The Reece’s haven’t been studied beyond the above IGI information and no marriage evidence has been found.

The Watters’ branch almost certainly has deeper roots in Cumberland, though a study of the Parish records will be necessary to reveal it. It is interesting that Brigham, where the Watters lived has a passing association with the Mormon Church (cf Brigham Young).

The ancestry of the Neil branch is rooted in Northern Ireland. At present this line has not been followed up.

The three lines studied in more detail below (Vaughan’s, Watters and Neil), have been chosen because census evidence is available.

The first Vaughan’s identified by IGI in Cumberland are Peter and Isabella who, in 1782, christened a son Thomas @ Workington. The only indication that this family is linked to the Vaughan’s described below is that Abraham Vaughan (I’s) eldest son was also named Thomas. Abraham (I) could be Peter or Thomas’s son.

Abraham Vaughan (I) married Mary Reece at St.Michaels’ church at Workington on the 10th of February 1817. Whilst Mary was born at Workington, we have no knowledge of where Abraham was christened. The couple first six children (Elizabeth, Thomas, John, William, Abraham, and Francis) wre christened at Workington. Soon after 1828, however, the couple must have moved to Liverpool because Margaret was Christened there in 1831. When the family returned to Workington is not known. However, the fact that both Abraham and his son Abraham are mariners (see Abraham Vaughan II’s wedding certificate below) may explain the fact that they are both missing in the 1841 Workington census:

Census Year: 1841 Township of Workington

Comment: Study remainder of Red 1248 (before ED12!).

In the 1841 census Mary Vaughan ( née Reece) was living at Workington with three of her children, William, Margaret and Frank. There is some disparity in the ages of William and Margaret. According to the IGI records, William should be 16 and Margaret 9.

When Abraham Vaughan (II) married Jane Watters on November 11th 1849 his father had already died:

SCI Marriage Cert. Abraham Vaughan & Jane Watters 1849 Q4: Cockermouth XXV 121

In 1851, the couple were living with Jane’s father. Abraham’s youngest sister continued to live with their mother, who describes herself as a seamstress:

Census Year: 1851 Place: Workington Reel 10559 Parish: St.Johns

In 1852 Abraham and Jane’s son, Thomas Watters Vaughan, was born, at his grandfather’s home:

SCI Birth Cert. Thomas Watters Vaughan 1852 Q1: Cockermouth

It was surprisingly, therefore, that I found no evidence of either of the Vaughan families @ Workington in the 1861 census.

In the 1871 census the link of the Vaughan’s to the sea is evident. Whilst Abraham (II), having learned his father in law’s trade, is now repairing wagons his brother William is now a mariner. The address demonstrates that they live very near to the sea.

Abraham and Jane Vaughan (née Watters) now have 7 children living with them. The three eldest are already at work. Thomas, our ancestor, and Abraham his brother probably worked alongside their father. Mary Ann, age 14, is a servant. The fact that Frank, was born at Workington circa 1861,  makes it difficult to understand why the family wasn’t found in the 1861 census.

Census Year: 1871 Archive Reel Description 6482

Comment: Interestingly, the middle names of Thomas and John are the maiden names of their mother and
                  grandmother respectively.

Since no evidence is available concerning her husband it is impossible to know whether the Jane Vaughan living at Maryport is related via marriage:

Census Year: 1871 Parish: Crosscanonby Town: Maryport Film: Red 4480

Thomas Watters Vaughan married Ellen Neil on the 9th February 1873.
St.Catherines Index: Thomas Watters Vaughan & Ellen Neil: 1873 Q1 10b 768

Comment: This is the first evidence concerning Ellen Neil’s father.

Neither Thomas, nor his wife Ellen, were found in the 1881 index. But, a James Vaughan, a ship’s carpenter, born in Workington, with an Irish wife named Ellen, a son with his name, a newly born daughter named Agnes was found and an eldest daughter named Jane (Thomas’s mother’s name). – all facts that fit Thomas Vaughan. Could it be, that the name James was mis-given (Ellen’s brother is James)/mis-heard/mis-written for Thomas?? Additionally, a Joseph and a James Neill (probably Ellen’s father and brother) live in the same Street; Joseph Neill also has a daughter named Agnes…. The final check on this would be obtaining the birth certificates for all Jane Vaughan’s, born in Workington in 1885, and discovering the names of their parents

Whilst Abraham (II) and Jane have moved house in 1881, three of their children are still living at home. Their son Abraham (III) has recently married and has two children.

Census Year: 1881 Workington Archive Reel Description 1342249 Red 12715

Comment: Francis Vaughan aged 52 is Abraham (II’s) brother.  Frank, born @ Workington, was found on the second Workington reel 1342248.  The other Vaughan’s found on this census film: (ED2,S47) William aged 38 & family is not related since he was born at Dowlais, Glamorganshire. The Vaughan’s living at Maryport again appear to be unrelated: Census Year 1881 Parish Crosscanonby Town Maryport Film 1342250 R.17249: John Vaughan 32 Netherdenton; Jane Vaughan 44 Maryport

However, in 1888 Frank Vaughan, son of Thomas Watters Vaughan and Ellen Neil, was born:

Although not ‘found’ in the 1881 census Thomas Watters Vaughan and his wife Ellen were found in 1891 and, from the place of birth of their children, they should have been in Cumberland when the census took place and support the argument above concerning James and Ellen Vaughan! Frank’s grandparents have two of their granddaughters staying with them.

Fiche’s searched: RG12/4301 all; RG12/4305 all; RG12/4306 2+ & 3-; RG12/4308 - 10 all. Other Vaughan’s found appear un-related (/4301 1+:Martha (36), /4305: Elizabeth (66 F) from Herefordshire & Jane (15) {James and Ellen’s dau}. 4309 3+ F131 John Vaughan(57) Mariner from Kent), Jane (54), Margaret J. (19), Charles L. (13) & Elizabeth Wilson M.in Law (89): ?Jane? Vaughan (45), William (ship brokers apprentice 17), Jane B. (15) Ellen (12), John (10), Edward (8). /4309 1+:Jane Vaughan’s Maryport children - James (25) & family, Ellen (31) & Elizabeth (29). /4309 F140 Jane Vaughan (45) & family.

SCI Death: Jane Vaughan age 81, Dec 1910, Cockermouth vol 10b, p.383

The first Thomas Watters identified (Louie and Thomas Vaughan’s GreatGreatGreat Grandfather) married Ann Hudson at Brigham on the 16th January 1772. The couple had four children. The first, William, was christened at Brigham but the family must have moved before 1788 to the adjacent parish of Dean, where Thomas Watters (ch.1788 and Louie & Thomas Vaughan’s GreatGreatGrandfather) was born. When Thomas (ch.1788) was about 26 years old he married Margaret Little on the 14th November 1814 in Dean.

Several Watters families were found in the 1841 census though it is not known whether the first two families and Mary Watters are relatives. William, however, is Thomas Watters’ (ch1788) elder brother. In the census, Thomas is described as a house carpenter whilst his elder brother, William, farms Schoose Farm.

The one surprise in the 1841 census was discovering Thomas’s wife’s name. Marriage records give her name as Margaret Little. It appears therefore that Margaret must have died and Thomas must have remarried. The 1851 census suggests her name may have been Ann Brown. Margaret Watters, aged 44, can’t be Thomas’s wife because both she and Thomas have a younger daughter named Margaret.

Census Year: 1841 Township of Workington

Comment: Workington Reel 10559 Parish: St.Johns Ed8d Mary Watters 40, Workington: John Mounsey 32
                  & fam, Brigham.

Jane Watters (Thomas & Louie Vaughan’s Greatgrandmother) married Abraham Vaughan in the last quarter of 1849 (see certificate printed earlier). Two years later, in the 1851 census, they are living with her father. Sadly, Thomas’s (second?) wife is dead. William, Thomas’s brother, has died and the occupants of Schoose farm (406 acres in size, employing 8 labourers) are his children.

Census Year: 1851 Place: Workington Reel 10559 Parish: St.Johns

Census Year: 1861 Place: Workington Reel Description 2701

Comment: Check Enumeration Districts (ED’s) before ED10 or if another film.

Census Year: 1871 Archive Reel Description 6482

The elder Henry in the census transcript below could be William, Thomas Watters brother’s, son - see 1841 census.

Census Year: 1881 Workington Archive Reel Description 1342248&9

1891: RG12/4301 3-: ED6, F105, P21, S179 Mountain View, Cockermouth, William Watters (75) Retired
          Bookmaker born Brigham; Mary wife (69) born Gilcrux & Elizabeth Dugan (D.in Law) Schoolmistress
          born Maryport.

The Hudson family line are the earliest ancestors identified in Cumberland. The first evidence is the marriage of William Hudson to Ann White on the 10th November 1701 at Brigham. The couple had four children, one of whom died when he was about 6 years old. Their son William (Thomas & Louie Vaughan’s Great Great Great Great Grandfather) was born in 1714. Whilst the name of William’s wife is not known the couple had three children at Brigham between 1742 and 1750. Ann, the youngest child, married Thomas Watters on the 16th January 1772 at Brigham.

Update. The 1881 Joseph Neil listed below is almost certainly Ellen Neil’s father. He is the correct age and has a daughter named Agnes…. See information from 1881 census printout for Joseph Neill age 58 and James Neill aged 26.

General search information. No certain links below.  In the 1841 census of Maryport the only Neil’s found were:

From her marriage certificate, Ellen Neil was born circa 1853 in Ireland.