1. From an email I received from Harry Nash in May 2002, he writes: “ Samuel emigrated to America in 1889 and married Anna Gaffey in 1891. Samuel's family were iron miners in the Forest of Dean, and Samuel did a variation on a theme by becoming a coal miner in America. Samuel's widowed mother Charlotte (nee Miles) Nash emigrated with her remaining children to Carbonado, Montana in 1895. It appears that Samuel and family, along with the Wakenshaws, moved from Illinois to Montana for a few years to mine in Carbonado. The families, minus the husbands, reappear in the 1900 census for La Salle County, Illinois. I haven't located Samuel for this period as yet, but John Wakenshaw is listed as a patient in St. Elizabeth Hospital, Sedro Woolley town, Skagit County, Washington, in the 1900 census. Perhaps this is the accident which allowed him to find fame with Ripley's Believe it or not. Samuel may well have tried his fortune in Canada for awhile, which would explain his absence from the [1900] census.”

2. “Samuel’s descendants lived in or near Nokomis, Illinois as late as 1998. In searching the Nokomis Cemetery, we found an entire section of Nash plots, including John Nash and his wife, Grace, who was still alive in 1998. There are Nash plots in two other sections of the cemetery, and these are also relatives.” [194]

1. From the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763 - 1900:
GROOM: Nash, Samuel; BRIDE: Gaffey, Annie; COUNTY: La Salle; DATE: 12/24/1891; VOLUME/PAGE: 3/138; LICENSE#: 6527.

2. From the 1900 US Census, Illinois, LaSalle, Bruce Township (excluding Streator City), Sheet 4A, District 33, Lines 27-39, enumerated 4 June 1900:

Elizabeth Gaffey, Head, b. Feb 1846, Age 54, Widow, Mother of 11 children, Number still living - 4, POB - England, Father POB - England, Mother POB - England, Immigrated to US in 1870, Own Home, Free of Morgage.
Helen Wakenshaw [should be Ellen], Daughter, b. Oct 1869, Age 30, Married 15 years, Mother of 5 children, Number still living - 5, POB - England, Father POB - England, Mother POB - England, Immigrated 1870.
Anna Nash, Daughter, b. May 1872, Age 28, Married 8 years, Mother of 5 children, Number still living - 5, POB - Ohio, Father POB - England, Mother POB - England.
William Wakenshaw, Grandson, b. May 1888, Age 12, Single, POB - Illinois, Father POB - England, Mother POB - England, Attends School.
Lizzie Wakenshaw, Grand Daughter, b. Feb 1892, Age 8, POB - Illinois, Attends School.
Eva Wakenshaw, Grand Daughter, b. Mar 1896, Age 4, POB - Montana.
Thomas Wakenshaw, Grandson, b. Feb 1894, Age 6, POB - Illinois, Attends School.
Ruth Wakenshaw, Grand Daughter, b. Dec 1896, Age 3, POB - Montana.
Harry Nash, Grandson, b. Sept 1891, Age 8, POB - Illinois, Father POB - England, Mother POB - Illinois, Attends School.
Culbert Nash, Grandson, b. July 1893, Age 6, POB - Illinois, attends School.
William Nash, Grandson, b. Feb 1896, Age 4, POB - Montana.
Charlotte Nash, Grand Daughter, b. Sept 1896, Age 3, POB - Montana.
John Nash, Grandson, b. May 1900, Age 1/12, POB - Illinois.