William-Francis-Tivey's-Life-Story
Hero or Villain ? Whatever your thoughts William Francis Tivey has quite a life story to tell!
He was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales circa 1836 to Parents Francis Tivey and Martha Hancock and Baptized at St Thomas' Church, Portsmouth 4th August 1839. As a child he resided in Portsea and Portsmouth Hampshire where his siblings Ellen Jane Tivey (Webb) and James Henry Tivey were born. The family moved back to Pembroke on his father's return from Royal Marine duty and then moved on to Greenwich Kent.William Francis enlisted 4th Div. 28th Coy. as a Drummer, age 16 years and 7 months on 4th June 1852 but was dismissed from the service 6 months later on 24th January 1853 listed as "incapable of carrying out his duties". 1853-1856 he is listed on the Merchant Seaman's lists as Reg No 600675.
On his marriage to Sophia Beasley 17 January 1859, at St Lukes Church, Charlton, he was listed as a "seaman" son of Francis Tivey R N Pensioner. later in the 1861 census, Sophia is listed as a "fisherman's wife" and is living in Great Grimsby, this is probably the port where William's ship was registered or normally kept when not at sea, she is with their first daughter Sophia Charlotte who died later that year in Lincolnshire. Meanwhile, William Tivey has stated that his name is Francis William Tivey, aged 26, born in "New York, USA to English parents". He can be seen on board the ship "Wave" a 30 ton fishing vessel, the master is William Salsbury, port of Hull. This is the last trace of William officially. With Sophia being in Great Grimsby at that time, I am 99% positive this is the same William Francis Tivey. His 2nd daughter Sophia Ellen (born 27th September 1863), was baptized in Greenwich in 1866 (November) he is listed as William Francis Tivey, Mariner of 14 George Street, East Greenwich, this doesnt mean that he was actually present at the baptism, but nor does the register state that he is "deceased" so I am assuming that his family knew he was still living at this point.
In August 1863, There is a man named William Tivey, a Corporal in the 5th Kentucky Regiment, Company D, a Confederation division of the infantry, he was captured by the Unionist's in 1863 and held a prisoner of war.
In 1876 the same man is in Amador County, San Francisco where he applies and is given US Citizenship via the naturalization process. He then appears regularly in voters lists. On a few of the documents he is listed as being born in England but in his latter years he states quite clearly that he was born in Wales, his mother is Welsh and his father English, this would match his parents being Francis Tivey, a Royal Navy Mariner and his wife Martha (nee Hancock) born around 1835 in Pembrokeshire. In his latter years his age seems to rise and becomes inconsistent, but I have put this down to exaggeration (more than likely not deliberate) and I believe that this is the same person who married Sophia Beasley in 1859.
Around 1903 William married for a second time (confirmed by the 1910 USA census) the census confirms that this is his 2nd marriage (Sophia being the 1st ?)
Click on the first image to view the records - William's 1st marriage, Merchant Navy Record, Fisherman in the 1861 census,The Baptism of his 2nd Daughter, Prisoner of war documents, USA Naturalisation, Voter registrations, 1910 Census.
"
There is no death officially recorded in the GRO or "deaths at sea" indexes pre 1872. He just disappeared. Sophia remarried to another fisherman William Revell and was living at Little Thame Street, Greenwich at the time of her marriage October 24th 1872 at St Peter's Greenwich. She has listed herself as a widow and gave birth to a daugher Ada Revell in 1873.
The next firm evidence of William is in California where he became an American Citizen in 1876.
Census information confirms he bacame a U S Citizen {16 April} 1876, having emigrated in 1866 (after the civil war had ended,) though I believe he fought for the Confederate side and was there earlier; and that he is a native of England and a resident of Amador City. His wife is listed as Alice Amelia Tivey - 18 years his junior, but she reports this is also her 2nd marriage and that they have been married for 7 years. In the voters registers she is listed as Alice Amelia Tivey.
Furthermore, in 1898 a minor earthquake caused the building in which he was living to collapse, he survived this and helped with the rescue of others from the rubble. He also survived the major earthquakes in 1906 in which there were more than 3000 casualties.
William Francis died in 1927 with a reported age of 99 years (89 would be more accurate). I am convinced that the man who died in 1927 San Francisco was actually William Francis Tivey who was the son of Francis and Martha. There are too many coincidences for it not to be - the mere fact that he changes his place of birthplace from England to Wales and the fact that he states that his mother was Welsh and father English - there is no other person named "William Francis Tivey" that this description could possibly fit. He led a VERY interesting life, dodging death several times.
Below: William & Wife Alice Amelia's death Registration (Alice died 2 Jan 1914, William 29 Nov 1927)
