The Goodliffe Family of NottinghamFrances Marguerite (Maggie) Goodliffe
Frances was born in 1864 to Thomas William and Ann GOODLIFFE. She is recorded with them in the 1871 census aged 6 and the 1881 census aged 16:
Marriage to William Clark in 1885About 1884 Frances departed for New York. There are few shipping records for this time but the year is given from US census records (see later). Whether she travelled alone or with other family is unclear, but on 13 May 1885 Frances married William CLARKE at the Grace Episcopal Church in Buffalo, Erie, New York. Her age was given as 20 and her parents as Thomas and Annie, so there is little doubt that this is the correct person. In later census records Frances has recorded her arrival in the USA in 1884, again consistent with this marriage. Shipping records for 1894 for a William and Margaret Clarke (she was Frances or Maggie, not Margaret) and other names and dates relate to a different William Clarke. Soon after marriage William and Frances moved to Indianapolis where their first child, Charles Arthur was born in 1886, followed by Ernest Goodliffe in 1890 and Margaret Mary in 1892. Shortly after this date they moved to Tacoma, Washington where they settled and spent the rest of their lives.
Living in Buffalo, Indianapolis and Tacoma from the Census Records and other sourcesWilliam and Frances were married in Buffalo, New York, which is close to the Canadian border and the Niagra Falls. Soon they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where Charles, Ernest and Margaret were born. Most of the later census records record their place of birth simply as Indiana, but Charles' marriage record is more specific about his place of birth. Census records begin in the USA from 1910. By that time the family had settled in Tacoma Washington, living at 106 North Gate. They recorded their year of arrival as 1884 , they had been married for 25 years and they owned their own home freehold. William had become a pharmacist with his own store on the corner of Division and Yakima Avenue (the site is now a gas station).
In 1920 they had moved to 3908 30th Street, Tacoma. William owned this house but it was mortgaged. He also recorded his arrival in the USA as 1882 and his naturalisation in 1887 (but there is a court record for this in 1894). Frances has not recorded her year of arrival on this census:
In the 1930 census they were at 3908 30th Street, Tacoma:
And in 1940 were at 3944 30th St, Tacoma (No 3908 is not recorded in this census, so is this the same house as in 1930?). By this time they had sold their house and were renting for $35 per week:
Death of William and FrancesWilliam CLARKE died in Tacoma, Washington on 2 June 1944, aged 81 years. He was interred in the Mount View Memorial Park, Tacoma. An interesting obituary was published:
Frances Marguerite CLARKE (nee GOODLIFFE) died in Tacoma, Washington on 22 December 1959, aged 95, according to the Washington State death records. Her parents were recorded as Thomas Goodliffe and Anne Stafford. The children of William and Frances Marguerite CLARKECharles Arthur CLARKEThe oldest son of William and Maggie, Charles Arthur was born 16 February 1886 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is in the 1910 census living with his parents, single aged 24. Occupation given as Pharmacist (same as his father). On 29 July 1911, Charles Arthur married Laura Phyllis Mary CUMMINS at the Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Victoria is close to Tacoma, across the US-Canada border and on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The marriage certificate gives the usual residence for both parties as Tacoma.
On her marriage certificate Laura Phyllis Mary CUMMINS was born in Grenfell, Saskatchewan but in the 1891 census it states Assiniboia. Both places are close to Regina in central Canada. In 1891 she was 5 and living in Assinboia. Her father was a farmer:
In the 1901 census she was aged 15 and working as a domestic servant in Yale and Cariboo, British Columbia for a John Boswell, Civil Engineer. This census gives her date of birth as 6 April 1886:
Following their marriage, Charles Arthur and Laura Phyllis returned to Washington. In the 1920 census there were living at Interlaaken, Pierce, Washington with 5 children. Arthur was a salesman in the Auto Repair business:
In 1930 they were at 1329 East 63 St, Seattle, Washington. Arthur C. Clarke was again a pharmacist:
In 1940 they were still at 1329 East 63 St:
Arthur died in Seattle on 17 October 1966, aged 80. Laura Phyllis died a few years later in Bothell, Washington on 26 Janyary 1975, aged 88. Arthur and Phyllis CLARKE had five children, including two sets of twins (!):
There is some confusion over the second set of twins, with the suggestion of a third child, unnamed, who probably died at birth. The birth records are hard to read, but it is clear that there were two children, both girls, who had not been named when their births were registered. The register shows name of father, location, date of birth, then name of child, name of mother and gender:
Ernest Goodliffe was born on 25 April 1888 in Indianapolis.
Ernest died in Tacoma, Washington on 21 December 1976. Margaret Mary was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1892.
Margaret is in the 1910 census living with William and Frances at 106 North Gate, Tacoma. The census was taken on the night of 18 April 1910. The clue to Margaret's future lies in the newspaper Obituary for her father William - he left a daughter Mrs Margaret Clifton of Prestwood, England. Shortly after the census it would appear that Margaret went to New York and boarded the White Star ship "Cedric" and sailed to Liverpool, arriving there on 28 August 1910. Although we cannot be certain that this is her, the timing of the trip, her age and her American nationality all fit:
A few month later, on 2 April 1911, Margaret is in the 1911 UK census, married to William CLIFTON and living at 27 Tavistock Drive, Nottingham. In the census Margaret is listed as being born in the USA, but a British Subject by parentage.
It would appear that Margaret married William Ernest CLIFTON in Bingham, Nottinghamshire in July-Sept 1910. Margaret and William had only one child, Marjorie CLIFTON, born in mid-1911 in Nottingham. Margaret and Marjorie visited the USA in 1919 and 1938, sailing from Manchester on the "Pacific Pioneer" on 22 April 1938. It is important to note that Margaret gave her country of birth as USA and the location as Indianapolis, further confirming that this is the correct person. They returned to London on 6th October 1938 aboard the "American Farmer". They gave their address in England as 79a Manor Way, Ruislip, Middlesex.
From the Electoral Roll records, William and Margaret were at:
William disappears from the electoral rolls after 1935 and his whereabouts is not known. He appears to have died in Bingham, Nottinghamshire in late 1943. Margaret is recorded as living at Prestwood, a few miles northwest of Ruislip in 1944, but according to the Probate records, she died at 3 Western Terrace, The Park, Nottingham on 20 June 1946. Probate was granted to her daughter Marjorie. Marjorie was a teacher and never married. The only death record that fits the available information, especailly her date of birth of 1 July 1911 is for July 1990 in Porthmadoc, Wales. Frederick William was born 3 May 1894 in Tacoma, Washington.
He is listed in the 1910 census with William and Frances. On 10 July 1918 he married Helen Morris ROGERS:
In the 1920 census he was at Interlaaken, Washington with his wife Helen. His occupation was "Vulcanizer":
In 1930 they were living with Helen's mother at 3022 27th Street, Tacoma, Washington. They had their daughter Helen Margaret with them. William was now a florist::
In 1940 they were at 3001 26th St, Tacoma, now with young son Richard:
Frederick was called up in the draft for the war in 1942. This gives his birth date as 3 May 1894 and his residence in 1942 as 3001 No. 26, Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. Helen Morris Rogers died in Tacoma on 24 December 1982. Frederick WIlliam died in Tacoma on 18 January 1986. They are both buried in the Tacoma Cemetery:
I am not sure about Helen Margaret and Richard. It is possible that Helen married an Oliver ST JOHN in Boston Bar, Vancouver on 18 November 1938. They remained in Boston Bar, being in the 1940 census. Helen is alone in the 1974 census.
Last updated: 15/04/2016 |
