I have been searching for my LAW family connection for years and I keep adding little pieces to possibly get a bit closer to braking my brickwall. The latest pieces follow.
I have now finally confirmed the name and information on my 4th great grandmother who married my LAW 4th great grandfather. She is Mary Ann SIMMONDS aka Ann SIMMONDS, bap 27 Feb 1810 at St. Andrew Holborn, London, Middlesex, England. She was the daughter of John Lockington SIMMONDS and Mary Maria DAVIES. Sometime in the middle 1830s she married my LAW ancestor. Two possible names are Richard or Fred LAW who seem to be associated with my family. It is unknown if she married LAW in England or here in the US. By 1836, I think the family was located in Howard Co, MO. I have confirmed that all the children of this LAW-SIMMONDS marriage were born in Howard Co, MO. The only LAW in the state of MO on the 1840 census is in Howard Co and his name is Richard. By the 1850 census, Mary Ann is in New Orleans (listed as Mrs. LAW) with the children and running a boarding house. In 1854 she married a William LELAND in NOLA. In 1856 she gave permission for her 16 yr old daughter Margareta LAW to marry Thaddeus Damascus VAN HORN (my 3rd great grandparents). This is the only official record where I she her sign her name as Mary Ann. All of the other records I have only list her as Ann including all the UK records I have seen. A Fred LAW was the person who gave Margareta away at her wedding. It is unknown if this was a brother, uncle, father, or? Sometime around 1857 (probably around Aug 1857 when her mother died in England), she returned to England and then on 4 Jun 1858 she married John Henry BURLINGSON at St. Giles. They were living at 5 Vernon Place, St. George, Bloomsbury Square, London on 7 Feb 1875 when she passed away. I have no idea where she is buried in the London area.
So does anyone know of any male LAW family members who may have married a Mary Ann SIMMONDS aka Ann SIMMONDS? It may be possible that Mary Ann might have been married at least once prior to her marriage to my unknown LAW ancestor, but I don't have any solid proof of this at this time.
My best guess is that I am dealing with a LAW family member living somewhere in or around St. Andrew Holborn during the middle 1830s.
If anyone has any clues, I would appreciate a note. Any piece of the puzzle you may have to pass along no matter how small is most appreciated.
