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McLean/Frith/Brimlow/Brown

Working Backwards on the Brimlows

William Brimlow (1800-1873)

For as long as I can remember, I have known about Henrietta (Brimlow) Frith (1847-1884) and her sad death at the age of 37. My mother told me the tale her grandmother Nettie Frith (1875-1963) had told her about her mother Henrietta dying and seeing her in the casket with her stillborn child in her arms. It was not difficult to trace Henrietta to her parents, George Brimlow and Elizabeth Weeks. It was also not difficult to work out George’s parents and siblings thanks to the early research provided by my distant cousin Chris Beale. Chris had done quite a bit of the legwork prior to the explosion of records online. It was Chris who outlined the basic family, located the family plot at Cypress Hills Cemetery, and located the passenger list. With Chris’s excellent research as a starting point, I went through thirty years of New York City and Brooklyn directories, combed the NY State Census records, and drove myself insane looking at New York and Brooklyn birth, death, and marriage records to fill in the gaps and add some flesh to the bones.

Here’s what we currently know about the family in New York along with the evidence:

William and Ann Broomelaw arrived in New York, along with their 5 children, aboard the Ajax on 29 Nov 1832.1
Ajax pass list 1832
William Broomelaw, 32 (1800), Miner, England
Ann, 35 (1837)
Jane, 9 (1823)
George, 12 (1820)
William, 7 (1825)
Henry, 6 (1826)
John, 3 (1829)

Let’s address the two concerns with this record – the name and the occupation. As stated in the previous post, a genealogist has to be flexible with the name. The family is English and if they are from Northwesterern England, Shropshire/Cheshire/Lancashire, which all border on Wales, the pronunciation of the name will sound more like Broom or Brom than it does Brim. As for the occupation… occupations are usually the job people last held and not necessarily what they may have done earlier in life or will be doing in the future. As proven in the previous post about William Brown, he listed himself as a farmer, but he was actually a butcher. And William Brimlow’s oldest son George named himself as a coffee roaster on the census and a clerk in the directory of the same year before changing his occupation to engineer only one year later. This is America—you can be whatever you choose.

William Brimlow makes his first appearance in the New York City directory in 1836 and remained at this particular address through 1846:2
“Brimlow William, coffee & spices 59 Cherry”

The family can be accounted for on the 1840 Federal Census in New York Ward 4 under the name Wm Brimlow:3
Males 10-14 – 1 (John 11),
15-19 – 2 (Henry14, Wm15),
20-29 – 1 (Geo 20),
40-49 – 1 (Wm 40),
Females 15-19 – 1 (Jane 17),
40-49 – 1( Ann 43)

The Brimlows are well established in New York’s Lower East Side. On 7 Nov 1842, William is naturalized.4 In 1846, the business address changes to 16 James Slip, where it will remain for at least the next 10 years. William and Ann appear with youngest son John on the 1850 Federal Census in New York Ward 4.5 The family has moved to 59 Monroe Street and middle son William appears in the city directory at that address with his father and brother George as a clerk for the first time in 1851.

Ann died 10 Mar 1851 in New York City, and William purchased the large family plot at Cypress Hills Cemetery, Sec 2, Lot 168 on 11 Mar 1851. Ann was the first interment in the plot on 13 Mar 1851.6

About 1852, William married Deborah (Gedney) Woodhall (1817-16 Nov 1895),7 17 years his junior, she was the widow of Thomas Woodhall (1818-1850). She had three children from her previous marriage: Mary Elizabeth (Woodhall) Wines Jones; Josephine (Woodhall) Johnson, and Leander Byron Woodhall. Some of these children were enumerated as Brimlow at times. William and Deborah had three children together: Arthur W., Frederick Austin, and Ella Helen.

By 1855, the entire family had moved across the river to Brooklyn. The New York City directories reflected the business address at James Slip with a home listing of Brooklyn. At the age of 65, William still listed himself as employed in N.Y.8

William died on 6 February 1873 at his home, 75 Taylor Street, Brooklyn.9 He was laid to rest with Ann in Cypress Hills Cemetery on 8 Feb 1873.10 Deborah died 16 Nov 1895 in Brooklyn and was buried in Eleazor Gedney Burial Ground, Mamaroneck, Westchester, New York.11
Wm dc 1873

The next post will be about William and Ann in England, and the evidence related to Ann’s maiden name in the Wood versus Chaddock debate.


1. “New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, Ancestry,” online images(accessed 20 May 2014), manifest, Ajax, 29 Nov 1832, William Broomelaw and family. Cit. Date: 20 May 2014.
2. 1836 – (City Directories – New York – p.114, Fold3.com
3. 1840 U.S. census, New York Ward 4, New York, New York, p. 219, line 20, Wm Brimlow; digital images, Ancestry (accessed 30 Nov 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 300. Cit. Date: 30 Nov 2015.
4. Rec# 33, 7 Nov 1842, William Brimlow, English, Marine Court of New York City; digital images(accessed 20 May 2014). Cit. Date: 20 May 2014.
5. 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, New York, New York, p. 278A, dwelling 461, family 1694, William Brimlee; digital images, Ancestry (accessed 14 May 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432 536. Cit. Date: 14 May 2014.
6. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery interment #1254 – Ann Brimlow, 13 Mar 1851, Sec 2, Lot 168.
7. New York death certificate #19974, Deborah Brimlow, died 16 Nov 1895, 249 Broadway, 2nd floor, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Kings, age 70 (or 76)y 6 mo., apoplexy, buried 19 Nov 1895. Cit. Date: 15 May 2014.
8. 1865 NewYork State Census, Brooklyn Ward 13, Kings, New York, p. 21, dwelling 88, family 152, line 29, Wm Brimlow 65, Deborah Brimlow 49, Leander W. Brimlow 18, Mary Wines 25, Arthur Brimlow 12, Fredk Brimlow 10, Ella Brimlow 8; digital images(accessed 30 Nov 2015). Cit. Date: 30 Nov 2015.
9. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 27 Nov 2015), Certificate #1069, William Brimlow died 6 Feb 1873, age 73, Brooklyn, Kings, buried 8 Feb 1873 Cypress Hills Cemetery.
10. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, William Brimlow was interred 8 Feb 1873, in Sec 2, Lot 168.
11. New York death certificate #19974, Deborah Brimlow, died 16 Nov 1895, 249 Broadway, 2nd floor, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Kings, age 70 (or 76)y 6 mo., apoplexy, buried 19 Nov 1895. Cit. Date: 15 May 2014.

McLean/Frith/Brimlow/Brown

A Brimlow by Any Other Name

Brimlow/Brimalow/Broomelaw/Bromilow

Making the leap across the pond requires an understanding and acceptance of pronunciation and spelling. While the people who recorded the information were required to be able to read and write, they were not required to know how to spell. Spelling has been optional since the beginning of written records. Our names were really only hammered into some semblance of a final form when the federal government got involved. Many people believe that occurred with the advent of standardized birth records in the early 1900s and then solidified when Social Security came along. Once the government had your name spelled a certain way, then that’s the way it would always be unless you legally changed it.

But the spelling issue came much earlier for some people. Men who served in the military kept the name they enlisted under for government records – Henry and Robert Pickel both served in the Civil War under the name Pickel but after the war reverted to the original form of the name Bickel. They were not the first with the problem. The family story is that their great grandfather Tobias Bickel had served in the Revolutionary War but when he enlisted, his accent made the “B” sound like a “P” to company clerk, so he became Tobias Pickel on the records. Most of the Bickel/Pickel men used both spellings throughout their lives and I have found marriage records for one man under both names. I have seen brothers who each used a different spelling. John Pickel used Pickel throughout his life, while his brothers Henry and Robert started as Pickel but switched to Bickel after the war except when applying for their pensions and then they used Pickel again.

While it appears our ancestor’s name solidified to Brimlow (with just the usual spelling issues Bremlow/Bramlow/Brenlow/Brimbow) by about 1840 in New York, prior to that, it’s totally up for grabs and you have to be flexible in the investigation. According to the all-knowing website, The Internet Surname Database, the name Brimlow/Brimelow “…derive from the place called Bromlow in Shropshire: The place name has generated a number of variant surnames, as the bearers of the name moved to other areas and dialectal differences produced varying phonetic spellings, among them Bromilow, Brumloe, Brimelow and Bromblow. The original place name is recorded as “Bromlawe” in the 1255 Shropshire Hundred Rolls, and means “the broom-covered hill”, derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century “brom”, broom, with “hlaw, hlaew”, low hill, mound. …The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Bromlowe, which was dated May 28th 1534, marriage to Helenora Marsh, at Church Pulverbath, Shropshire…”

The reason to bring up the name discussion here is as a forewarning of what is to come. You can expect to see a wide variety of records when we make that leap across the pond and the discussion of “what should his name really be” is always fun to have. Do you go with the name he used as an adult, or list him with the name that appears in the baptism register? An evolving name is the bane of every genealogist because the names may change several times within a generation. You also can’t trust his signature. As stated, names evolve.

For all of the above reasons, I’m going to break the posts on William Bromilow/Brimalow/Broomelaw/Brimlow into several pieces. I’ll begin with William and Ann Brimlow from the arrival of the family in New York through death, because you can’t make the leap across the pond without all the little bits and pieces you know about the family to begin with. Knowing who the children are is key to locating the family in England. The next post will be about locating them in England and pinning down the family. Somewhere along the way we have to talk about the towns and villages and the occupations. It’ll be a complete disaster as far as the order of things, but in the end, you’ll know everything I know and hopefully understand why I came to the conclusions I did. And if you think I’m wrong, send me your chart with sources, and I’ll give it a serious look. Lord knows, I’ve barked up a few wrong trees before.

McLean/Frith/Brimlow/Brown

The Brimlow’s Baker’s Dozen

The Children of George Brimlow and Elizabeth Weeks

Mary Jane Brimlow b. 11 Dec 1843, New York City, died before 1850. She was found in the Baptismal Register of the Reverend Henry Chase of New York, FHL Film #17,777. She did not appear on the 1850 Census and is not in the family plot which was started in 1851. It is possible that she was one of the thousands who died of influenza in New York 1847-48 or in 1849 from the Cholera epidemic that overran the city.

Elizabeth Ann Brimlow b. Apr 1845 New York City, died 27 Nov 1932, Rockaway Beach, Kings, New York, buried 30 Nov 1932, Cypress Hills Cemetery.1 Elizabeth married John M. Elliott (Dec 1843 – 6 Jan 1908) in about 1864.2 John was the son of Alfred and Cecilia Elliott and had served in Co B of the 158th New York Infantry during the Civil War. Elizabeth collected a widow’s pension after his death.3 They had three known children: Cordelia Edith (Elliott) Roscoe Kuck (Jun 1865 – 29 Sep 1940) m1 Norman Roscoe (1964-1911) m2 Robert Kuck (1861-1946); Cecelia E. Elliott (1869 – 27 Apr 1876); John M. Elliott Jr. (1874 – bef 1880).

Henrietta F. Brimlow b. 7 Sep 1847 Brooklyn, died 26 Dec 1884 Brooklyn, married George Richard Frith. Covered in a previous post.

Caroline Brimlow b. Dec 1849, died abt 1850. She appears on the 1850 census at age 7 months,4 but is not on the 1855 NY Census. Nor is she in the family plot which began in Mar 1851. No record of her passing has yet been found.

Jane Eliza Brimlow b. 13 Feb 1851 Brooklyn, died Feb 1931 New York, buried 18 Feb 1931 Cypress Hills Cemetery.5,6 Jane married Charles Peakes Lloyd on 12 Nov 1871 in Brooklyn.7 Charles was born in Nov 1846 and was christened on 6 Dec 1846 in Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, Wales, the son of Joseph Lloyd and Eliza Perkes/Peakes.8 He immigrated in about 1868 and worked as a steam fitter. Charles died 14 Nov 1923.9 Both he and Jane are buried in the Masonic plot of Cypress Hills. They had six known children: Joseph Lloyd (1873 – 22 Apr 1875); Lizzie E. Lloyd (1874 – 28 Mar 1875); Cornelia M. Lloyd (1876 – 25 Dec 1880); George D. Lloyd (1 Dec 1877 – 28 Jan 1954) m. Minnie M. Platte (1884-?); John Elliott Lloyd (13 Mar 1880 – 18 Mar 1880); Charles Edward Lloyd (24 Aug 1881 – 17 Dec 1929) m. Anna Dora Euler (1883-1971).

Mary Ann Brimlow b. 1853 Brooklyn, died Dec 1855, buried 15 Dec 1855 Cypress Hills Cemetery.10 She appeared on the Jun 1855 NY State Census with her parents.11 I did not find her in the death records.

George Washington Brimlow b. 9 Aug 1853 Brooklyn, died 8 May 1893 Brooklyn, buried 11 May 1893 Cypress Hills Cemetery.12 George worked as a house painter and grainer. He married Ida M. Lane on 15 Apr 1873 in Brooklyn.13 Ida (1 May 1856 – 1 Jul 1928) was the daughter of Daniel Lane and Elizabeth Miller.14 After George’s death, Ida married William H. Lock (Sep 1850 – 26 Oct 1931)15 on 21 Dec 1895.16 She and William are both buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery. George and Ida had six known children together: George W. Brimlow (31 Oct 1875 – aft 1942) m. Margaret Loretta Moran (1881-1926); Theodore Clarence Brimlow (1 Oct 1877 – aft 1940) m. Jennie W. Alomott (1880-?); John Merrell Brimlow (10 Jan 1881 – 4 Oct 1948) m. Kathryne R. Steckley (1886-1947); William Henry Brimlow (23 Jun 1883 – 18 Dec 1934) m. Elizabeth L. Allen (1884-aft 1951); Florence May Brimlow (15 Jan 1886 – 1 Jan 1931) m1. Robert H.F. Clark (1878-?) m2 Edward Bolomey; Georgeanna Mildred Brimlow (1893 – 4 Aug 1894).

Cornelia M. Brimlow b. 1856 Brooklyn, died 30 Sep 1905 Brooklyn, buried 2 Oct 1905 Cypress Hills Cemetery.17 Cornelia married Charles J.C. Nielsen on 8 Oct 1879 in Brooklyn.18 Charles (16 Aug 1851 – 8 Mar 1920) was born in Elsinore, Denmark and immigrated in Sep 1861.19,20 His occupation was as tobacconist or cigar manufacturer. Cornelia and Charles had five known children: Charles J. Nielsen Jr. (1882 – 5 Sep 1889); Olaf Andrew Nielsen (17 Jul 1883 – 22 May 1913); Allyn Field Nielsen (22 Jul 1888 – 20 Dec 1947) m. Minerva Wilhelma Helling (26 Sep 1890 – Jul 1985); Ethel A. Nielsen (Nov 1890 – ?); Albert Goodwin Nielsen (6 Feb 1892 – 20 Oct 1955) m. Grace E. Camp (18 Sep 1891 – 26 Nov 1991)

Ada May Brimlow b. Jan 1859 Brooklyn, died 3 Feb 1900 Brooklyn, buried 6 Feb 1900 Mt. Olivet Cemetery.21 Ada married Henry William Pidgeon on 6 Oct 1880.22 Henry (20 Dec 1856 – 5 May 1926) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was the son of John T. Pidgeon and Ellen Umstead.23 They had 8 known children together: Elizabeth Ellen Pidgeon (19 Aug 1882-6 Oct 1951) m1 Thomas Denis Ryan (1868-1913) m2 Martin J. Ryan (1876-1923); Ada May Pidgeon (6 Feb 1884-Nov 1973) m. Thomas Bartley (1883-1973); Cordelia E. Pidgeon (14 Feb 1886-Aug 1976) m. Adolph Weismantel; Henry William Pidgeon (13 Aug 1888-Apr 1973) m. Leah Bernice Westcott (1888-1873); John H. Pidgeon (1889-2 Oct 1889); Norman R. Pidgeon (23 Nov 1894-26 May 1919); Annie L. Pidgeon (28 Sep 1896-12 Aug 1970) m. Floyd Henry Frankenstein (1896-1996); Infant Pidgeon (3 Feb 1900-3 Feb 1900).

Ida Brimlow b Jan 1859 Brooklyn, died 29 Mar 1866, buried 31 Mar 1866 Cypress Hills Cemetery.24 Twin sister to Ada May, Ida died of Cholera. I have not yet found a death certificate so it is possible she died outside the city.

Josephine E. Brimlow b. 1861 Brooklyn, died 25 Dec 1865 Brooklyn, buried 26 Dec 1865 Cypress Hills Cemetery.25 Found in the NY Death Index on Ancestry indexed as Josephine Bremton. In the FamilySearch NY Death Records the only Josephine of this age is shown as Josephine Brandon died 24 Dec 1865. I’ll have to check the certificate in Salt Lake City.

William Joseph Brimlow b 1861 Brooklyn, died 18 Jul 1862 Brooklyn, buried 19 Jul 1862 Cypress Hills Cemetery.26 Twin brother of Josephine. He’s in the NY Death Index, but I haven’t found his death record yet.

Charles E. Brimlow b 1864 Brooklyn, died 27 Apr 1893 Brooklyn, buried 30 Apr 1893 Cypress Hills Cemetery.27 There is a marriage record dated 16 Mar 1887 to Hattie Meddlar in Brooklyn,28 but on his death record he is listed as single. I found no death or marriage records for Hattie.


1. “New York Death Records,” database (accessed 28 Nov 2015), Elizabeth Ann Elliott, 27 Nov 1932; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,070,586.
2. “New York Death Records,” database (accessed 28 Nov 2015), John M Elliott, 06 Jan 1908; citing Death, New York City, Queens, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,323,409.
3. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
4. 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, New York, New York, p. 160B, dwelling 948, family 2240, Geo. Brimlow; digital images, Ancestry (accessed 20 May 2014); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432 539. Cit. Date: 20 May 2014.
5. “Family Search,” database, “New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDYL-B8G:accessed 18 October 2015), Jane Eliza Brimbow, 13 Feb 1851; citing, reference; FHL microfilm 17,777.
6. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Jane E. Lloyd, interred 18 Feb 1931, Sec 17, Lot 160A, Masonic Section.
7. Kings, New York, Marriage Certificates Brooklyn 1866-1937, 2097, Charles Peakes Lloyd-Jane Eliza Brimlow, 12 Nov 1871; FHL microfilm 1,543,859. Cit. Date: 3 Aug 2010.
8. “Family Search,” database, Beaufort Church, Charles Lloyd, s. Joseph Lloyd of Ebbw Vale, pattern maker, by Eliza his wife. Charles Lloyd, 06 Dec 1846, Baptism; citing Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, Wales, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 2,411,675.
9. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 28 Nov 2015), Charles Perks Lloyd, 14 Nov 1923; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,032,197.
10. Cypress Hills Cemetery (Brooklyn, Queens, New York), Plot Records, Mary A Brimlow, interred 15 Dec 1855, grave 4, Sec 2, Lot 168, dau of G & E. Brimlow .
11. 1855, New York, population schedule, Brooklyn, Kings, E.D. 2, p. 1, family 2, line 12, Geo Brimlow; digital images, Ancestry(accessed 20 May 2014). Cit. Date: 20 May 2014
12. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 28 Nov 2015), Death Index Geo W. Brimhow Cert #7842; Fam Search -George W. Bramlow, 08 May 1893; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,323,903.
13. “New York, New York, marriage Indexes 1866-1937,” database (accessed 26 Apr 2014), Geo W Brimlow/Ida M. Lane, 15 Apr 1873, Kings, Cert #610.
14. “New York Death Records,” database (accessed 28 Nov 2015), Ida M. Lock, 01 Jul 1928; citing Death, New York City, Queens, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,169,603.
15. William Lock, 26 Oct 1931; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,069,668.
16. “New York, New York, marriage Indexes 1866-1937,” database (accessed 28 Nov 2015), Cert #6550 21 Dec 1895 William H. Lock to Ida Brimlow, Kings.
17. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 28 Nov 2015), “New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WFV-D1B, Cornelia M. Nielsen, 30 Sep 1905; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York.
18. “New York, New York, marriage Indexes 1866-1937,” database (accessed 26 Apr 2014), Cornelia Brimlow/Charles J. Nielsen, 8 Oct 1879, Kings, Cert #2369.
19. “U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925,” database and images, Ancestry.com (accessed 29 Nov 2015); Charles J.C. Nielsen, born 26 Aug 1851 Elsinore, Denmark, arrive Sep 1861 S.S. Navigator from Consbull Russia, Cigar Dealer.
20. “Obituary – Nielsen,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 9 May 1920, p. 9 c.2; digital images. Cit. Date: 26 Apr 2014.
21. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 26 Oct 2015), Certificate #2211, Ada Pidgeon, died 3 Feb 1900, age 41, indexed on FamilySearch as Ada Pedgron, parent Brenlou
22. “New York, New York, marriage Indexes 1866-1937,” database (accessed 26 Apr 2014), Ada Brimlow/H. Henry Pidgeon, 6 Oct 1880, Kings, Cert#2866. Cit. Date: 26 Apr 2014.
23. “New York Death Records,” database (accessed 26 Oct 2015), Certificate #2900, Henry W. Pidgeon, died 5 May 1926, age 68, buried Flushing Cemetery.
24. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Ida Brimlow interred 31 Mar 1866, Sec 2, Lot 168. Cit. Date: 22 May 2014.
25. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Josephine Brimlow interred 26 Dec 1865, Sec 2, Lot 168.
26. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, William J. Brimlow interred 19 Jul 1862, Sec 2 Lot 168.
27. “New York Death Records,” database (accessed 28 Nov 2015), Charles Brimlow, 27 Apr 1893; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,323,902.
28. New York, New York, Marriage Indexes 1866-1937 Charles E. Brimlow to Hattie Meddlar 16 Mar 1887, Kings.