John & Mary Ellen (Wignall)

Grimshaw, Immigrants to Massachusetts from Yorkshire

(Note: Webpage in preparation)

John Grimshaw, the 10th child (and only son) of John and Elizabeth (Robinson) Grimshaw, emigrated from Yorkshire after being deprived of an inheritance from his family. He his wife, Mary Ellen (Wignall) Grimshaw, settled in Massachusetts, where they built a home in Walpole and raised a large family. John and Mary Ellen were apparently married in England before their emigration.

Webpage Credits
References

Webpage Credits

Thanks go to Liz Lyon for providing most of the information on this webpage.

John’s Yorkshire Roots and Descendants

John was descended from the Yorkshire line of Grimshaws that has Edward and Dorothy (Raner) Grimshaw as its earliest known progenitors; this line is the subject of a companion webpage. John’s parents were John and Elizabeth (Robinson) Grimshaw, according to research conducted by Liz Lyon. The following descendant chart, from the webpage on Edward and Dorothy Grimshaw, shows John’s lineage (John and Elizabeth are shown in bold).

Edward Grimshaw (About 1559 – 22 Jun 1635) & Dorotye Raner
|–Abraham Grimshaw (1603 – 1670) & Sarah ( – 21 Sep 1695)
|–|–Josias Grimshaw (25 Apr 1658 – 15 Dec 1722) & Sarah Ibbitson (25 Dec 1647 – 15 Feb 1741/1742)
|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (24 Feb 1691/1692 – ) & Elizabeth Sandall (5 Dec 1701 – 13 Apr 1787)
|–|–|–|–Aaron Grimshaw (14 Dec 1722 – 8 Oct 1777)
|–|–|–|–Elizabeth Grimshaw (19 Jan 1724/1725 – )
|–|–|–|–Mary Grimshaw (29 Mar 1727 – ) & Samuel Cooper
|–|–|–|–Sarah Grimshaw (20 Feb 1729/1730 – )
|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (7 Nov 1731 – 7 May 1786) & Ellenor Whalley (24 Aug 1744 – 28 Oct 1841)
|–|–|–|–|–Joseph Grimshaw* (5 Apr 1765 – 27 May 1841) & Margaret Wetherald
|–|–|–|–|–|–Elizabeth Grimshaw (17 Jul 1792 – ) & Richard Hardwick
|–|–|–|–|–|–Sarah Grimshaw (3 Oct 1793 – 21 Aug 1871) & Ambrose Watrous (25 Oct 1790 – 21 Mar 1868)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Grimshaw* (13 May 1795 – 1 Jun 1877) & Abraham Ennis (11 Dec 1791 – 21 Mar 1868)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Grimshaw* (13 May 1795 – 1 Jun 1877) & Ichabod Hodge (1786 – 18 Oct 1857)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Ann Grimshaw (7 Jan 1797 – 1 Aug 1823) & John Brooks
|–|–|–|–|–|–Martha Grimshaw (13 Nov 1800 – 9 Apr 1874)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Ellen Grimshaw (13 Mar 1803 – 28 Aug 1855)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (30 Jul 1806 – 5 Sep 1883) & Lucinda Gillis (1816 – 1 Apr 1897)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Josiah Grimshaw (30 Jul 1806 – )
|–|–|–|–|–Joseph Grimshaw* (5 Apr 1765 – 27 May 1841) & Elizabeth Booth (About 1774 – 1851)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Joseph Grimshaw (5 Jul 1810 – ) & Mary Adsit (27 Apr 1809 – 17 Feb 1891)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Eliza Grimshaw (13 Nov 1813 – 1 Apr 1844) & John Cogswell (22 Apr 1806 – 12 Mar 1891)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Benjamin Grimshaw (1816 – )
|–|–|–|–|–Ann Grimshaw (11 Jan 1767 – )
|–|–|–|–|–Hannah Grimshaw & James Rushton
|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (8 Feb 1771 – Between 1841/1851) & Rhoda Lowe ( – 22 Feb 1839)
|–|–|–|–|–|–David Grimshaw (8 Nov 1793 – Between 1851/1861)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ellen Grimshaw (19 May 1832 – 14 Feb 1904)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (6 May 1834 – 23 Nov 1902) & Eliza Greaves ( – 14 Apr 1919)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–William Greaves Grimshaw (About 1857 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Arthur Herbert Grimshaw (About 1860 – 3 Nov 1862)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Charles David Grimshaw (About 1863 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Emma Mary Grimshaw (About 1865 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Sarah Elizabeth Grimshaw (About 1868 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Thomas Grimshaw (About 1870 – 17 May 1945) & A A Pullan ( – 6 Jan 1919)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–William Pullan Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Allan Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Elsie Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Annie Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Norman Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ronald Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Arthur Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Herbert Jeffrey Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Alice Aurelia Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Joseph Grimshaw (About 1873 – 4 Feb 1927)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Isabella Grimshaw (About 1874 – 17 Dec 1912)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–George E Grimshaw (About 1878 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ann E Grimshaw (About 1880 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Anna Grimshaw (27 Apr 1836 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–John Grimshaw (1838 – ) & Emma
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Alfred Grimshaw (About 1862 – 18 Jun 1880)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Arthur Grimshaw (About 1868 – 7 Feb 1882)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ada Grimshaw (About 1869 – 3 Jul 1888)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Eliza Grimshaw (1840 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Charles Grimshaw (1843 – 12 Jan 1905) & Eliza WaterhouseWaterworth (About 1844 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Hannah Mary Grimshaw (28 Jun 1865 – 1927)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (11 Jul 1867 – May 1953)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Martha Ellen Grimshaw (About 1870 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Emma Grimshaw (About 1873 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary E Grimshaw (About 1877 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Alfred H Grimshaw (About 1881 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Betty Grimshaw (4 Jul 1795 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Hannah Grimshaw (6 May 1797 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Anna Grimshaw (6 Feb 1801 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Grimshaw (23 Jun 1803 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Rhoda Grimshaw (19 Feb 1801 – )
|–|–|–|–|–Aaron Grimshaw* (23 Nov 1778 – About 1834) & Mary Lister (11 Feb 1776 – 5 Aug 1826)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (14 Dec 1801 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Josiah Grimshaw (29 Jul 1803 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Eliza Grimshaw (22 Feb 1806 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–William Grimshaw (14 Jun 1809 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–Henry Grimshaw (7 Dec 1810 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (12 Oct 1812 – ) & Sarah
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Jane Grimshaw (15 Dec 1834 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Joseph Grimshaw (17 Jun 1836 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Anna Eliza Grimshaw (15 Dec 1838 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Abraham Grimshaw (13 Aug 1840 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Joseph John Grimshaw (24 Aug 1842 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Sarah Grimshaw (1843 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Hannah Grimshaw (2 Feb 1815 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–John Grimshaw (17 Jun 1819 – ) & Elizabeth Robinson
|–|–|–|–|–Aaron Grimshaw* (23 Nov 1778 – About 1834) & Hannah
|–|–|–|–|–|–Ellen Grimshaw (23 Nov 1829 – ) & George Smith
|–|–|–|–|–|–Job Grimshaw (5 Sep 1831 – ) & Ann Fletcher (1826 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–RizbahKizbah Grimshaw (1857 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Elizabeth Grimshaw (1859 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Eden Grimshaw (1860 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Anne Grimshaw (1863 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–Aaron Grimshaw (22 Jun 1835 – ) & Martha Booth (1838 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary H Grimshaw (About 1862 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–James Aaron Grimshaw (About 1866 – ) & Mary Ellen Yeadon
|–|–|–|–|–John Grimshaw (24 Jun 1781 – 27 Aug 1835) & Elizabeth
|–|–|–|–|–|–Josiah Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–Aaron Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–Elizabeth Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–Benjamin Grimshaw (13 Feb 1764 – 13 May 1811) & Nancy Whinney ( – 17 Jul 1811)
|–|–|–|–|–|–Mary Ann Grimshaw (5 Sep 1809 – 27 Feb 1811)
|–|–|–|–Mehetabel Grimshaw (24 Jul 1734 – )
|–|–|–|–Rachel Grimshaw (29 May 1737 – )
|–|–|–|–Rebecca Grimshaw (3 Aug 1739 – ) & William King
|–|–|–|–Josiah Grimshaw (13 Jun 1744 – 16 Feb 1791)
|–|–|–Sarah Grimshaw (1691 – 1726)
|–|–|–Isaac Grimshaw (25 Sep 1692 – 1764) & Deborah Jepson ( – 1768)

Liz Lyon’s research has also resulted in the following initial descendant chart for John and Elizabeth Grimshaw; the John Grimshaw who immigrated to Massachussets was the onlyh son of John and Elizabeth Grimshaw.

|–|–|–|–|–|–John Reuben Grimshaw (17 Jun 1819 – 22 Jun 1891) & Elizabeth Robinson (? – ca 1901)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grimshaw Daughter
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–John Reuben Grimshaw II (16 Apr 1861 – ?) & Mary Ellen Wignall (Jan 1860 – 1910). Married 1878, Manchester, England
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–John Reuben Grimshaw III (24 Jul 1879, Ardwick, MA – ?) & Elsie Langenback
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Erna Grimshaw (? – 6 Mar 1881) & unk Falls
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ellen Falls & unk Butler
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–John Falls
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–William Falls
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ruth Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Grace Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Dorothy Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Edwin Grimshaw
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Charles Frederick Grimshaw (ca 1882 – 3 May 1950, Sharon, MA). Died unmarried.
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Albert Clarence Grimshaw (2 Dec 1882 – 26 Oct 1951, Sharon, MA). Died unmarried.
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Bertha Edith Grimshaw (2 Aug 1884 – Mar 1885)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Elsie May Grimshaw (30 May 1888 – May 1969, Colts Neck, NJ) & Terrence J Byrnes
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Abigail Mary Byrnes (4 Jun 1918 – )
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Terrence James Byrnes Jr (1922 –
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Twin Grimshaw Children (died at birth)
|–|–|–|–|–|–|–|–Ernest Grimshaw (29 Jun 1897 – ?)

John Reuben Grimshaw Family History Notes by Liz Lyons

Liz Lyons is conducting research into the descendants of John Reuben and Eliza (Robinson) Grimshaw, including John Reuben Grimshaw II, who married Mary Ann Wignall. Liz’s current research notes, which provide a great of important detail on this Grimshaw family line, are shown below.

John Reuben Grimshaw Family History
Updated July 25, 2004
by Liz Lyons
John Reuben Grimshaw, I, born _________________
John Reuben Grimshaw, I married Eliza Robinson Grimshaw in Manchester. (daguerrotypes of John I, Eliza R. Grimshaw and an unknown woman or similar age, possibly John I’s sister, To Be Determined), where John, who was a print dyer by trade, owned a print works business that became very successful. The couple purchased a two story brick home at 60 Buxton Street, in the London Road District of Manchester, County of Lancaster where all their children were born and raised. John and Eliza lived in this home until their respective deaths. John died on June 22, 1891, in his 72nd year. Eliza survived him by about 10 years, passing away in Manchester on __________. (photograph or John I’s gravestone at ________________ cemetery in ___________, England, taken by John Reuben II in 1914.)
They had 10 children, of whom ___________ survived.
9 girls
1 boy, the youngest: John Reuben Grimshaw II, born April 15, 1861 (document: birth certificate)
In 1878 (source, envelope with a lock of Mary Ellen’s hair, cut by John), when he was 17, John Reuben Grimshaw II married Mary Ellen Wignall, daughter of Eliza Taylor and Isaac Wignall who were married in the Parish Church of St. John on May 19, 1853 in Manchester, England and had ________children.The couple lived at 26 Gaun Place, township of Ardwick (?)in St. John’s Parish, Manchester, Lancashire.
According to a Registration of Birth Certificate issued by Thomas Hallsworth, a Chemist, (document: copy of birth registration) Mary Ellen was born there on January ______, 1860. (documents including the marriage certificate of Isaack Wignall and Eliza Taylor and Mary Ellen Wignall’s birth certificate, Isaac’s, Eliza’s, Mary Ellen’s prayer books and Mary Ellen’s _________ vaccination certificate April 25, 1860 when Mary Ellen was 14 weeks old). Mary Ellen had brothers and sisters, including Albert Wignall (book belonging to Albert Wignall, who signed it, entitled, Tablet of Memory, An English History, printed, 1774).
After they were married John Reuben Grimshaw and Mary Ellen Grimshaw lived in Manchester, England where John worked in the family business until, for an unknown reason he and Mary Ellen emigrated to the United States, arriving at the Port of New York, Castlegarden in late 1888 or early 1889 and moved to Malden Massachusetts where they purchased a home at 141 Commercial Street. Subsequent to this move, where three of their children were born.
John and Maryellen had 8 children between 1879 and 1897 as follows (documents, birth certificates/certificates of registration for John Reuben III, Albert Clarence, Bertha Edith, and Elsie May Grimshaw, all born in Ardwick, at No. 9 Thompson Street.) In Manchester:
John Reuben Grimshaw III. Born July 24, 1879 in Ardwick. John married Elsie Langenbach in ___________ in Malden or Walpole Massachusetts.
Charles Frederick Grimshaw.
Born some time around 1882, died of sudden heart failure , May 3, 1950 in his home in Sharon, Massachusetts. He was not married.
Albert Clarence Grimshaw. Born December 2, 1882, died October 26, 1951 near his home at 576 Moose Hill Street, Sharon Massachusetts from massive injuries sustained when he was struck by cars, in succession, in two hit and run accidents within hours of each other as he, an elderly man, walked along the road, was struck, left, and struck again. He was not married.
Bertha Edith Grimshaw. Born August 2, 1884 and died in March of 1885 at the age of 1 year, 7 months, and 2 weeks. She was buried at Reddish Cemetary, West Stockyard, England. (registration document)
Elsie May Grimshaw. Born May 30, 1888 and died May ____ 1969 at her daughter’s home at 33 Glenwood Road, Colts Neck New Jersey. Interestingly, Elsie died as she was looking out the back door kitchen window, of a heart attack, and her daughter Abigail Mary discovered her, just as Elsie had discovered her own mother, Mary Ellen, nearly sixty years earlier. (see note above). Elsie married Terrence J. Byrnes of Staten Island, New York on _____________, 19____. They had two children:
Abigail Mary Byrnes. Born at home on June 4, 1918 and Terence James Byrnes Junior, born ________ 1922. Elsie and Terence lived in the home they purchased after they married, at 91-14 Hollis Court Boulevard, Queens Village, Long Island, NY. In Malden, Massachusetts
Twin girls, names not known died during birth some time between 1888 and 1897
Ernest Grimshaw. Born Sunday, June 29, 1897
John Reuben II bought a farm (picture of Mary Ellen, Elsie May, and Ernest, circa 1908) somewhere between or around Malden and Walpole, adjacent to a farm owned by a physician and his family, named Rogers. John R. II raised poultry commercially as well as having gardens and pastures for a variety of animals to supply the family’s domestic needs. Of the eight children, five survived to adulthood:
John Reuben III, Fred, Albert, Elsie, and Ernest. Frederick and Albert both fought in World War I, Frederick for a British army tank corps and Albert for the Canadians as British citizens. Both earned medals for distinguished service (pictures of medals and papers).
Mary Ellen Grimshaw died suddenly of a heart attack while standing at her kitchen window, looking out at her garden in 1910 at the age of 50. Her daughter Elsie, aged 22 at the time, found her mother. Thereafter, Elsie helped her father run the household and bring up her younger brother Ernest. Shortly after his wife’s death , it appears that John II sold the farm and moved to Deposit, New York where he purchased and ran a printing business. From 1914 to 1917 he returned to England to attempt to recover his inheritance which had been withheld from him by his surviving sisters and their husbands. From extant letters, we learn that these relatives would not see him and, as it was difficult to stay in England during a full scale war, including frequent bombing raid during which people were evacuated continually to underground public shelters and not only was travel restricted but communications were censored, he had a difficult time remaining there on his own resources and track down his family as well as the property his father and mother had left him, he returned to New York some time in 1918, disappointed in his efforts.
John Reuben III died in ________________ and was buried next to his wife in their family plot in _______________, Pennsylvania. John Reuben III married a Walpole neigbhor, Elsie Langenbach Grimshaw some time between 1900 and 1903. They had five children:
Erna Grimshaw (Falls), born ____________who later married ______________ Falls. Erna and _________ had three children: Ellen who later married __________ Butler and lived in Jackson, Indiana, John, and William. Erna passed away on March 6, 1881 in Wheeler, Indiana where she and her family had moved early in her marriage.
Ruth, born _____________, who later married _______________, had several children and lived in ______________ Pennsylvania. Ruth graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts and died in _____________. Ruth and her husband were Christian Missionaries.
Grace, born in ______________, attended and graduated from Wheaton College in Norton Massachusetts, who later married ________________ and had __________ children, and lived in ________________until her death in ______________.
Dorothy, born in ________________ who married _____________, had several children and lived in_____________ until her death in _____________.
Edwin, born in ________________, who married ______________, it is unknown at this time whether Edwin and his wife had any children, and lived in ______________ . It is not known if Edwin is living at this time.