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From: "Jenny De Angelis" <>
Subject: Re: [Ess] pamphlet "my ancestor was a mariner...."
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 23:14:44 +0200
References: <01a701c7a62c$41408df0$22f7d7cd@yourw04gtxld67><008e01c7a693$a9c48360$0301a8c0@portable><012801c7a6da$e2b36f00$14fbd7cd@yourw04gtxld67>


Hi Cornelia,

I found this page about a ship called the Mercedita, which would translate
to little Mercedes if it was used for a little girl.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m9/mercedita.htm

There is not saying that is the same ship that your Charles Jacob sailed on
but as she was sold into the Merchant service and then converted to a
Brigantine in 1879 it could be that she was the same ship that your man
sailed on in the 1890. It would not be impossible I don't think for a ship
to still be working 30 years after she had been built, provided she was
cared for regularly, like an aging car these days

My Gt. Grandfather became a Master Mariner in 1871 after passing the exam to
gain the certificate. He sometimes sailed as the Master of the ship he was
on at others he would be sailing as First Mate, he was sailing as First Mate
at the time of his death in Oct. 1882 when he was lost during that cyclone I
told you about.

Whether a man had to always have gained a master mariners certificate before
he could be a first mate or not I am not sure, but this is something that
you could ask on the Mariners mailing list. Some people would romance about
their occupations giving themselves a higher status in their job than was
actually the case. Maybe your Charles Jacob was a bit of a romancer or
maybe he was qualified to be a first mate.

I found, in the 1871 census, a Charles Wagner aged 18, born C.1853, who is
shown with an occupation of Gardiner, born Westemberg(?) Prussia,
Naturalised B.S. he is lodging in Yorkshire at Brightside Brierlow, which
comes into the Sheffield area. Prussia having been the northern part of
Germany then this entry might fit what you are looking for.
The ref. for this entry is RG10 piece 4690 folio37 page35.

I found what might be an even better match in the 1871, Carl Wegner aged 15
born C1856, Prussia occ. Seaman he is living in a Seaman's home at
Sunderland Co. Durham. ref. RG10 piece 5015 folio39 page2, above Carl in
the listing are several other seamen born Prussia.

I had better stop here as we are straying widely off the Essex theme of the
list.

Regards
Jenny DeAngelis
Spain.


> thank you for all the suggestions, Jenny. you've done quite an extensive
> bit
> here and it is much appreciated.
>
> my ancestor was Charles Jacob or Charles Joseph Wagner, probably born Carl
> Jacob/Carl Josef or Jacob Carl/Josef Carl, abt 1855 Poland/Russia, of
> German
> ancestry, said to have come to England with his parents Anton and Thecla
> Wagner (not in Freebmd or census that I can find). his siblings are
> unknown
> to me.


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