General Notes

James Mather (1797-1864) is the older brother of Nanny Mather, son of James Mather and Happy Lomax.

James's first wife, Mary died aged 24 in 1827.  Three years later, James (now shown as a Widower) married a pregnant Jane Dakin, who gave James a daughter, also Jane.  His young wife Jane also died, possibly giving birth or very soon after!  Their daughter Jane also died after 6 months.

James was on the 1831 L.B. Poor List, living at Blackburn Street (same as his mother in 1811).

James, who already had two infant sons, married a much younger Mercy Grime in 1833, a year after his second wife Jane had died.  Their first son William was born soon after.  Daughter Esther Mather born 1840 confirms MMN = GRIME.

On the 1841 census, James and Mercy (35 and 30) were living in Sidney Street (see map).  His son William (9) was listed first below the parents followed by John (15) and Samuel (12) from his earlier marriages, and then their three daughters, Ellen, Mary Ann and Esther (6, 4 & 1).

In 1851, James and Marcy (51 & 41) are at Back Sydney Street.  All their children were with them: William (17), Ellen (16), Mary Ann (14) and Esther (10). Neighbours were William and Jane Booth (41 & 44). I have DNA matches to both families, possibly because James's sister Nanny Mather married Richard Booth in 1825.

He was a Presbyterian, and some of the family used St. Andrews in Bolton.  His oldest son John became a sucessful beer seller, running the Rothwell Street Tavern in Bolton.

His daughter Mary Ann lived at 12 Shaw Street, Seacombe when she re-married in 1900.

3 July 1864 James Mather of Lever Street died, aged 68.  His death was recorded in the Bolton Chronical.