Edward Horrox ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

   FamilySearch ID: LD7Z-HXJ.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Note: Birthplace of the Horrox Family in England, Heap, Heywood, Lancashire, ENG. The 1851 census in England states Edward was born in Heap, which is a village just west of the town of Heywood, both within Lancashire, England, located north of the larger city of Manchester. The Heap Bridge crosses River Roch and the village is often referred to as Heap Bridge. Edward would be baptized in St. George the Martyr Church, part of the Church of England. Google Map of the church location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/chx6XaQcErEBrq9m9

See an historic 1851 map of the area: https://maps.nls.uk/view/102344027#zoom=6&lat=4450&lon=4878&layers=BT

Summary of Edward's Census in 1851:

The 1851 England census recorded in Middleton, Lancashire: Edward Horrocks, coal miner, 26, living with wife Ann, hand loom weaver, 22; Mary A., 3; and William, 1 month old. Also in the home is a lodger, Leah Box, silk winder, 22; and servant Mary Murphy, 14. Everyone was born in Middleton, Lancashire except Edward in Heap, Lancashire.

Edward was a coal miner and you can read about the history of coal mining in Heywood:

https://www.heywoodhistory.com/2014/01/the-dirty-history-of-coal-mining-in.html

Edward's father Samuel's 1851 census states he was born in Prestwich, which is about 5 miles south of Heap. The church is at St. Mary the Virgin, map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BXpauX4VTJHEoWAP9

The 1851 census recorded at 80 Middle Street: Samuel Horrocks, gafe maker, 55, living with wife Mary, 54; Ann, 22, steam loom weaver cotton; James, 18, laborer at print works; Hannah, 16, steam loom weaver cotton; and Mary Ann, 13, domestic. Everyone was born in Lancashire Prestwich except Ann in Lancashire Middleton.

On the previous census page at 83 Middle Street is Samuel's brother, James Horrocks, with his family.

The 1861 England Census recorded living at 105 Little Ireland Road in Whitefield hamlet, Pilkington civil parish in All Saints ecclesiastical parish in Lancashire county: Edward Horrox, coal miner, 36; his wife, Ann, cotton spinner, 32; daughter Mary A., cotton spinner, 13; William, scholar, 10; and James, scholar, 8. Edward was born in Heywood, Lancashire, and all others in Middleton, Lancashire.

See an historic map of the area: https://maps.nls.uk/view-full/102344057#zoom=5&lat=7420&lon=2820&layers=BT

There we know in 1861 Edward Horrox was working as a coal miner in one of the mines shown as black dots on this Google Map: https://nmrs.org.uk/mines-map/coal-mining-in-the-british-isles/collieries-of-the-british-isles/coal-mines-england/

Clicking on each mine reveals whether it was in operation in 1861. Further research can be conducted at The Northern Mines Research Society website at https://nmrs.org.uk/

Sometime in 1862 to 1864, Edward left England for Pennsylvania, likely because he was recruited to do so.

During the late 1800s when coal mining was booming in Pennsylvania, coal mines actively recruited coal miners living in England to come to the U.S. to work. This recruitment was driven by several factors:

Labor Shortages: The rapid expansion of the coal mining industry in Pennsylvania created a significant demand for skilled miners.

Attractive Wages and Opportunities: Coal mining in the U.S. offered higher wages and better opportunities for advancement compared to coal mining in England.

Existing Connections: Many English miners had relatives or friends who had already immigrated to the U.S. and were working in the coal mines.

The recruitment process often involved:
Agents: Coal companies would hire agents in England to identify and recruit potential miners.
Advertising: Advertisements were placed in newspapers and other publications in England to attract miners.
Financial Assistance: In some cases, coal companies would provide financial assistance to help miners with their travel expenses and initial settlement costs.

Initially Edward came alone to America and later told his wife and children to come, because on 21 Mar 1865, arriving in New York on the ship City of Washington in steerage class were Ann Horrox, 35, wife, with daughter Mary Ann, 14, spinster; William, 11; and James, 9. Everyone was born in England. The ship departed from Liverpool, England, and Queenstown, Ireland.

Edward lived and worked at Jacksons in Schuykill County, a village created by the Jackson Colliery where miners and their families were provided housing. Here his third son, Alfred E. Horrox was born in 1867.

A year later, Edward died at age 44 at Jacksons, likely due to a mining accident or the dangers of breathing coal dust which resulted in many miners dying young.

Edward's widowed wife Ann married another coal miner, Robert Scholes, and gave birth to two sons, but soon after Robert also died young. Ann's sons were now old enough to work at the Jackson Colliery and the family remained in Jacksons village until about 1900.

2. Census in 1851 in Middleton, LAN, England, GBR. ³ The 1851 England census recorded in Middleton, Lancashire: Edward Horrocks, coal miner, 26, living with wife Ann, hand loom weaver, 22; Mary A., 3; and William, 1 month old. Also in the home is a lodger, Leah Box, silk winder, 22; and servant Mary Murphy, 14. Everyone was born in Middleton, Lancashire except Edward in Heap, Lancashire.

3. Occupation: collier in 1851 in Middleton, LAN, England, GBR. ⁹

4. Census in 1861 in Whitefield, LAN, England, GBR. ² The 1861 England Census recorded living at 105 Little Ireland Road in Whitefield hamlet, Pilkington civil parish in All Saints ecclesiastical parish in Lancashire county: Edward Horrox, coal miner, 36; his wife, Ann, cotton spinner, 32; daughter Mary A., cotton spinner, 13; William, scholar, 10; and James, scholar, 8. Edward was born in Heywood, Lancashire, and all others in Middleton, Lancashire.

5. Occupation: Edward was a coal miner living in Whitefield in 1861 in Whitefield, LAN, England, GBR.

Edward married Ann Lee, daughter of William Lee and Mary, on 11 Jan 1847 in Middleton: St. Leonard's Parish Church, Lancashire, England, Great Britain.¹ (Ann Lee was born on 17 May 1829 in Middleton, LAN, England, GBR ^{2 3 10 11 12}, christened on 3 Jan 1830 in Middleton, LAN, England, GBR,^{11 12} died on 28 Dec 1886 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill, PA ^{12 13} and was buried in Mahanoy City: German Protestant Cemetery, Schuylkill, PA ^{12 13}.)

  Marriage Notes:

Brothers Edward Horrox and James Horrox were married in a double wedding on11 Jan 1847 at Saint Leonard's Parsh in Middleton.