Somerset & Dorset Pages - Number 13

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Family Queries

Mrs Beth Wookey would welcome assistance in trying to find details about John WOOKEY and Francis nee SLOCOMBE, their ancestors and descendants.
Their son John WOOKEY (b.1778) went on an unknown date to Walton on the Hill (Liverpool LAN), worked as a servant and married Catherine LYON there on 9 June 1811. The Wookey children were Anette (1813 Liverpool), John Rimmer (1816-1842), Alexander (1818-bef.1824), James (1819 Greasby, Wirral CHS), Elizabeth (1823 Greasby, Wirral CHS), William Alexander (1825), Alice (1828), Jacob (1831), Catherine (1834). All except James and Elizabeth were born in Liverpool LAN.

Bernard Meech is anxious to find more about his Meech ancestry and descendants of Samuel and Ann Meech of Bothenhampton DOR. Their son Thomas Henry Meech had a son John Elliott born in Bow, London whose mother was Ann nee Gill. It is not clear what happened next except that Thomas Henry had married Martha nee WHEATLEY, formerly of Bridport DOR. There were two sons of that marriage, Thomas and James. Thomas Henry Meech died in Jan 1875 at Deptford KEN. At that time, Martha was pregnant and James was born after his father's death.
  The family appears to have split up after Thomas Henry died. John Elliott went to live with his grandparents Samuel and Ann in Bothenhampton DOR. Bernard knows what happened to John Elliott as he was his GF. He finished up in Southwater SSX. Bernard's father was Thomas Arthur Meech.
  In the 1881 Census, Martha was living at 33 Benn Street, Hackney with the two boys, Thomas (17) and James (8). At this point, the trail goes cold as they could not be found in the 1891 Census. Bernard would like to give some more of the family history to his Uncle Leonard James, now 80 and the one who got his nephews interested in their ancestry.

Karen Chessell is searching for information on her ancestor Matilda BROOKS of Wells SOM who married Joseph HARRIS, a carpenter (of Dorchester DOR?). No marriage or earlier information is truly available but there were five HARRIS children as follows:
Frances (Fanny) b.1832, Jane b.1834, James b.16 Aug 1835 Fordington DOR (m. Mary Eliz. Skinner), Joseph b.24 Sep 1837 Fordington DOR, Thomas b.1840, Sarah Norman bp.28 Apr 1843. At the 1851 Census, Joseph and Matilda were both listed as aged 45, Frances 19, Jane 17, James 15, Joseph (Thomas?) 13, Sarah 8.
Sarah Norman Harris is Karen's ancestor. The second name Norman may be a surname of an ancestor of Matilda or Joseph. Karen would welcome any assistance which can be given for sorting out her ancestry.

Earlene McCowan is looking for records about her Grandparents Graham Stafford HAYES and Louisa nee JERRY. Her GGF was William JERRY who died in Canada c 1954-5 at the age of 95 years. His wife was L. GILLMAN but Earlene has no information on her. On her Hayes side, her GGF was James William HAYES who married Elizabeth BRITTON (no other data).
The family moved to Cwm (Bedwellty District, Ebbw Vale sub district, now in Gwent) where Earlene's mother was born 12 Jul 1914. The family worked in Cwm for 9 years and then emigrated to Canada in 1919. Earlene has a newpaper article dated 11 Aug 1954, picturing her GGF William Henry JERRY, age 90 years, and showing five generations of the family.
Earlene would gratefully acknowledge any assistance and information provided about her ancestry.

Mary Elia is searching for information on James Westcott and Mary nee Worley who were married in East Wells, St Cuthbert Parish, SOM. They had five children: Jane, Thomas, James, Elizabeth and Mary. James' father was Henry Westcott and Mary's father was William Worley; both fathers are believed born in Walcombe SOM.
James Westcott is descended from Mary Elia's GGF Edwin Glover Westcott who went to America in the mid 1800s but his family stayed behind in SOM. He corresponded with them over the years but died before he could go back to England. Mary would be delighted to hear from anyone researching these family lines.

Yvonne Armitage is interested in any information relating to the SKINNER and MARKE ancestral families from around Blagdon and Pitminster SOM. She has some information from the 1851 Census, given above, and some from the Pitminster Parish death records. Her GGF was Robert SKINNER (b.29 Dec 1851 Pitminster SOM) who arrived in NZ possibly about 1883 and married Elizabeth SQUIRES (b.19 June 1854 at Ottery St Mary DEV) in 1884 at Opotiki NZ. Both are buried at Auckland NZ.
The Pitminster Parish records have the following death information: Samuel Skinner, aged 1y 7m, d.8 Apr 1855; Jane Skinner, aged 41y, d.14 Dec 1856; Harriet Skinner, aged 17y, d.19 Jun 1864; John Skinner, aged 70y, d.25 Mar 1877.
Yvonne would welcome any assistance in locating more information about the Skinner and Marke families of Pitminster environs. She will answer all contacts and can provide more information about her NZ Skinner families.

Rita A Gerrard would welcome help in finding information on ancestor William Henry Gerrard and his wife Mary Jane nee Studley (b.1804). They lived in the area of Broadwinsor DOR though WHG appears to have been born at Sutton Bingham SOM.
Mary Jane may have had a sister Sarah Nelms Studley (b.1802). Their mother must have died before c1809 as William Studley remarried to Mary Ewens and there were a further seven children, all born in Broadwinsor DOR.
The children of William Henry Gerrard and Mary Jane were: William Henry (b.c1835), Mary Jane (b.c1836), Elizabeth (b.c1837), Sarah (b.c1838) and Anne (b.c1840). It seems that Mary Jane Gerrard died before 1851 because William Henry Gerrard (listed as Farm Labourer) emigrated to Australia on 15 Mar 1851 by the ship Garland with five children and no wife: William Henry (16y), Mary Jane (15y), Elizabeth (14y), Sarah (13y), Anne (11y). They appear to have lived in NSW Australia, possibly in Camperdown and Newtown, suburbs of Sydney.

Maureen Linnell is investigating her ancestry in Somerset and Dorset. John Bullock and Susannah nee Nossiter were married in Beaminster and had a large family born there and baptised at Beaminster Parish Church:
Sarah b.1822 (no more details available): John b.1825, blacksmith by trade, m. Sarah Ann COLLINS (b.1827): Thomas b.1827 (Maureen's GF), no marriage details but first son George b.1850: Mary b.1830 (no more details): Charles b.1835 (married Marget and 3 children born): Daniel b.1839, m. Sarah Ann WILLIAMS, large family: George b.1834 m. Lavinia WELLER: Eli b.1842, descendants went to Canada: Emily b.1845, m. 1864 John HARRIS, believed to have stayed in SOM: Elias b.1847, m. and settled in Beaminster DOR.

Jenelle Morgan is interested in tracing the origins of her husband Raymond's 6xGGF Henry MORGAN and wife Ann. Henry and Ann had six known children, all baptised at St Peter and St Paul Church, Kilmersdon SOM. Jenelle would welcome any information on the connections with these six children and their families. Abraham (bp.28 Nov 1784); Mary (bp.22 Oct 1786), Sarah (bp.19 Oct 1788), James (bp.20 Mar 1791), Hannah (bp.18 Apr 1794), and John (bp.27 Nov 1796).
Abraham MORGAN m.17 Sep 1812 Mary HEAL (b.c1780) at Kilmersdon SOM. Their children, all baptised at Kilmersdon SOM, were Mary Ann (bp.10 Mar 1816), William Henry (bp.2 Nov 1817, bur.2 Mar 1819), Abraham William (bp.24 Oct 1819). The family emigrated to Perth WA AUS Sep 1829 on Minstrel, arrived Dec 1829.
Mary Morgan nee Heal was half-sister of William WESTON (b.c1770) who married Phillipa nee SALMON on 14 Oct 1790 at Kilmersdon SOM. It seems that William Weston's father died and his mother remarried a HEAL who was Mary's father but no other details of these parents are available. William and Phillipa lived at Rookery Farm, Ashwick SOM and did not emigrate to WA AUS. From the second marriage, other than Mary Heal, the HEAL children were William (b.c1782), Martha (b.c1784) and Charles (b.c1793).
Charles Heal (later Lieutenant RN) of Picote, Old Down, Bath SOM had married Sarah MILLARD. William Heal, Martha Heal, and Charles Heal with Sarah and their family, emigrated with Abraham Morgan on the Minstrel in 1829.
For more details of the Western Australian family, interested researcher should contact Jenelle Morgan, but she is interested in any information that can be gleaned on the Morgan ancestors of SOM and elsewhere, and on the Heal ancestors of SOM.

Al Tilley is searching for parents of Abraham TILLEY and his wife Joan nee MUNSON and descendants of their children.
Sarah and Ann Tilley stayed in the UK, probably in Somerset and near Kingsbury Episcopi. Al cannot be certain whether either of them married. If they did, he would welcome contact with any descendants.
Edwin emigrated to New York USA about 1870 and is Al's ancestor in the USA.
John emigrated to Australia, probably about 1870, but Al has no further information about which AUS State and nothing about whether he married.
Consequently, Al is searching for possible descendants of Sarah and Ann in the UK and for more information about John and possible descendants in Australia.
[Note from the Webmaster: John may have arrived in Geelong VIC as there is a marriage of a John Tilley to a Victoria Leake in 1867 at Geelong in the VIC BDMs. There were five children all born to them in Winchelsea VIC.]

Vanessa Low is searching for information on the Thorn(e), Stone and Turner families as follows:
1823+ Taunton SOM: David Thorn married Elizabeth Goff and they and their four children (John, Sarah, Ambrose and Emily) came from Stockland DEV to Taunton SOM (1881 Census data). John Thorn married Louisa and they had David, William, Alice and Ernest. David died before 1881 and Sarah stayed at home with her mother Elizabeth. Ambrose married Jane and there were six children. Emily married John Stone (see below).
1848+ Taunton & Ilminster SOM: John Stone married Emily Thorn(e) and they had three children, Helen, Elizabeth and William. Elizabeth married Frederick James Slade and lived in Ilminster SOM. Helen married S.R. Larcombe.
1840+ Ashill, Broadway, Ilton, Beer & Crocombe SOM: James Turner married Eliza; children were at least Edwin, Elizabeth, Mary, Annie, Joseph, Rose, James and Louisa. Joseph married Laura Tozer and had 4 children.
For more details and interchange of information, Vanessa would be pleased to be in contact with interested people.

Teri Comans is interested in searching for HORSEY ancestors and descendants and has collected information which she wishes to verify.
James Horsey was born in Babington SOM in 1793 and died in Writhlington SOM on 28 Jan 1859, aged c66 years. He was married three times, with families as follows:
M1. 15 Aug 1813 Hester TUCKER(?) who died 1815 in Writhlington SOM - one child William b.8 Jan 1815 Wellow SOM.
M2. c1820 Sarah TREASURE (b.1799 Babington SOM, d.20 Apr 1841 Writhlington SOM) - 8 children:
All born Writhlington SOM: Sarah (b.10 Jun 1821); Phoebe (b.9 Feb 1823); Ann (b.30 Apr 1826); James (b.6 Sep 1827, d.28 Jan 1859; m.Hester GRANT b.1826 Buckland Denham SOM; Teri's GGparents); George (b.14 Feb 1831); William (b.24 Feb 1833); Ann (b.8 Nov 1835); Mary (b.28 Jul 1839).
M3. 13 Aug 1844 Ann PLUMMER (b.26 Feb 1809 Babington SOM, nee MARTIN) at Writhlington SOM - 3 children:
All born at Writhlington SOM: Isaac(b.10 Aug 1845); Mercy (b.4 Jan 1847); Mary Jane (b.Dec 1851).

Kathleen Marsh is hoping that this entry will help her to find the parents and siblings of Charles Henry MARSH in and around Beaminster DOR, and more about the family he raised with Sophia nee JEUNE of Guernsey CHI. Information would be greatly appreciated.
The children were: James Joseph (b.5 Aug 1855 Guernsey), Charles Joseph (b.21 Jul 1855 Guernsey), Richard James (bp.3 or 10 Mar 1859 Alderney CHI), Charles Henry jnr (bp.10 Dec 1861 Alderney), Henry (bp.26 or 28 Jan 1864 Alderney), Samuel (bp.26 or 28 Apr 1866 Alderney).
Richard and Charles Henry jnr emigrated to the USA in 1882 according to their petitions for naturalization. Charles Henry Marsh & wife Sophia emigrated to the USA in 1883, together with Henry "Harry" and Samuel.

Elizabeth Kelly is searching for more information on John Badman, seventh son of Henry and Mary Badman of Yatton SOM, who was married c1856 to Elizabeth ... (place not known). The first child of John and Elizabeth Badman was born in 1858 at Abergavenny in Wales and was christened at Penarth in Glamorgan. John Badman is Elizabeth's 2xGGF.
John Badman was a millwright and moved around a great deal. There were six more children and the family eventually lived at Preston in Lancashire. Elizabeth Kelly was born there too. She would be most grateful for any information which might be supplied on the Badman and associated families in Somerset.

Jean R. Simmonds is searching for information on her WEBB and ADDISON forebears and for any living relations in Somerset, Portsmouth and elsewhere.
Her great grandparents originated from the north of England and Scotland (Addison) but moved to Pilots Helm, North Petherton SOM. They had three children—Peter, Annie and Flora Jane ADDISON.
Flora Jane married Frederick (Albert?) WEBB of Taunton SOM in about 1903, possibly at the North Petherton Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. They had four children, two definitely born at North Petherton SOM. They moved to Portsmouth HAM (date not given). The other two children were born in either North Petherton SOM or Portsmouth HAM. The WEBB family were definitely in Taunton SOM but the brothers and sister(s) of Frederick are not known definitely. A brother may have moved to Portsmouth also.
Jean will provide any background information she has to anyone who contacts her to establish the family tree and any living relations.

Terry Farr is searching for his Farr family roots in Beckington SOM and surrounding areas. His GGF Job Farr was born at Beckington SOM at an unknown date and married Eliza Taylor in 1838. There were two known children Sarah and Joseph (Terry's GF). However, in the 1851 Census Job was listed as a widower and there was a young Elizabeth Farr listed with the famly. Nothing has been found about her though she may be part of Job's family or a relation. Job seems to have remarried in about 1853/4 though where and to whom is not yet found.
Joseph Farr (Terry's GF) was traced to Bristol by various sources, baptisms and marriage certificates. His various occupations were bargeman, lighterman, master of a canal boat. He married Alice Eliza Stevens in 1870 and there were four children of whom the last was Frank (Terry's father). Terry emigrated to Canada with his wife and four children in 1967. The collection of information about his father's brothers did not come to light until 1999.
Terry would be most grateful for help in finding more about his ancestors in Beckington SOM and about what became of Elizabeth Farr listed in the 1851 Census. He would be delighted to find family members in Somerset and Bristol. His project is to find as much as he can for his children and grandchildren.

Nelson Gadd is seeking marriage information for Thomas Gadd and Mary Ann Parsons who were married, probably in Bridgwater SOM, on 14 Nov 1839. He is also seeking to find the parents of Thomas. His family lived in the area of Trull, Hulse and West Bagborough around Taunton SOM.
After emigrating to Canada in 1854, they settled on a farm in Normanby Township, Gray County ONT, Canada, near the village now known as Varney. In the 1861 Ontario census, there was a Sarah Parsons in the family, listed as a servant. She may have been a sister or cousin of Mary Ann Gadd nee Parsons.
Nelson has access to a Family Bible inscribed by Thomas Gadd and later by other family members, giving much detail of births and marriages of the family of Thomas and Mary Ann. In it, Thomas identifies the Gadd Family burying ground in Somerset as Staplegrove, near Taunton SOM.
Nelson also possesses a Parsons family ring, passed down by Mary Ann, inscribed "Thomas Parsons died 13 Jan 1818". The ring is passed down through the male Gadd family line. This might indicate that Mary Ann Parsons had no male siblings. Nelson would greatly appreciate any assistance in establishing the ancestral family line.

Kerrie Damen is looking for information on Thomas Brown BAKER and his son Richard Herbert Hamilton BAKER (b.c1863 Bridport DOR) who emigrated to South Australia in c1871. While the wife of Thomas is not yet established fully, it is possible that she was Sarah Selina Elizabeth nee DOWNE. It appears that other children were born in SA AUS - Joseph Charles BAKER b.26 Aug 1868 at Flaxmans Valley SA and Flora Julia Rosalie BAKER b. 23 Sep 1870 at Houghton SA. Thomas Brown BAKER died at Norwood SA on 21 Apr 1893. Sarah Selina Elizabeth Baker died at Westbourne Park SA on 13 Aug 1915, aged 80 years, widow of Thomas Brown BAKER.
Richard married Rhoda Sarah COOK on 10 Aug 1892 at Norwood SA AUS at the home of TB Baker with witnesses TBB and Joseph Charles Baker. There were three children: Ethel Mildred (b.1893 Maylands SA AUS), Winifred Margery (b.1898 Geraldton WA AUS) and John Chaffey (b.1904 Lennonville WA AUS). Richard and Rhoda moved to WA AUS in about 1893.
Kerrie would welcome contact with people who can assist in establishing related information about the Baker family in Dorset, South Australia and Western Australia, with help about Sarah Selina Elizabeth DOWNE too.

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