Migrants to America.


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Robert Midgley and Ann Thompson left Barmby on the Marsh East Yorkshire some time after 1850 and migrated first to Canada but then entered the U.S. at New York.  See Midgley of East Yorkshire. Their eldest son George Midgley migrated with his parents from England to America when he was a young boy  in the 1820-1850 period. George later had a brother, John born in the U.S. George married and had several children [Field, Etta and Bessie]. This family lived in Morley NY and most of the relatives are buried there, with the exception of Etta who married a Dr. Milo Secombe and lived and died in Auburn, NY.
Contact: Kathleen

Samuel Midgley married Jane Burnett and left for America in January 1845. See letter  and translation from Stock Hill [Stockeld] near Wetherby dated December 1845.


David Midgley and Elizabeth Crowther
David was a son of Joseph Midgley b. 1771 at Hambledon in Yorkshire. He migrated to Canada in 1882 with his wife, Elizabeth accompanied by David's sister, Susannah, son Thomas and two grandsons, Frederick and Walter. Eventually the family re-migrated to California USA and settled at Menlo Park. In the1851 census David was described as a farmer of 54 acres employing one labourer. By the 1881 census he was described as a corn miller and farmer of 98 acres employing three men at Woodhouse near Normanton.
See Gedcom download page for Midgley of Normanton  See Selby Page
Contact : Jane Paskowitz

John Calvert Midgley
Philip and Elizabeth Midgley migrated to the U.S. about 1838 when John Calvert Midgley was about seven years old. The family were in Minnesota in 1860.

John Calvert's seven children were :
* Elizabeth Ellen Maria Midgley [eldest child] born in Minnesota 1858. Elizabeth married Edwin R. Temple in Wisconsin, moving to Iowa and then
   Washington state.This is Rella's husband's great grandmother.
* Earnest C. Midgley
* May
* Ida Ina b. 1871 Osage, Iowa, buried at Wheatland, North Dakota. Ida is Norma's great-grandmother.
* Charles J.
*William H.
* Bertha.

Contact: Norma Jean Jones [Norma your email seems to be out of date, Rella would like to contact you]

According to Carol Yonkers:
Descendants of John Calvert Midgley
Generation No. 1
1. John Calvert2 Midgley  (Philip1) was born 24 May 1832 in Yorkshire, England, and died Bet. 1900  and 1910 in Wheatland, North Dakota. He married Ellen Kinney 12 Jan 1853 in White Creek, Kenosha, Wisconsin, daughter of Benjamin Kinney and Maria Metcalf.  She was born 03 Nov 1835 in Chadwick Mills, Oneida, New York,, and died Aft. 1910 in Wheatland, North Dakota.

Notes for John Calvert Midgley:
 John Calvert's father belonged to royalty in England but he married a commoner so was disowned. He later emigrated to America when he was 7 years old according to information given to Rella Gleaton. According to Laura Mercer Paasche they moved to Winona, Minnesota in 1843. Birth Date verified by 1860 census.
Notes for Ellen Kinney:
Birth Date verified by 1860 census.
Marriage Notes for John Midgley and Ellen Kinney: 1860 Census Geneva, Freeborn, Minnesota Sheet No. 1 June 11, 1860 Name Age Work Birth John C Midgley 28 Farmer England Ellen 25 New York Elizabeth E. M. 1 Minnesota
1870 Census
Burr Oak, Mitchell, Iowa Sheet No. 2 July 8, 1870 Name Age Work Birth
John Midgley 45 Farmer England Ellen 30 Keeps house New York Eliza 12 Minn Earnest 6 Minn Mary 2 Wis

1880 Census
Liberty, Mitchell, Iowa Sheet No. 16 June 18, 1880
Name               Age    Relation          Work     Self     Father   Mother
John C Midgley  50        Head           Farmer     Eng     Eng       Eng
Ellen                 47        Wife    Keep House     NY      NY       NY
Earnest             16         Son                            Wis     Eng        NY
Mary                 12    Daughter                        Wis      Eng       N Y
Ida                      8    Daughter                        Iowa      Eng      NY
Charlie                5         Son                           Iowa      Eng      NY
Wm H                 2         Son                           Iowa      Eng     NY
Oman Armstrong 12     Servant  Farm Hand      Wis      Wis     NY
Sam Paulson      25     Servant  Farm Hand      Nor       Nor        Nor
Daniel Edwards  20      Servant  Farm Hand       Ill
Harase Hodge    30      Servant  Farm Hand     Mich
Thomas Roash   20     Servant   Farm Hand     Ire        Ire            Ire
Anderson Garrett 26    Servant   Farm Hand       Ill        NY          Ind
Elnora Garrett     19   Servant   House Keeper    Ill        NY         Mich
Glena G Garrett    1                                       Iowa       Ill           Ill

1900 Census
Wheatland, Cass, North Dakota Sheet No. 2 June 2, 1900
Name                      Relation       Birth Date     Self     Father     Mother     Work
John C. Midgeley      Head           May 1830     Eng      Eng       Eng         Farmer
Ellen                        Wife            Nov 1835       NY      Conn      Conn
William H                  Son            May 1878    Iowa       Eng       NY        At school
Bertha McLean      Daughter         Apr 1880     Iowa       Eng       NY
Malcolm McLean    Son-in-law      Mar 1876     Can       Scot      Scot      Farmer
William Montgomery Servant         Jul 1872     Minn       Can      Can       Laborer
Edward Cole            Servant          Dec 1845   Ohio       Penn    Scot       Laborer
Royal O Johnson      Servant          Dec 1835   Mich      Ohio      Ohio      Laborer
Harry Shephard        Servant           Jul 1869    Mass      Ver        Ver      Laborer Frank
Yonick                      Servant        Jan 1878     Ill           Ger       Ger      Laborer

More About John Midgley and Ellen Kinney:
Marriage: 12 Jan 1853, White Creek, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Children of John Midgley and Ellen Kinney are:
2 i. Elizabeth Ellen Marie3 Midgley, born 21 Aug 1858 in Wytoka, Winona, Minnesota; died 1934.
3 ii. Amanda Eliza Midgley, born 1860.
4 iii. Minnie Electia Rose Midgley, born 1862.
5 iv. Ernest Calvert Midgley, born Apr 1864 in Minnesota.
6 v. Mary Bell Lillian Midgley, born May 1868 in Wisconsin; died 20 May 1944 in St. Louis, Minnesota.
7 vi. Ida Inace Lillian Midgley, born 05 Jun 1871 in Osage, Mitchell, Iowa,; died 09 Nov 1953 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, burried in Detroit Lakes, Minn.
8 vii. Charles John Midgley, born 27 Apr 1875 in Iowa.
9 viii. William Harvey Midgley, born 17 May 1878 in Iowa.
10 ix. Bertha Florence Midgley, born 01 Apr 1880 in Iowa; died Jul 1971 in Wheatland, North Dakota.
Contact: Carol Yonkers

Hannah Midgley1
Born 1797, Lightcliffe, near Halifax. Married in 1816 at Halifax Cathedral to Thomas Murgatroyd. Thomas migrated to America in 1821, Hannah followed her husband there the following year where she remained in the U.S. until 1835 when she and Thomas went to Ontario, Canada to reside at South Grimsby township, Lincoln county. Hannah lived here for 54 years before she died in 1889  at about the age of 92 years.
Thomas and Hannah had three sons and four daughters:
  * Thomas Murgatroyd of Hiawatha, Kansas, 1889.
  * Robert Murgatroyd of Ontario, Canada, 1889.
  * Midgley Murgatroyd of Ontario, Canada, 1889.
  * Mary [married David Matthew] of San Francisco, California, 1889.
  * Elizabeth [married George Brant] of Ontario, Canada, 1889.
  * Charlotte [not married in 1889] of Ontario, Canada, 1889.
  * Emma [married John Freeman] of Niagara Falls, N.Y., 1889.

Obituary of Hannah (Midgley) Murgatroyd, date and place not shown but
assumed to be 1889, South Grimsby township, Lincoln county, Ontario, Canada:
Contact: Roger Connelly



William Howard Midgley
 The U S. census records WILLIAM HOWARD "W. H." MIDGLEY was born circa 1834 in PA. W. H. married Harriet Bell WOOD, born 17 Mar 1845 in Batavia, Genesee, NY. They had three children, MAY "MAUDE" MIDGLEY, who took the  name Janet WALDORF when she became a Shakespearean actress and acting teacher, remained unmarried; MADGE WOOD MIDGLEY, unmarried, and HARRY ST. JOHN MIDGLEY, M.D. who married first GERTRUDE KUHN SCOTT and had two children, HARRY ST. JOHN MIDGLEY, Jr.; and FRANCES "FANNIE" KUHN MIDGLEY. 

Clare has found that William Howard Midgley's parents were Edwin and Martha found on the 1850 U.S. census:

Edwin Midgley M 44 Scotland Occ: Moulder  i.e. b~1806

Marth Midgley F 39 England

Marth Midgley F 19 England

James Midgley M 17 New York Occ: Salesman

Joseph Midgley M 15 Pennsylvania Occ: Student

Anna Midgley F 13 Ohio

Eliza Jane Midgley F 7 Pennsylvania

Harwowood Midgley* M 5 Pennsylvania (b~ 1845)

* i.e. Howard. Edwin is mistakenly shown on the census as born Scotland but as records in UK births show he was born in Leeds:

Edwin William Heywood Midgeley

Ch. 7 Aug 1806, St. Peter's Leeds Yorks.

b. 16 Jul 1806

Father: Joseph.

The dates for the births of Edwin and Martha's children indicate that they emigrated from England to the U.S. about the year 1834.

Contact: Clare Peden  



William H.  Midgley
Born 1840 Bradford. He married Mary Ella Holmes daughter of Jonathan Holmes, on the 3rd August 1861 at Bradford.
Nancy has a marriage record of a William Midgley aged 25 of Horton and Mary Holmes aged 21 of Horton for the 3rd of October 1861  in the Parish Church of Bradford. The marriage was solemnised by William Holmes, Parish Clerk and Christopher Gibson.
They migrated to America, their child Mary Ella Midgley was born at Camden, New Jersey in 1880. This is Nancy's grandmother. Mary moved to Coatesville, Chester Co., PA. where she  married Charles Henry Brown on the 25th May 1900.

Contact: Nancy Stevens



Vernon Midgley and Harrell Midgley live in Poteau, Oklahoma where there are currently three Midgley families.
Vernon has relatives in Stockton [Marshall Midgley] and Sacramento.
Contact Vernon Midgley [Is this address current Vernon?]


Jane Midgley
Born abt. 1790, died 1882. She married John Grange on the 27th July 1812 at Spofforth, Yorkshire. Jane had a sister Mary who died aged 73 in England [married Willm. Flint].
John and Jane had three children at Sicklinghall, Yorkshire. The family migrated to Forkesville, Pennsylvania in 1818.
Contact Barbara Ziek


THE AMERICAN-YORKSHIRE CONNECTION
The Washington family3 armorial bearings as shown in the 1619 Heralds' Visitation of Northamptonshire. The arms may have inspired the American flag adopted by congress in 1782. The red and azure blue stripes  and the red  mullets [five pointed stars], the latter are the symbolic representation of the knight's spurs. The Washington name was Wesyngton derived from the manor of the same name in County Durham, England. The owner was a William de Hertburn, who took the name Wesyngton from the manors name. Various branches of the family moved to different parts of England one group to Adwick-Le-Street in South Yorkshire, and another to Selby in East Yorkshire. The original Durham family are the predecessors of George Washington.
This family probably occupied the manor of Radcliffe, of which now only the moat is extant. Nearby is the Adwick Norman Mound and Bailey.


David Monroe Midgley
Born 1838 at Sicklinghall, Yorkshire. His father was Joseph Midgley (b. abt. 1800) in Yorkshire Joseph married  Ellen [Helen] Mitchell in 1820 at nearby Spofforth. Kelly has extensive information on this family in the U.S.
Contact: Kelly  Jo [Midgley] Thompson, Arizona.


Joseph Midgley
Married Helen Mitchel in 1820. Joseph, Helen and the children emigrated to America in the 1850's  They had at least three children:
    *David Midgley, born 1838,  Sicklinghall, Yorkshire [near Spofforth and Kirby Overblow]
   * Samuel Midgley
   * ?William Midgley
Contact: Bill Midgley, Stockton, California.
David Midgley is Bill's great grandfather. Bill has put a Midgley bulletin board at Genforum


David  ?Maxey Midgley
Born 12th March 1838 at Sicklinghall, Yorkshire. His father was Joseph and his mother Helen Mitchel.
David emigrated from England to Illinois and then moved to Oklahoma.
Contact: Mary Seal

See Midgley of Wharfedale



 Samuel Midgley of England b.1841 d. 1916 who migrated to America.  Samuel married Sarah b. 1841 d.1908. They had an only son, James Charles Midgley b. 1880  U.S.A. d. 1951 who married Rachael McCleod b. 1882 d. 1954.
They had an only son, James Charles Midgley b. 1908  d.1978 U.S.A.  who married Anne Higgins b. 1904 d. 1980.
From the 1881 census:
 Dwelling: 92 Havelock St
 Census Place: Horton In Bradford, York, England
 Source: FHL Film 1342066     PRO Ref RG11    Piece 4456    Folio 118    Page 27
 Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Samuel MIDGELEY M 39  M Bradford, York, England
 Rel: Head
 Occ: Stuff Warehouseman (Dlr)
Sarah MIDGELEY M 39  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Wife
Annie MIDGELEY U 17  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Daur
 Occ: Milliner
Ellen MIDGELEY U 15  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Daur
 Occ: Worsted Spinner
Alfred MIDGELEY U 14  M Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Son
 Occ: Office Boy
Sarah Ann MIDGELEY U 10  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Daur
 Occ: Scholar
Maria MIDGELEY U 7  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Daur
 Occ: Scholar
Emma MIDGELEY U 4  F Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Daur
 Occ: Scholar
James Charles MIDGELEY U 8 m M Gt Horton, York, England
 Rel: Son
See Bradford Page
Contact James Midgley


Jonas Midgley
Born 9th Dec. 1897 died 12th April 1897, son of  John Midgley who married Sarah of Eccleshill, Yorkshire.
Jonas married Maryann Burnley on 1st October 1857 at Bradford Old Church, West Yorkshire, they had one child, John Benjamine Midgley
Contact: Deltarader


Sarah Jane Midgley
Born 11th July 1865 at Bradford, Yorkshire, England. Died 3rd October 1950 at Sandford, York, Maine and buried at Oakdale cemetary, Sandford. Sarah arrived in America on the 26th May 1887 at Boston Harbour , Massachusetts, on the ship "Kansas" from Liverpool, England.

Sarah Jane Midgley's  parents were Robert Midgley born abt.1834 and Clarissa Craven born 9th February 1896 [baptised 12th March 1837] , they were both born in Keighley, West Yorkshire. [married 3rd quarter 1857]. Clarissa died Lowell, Middlesex, Mass. 22nd September 1896.
Robert married secondly Sarah McKillof in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts on 20th October, 1897 daughter of Neil McKillof and Sarah McKinnon. Robert probably died in Lowell also but no death date ascribed.
Robert's parents were William Midgley and Ann Hartley [married 11th May 1830 within the parish of St. Andrews, Keighley]
Download an Acrobat pdf file for William Midgley and Ann Hartley's descendants in the U.S.

However Sarah's parents may not have come to America. Sarah entered through Boston, Mass. on 26th May 1886 with her sister Alice. On the 4th August 1886 they were followed through the same port by her brothers, William and Craven, sister Lilley, Hartley, and a Mrs. Mary Midgley [50 years of age, possibly an aunt]
Robert appears to have had nine children:
  * Martha M. Midgley b.1859, Keighley, West Yorkshire, England.
  *Sarah Jane Midgley b. 11th July 1865, Bradford, West Yorkshire.
  * Mary Ann Midgley b.1861, Glusburn.
  * Alice Midgley b.1867, Eastburn [migrated on ship "Kansas" arr. Boston 26th May 1886]
  * Hartley Midgley b. February 1871, Sutton-in-Craven, Yorkshire.[Arrived Boston on the
     "Kansas" 4th  August, 1886]. Hartley married Edith Garfield and had two children, Flora E.
      andGladys P. Midgley.
  *Frank Midgley b.1873, Sutton-in-Craven, may have died in England, he may not have
    accompanied the family.
  * Lilley Midgley b. between 1868-1869 Eastburn, Yorkshire [Arrived Boston on the "Kansas"
     4th August, 1886].
  * Craven Midgley born April 1863, at Sutton-in-Craven, Yorkshire, England. He married, in Yorkshire,  Sarah E. Morse born June 1864. They both arrived in Boston Harbour, Boston, Suffolk Massachusetts on the ship "Kansas" from Liverpool, England on 4th August 1886.
They had four children:
                * Albert Midgley b. July 1889, Rhode Island.
                * Merriam Midgley b. 2nd Jan.1892, Lowell, Middlesex, Mass.
                * Sadie Midgley b. 22nd Dec.1894, Lowell, Mass.
                * May Midgley b. 22nd Dec. 1894, Lowell, Mass., died 13th August 1898, Lowell.

* William [Willie"] Midgley b.1876, Baildon, West Yorkshire,arrived in Boston Harbour, Boston Suffolk Massachusetts on the ship "Kansas" from Liverpool, England on 4th August 1886.
Sarah Jane Midgley later married James Hargraves Bland on the 23rd May 1889 at Lowell, Massachusetts. James was born 6th  October 1853 at Idle near Keighley which is not far from Bradford. Sarah and James then moved to Sanford, York County, Maine.
Wayne has other details of family members.
Contact: Wayne Sladen         


                                                                         


Harold Midgley
Migrated from England to America with his wife Clara and five sons, Arthur, Harold, Wilfrid, Harry and Raymond in the 1920's Harry was Ray's father. Ray has further details
Contact: Ray Midgley


Louisa Midgley probably born August 1827/1828 England married to James McHale in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1848.
Louisa may have emigrated from England with her parents and siblings about 1843.
The 1850 census for Norristown has:
Father, William, stonemason, born abt. 1802, England
Wife Anna b. about 1803, England.
Daughter Charlotte 22, b. England
Daughter Anna 20 b. P.A.
Daughter Ellen 18, b. P.A.
Martha daughter 14, b. P.A.
Daughtr Mary, 12, b. P.A.
Sarah Jane 9, . P.A.
Daughter Rebecca Ann, 5, b. P.A.
Laurie Burk is looking to find which parish in England they left when they emigrated to the U.S.A.
Contact: Laurie Burk.


John Henry Midgley
Born England abt. 1850 and came to New York  as a young boy. He has not yet been found on any passenger list. His parents or siblings are not known.
He married Rose O'Connelly and had several children at least one of whom was  [John Edward Midgley b. 1892] born in Hoboken, NJ. John lived for many years with his daughter's family, her married name was Ethel Paine.Ethel may have had a Midgley family bible which would contain the genealogy of this line.Ethel is no longer alive and Kath is seeking this valuable source of information. John Edward Midgley is Kath's maternal grandfather.
Contact: Kath Midgley McCunney [Is this address current Kath?]


Walter Midgley
Migrated from England in the early 1900's, he lived in Marcellus, NY.
Contact: Bob Midgley


Albert Bramwell Riley Midgley
Born abt. 1863 at Great Harwood near Blackburn. Migrated to  Nova Scotia, Canada initially sometime after 18814. Later migrated to the U.S. and settled in Central Falls, R.I.
Parents were John Midgley born abt. 1822 and Mary Smith. He was a  farmer at "Clod" and also grocer of 51, Queen Street, Great Harwood, Lancashire.
Children born to Albert were Frederick I,  Mary, Myrtle, Marmaduke, Victor and Eric
Contact: Fred Midgley  


Jonathan Midgley  See Midgleys' of Almondbury
Christened 30th March 1760 Almondbury, West Yorkshire. married Martha Beaumont born 1765.
Their son was Thomas Beaumont Midgley born 2 Apr 1798 married Ellen Collier Hinchcliffe. Ellen was converted to Mormonism and travelled across the Great Plains pulling her own handcart, too poor to buy horses or oxen, but the church encouraged them nevertheless. A large number of the converted perished on the way. Ellen died in Indian Territory by the Platte River.
Contact: Stephen Burton


Francis Midgley  married Mary Swain at Thornton [date unknown], West Yorkshire,

His son John Henry Midgley was born 1858  died U.S.A. date unknown.
John Henry Midgley married Hannah Isabella Simpson b. 1859 d. 1928 she was buried at Undercliff cemetary [N.E. of Bradford] in a grave bought by her husband. John Henry went to the U.S.A. but Hannah did not. Hannah was by trade a butcher, her shop being at 303 Wakefield Road West Bowling, Bradford. John & Hannah had at least three children:
1. Henry b. 1891, d. 1911
2. Ernest who migrated to U.S.A. and died U.S.A. 1952.
3. Isabel Francis W.
In Undercliff cemetary there are also graves for:
Selina Bartle Midgley
Walter Midgley
Emily Midgley
who all died in infancy.
 

Possible predecessor:
IGI 1994:
Francis MIDGLEY (M)  C: 21 Sep1735  

Father: Michael MIDGLEY
Thornton By Bradford

The 1881 Census [3rd April] shows a Francis Midgley living in Ovenden with a daughter, Sarah:

 Dwelling: Bradshaw Lane
 Census Place: Ovenden, York, England
 Source: FHL Film 1342057     PRO Ref RG11    Piece 4420    Folio 123    Page 11
 Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Sarah PRIESTLEY W 51  F Ovenden, York, England
 Rel: Head
 Occ: Housekeeper Dom
Ellis PRIESTLEY U 10  M Thornton, York, England
 Rel: Son
 Occ: Worsted Factory
Sam. PRIESTLEY U 18  M Thornton, York, England
 Rel: Son
 Occ: Wool Sorter Wd
Francis MIDGLEY W 89  M Thornton, York, England
 Rel: Father
 Occ: Retired Pensioner Royal Guards Blues

The 1881 census shows  John Henry Midgley still resident in Yorkshire:

Dwelling: 319 Bowling O Lane
 Census Place: Bowling, York, England
 Source: FHL Film 1342061     PRO Ref RG11    Piece 4440    Folio 76    Page 2
 Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John H. MIDGLEY M 23  M Thornton, York, England
 Rel: Head
 Occ: Rly Plate Layer
Hannah B. MIDGLEY M 22  F Baildon, York, England
 Rel: Wife
 Occ: Stuff Weaver
Mary A. MIDGLEY   2  F Pudsey, York, England
 Rel: Daur
Contact: Derek Midgley


A difference of  expression
Modern English and  modern 'American English' seem at times very disparate. I think we can put much down to the fact that many English migrated in the 1600's to what were then the American Colonies and took some of their early English with them. To some extent this has survived with more recent colloquialisms added.

Did you know that the English use the word 'fortnight' meaning two weeks or fourteen nights whilst modern Americans do not. Americans never use the phrase 'a week on Friday' or similar. The word 'gotten', not found in English, like the word 'yeah' is a word brought to the New World by German migrants and taken up by others. Words like post, guard's van, rubbish and transport are replaced in U.S. English with mail, caboose, garbage and transportation. The latter in English means to be taken to the colonies as a prisoner! Most of the spelling differences can be attributed to the fact that English spelling  in England was formalised first by Dr. Johnson's attempts at an early dictionary in the 1700's, well after the Pilgrim Fathers and their followers had departed the shores of the Motherland. Perhaps you have discovered other differences on your travels. The similarities, thankfully, are not great enough to extinguish understanding!


 

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Sources:
1. Obituary of Hannah [Midgley] Murgatroyd, assumed to be dated 1889 from South Grimsby,
    Lincs.
2. Pittsburgh City Directory for 1892.
3. Bedingfield Henry, Heraldry, Bison, 1993.
4. British Isles census for 1881.


© Tim Midgley, 2000, revised 15th December 2023.