Introduction

Setting the Stage

For as long as anyone could remember, the story of Edmund Holdsworth ended quietly. Every family tree and local account marked his death around 1863, a neat conclusion to a life that had crossed oceans and weathered dramatic changes. It was a story that seemed settled until one document unsettled everything.

Who’s Who in the Holdsworth Story

Before we dive into the events that challenged this long accepted story, it’s helpful to get acquainted with the key people at the heart of this narrative. Here’s a brief introduction to the family members and figures whose lives are woven into Edmund Holdsworth’s story. Please note that this list will expand as we move throughout each stage of this series.

Edmund Holdsworth

The central figure of this story, Edmund was a man whose life spanned continents and eras of dramatic change. Once believed to have died around 1863, his fate became the subject of renewed mystery when unexpected records surfaced. His journey is marked by resilience, unanswered questions, and a legacy that continues to shape family history.

Joshua Holdsworth (Father of Edmund)

Joshua was Edmund's father. Joshua was born in Bradford, England, around 1793. He was baptized on September 4, 1793, at Bradford Cathedral. He married Sarah Yeadon on March 30, 1822, in Bradford, England. He died in St. Louis in 1854.

Joshua was the father of Edmund, Miles, Elizabeth, Hannah, Ephraim, Bennett, Joshua, Paul, and Henry.

Sarah Yeadon Holdsworth (Mother of Edmund)

Sarah was Edmund's mother. Sarah was born around 1797 in England. She died in 1854.

She was the mother of Edmund, Miles, Elizabeth, Hannah, Ephraim, Bennett, Joshua, Paul, and Henry.

Hannah Stead Holdsworth (1st Wife of Edmund)

Hannah Stead was Edmund's first wife. Edmund married Hannah Stead in England on May 21, 1843 in Bradford, England. She died in St. Louis in 1854.

She was the mother of Phoebe, Grace, Samuel, Joshua, and Sarah Holdsworth.

Pheobe Holdsworth (Daughter of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth)

Pheobe was the eldest daughter of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth. She was born about 1846, likely in Bradford, England. She moved to Utah by herself and died in 1916 in Weber County, Utah.

Grace Holdsworth (Daughter of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth)

Grace was the second child of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth. She was born about 1848, likely in Bradford, England. She last appeared on the 1860 United States Federal Census before disappearing from the records.

Samuel Holdsworth (Son of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth)

Samuel Holdsworth was the third child of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth. He was born about 1850 likely in Bradford, England. He traveled with his parents to St. Louis then disappears from the record.

Joshua Holdsworth (Son of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth)

Joshua was the forth child of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth. He died young.

Sarah Holdsworth (Daughter of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth)

Sarah was the youngest and last child of Edmund and Hannah Stead Holdsworth. She died young.

Hannah Risby Holdsworth (2nd Wife of Edmund)

Hannah Risby was Edmund's second wife. Hannah Risby was born on October 14, 1828, in Hosley, Gloucestershire, England. She married Edmund Holdsworth on December 15, 1854.

She was the mother of Edmund A. (later known as Albert E. Holdsworth), William Henry, George Frederick, and Lizzie. She died on September 21, 1898, in St. Louis.

Edmund Albert Holdsworth (Son of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth)

Edmund A. was the firstborn child of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth, later known as Albert E., was born on August 25, 1856 in Springville, Utah. He died in 1931 in Denver, Colorado.

William Henry Holdsworth (Son of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth

William Henry was the second son of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth. He was born on January 27, 1858, in Spanish Fork, Utah, and died on September 7, 1938, in St. Louis.

George Frederick Holdsworth (Son of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth)

George Frederick was the fourth child of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth. He was born about 1860 in Illinois and died on December 12, 1872, in St. Louis.

Lizzie Holdsworth (Daughter of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth)

Lizzie was the fifth and youngest child of Edmund and Hannah Risby Holdsworth. She was born about 1862 in Illinois. She appears on the 1870 United States Federal Census, then disappears from the record.

The Unsettling Discovery

Now that we have our “Who’s Who” in the Holdsworth family, let’s turn to the unsettling discovery that changed everything. I came across a record showing Edmund’s three young sons in the St. Louis poor house, where they were baptized as Catholics, a detail that immediately stood out. Neither Edmund nor Hannah had ever identified with the Catholic faith.

Why would Hannah, a steadfast Wesleyan, turn to an institution so foreign to her beliefs? Also, just a few years earlier, the 1860 census had even shown the family with a modest estate, making this sudden turn all the more perplexing. How could the family’s fortunes collapse so quickly? This sudden descent into poverty lined up exactly with the period of Edmund’s supposed death. If his assets were truly there, surely some of that money should have remained and the children wouldn't have ended up in the poor house.

Chasing the Truth

That discovery changed everything. The story I thought I knew began to collapse just like a house of cards. What if Edmund did not die in 1863 as everyone believed? What if, instead, he left?

After finding that document, my research became a whirlwind. I spent long hours chasing leads, emailing museums, archives, and churches, and piecing together fragments from distant records. Each answer seemed to open up new uncertainties, and the trail often went cold just when it seemed I was getting close.

Some parts are clear, others are shadowed by doubt. What follows is layered with the rawest of human reactions, the moments when you can only ask, what the hell happened here?

A Pause for Perspective

Sometimes, the best way to regain perspective is to step away. My own pause was not by choice. A death in the family, followed by a long-planned vacation, forced me to set the research aside. Only on the flight home from vacation did I finally open my files again.

Distance can be clarifying. In the rush of the initial search, I started to see Edmund as a possible villain. Based on my theory, many readers may see him that way too, and perhaps he was. But I keep returning to the documented pieces of his life, grounded in primary sources, and I try to apply empathy.

We in the present have the privilege of hindsight, knowing how the story ends and judging from a place of relative comfort and stability. But how many of us can honestly say we would have been okay if we had experienced everything Edmund did, whether by choice or by circumstance? His story begins in 1822, a world entirely different from 2025, yet some things do not change. Human emotion, pain, and suffering remain constant across generations.

How This Series Will Unfold

Because this story is layered and complex, I will be sharing it in several parts. The first will focus on the documented details of Edmund’s life. The second will present the theory that emerged from my research. The third will offer my analysis of the situation and what it might mean for our family’s story. Additional sections may follow as new information or perspectives come to light. Updates will follow should new information emerge. This will take time.

The Importance of Collaboration

I want to acknowledge that I have not done this alone. Throughout this journey, I have had the help of generous family members, historians, archivists, and fellow genealogists who have shared their expertise, time, and encouragement. Their contributions have been invaluable, and I will be recognizing their support and kindness in greater detail as the series unfolds.

Looking Ahead

Each discovery brings its own set of questions, and every conclusion is shaped by the limits of evidence and the lens of the present. As I move forward, I know the story of Edmund Holdsworth will remain, in some ways, unfinished. The search for understanding is ongoing, shaped by the fragments left behind and the silences that persist. For now, the record stands as both a map and a mystery, one that invites curiosity, patience, and a willingness to follow wherever the clues may lead.

Tracing Edmund Holdsworth: Where My Story and His Begin