Shep's Place Family Tree

In 1851 the Skitches lived at 40 Higherend in Marhamchurch. Humphrey now 43 and Elizabeth 42 had five children at home: Robert 15, an agricultural labourer; Mary ten, a scholar; Humphrey seven; Elizabeth five; and John one.

At Marhamchurch in 1861 Humphrey 52 is classified as a "cordwainer" rather than a shoemaker. A cordwainer does finer work than a shoemaker, so this is a higher station for Humphry. Elizabeth 51 yrs has four children at home: William 22, a carpenter; Humphry Jr, an apprentice cordwainer; Elizabeth 15, an apprentice cordwainer; and John eleven years, a scholar. All of the children were born in Marhamchurch.

By 1870 William was living in Brooklyn Township, Alameda Co., California, near Oakland. He was 32 years old and a wagon maker who owned real estate worth $400. He and wife Elizabeth had been married in April 1870. Elizabeth had been born in Scotland. They were living with another couple who had also been married in April of that year. They were Herman Rethaen, 28, a liquor dealer from Baden, Germany, and his wife Jane 24 from Ireland.

By June 1880 William and Elizabeth were living in Oakland, California where William was a wheelwright. They had five children under the age of ten: Elizabeth nine, Margaret eight, Sofia four, Humphrey three and William six months.

On June 2, 1900 William 63, a wheelwright, and Elizabeth 55 had been married for thirty years. At the time of their marriage William was 31 years and Elizabeth 30 years old. They had three of their children at home: Willie 23 was a day laborer on the railroad; Humphrey 21; and Mabel 13 was at school. Elizabeth had had ten children altogether of whom nine were living. Grace had died the year before. Both William and Elizabeth immigrated in 1878. Both had, therefore, lived in the U.S. for 22 years. William had been naturalized, but not Elizabeth.

William was a widower by 1910. He came to California in 1864 ‎[Is this correct?]‎ and was a naturalized citizen. Aged 72, he was a wheelwright and owned his own home. Four of his children were at home with him: Humphrey ‎(Tim)‎ 32, a laborer in a box factory; William 30, a shingler; Rose 27, a servant in a house; and Mabel 22, no occupation. Mabel was probably the housekeeper.