Expert: Nancy Janyszeski - 8/24/2009

Question
I'm trying to research my father's side of the family. Benjamin Fearn/Fern, born Ireland, Aug 1827, was my ggf. He is shown living in Dubuque, IA in the 1850 census.

Records indicate his parents were both born in England. I was given information that the 1850 records show a Mary Fern, then 50, and Benjamin, then 23. I'm guessing Mary was his mother.

I also find a Robert Fearn, b 1789 England, d 12 Apr 1842, Dubuque, IA, with Mary Osborne, b abt. 1800, as his spouse, married 23 Sep 1822, England. There's a possibility that Fearn was changed to Fern, and that this Robert/Mary reference is Benjamin's parents.

Going back further, a Samuel Fearn, born abt 1756, in London, England, marries a Jane?, born abt 1760, London, England. They have 8 children, one of which is a Robert Fearn, born 08 Jan 1789, London, England. This is a possible match for Robert's parents.

John Fearn, born abt 1824, England, is Benjamin's older brother. The 1880 census shows a John Fern, age 53, apparently widowed, living in Hazel Green, Grant, WI, born Eng., both parents born Eng., with 7 children, 1 a grand child, ages 22 to 14, all born in Iowa. I'm guessing this to be a possible match, and that John Fern moved from Iowa to Wisconsin after 1860. The Fern children, from oldest to youngest were William, Ellen, Lilly, Frank, Charles, Robert, and grand son, Leo.

Would like any information in tracing the Fearn/Fern line back to England.

Answer
Ronald, I would go to the Rootsweb.org and looking for mailing lists, then search for FERN and signup.

http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/surname/f/fern.html#FERN

You will be connected with other people researching the same name.

YOu can also post to the United Kingdom mailing list for help researching ancestors there.

http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/UK/UNITED-KINGDOM.html

It does become difficult when the spelling of the name is changed along the way so now you are researching more than one line.

Nancy