Person:John Ralston (12)

John Ralston was born on 25th January 1851 at Birkenhead in Cheshire, one of six children of a Scottish stone mason named William Ralston and his Irish wife Ellen Coghlan. When John was just three years old his father died in New York. When John was seven years old his mother also died, leaving him an orphan in the care of his elderly maternal grandmother. She was able to look after her six orphaned Ralston grandchildren some of the time, but also had to resort to placing some of them in the care of the Liverpool Orphan Asylum. John appears at home with his grandmother at 5 St Anne Street in Birkenhead for the 1861 census.

Some time around 1870, John emigrated to America, settling in New York City. He married a Margaret Noonan and they had eight children together, although by the time of the 1900 census, only four children were still living. John worked as a silver refiner and smelter.

John died on 9th October 1914, aged 63.

1. ↑ Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Liverpool Orphanage Registers. (Liverpool Record Office, Liverpool, Lancashire, England)
   362SAL, 23 Aug 1858.

   No 47 Ellen Ralston Born 6 Octo 1849 B.head Baptised
   Father William, mason
   Mother (RC) Ellen Coughland sp
   married 25 Nov 1845 at St Wereburgh’s Chapel B.head
   Father died 25 Aug 1854 at New York (Sun Stroke)
   Mother died 19 July 58 Birkenhead
   6 children
   Catherine 12 years old
   -
   Ellen born 6 Octo 1849*
   John born 25 Jan 1851*
   Christiana born 30 Jan 1853*
   Joseph Alex. born 28 Sep 1854*
   *By Bible record now in care of Grandmother Mrs Coughland of 5 St Ann Street Birkenhead
   Rev. C.J. Hamilton interested and very kind to the family. Children attend his school.
   Recommended by Miss Barnes admitted 23 August 1858

2. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. John RALSTON, March Quarter 1851, Wirral Registration District, Vol. 19, page 398

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 2175; Folio 499; Page 51, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: 3 St Ann Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Ellen Coghlan, Head, widow, f, 69 [1781/2], Nurse, b. Ireland
   William Ralston, Son in law, married, m, 26 [1824/5], Stone Mason, b. Scotland
   Ellen Ralston, Daughter, married, f, 26 [1824/5], Wife, b. Ireland
   Catherine Ralston, Granddaughter, f, 5 [1845/6], b. Cheshire Birkenhead
   William Ralston, Grandson, m, 3 [1847/8], b. Cheshire Birkenhead
   Ellen Ralston, Granddaughter, f, 18m [1849], b. Cheshire Birkenhead
   John Ralston, Grandson, m, 3m [1850/1], b. Cheshire Birkenhead
   Bartholomew Coghlan, Grandson, unmarried, m, 17 [1833/4], Labourer, b. Ireland
   John Murphy, Visitor, unmarried, m, 19 [1831/2], Tailor, b. Ireland
   John Spink, Visitor, married, m, 27 [1823/4], Stone mason, b. Yorkshire Skipton
   Mary Ann Spink, Visitor, married, f, 21 [1829/30], Wife, b. Yorkshire Skipton

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 2642; Folio 73; Page 64, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 5 St Ann Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Ellen Coglan, widow, married [sic], female, 84 [1776/7], Midwife, b. Ireland
   Catherine Ralston, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1844/5], Midwife daughter, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   William Ralston, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1846/7], Midwife son, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Ellen Ralston, daughter, unmarried, female, 12 [1848/9], Midwife daughter, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   John Ralston, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1850/1], Midwife son, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Constance Ralston, daughter, unmarried, female, 8 [1852/3], Midwife daughter, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Joseph Ralston, son, unmarried, male, 6 [1854/5], Midwife son, b. Birkenhead, Cheshire
   Michael Mooran, lodger, single, male, 24 [1836/7], Labourer, b. Ireland
   Philip McMalan, lodger, single, male, 28 [1832/3], Labourer, b. Ireland

5. ↑ United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9)
   1 Jun 1880.

   321 West Eleventh Street, New York City, New York
   John Ralston, male, 33 [1846/7], Silver refiner (unemployed 12 months in last year), b. Ireland, father b. Ireland, mother b. Ireland
   Margaret Ralston, female, 33 [1846/7], wife, Keeps H[ouse], b. Ireland, father b. Ireland, mother b. Ireland
   John Ralston, male, 11 [1868/9], son, school, b. New York, father b. Ireland, mother b. Ireland
   William Ralston, male, 5 [1874/5], son, school, b. New York, father b. Ireland, mother b. Ireland
   Eugene Ralston, male, 2 [1877/8], son, b. New York, father b. Ireland, mother b. Ireland

6. ↑ United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T623)
   1 Jun 1900.

   Address: 110 Bedford Street, Manhattan, New York, New York
   John B. Ralston, head, b. Jan 1849, married 27 years, b. England, father b. Scotland, mother b. Ireland, year of immigration 1870, refiner
   Margaret Ralston, wife, b. Aug 1849, mother of 8 children, 4 of these still living, b. Ireland, both parents b. Ireland, year of immigration 1867
   Joseph A. Ralston, son, b. Oct 1881, b. New York, butcher
   Bernard H. Ralston, son, b. Sep 1883, New York, millinery store

7. ↑ New York, United States. 1905 State Census
   1 Jun 1905.

   Address: 110 Bedford Street, Manhattan, New York, New York
   John B. Ralston, head, 55 [1849/50], b. England, smelter
   Margaret Ralston, wife, 55 [1849/50], b. Ireland, housework
   William Ralston, son, 30 [1874/5], b. U.S., butcher
   Joseph Ralston, son, 23 [1881/2], b. U.S., weigher
   Bernard Ralston, son, 21 [1883/4], b. U.S., clerk office
   John Ralston, grandson, 8 [1896/7], b. U.S., at school

8. ↑ United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T624)
   19 Apr 1910.

   Address: 143 Bedford Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
   Ralston, John B., head, male, 60 [1849/50], married 37 years, b. England, father born Scotland, mother born Ireland, immigration 1860, naturalised, Trade: none, house rented
   Ralston, Margaret, wife, female, 59 [1851/2], married 37 years, 8 children born, 4 children still living, b. Ireland, both parents born Ireland, immigration 1867, trade none
   Ralston, Joseph A., son, male, 28 [1881/2], single, b. New York, father born England, mother born Ireland, Driver - express
   Bernard N. Ralston, son, male, 26 [1883/4], single, b. New York, father born England, mother born Ireland, Till Clerk - Millinery
   John J. Ralston, son, male, 13 [1896/7], b. New York, father born New York [sic], mother born New York [sic], Trade: none

9. ↑ New York, United States. New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949 (FamilySearch).

   d. John B. Ralston, 9 Oct 1914, Manhattan, New York, NY
   Age 64, Married, Laborer, b. 25 Jan 1850, England
   Buried 12 Oct 1914, Calvary
   Father: William Ralston, b. England
   Mother: Helen Coughlin, b. Ireland