Mary Ann Earnshaw was the first child of John Earnshaw & Sarah Thurlbeck born February 25th, 1847 at Seaham Harbour, Co Durham.
In 1851 Mary Ann & her parents were living at John St, Dawdon, Co Durham where her father was a stone mason.
Mary Ann was still at home in 1861 at 4 Back John St & she now had a younger brother, John Pickering.
Mary Ann gave birth to an illegitimate child in 1869 who was christened Sarah Jane on March 31st, 1869 at St John’s, Seaham.
Mary Ann married Thomas Fletcher on April 12th, 1869, at Christ Church, New Seaham. Thomas was born March 1848 in Seaton, Co Durham, the son of Jane & John Fletcher, a coal miner.
By 1871 Mary Ann & Thomas were living at Hazelrigg Square, Killingworth, Northumberland where Thomas was a coal miner. With them was Mary’s daughter Sarah (now Fletcher) aged 2 & son John W, 2 months old.
In 1879 Thomas emigrated to the USA to be followed by Mary Ann & family in 1880.
They were living at New Straightsville, Perry, Ohio in 1880 with daughter Sarah, son John W & new additions Ellen (8) & Mary (5). All the children had been born in England. Thomas was working as a coal miner.
Daughter Elizabeth was born in Ohio in December 1881. She had a twin brother who sadly did not survive.
In 1887 daughter Sarah Jane married Thomas Urwin in Perry, Ohio. By 1920 Sarah Jane & Thomas were living in Dunlevy, Washington Pennsylvania with 2 sons & 2 daughters still at home. Thomas was a labourer in a glass factory.
The 1900 US census shows Thomas & Mary still living in Straightsville Village, now Coal Township, Perry, Ohio. Only daughter Elizabeth was at home & it was noted that Mary had had 9 children, only 5 of whom were still living.
Daughter Ellen married Edward Charlton on December 24th, 1896 in Perry, Ohio. In 1910 they & their daughter & 2 sons were living in Monroe, Perry where Edward was a brakesman on the railroad.
Thomas & Mary were again living in Coal Township in 1910 but Thomas was now a green house florist. Daughter Lizzie was still living at home & working as a telephone operator. Also there was a 2 year old granddaughter, Florence.
By 1920 Thomas, aged 71, had retired & he & Mary were still living in Coal Township, in East Ball St. Daughter Lizzie continue to live at home & was still a telephone operator. Listed with them were 2 granddaughters, Florence Yarger (11) & Wilma Christy (7).
Mary Ann died, aged 74, on January 26th 1922, & was buried in New Straitsville Cemetery, Ohio on January 29th 1922.
Thomas died on December 5th, 1924 & was also buried in New Straitsville Cemetery, Ohio.
In 1928 daughter Elizabeth married John Breeze, a miner, in Perry, Ohio. In 1930 they were living in Coal, Perry, Ohio where John was a worker in the railroad car shops & Elizabeth continued to work as a chief telephone operator.
In 1930 son John William & his wife Christiana (nee Waldie) & daughter Christiana were living in Coal, Perry, Ohio where John was a miner.
The children of Mary Ann Earnshaw & Thomas Fletcher were:
e.1.1.1.1 Sarah Jane Fletcher (Earnshaw) christened March 31st, 1869 at St John’s, Seaham, Co Durham; died 1940 & buried in Howe Cemetery, Coal Centre, Washington, Pennsylvania
e.1.1.1.2 John William Fletcher born February 1871 in Burradon, Northumberland; died 1954 & buried in New Straitsville Joint Cemetery, Perry, Ohio
e.1.1.1.3 Ellen Fletcher born April-June 1872 in Tynemouth; died February 18th, 1956 & buried in Oakfield Cemetery, Perry, Ohio
e.1.1.1.4 Thomas Fletcher born April-June 1874 in Tynemouth; died July-September 1874 in Tynemouth
e.1.1.1.5 Mary Fletcher born April-June 1875 in Tynemouth
e.1.1.1.6 Elizabeth Fletcher born December 1881 in Straitsville, Ohio, USA
e.1.1.1.7 Male Fletcher born December 23rd, 1881 in Coal, Perry, Ohio, USA
e.1.1.1.8 Thomas Fletcher born October 23rd, 1883 in New Straitsville, Ohio; died September 21st, 1884 in New Straitsville, Ohio
e.1.1.1.9 Dorothy B Fletcher born November 1st, 1887 in New Straitsville, Ohio