Find My Dead

Genealogy of Sharon & Scotty

McLean/Frith/Brimlow/Brown

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.

McLean/Frith/Brimlow/Brown

The Search for the Brimlows

George Brimlow 1820-1880
AKA: Brimalow/Broomelow/Bremlow

Are you completely lost? I get that way too. Here’s the pedigree chart again for this line. This post will be about #14 on the chart, George Brimlow and wife Elizabeth E. Weeks.

George began life 12 Feb 1820 in Pemberton, which is part of Wigan, which is now part of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, England. Why all the names? Because all these little villages and towns are connected and families moved between them. Knowing that Pemberton is part of Wigan also connects the records of that area to the correct family. George was christened on 2 Apr 1820, at Wigan All Saints,1 the oldest child of William and Ann Brimalow. He and his family remained in the Wigan area until his parents immigrated to the United States.

Having moved frequently as a child, I can’t help but think how excited George must have been at the age of 12 to set sail aboard the Ajax for New York in 1832. He was really at the perfect age to take it all in, and I have a feeling that he probably knew the ship inside and out by the time they arrived in New York on 29 Nov 1832.2

In about 1842, he married Elizabeth E. Weeks (1821-1899). It’s not yet clear who her parents were. We have her maiden name from several of her children’s records. There are online trees that claim her parents were John and Mary Weeks who arrived in New York in 1829 along with children Sophia, John, and Elizabeth age 1. I saved them to my tree for some time in an attempt to prove the relationship, but finally disconnected them rather than misleading anyone that they’d been proven. The problem is that from the earliest records of Elizabeth that we can prove (the 1850 census) right up through her death, she consistently has a stated birth year of about 1821. John and Mary’s daughter Elizabeth would have been born in 1828. Our Elizabeth’s death certificate is of no help as the informant named her parents both as Brimlow. There are numerous “Weeks” in New York in 1840 with a female of the right age, so narrowing this one down may not happen without some help.

George first appeared in the New York City directories in 1845. [All of the NYC directories for this period and Brooklyn directories from 1860 forward are available on Fold3 – I did not provide individual sources for all of these here.] His listed occupation is as a clerk and the address is at 51 Cherry. From 1846-1849, he was at clerk and the address is at 41 Hamilton. On the 1850 Federal Census his occupation is as coffee roaster, which is the family business. In 1851, he’s a clerk again, but it’s at the same address as his father and younger brother William. In 1853, the business address is 16 James Slip (where his father has done business for years) and is shared with his father and youngest brother John. I cannot tell a lie, I am ecstatic to find someone in the family line who worked in the coffee trade. This explains so much about my deep abiding love for the damn stuff.

By 1851, George has moved his family to Brooklyn. Based on the city directories, he moves frequently and his occupation varies between clerk and coffee roaster until about 1865 when he’s listed as a grocer. In 1870 he’s an oil dealer and then in 1871 appears as an engineer – an occupation he carried for the rest of his life.
George addresses 1863-1880
George died on 30 Dec 1880 and was buried on 2 Jan 1881 in Cypress Hills Cemetery in the Brimlow family plot.3.4 Elizabeth did not remarry and lived until 2 Oct 1899, residing with daughter Jane (Brimlow) Lloyd. Elizabeth was interred 5 Oct 1899 with George.5 Their grave is at the monument. Now all we need is a picture of the monument.

George Brimlow and Elizabeth E. Weeks had 13 known children together. It’s hard to believe that he’s the one who died of exhaustion. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. I’ll cover the children in the next post.


1. All Saints Wigan, Baptismal Register 1819-1822, p72, entry 571, George Brimalow, bap 2 Apr 1820, born 12 Feb 1820, 1st son of William & Ann Brimalow, Abode Pemberton, LDS Film 1885676.
2. “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.
3. “New York Death Records,” database(accessed 24 Nov 2015), George Bremlow, died 30 Dec 1880, 1030 Gates Ave, Brooklyn, FHL Film #1,323,758
4. Interment Records, Cypress Hills Cemetery, George Brimlow, interred 2 Jan 1881, Sec 2, Lot 168, at monument.
5. New York death certificate 16938 (1899), Elizabeth Brimlow, died 2 Oct 1899, age 78 years, buried 5 Oct 1899.