Anderson
Anderson
James changed his name somewhere along the line. His birth name and date was either:
Claus Soren Andersen/Bach, born 1826
or: Claus Andersen/Bach, born 1837
These two sons of Anders and Louise are the only two of their children not accounted for after the early 1850's. Both disappeared from the Laeso registers after they were registered as being confirmed into the church in 1840 and 1852, repectively.
One of them became James Anderson - probably Claus Soren, though this is not yet confirmed.
It is believed James arrived in the Falklands around 1859. possibly coming up from a Whaling Station in South Georgia. According to an application for employment that he made in February 1866, he stated that he was aged 31 years old - this would have him born about 1835 - which ties with neither birth date for the the two Claus Andersens, above. He gave his history as:
James applied for naturlization in November 1865. In his application he stated he had been in the Falklands for 6 years. He was granted British citizenship on 16 April 1866.
James married 16 year old Mary Riley in May 1867 at the Trinity Church in Stanley. He gave his age as 32. They went on to have 12 children.
James died 2 April 1904 in the Falklands. His age at death was given as 76 years. This would indicate a birth year of around 1826 - linking him to the birth name Claus Soren Anderson/Bach, who was listed in the Laeso Census of 1850 as being absent in the Merchant service. Why did he change his name? It was a very common occurence among immigrants from Scandanavian countries. Why would he give his age as 10 years younger? Also common with immigrants - though James doesn't appear to be a 'regular' immigrant who left Denmark intentionally to settle elsewhere. Was he attempting to disguise his wherabouts from the danish military? Or was he making his age a bit more acceptable for a man about to marry a 16 year old? It is highly likely Mary was the informant of details for his death records. If she gave his age as 76, one might assume it was correct.
RileyThe "Snowsquall" had put out of New York on 1 January 1864, bound for San Francisco. On 1 March, she ran ashore in the Straits of Le Maire and had to put into Stanley, arriving in a leaking condition on 2 March 1864. Unable to be repaired, she was condemned.
So, Mary probably embarked in New York. The ship had previously come from Penang on a 94 day passage, arriving New York 15 September 1863. It is believed the family was Irish; mother Bridget is noted as such in Falkland records.
Where was Mary born? Did they embark in New York? Or did they arrive with the ship September 1863? If they embarked in New York, how long had they been in America?
Mary's father William Riley (b circa 1819) died 2 May 1864, aged 44 years. Exactly 2 months after he supposedly arrived in the Falklands. Records show he was a private in the Falkland Island Garrison Company - it is possible William was in the Falklands prior to 1864 and that his wife and daughter followed him later.
Mary's mother Bridget(b circa 1830), remarried 5 months after William's death to Richard Turner, on 19 October 1864. He was then aged 42, a widower and a Pensioner late of the 28th Regiment. Bridget died 2 January 1876. Her age at death was given as 46 years. She is buried in Stanley Cemetery, next to her son-in-law James Anderson.
Danish Surname Patterns