William H. Midgley snr. who died 22 April 1908 in Lebanon, Illinois married Jane Ezard. Both were born in England but nothing was known of exactly where for William. Jane's predecessors in England are easily found but William's extraction proved to be a little more tenacious. The U.S. census for 1850 shows a family as follows:

Residence: 1689? Kelso Township, Dearborn, Indiana.

Jonathan 43, [b~1807], farmer b. England

Ann 47, [b~1803], England

Jonathan, 21, farmer, b. England

Elizabeth, 20, b. England

John, 18, farmer b. England. Attended school.

Mary Ann, 17, b. England. Attended school.

William* 15, farmer, b. England. Attended school.  [* Predicted to be William H. Midgley snr. born 1835.]

William Holms 2, b. Ohio.

James located a family from the UK marriages for 3 January 1829 that appears to match this family:

Jonathan Midgley (Jonathon Midgely in some records), age 22, (b:1807)

Spouses name, Ann Dobson, age 26,  York, England

Also: Jonathan Midgeley, , Event Date 08 Jan 1829, Event Place: Spofforth, Yorkshire, England

This suggests that either Ann or Jonathan or both were from the parish of Spofforth near Knaresborough.

Jonathan and Ann appear to have had up to five children:

1. Ch: 08 Nov 1829, Knaresborough-RC, Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England.

b: 13 Oct 1829, Father: Jonathon Midgley, Mother:  Ann

2. Elizabeth Ch:  21 Nov 1830    Yorkshire, England.

b: 13 Oct 1830, Father: Jonathon Midgley, Mother: Ann

3. John  No record found in UK Births and Christenings but from 1850 U.S. census predicted to have been born about 1832.

4. William Ch: 20 Sep 1835,  Knaresborough-RC, Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England.

b: 08 Apr 1835,. Father:  John Midgeley, Mother: Ann.

5. Mary Ann Ch: 20 Sep 1835, 

b: 18 Dec 1835,. Father: John Midgeley, Mother:  Ann.

See 'Find A Grave' for William H. which gives his birth, perhaps erroneously as 8 May 1834 rather than 8 April 1835.

Subsequent U.S. census' indicate William was born in 1835.

Contact: James Midgley

The interior of Knaresborough Keep 1806, the year before Jonathan snr. was born.	Elevation of Knaresborough Castle Keep where Edward II and his favourite, Piers Gaveston cavorted after the death of King Edward I.

NIDDERDALE

In 1688/9 a William Batty purchased Low Winsley estate from a Midgley family. [Speight, Nidderdale, 1906, p. 410.] Today this is located as a farm on the north bank of the River Nidd near Hardcastle Garth, Birstwith.