Mary Ann Ellen HOW^{[1, 2]}

1852 - 1873  (20 years)

• Name	Mary Ann Ellen HOW  [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Born	19 Nov 1852	Broadhempston, Devonshire, England, UK   [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]
  Gender	Female
  Died	3 May 1873	Plymouth, Devonshire, England, UK   [14, 15]
  Person ID	I989	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	4 Aug 2011

  
  

  Father	Samuel HOW,   b. Abt 13 Jun 1824, Broadhempston, Devonshire, England, UK ,   d. 15 Nov 1869, Plymouth, Devonshire, England, UK  (Age ~ 45 years)
  Mother	Betsy Grute NORISH,   b. Abt 9 Jan 1831, Staverton, Devonshire, England, UK ,   d. 16 Apr 1881, Plymouth, Devonshire, England, UK  (Age ~ 50 years)
  Married	19 Feb 1852	Broadhempston, Devonshire, England, UK   [16, 17, 18]
  Family ID	F374	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Samuel BROCK,   b. (Bet Jul and Sep 1842), Kilkhampton, Cornwall, England, UK ,   d. 5 Mar 1876, Plymouth, Devonshire, England, UK   [2]
  Married	28 Mar 1871	Plymouth, Devonshire, England, UK   [19, 20]
  Last Modified	4 Aug 2011
  Family ID	F376	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Notes from Ian Browness: 1. (Upon first seeing Annie [How] Browness' daughter Annie Elizabeth Bro wness [born 1885, who later married James Donegan], Francis Pauley was str uck by her resemblance to his beloved Mary Ellen How, born 1852, whom he h ad known in Harbour Breton: "...the moment I looked at her eyes. and h er hair and her pleasant face... my thoughts rushed backwards..." | "In An nie's face I saw another face. one face more. the dearest and best fa ce of those long ago days - 'The face of your dear dead Siste r' - - - - - - - - - - ") * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Aug1901 (pp 3, 4) 2. Francis had without doubt been smitten four-square by Mary Ellen Ho w: "No matter where I have been... - and I have travelled many thousan ds of miles over land and sea. No matter who I have seen or who I have co me in contact or associated with. No man or woman can say that down de ep in my heart her name and her memory has ever ceased to be..." * Source: FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (pp.4,5) 3. (Francis waited more than three decades, until 1901 when prompt ed by the sight of Annie Elizabeth Browness (b.1885 and Mary Ellen How's l ook-alike), to reveal to Annie (How) Browness the feelings he once had f or her late sister Mary Ellen (b.1852) and the hopes they had once share d: "Since I left you I have been in the Country [Devon, as opposed to t he City of Plymouth] and on a high hill top - I saw the Sun shine on Totne ss - and Broadhempstone... Your Father I think was born there. Was he n ot married and is buried there? - And your dear Sister - is it not too h er Birthplace?. I am not sure but I think so... You see I am never tir ed of talking about her..." * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Aug1901 (pp.10,11) 4. Mary Ellen would have been only about 6 years old when she first cros sed the North Atlantic to Harbour Breton with her mother, a voyage that wo uld have been daunting even for an adult. Steamships were not regular ly travelling to Newfoundland until the end of the 1850's (even then, Newm an & Co. usually used their own "Passenger Vessel" for such trips) and t he sailing distance from Dartmouth, England, to St John's, Newfoundland v ia the "great circle route" was only somewhat less than 1930 nautical mil es (2251 statute miles), the distance from Liverpool [Source: Boston Pos t, 30Oct1856, by "Lt. Maury"] and required a cramped and perilous voya ge of one to two month's duration, depending on wind, weather, charts a nd good fortune. /IBB 5. The How family was in Hr Breton at least between June of 1859 (like ly several months earlier than that) and September, 1866, for the christen ings of Clara, Ann and Orlando at St Bartholomew's: * Source: Birth Research Summaries, PANL: How, Clara L (Christened Jun1 859), How, Ann E (Chr. Feb1863) & How, Orlando C (Chr. Sep1866) 6. Francis Pauley relates how, in 1866, Mary Ellen How was sent back alo ne from Newfoundland ("the Country") to England, to a school [so Francis t hinks] in Newton Abbot "...a time at last came when she left the Countr y" [Newfoundland] "and came to England to a School - I think in Newton Abb ott - I well remember the day she left..." | "I remember how she was dress ed and her sad pale face..." | His comments on their relationship a few pa ges later hint at why Samuel may have seen this dramatic action as necessa ry (possibly to preserve reputations): "...and yesterday when I look ed at the beautiful fields and at the old Church Tower . I thought of... a ll that has been and how we might have all been today happy - if we had on ly been patient - and had someone to guide us in those earlier days..." * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Aug1901 (pp.5,6 and 10,11) 7. Bearing in mind notes 5 and 6 above, and the fact that Mary Ellen wou ld eventually die of consumption (TB) at the age of 20, she may have be en ill even back in her Hr Breton days and she might possibly have been se nt home to the drier conditions and milder winters of Devon for health rea sons. Presumably, being so young, she would have travelled with an attend ant of some sort; however no mention is made of this in the letters and t he number of women available for such an assignment in Hr Breton would ha ve been minimal. 8. Francis Pauley mentions two photographs in his possession, the fir st being of Mary Ellen and the second of her mother Betsy: "I have [Mary E llen's] picture in Library in America - taken when I first met her - wh en she was a little girl - I have one too of your Mother." The pictu re of Betsy was later sent by Francis to Annie (How) Browness and is n ow in the possession of Ian Browness; Mary Ellen's picture remains to da te unaccounted for. * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Aug1901 (pp.9) 9. Ann E How (by 1901, Annie Browness), apparently, had no idea wheth er or not her father had left a will (Francis Pauley writes her: "I fou nd that he died on the 15th of November 1869 - and it seems that he ma de no Will - - that is what they told me - and that mother took out Lette rs of Administration..."), from which one can reasonably assume that no ne of Samuel's children saw any inheritance. The money in the estate (su ch as it was, as most of Samuel's wealth had gone missing - and remains th at way up to the present day...), would presumably have gone to Betsy a nd through wedlock come under the control of Alfred Gray, the Royal Mari ne 15 years her junior who would become her unlikely groom only 11 mont hs later. * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Sep1901 & Estate Transcription [from the body of the letter ] 10. Transcription by Francis Pauley of of Samuel's Estate Records at Exe ter: "Samuel How. 29th January 1870. | "Letters of Administration of t he personal Estate and effects of Samuel How of East Stonehouse in the Cou nty of Devon Innkeeper deceased who died 15th November 1869 at East Stoneh ouse aforesaid were granted at Exeter to Betsy Grute How of 16 Chapel Stre et East Stonehouse aforesaid. Widow the relict of the said deceased she h aving been sworn. | "Effects under £450 including Leaseholds | "Witne ss - George Norrish | James Stanly Strong" Samuel's estate (especially its absence of any property) is only a sm all fraction of what one would expect, given his length of time in a ve ry senior position and the relative wealth enjoyed by other retiring Newma n's agents of the daye estate of his late aunt Joanna Trood had be en more than double this (she left Samuel £200), and she had worked as a s ervant! * Source: Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, FH Pauley to AE Browne ss (née How) 16Sep1901 & Estate Transcription [full text of the latter] [2] (Medical): (i.e. "consumption" or pulmonary tuberculosis) [2]

  
  

• Sources

  [S18] Ian Browness. site_manager@browness.net, http://browness.net. ©2011-07-28: The information on this Six Trees : One Family website and the underlying GEDCOM files are (except where explicitly stated) the original work of Ian Browness, Stephen J Browness and other valued contributors and researchers so recognized herein. Its contents reflect a level of research and analysis achieved only through a long-term investment of time and money. As every effort has been made to acknowledge the sources of information displayed here, please do the same in reference to any information and/or images you may take from this site. Any duplication of information contained herein without citing this site as the source, any commercial use whatsoever of the data, and the publication of information on any living person are expressly prohibited. [S251] File (merged): V:\imported gedcom\GeorgeHenryBrowness.ged. Record originated in... [S358] Death Registration (Certified) Brock (How), Mary E (1873), GRO [UK] Certified Copy of an Entry of Death / Registration District: E Stonehouse, ("1873 Death in the Sub-District of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon" Certificate DYB 105811 17Jul2006), [CRI Death (Certified)] BROCK (HOW) Mary Ellen, Age 20, 1873 Apr-Jun , District: E Stonehouse, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p.208 (FreeBMD) (Reliability: 3). (as "Mary Ellen Brock") [S352] Marriage Registration (Certified) Brock-How 1871 ("Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage / Registration District: Plymouth"), GRO [UK], (Application COL309767, Certificate MXC 588097, 09May2006), [CRI Marriage (Certified)] BROCK-HOW, Mary Ann E 1871 Jan-Mar, District: Plymouth, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p428 (BMDIndex) (Reliability: 3). (as "Mary Ann Ellen Brock / formerly How") [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 08Sep1901 (p.2) (Reliability: 3). (This is the first actual reference Francis makes to "Mary Ellen" by name.) [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (p.5) (Reliability: 3). "I was sent out from England to Newman & Co. in Newfoundland in 1859. your father was then their Agent at Harbor Briton. your sister was not as old by a few years as I was." [this reference in Franci s' letter was the very first indication that there had been in fact a third How daughter, born substantially earlier than the others] [S355] Birth Registration (Certified) Howe (How), Mary [Ellen] 1852, GRO [UK] "...Sub-district of Ashburton in the County of Devon", (Application COL 460949, Certificate BXCB 845217, 19Jul2006). (Registered simply as "Mary", with her surname recorded as "Howe". This suggests Samuel was elsewhere - perhaps back in Newfoundland - as he (but not Betsy) would have noticed the variation in spelli ng.) [S239] Census, England 1871, (as of 02 Apr 1871), 1871, Devon, East Stonehouse, Dist 2, Folio 48, pp. 26 & 27, GRO: RG10/2125 (Anc.Com) (Reliability: 3). (age recorded here as 19, so born c.1852; birth location left blank on Census form) [S231] England & Wales Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983, [CRI Birth (Certified)] HOWE (HOW), Mary [Ellen], 1852 Oct-Dec, District: Newton Abbot (reg’d in Ashburton Sub-Dist), County: Devon, Vol. 5b, p. 139 (FreeBMD) (Reliability: 3). [S352] Marriage Registration (Certified) Brock-How 1871 ("Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage / Registration District: Plymouth"), GRO [UK], (Application COL309767, Certificate MXC 588097, 09May2006), [CRI Marriage (Certified)] BROCK-HOW, Mary Ann E 1871 Jan-Mar, District: Plymouth, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p428 (BMDIndex) (Reliability: 3). (Age 19 at time of marriage, so born c.1852) [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (p.10) (Reliability: 3). (Source of Totnes & Broadhempston as possible birth locations for Mary (Ann Ellen) How: "...I have been in the Country [Devon, as opposed to the City of Plymouth] and on a high hill top - I saw the Su n shine on Totness - and Broadhempstone... ... And your dear Sister - is it not too her Birthplace?. I am not sure but I think so...") [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (p.5) (Reliability: 3). "I was sent out from England to Newman & Co. in Newfoundland in 1859. your father was then their Agent at Harbor Briton. your sister was not as old by a few years as I was." [the age of the How's fir st daughter (no name is provided in this source) in 1859 was "not as old by a few years as" 13 (Francis' age), which one might read as 10 or so (i.e. born c.1849); however, based on other sources, sh e was definitely younger than this and must have only looked older] [S355] Birth Registration (Certified) Howe (How), Mary [Ellen] 1852, GRO [UK] "...Sub-district of Ashburton in the County of Devon", (Application COL 460949, Certificate BXCB 845217, 19Jul2006). (*Why this birth, although recorded as occurring in Broadhempston, was recorded in Ashburton, a separate parish several miles to the NW of Broadhempston, is curious.) [S358] Death Registration (Certified) Brock (How), Mary E (1873), GRO [UK] Certified Copy of an Entry of Death / Registration District: E Stonehouse, ("1873 Death in the Sub-District of East Stonehouse in the County of Devon" Certificate DYB 105811 17Jul2006), [CRI Death (Certified)] BROCK (HOW) Mary Ellen, Age 20, 1873 Apr-Jun , District: E Stonehouse, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p.208 (FreeBMD) (Reliability: 3). (Age 20 at death in 1873, so born c.1852; residing with her husband's parents at time of death; informant was "Sarah Berry", a 75-year old pensioner living at the same address and in 1871, just a fe w doors down at #25 Newport) [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (p.11) (Reliability: 3). (By the time of Francis Pauley's first surviving letter (1901), Samuel How, Betsy and their daughter Mary Ellen have all passed away. "Tell me this too. Has your Sister - and Father & Mother a Heads tone - I think you told me No. and why not?") [S231] England & Wales Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983, [CRI Marriage (Certified)] How, Samuel & NORRISH, Betsey Grute, 1852 Jan-Mar, District: Newton Abbot, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p.205 (FreeBMD / 1837Online) (Reliability: 3). [S342] Marriage Registration (Certified) How-Norrish 1852 (“Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage… in the Reg'n District of Newton Abbot”), GRO [UK], (Application COL468563, Certificate MXC 717218, 25Jul2006), [CRI Marriage (Certified)] How, Samuel & NORRISH, Betsey Grute, 1852 Jan-Mar, District: Newton Abbot, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p.205 (FreeBMD / 1837Online) (Reliability: 3). [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 16Aug1901 (p.10) (Reliability: 3). (Source of Totnes & Broadhempston as possible marriage locations for Samuel: "...I have been in the Country [Devon, as opposed to the City of Plymouth] and on a high hill top - I saw the Sun shine o n Totness - and Broadhempstone... Your Father I think was born there. Was he not married and is buried there? - And your dear Sister - is it not too her Birthplace?. I am not sure but I think so... ") [S352] Marriage Registration (Certified) Brock-How 1871 ("Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage / Registration District: Plymouth"), GRO [UK], (Application COL309767, Certificate MXC 588097, 09May2006), [CRI Marriage (Certified)] BROCK-HOW, Mary Ann E 1871 Jan-Mar, District: Plymouth, County: Devon, Vol 5b, p428 (BMDIndex) (Reliability: 3). [S295] Six Plus One Letters to Mrs Browness, Pauley, FH & Browness, GH, (Letters scanned and bound, with introduction by I Browness and illustrations (PDF version on Browness.Net)), FH Pauley to AE Browness (née How) 30Sep1901 (pp.1,2; remaining pages missing) (Reliability: 3). (Francis Pauley provides approximations as to when the How daughters were married and the fact that Mary Ellen had a son, still [in 1901] alive: "Mary Ellen was married nine months after he [Samuel] d ied [Nov 1869] - then yourself [Ann E How] - and Clara... "I did not get the picture of Mary Ellen... but I suppose her son did not have it...")