Notes |
- John first went to America in 1873. He then returned to Liverpool, (his ticket cost just $3). He then married Ellen and lived in Earlstown & Newton before emmigrating to America in July 1880. They lived in Germantown Pa untill 1st Aug 1881 and then went to Sunbright, Morgan County, Tn. They moved to Glen Mary, Scott County 26th April 1884, and then to Rockwood Roane Co, 19th April 1906, and on to Farm at Whites Bank 5th Nov 1908. On the 1st Aug 1913 the family moved back to Rockwood and in the afternoon of 3rd Dec 1913. moved into a new house at the corner of Kingston and Strang St, John & Ellen had 13 children 9 of whom lived to adulthood. John came back to England , 11 july 1910 after an absence of 30 years, and returned Aug 30th, he made return visits in 1921, 1925 and again in 1930.
Address at Marriage: Newton in Makerfield
Census:
1861 15 Booth St, Newton-in-Makefield. son, age 7. (61-244)
1871 15 Booth Street, Newton In Makerfield, Brother. age 17. Apprentice Butcher. (71-334)
A letter written by Fred Eachus of Rockwood Tenn, July 1978 giving an account of his Uncle John Molyneux
"During 1880 Uncle John Molyneux came to Philadelphia, Penn. and worked for his uncle who owned a butchers shop. While there the Southern Railway company opened up a railway line from Cincinnati to Chattanooga. So, one day Uncle rode down to
Chattanooga and while there walked up Lookout Mountain, on his way down, stopped at the Craven House and asked for a drink of water. Mr Craven was sitting on his porch and asked Uncle John if he had had anything to eat. Uncle said "no". Mr Craven told
his coloured man to get him something to eat.
During thier conversation Craven asked uncle John what he was doing in Chattanooga and was told he would like to buy a farm in Tennessee. Craven said "Why not go to Rugby". He told uncle about the English settlement at Rugby++
Uncle bought a farm near Sunbright which is close to Rugby and moved there about 1886. After a while he moved his family to Glen Mary and opened up a General Store. Around the year 1900, he bought a farm on Whites Creek near Glen Alice, six miles south
of Rockwood. In 1906 he built a house in Rockwood and lived there the rest of his life.
In 1910 Uncle John came to England to get some things that Aunt Ellen's mother had left at our home for her. While ther he talked to Isaac about comong to Tenn. However in 1913 Isaac came to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. In writing to Isaac I mentioned
that I was thinking of going to Australia. He wrote back that if I was going to leave home to come to Canada. So in May 1914, I sailed from liverpool on the Empress of Ireland for Quebec. The Empress sank on it's way back. When war was declared with
Germany in August 1914 all the banks in Canada closed and we lost what little money we had. I was still writing to Uncle John and he asked me to come to Tenn and learn the Automobile business. This I did and stayed in the Auto business untill I retired
in 1972. I got Isaac to come down to Tenn. However he went back to Regina, married Elsie and then came back to Tenn.
Fred Eachus Rockwood Tenn July 1978."
Notes sent by Selina Woods 15th Oct 2008;
Family of John Molyneux --Rockwood, Tn.
John Molyneux made several Trips from Earlestown, Lancashire to Manhattan & then to Philadelphia, Pa. In the early 1870's where he worked for a time with an Uncle (Thomas ) in Philadelphia who was a butcher. The Philadelphia Molyneux's spelled there name: Mullineaux. On one of these early trips he took a Southern RR train from Philadelphia to Cincinnati, and then on to Chattanooga Tn.
According to Isaac Eachus nephew of John's wife Ellen), he climbed up Lookout Mtn. And stopped at the Craven house for a glass of water. Mr. Craven (one of the few houses at the time on the mtn., and still there), asked John what he wished to do in the states, and John said that he wanted to buy a farm. Mr. Craven suggested that he go to the new English Colony in Middle Tn (Rugby). Evidently John made a couple of trips to the U.S., married Ellen Eachus, and returned to the U.S. to settle in July 1880. He settled in Sunbright Tn., which is a few miles from Rugby. (Rugby is now a historical site, and there is an excellent web site on the net.)
On the poorly copied page of the family bible (which I do not own), he states that he was born April 8, 1853 at Great Nelson's Court, Bolton, Lancashire, England. He married Ellen Eachus who was born Feb. 1, 1854 They married Feb. 15, 1875 at St. John's Church, Over, Cheshire, England. (Actually, the Eachus family originally came from nearby Church Minshull, then moved to Over, where they attended St. Chads Church, and many are buried there. St. John's is now part of Winsford, as is Over. The town is interesting because it was listed in the Domesday book as there were salt mines there that the Romans and those before them used. John & Ellen both died in 1934 (don't have month and date), and are buried in Rockwood Cemetary in Rockwood, Tn.
The couple lived at Earlestown and Lowton, Lancashire til July 1, 1880 when they came to America, first staying in Germantown (Pa) until Aug. 1881 (the Philadelphia Molyneux's spelled their name: Mullineaux).The family then moved to Sunbright, Morgan Cty. Tn., which was near Rugby, and later to Glen Mary, Scott County, Tn. April 26, 1884 They moved to Rockwood, Roane Co. on April 19, 1906 and to a farm on White's Creek, Nov. 5, 1908.
They then oved to Rockwood on Aug 1, 1913, and into a new house at the corner of Kingston & Strang St., on Dec. 20, 1913. There were 10 children in all. 5 boys and 5 girls. 3 of the boys died as children and 2 are buried at the laurel Hill Cemetery in Rugby. One was buried at sea on their way from England to U.S. While at Glen Mary they owned a general store. When they moved to Rockwood, they stayed there the rest of their lives, except for several trips back to England.
By all accounts, John Molyneux was a terrifically difficult man, and intimidated many that knew him, including my grandmother (Selina)
Who was born in the U. S.
He was President of the Rockwood Bank, had a lumber co., owned a couple of farms, and founded the first Chevrolet Dealership in East. Tn. With my grandfather Joseph Thomas Davidson, and a man named East (Molyneux, Davidson, East Chevrolet). He later brought three of Ellen's nephews to the U.S. to work for him --Isaac, Fred, and Thomas. Thomas was Bill wick's great grandfather, and was so scared of John, that he ran away to Washington State, where he lived until he died. John was also very interested in music and owned a music box, an early victrola, and a piano. He had a sister who was a very accomplished pianist. He was a fanatic about the weather. He kept records of wind speed, rain fall, barometric pressure, etc. for many years.
++Rugby was founded by Thomas Hughes auther of Tom Browns Schooldays as a "Utopian community" It failed in ten years
Archive;
Photo of John & Ellen on their Golden Wedding 1925 {The Frederick Eachus Family History Papers (MC 2/23) }
Letter & family History sent by Selina 14th Oct 2008 (RG1/15)
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