William & Jane's Worksheet

William & Jane Jameson (both b. abt 1816 in Ireland) arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 1 May 1851, aboard the ship 'Philadelphia,' which sailed from Liverpool, England. They came here from their home in Movanagher, Kilrea Parish, County Londonderry, Ireland. They arrived here along with their three sons, Jonathan, William and Alexander.

We can find no documented trace of William or Jane Jameson, apart from the record of their 1851 arrival in Philadelphia.

There is an Index to "Records of Aliens' Declarations of Intention and/or Oaths of Allegiance," apparently for this William Jamison (arriving at Philadelphia in 1851), referenced on Ancestry here. It was produced by the W.P.A., in 1940 for the Pennsylvania Historical Commission. It's contents should include: names of applicants, countries of former allegiance, courts of record, and declaration dates.

We think the first records we have of this family in America, are the 1860 Federal Census where returns exist for teenage sons, Jonathan, William and Alexander, all living northwest of Pittsburgh, in Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania, each in separate households with other families. This suggests the parents are no longer around, possibly having died.

There is a Jane Jamison (b.abt.1814, Ireland) in the 1870 Federal census (enumerated July), Philadelphia (Ancestry here). Living with a Joseph McKeever family. Joseph immigrated to the States on 8 Oct 1851 (aboard a different ship "Rockaway") from Londonderry, Ireland (Ancestry here), the same year as Jane and William Jamison. It may be important to know that there was a James Jamison and family, living one or two doors away at this same time.

Curiously this same area was enumerated a second time (November) for the same 1870 Federal census (Ancestry here). At this time Jane Jamison (along with a McKeever daughter, who was known to have died) was not listed. The James Jamison family was still listed, although now next door.

There is a William Jameson enumerated in a Philadelphia Almshouse in the 1860 Federal Census (Ancestry here), b.abt 1810, Ireland and listed as pauper. Apparently this same William Jamison died in Philadelphia in 1867 (Ancestry here), death certificate says Almshouse.