDEN emmigrated to the USA in 1891.
!DEATH-BURIAL: Newspaper obituary, Amador Ledger, Friday July 15, 1904,
California Sate Library, Sacramento.NOTE: John Sowden, a shift inspector at
Gwin Mine, was drawn between the skip and the wall plate- a space of about 6
inches, and fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 2000 feet. "Several hours passed before the head and all the members were recovered." He had worked for the company for eight years. He had lived in Amador City for many years. He was buried under the auspices of the Union, Workmen, and Foresters of America. He was survived by a wife, dgter, and two stepsons. The same paper had a memorial to him from Amador Lodge No.46, K.of P.
BIRTH: Joseph & Mary Thomas family Bible.
!MARRIAGE: Marriage Record, Amador County Marriage Records, Book C, pg 31; LDS film# 1302976. NOTE:Written consent of file from Margaret Leams father,
therefore he was still alive. Benedict listed as "of Sacramento," Margaret "of Jackson." Witnesses: Harry Leam and Mrs.Rebecca Thomas (brother & sister of Margaret, according to Leam Thomas. Rebecca Leam married a Thomas from a
different family.) Married in Jackson by the pastor of the M.E.Church,
J.W.Kuykendal.
!DEATH: Thomas Family Reunion booklet from Thomas Estate Company Records
BIRTH-DEATH: Per Oral History from Leam Thomas 8 Apr 1997, given to Roberta
Richards Peeples. Margaret Alice Leam was sister of John W. Leam who married
Louise Thomas. (A brother and sister who married a brother and sister.)
!MARRIAGE: Marriage Record, Book C, pg 31, Amador County Marriage Records; LDS film #13302976.
MARRIAGE: Joseph H. Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.
!John Leam was sister of Margaret Alice Leam who married Benedict Trembath Thomas.
BIRTH: Joseph H. Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss. of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, California.
!MARRIAGE: Joseph H. Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, California. Also newspaper article: "The
Amador Republican", Friday, November 27, 1896, page 3, California State Library, Sacramento, Calif.
!DEATH: As above. Also a second newspaper article: "The Amador Dispatch",
Friday, November 27, 1896, page 2, California State Library, Sacramento, Calif. NOTE: "Joey" was killed by his wife's brother William A. Peyton. Two extensive articles on the shooting.
!Joseph H Thomas, Jr. and Kate Peyton had no children.
BIRTH: 1900 Census, Amador Co, California, microfilm roll #T623-84, E.D. 9,
sheet 14, page 126B.NOTE: census taken 30 Jun 1900.
DEATH-BURIAL-RESIDENCE: Obituary of Edith Thomas Clemens, AMADOR LEDGER,
Friday July 15, 1904, Calif State Library. NOTE:Died at her parents home in
Amador City across from the city cemetery. Her actual residence was Fosteria,
Calaveras Co. Also, Joseph H. Thomas family bible, genealogy pages.
!DEATH-BURIAL: Interview with Edith Biggs; her mother said that Edith lay dying about the time that John Sowden's hearse passed by the house on the way to the cemetery. He was Elizabeth Thomas Sowden's husband who had died in a mine accident 2 days before.
BIRTH: 1900 Census, Amador Co, California, microfilm #T623-84, E.D. 8,
sheet 6, page 104A.
!DESCRIPTION: Great Register of Voters, Amador Co, California, 1894, California State Library, Sacramento, Calif.NOTE: age 23, 5'8", fair complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair, miner, born Pennsylvania, resided N. Amador (prob Amador City).
BIRTH: Joseph H Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.
!DEATH: as above.
!DEATH: Article in AMADOR DISPATCH 1882 Jun 24, Vol 23, #41. NOTE: a small male child of Joseph H. Thomas died of diphtheria.
!BURIAL: Monument in Thomas family plot in Oak Knoll Cemetery, Taylor Ranch,
New Chicago area, near Amador City.
BIRTH: Joseph H Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss of
Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.
!DEATH: as above.
!DEATH: Possible reference in newspaper article, "The Amador Dispatch",
20 Jan 1883. NOTE: "Pneumonia is prevailing to a considerable extent among the children in Amador City."
!BURIAL: Monument in Thomas family plot at Oak Knoll Cemetery, Taylor Ranch,
New Chicago area near Amador City, Amador Co, Calif.
BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: Joseph H Thomas family bible, copy of genealogy pages in poss of Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif. NOTE: Her name is listed in the family bible as "Mamie", but she signed her name as "Mayme".
!Mayme graduated from San Jose Normal School and worked as a teacher in
Amador City and Clinton, California before she was married.
Although born in Michigan, he returned to Cornwall, England with his mother
when the mines closed in the area. They stayed there until his father could
get a new start in California. Because of this we have yearly pictures of him
from about age 11 months to age 6. His mother always said that just about the time she got a garden in, the mines would close and they'd have to move again.William, himself, worked in the Keystone Mine in Adador City, Calif; ran a streetcar in San Francisco; and at the Post Office in Sacramento.
!BIRTH: Thomas Richards family bible, viewed ca.1980 by Roberta Richards
Peeples while in possession of Lillian Richards Hempe. Now in possession of
Elinor Peterson McCoy, Sacramento, Calif.
!CHRISTENING: Certificate of Baptism, Methodist Episcopal Church, Quinnesec,
Michigan. Original in poss of Richard Biggs, Lafayette, Calif, copy in poss of Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.
!MARRIAGE: Marriage Records, Amador County, California; Book D, Pg 4; LDS film #1302976. NOTE: William H.Richards, a native of Michigan, aged 24, resident of Amador City, County of Amador, California and Mayme V.Thomas, native of California, aged 23, resident of Amador City, County of Amador, California; married 23d day of August, 1906 in Amador City; witnesses, Cora Wrigglesworth,a resident of Jackson, County of Amador, and Frank Clemmens, a resident of Amador City, County of Amador; married by Rev.Hugh Baker, Minister of the Gospel.
DEATH: Magazine article, "The Postal Supervisor", Feb 1932, copy in possession of Roberta Richards Peeples, Woodland, Calif.