Thread: Which DIOPHANTUS

I have a small quandry in identifying which of two Barracloughs born in 1822/1823 in the same area of the West Riding of Yorkshire and blessed with the given name in each case of Diophantus. The census returns after 1851 seem to opt for different spellings but one of the two drops out of the running - which one and where does he go?

It has to be accepted that Mr D.R.Fantus Barraclough [1881] is one of the two but which one?

The name is from an early Greek mathematician - must be a story there too.

Has anyone a clue as to where they went and when either died and where?

Hello Pottering,



I have found 2 deaths.



1. Diofantus Barraclough born c. 1821, died Oct-Dec 1884, Halifax



2. Diofantus Barraclough born c.1816, died Oct-Dec 1884, Halifax.



However, I think these are probably the same person as the age at death on the original sheet is unclear, therefore I think the transcriber entered him twice, once as age 63, and again as age 68.



What evidence do you have of there being two Diophantus'? Oh, after looking at census records I see there were 2 enumerated in 1851.



I'll do more searching.

1851 Census.



Name: Diophantus Barraclough Age: 29 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1822 Relation: Head Spouse's Name: Eliza Gender: Male Where born: Sowerby, Yorkshire, England



Civil Parish: Northowram Town: Northowram County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England



Diophantus Barraclough 29 Eliza Barraclough 26 Elizabeth Barraclough 1 Sarah Barraclough 5

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Name: Diophantus Barraclough Age: 28 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1823 Relation: Head Spouse's Name: Sarah Gender: Male Where born: Sowerby, Yorkshire, England



Civil Parish: Fixby County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England

Registration district: Halifax Sub registration district: Rastrick



Diophantus Barraclough 28 Emma Barraclough 1 Hannah Barraclough 2 Sarah Barraclough 29

In 1861, there's this one could be a second marriage?



Name: Diophantus Barraclough Age: 38 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1823 Relation: Head Spouse's Name: Mary Ann Gender: Male Where born: Norland, Yorkshire, England



Civil Parish: Warley Town: Sowerby Bridge County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England



Diophantus Barraclough 38 Hannah Barraclough 14 Mary Ann Barraclough 38 Sarah Barraclough 3 David Farrar 8 Hannah R Farrar 9





Yes, it looks like a second marriage.



Marriages 1855 Oct-Dec Halifax



Diophantus Barraclough and on the same page Mary Ann Farrar

There's also this marriage



Diophantus Barraclough 1844 Oct-Dec Halifax, to one of these brides, all of whom are on the same page.



Ireen Barraclough, Hannah Haigh, Sarah Jagger, Sarah Walker.

1881.



Name: Diofentus Barrowclough Age: 60 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1821 Relation: Lodger Gender: Male Where born: Grassabottom, Yorkshire, England



Civil Parish: Prestwich County/Island: Lancashire Country: England



Street address: Rainsough Condition as to marriage: Married Education:



Employment status:



Occupation: Labourer



Registration district: Prestwich Sub registration district: Prestwich

1861. Eliza and children living with her mother and brother, she's recorded as married. Where was Diophanthus?



1871. Eliza still recorded as married, but no husband in the household.



1881. Eliza is living with her married dau Elizabeth, Eliza recorded as widow.



Therefore Eliza's husband died between 1871 -81. I'll try to find a death.

1871.



Name: Didfautus Barraclough Age: 50 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1821 Relation: Head Spouse's Name: Mary Ann Gender: Male Where born: Sowerby, Yorkshire, England Civil Parish: Sowerby Ecclesiastical parish: St George Town: Sowerby Bridge County/Island: Yorkshire Country: England

Alice Barraclough 7 Didfautus Barraclough 50 Lovina Barraclough 10 Mary Ann Barraclough 51 Sarah Barraclough 12 David Farrar 18 H Rebecca Farrar 19



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The above Diophanthus, married to Mary Ann is on the 1881 census with Mary Ann and their children. Therefore the one further above living in Prestwich must be the other Diophantus, I would deduce he had left his wife Eliza and she made an assumption by 1881 that he had died.

That is beyond where I have managed to penetrate the records - partly because of the variations in spellings - but thank you for your informative messages. The Diophantus I found originally appears to have been married to Sarah Jagger in Elland in November 1844 and they had at least two daughters Hannah and Emma. The latter I believe to have married into my forebears family. Diophantus did marry twice - the second lucky lady being, by my research, Mary Ann Riley again in Elland in November 1855 and they had three daughters. I don't know why he ended up in Prestwich with so much feminine company at home but as the address is a lunatic asylum perhaps that is why the last reference in the Census by his wife was a vague " away from home".

My biggest problem is satisfying myself that I followed the correct Diophantus and that there is some rational reason why the two should appear in the 1851 Census - unless father Theophilus had been sowing wild oats in the West Riding.

The dates for death(s) have to be one or the other and I would like to be able to establish which to be certain of the findings.

Thank you for the help - it is good to know there is somewhere to turn in need.

Hi again Pottering, this is most confusing....two Diophantus born around the same time, same area.



To recap, and simplify, I'll label Diophantus 1851 census married to Eliza ...... Dio 1



And Diophantus 1851 census married to Sarah ........ Dio 2



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Dio1 had 2 dau in 1851, Elizabeth c.1850, and Sarah c.1846



1861 census Eliza Barraclough, Sarah, Elizabeth, and a third dau Emma c.1853, are living with Eliza's brother William Wood.



1871 census, Eliza Barraclough, Elizabeth, and Emma are together.



1881 census, Eliza Barraclough is living with her dau Elizabeth, Elizabeth's husband (Mitchell Moore) and their children Florence, Emilietta, and Willie Edgar.



Also in 1881, Dio1, in Prestwich. Not in a lunatic asylum, he's lodging with a family in Prestwich, and his occupation is labourer.



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Moving on to Dio 2. (married Sarah Jagger in 1844, and Mary Ann Farrar in 1855)



1851 census he's with wife Sarah, and daughter's Hannah c.1848, and Emma c. 1850.



1861 census with wife Mary Ann (2nd wife) her 2 children Hannah Farrar c. 1852 and David (1853) Farrar, Hannah Barraclough c. 1847, and Sarah Barraclough c. 1858. Emma c. 1850 isn't with them (maybe died in infancy).



1871 census with wife Mary Ann, the 2 Farrar children, H. (could be Hannah) Rebecca Barraclough c. 1852?, Sarah c.1859, Lovina c.1861, and Alice c. 1864.



1881 census with wife Mary Ann, David Farrar, Sarah c. 1859, Lovina c . 1862, Alice c. 1864, and Sarah Ann g.dau c.1880.



So Pottering, which of the two Dio's is your ancestor, Dio1, or Dio2?