Somerset & Dorset Pages - Number 4

Family Queries

Jan Grainger is trying to establish Chivers family connections in Somerset. She has the London marriage certificate of 1848 for Charles Chivers and Elizabeth Hunt in which Charles was stated to be an iron moulder. His father was William Chivers, an accountant, and his mother's name was Mabel. As Charles was born in Somerset in 1823, his parents could have been still residing in Somerset at the time of the marriage. Elizabeth was born in Bradford-on-Avon WIL, a place quite close to the border of SOM and WIL. Charles and Elizabeth emigrated to South Australia but were later in Castlemaine VIC AUS where Charles described himself as an engineer and then owned a foundry there. Jan has all details of the Chivers line in Australia but would be delighted to find more of the family background in Somerset and Wiltshire as it has taken her 14 years to trace the marriage certificate which she now holds.

Anabeth Dollins has run up against a family history mystery. In the USA, the Dollins genealogy seems to stop with John Dollins who died in Virginia about 1724. No one seems to know where he came from. Anabeth has seen the Webmaster's interest in the surname Dollins which is the first posting she has ever seen about the surname. In his case, the surname is from Somerset in the Broomfield/Kingston St Mary area north of Taunton. If anyone knows something about the John Dollins who must have been born later in the 17th century, Anabeth would be delighted to correspond which she has been doing with the Webmaster JLS. She has extensive information on the Dollins families in the USA. She and her husband have a Web page on the US Dollins families.

Rhonda French is interested in any information and descendants of Thomas Morgan who married Sarah Fouracre in 1809 at Kittisford SOM. Their children were Mary (b.1810); Sarah (b.1812); Anne (b.1815, m.1839 William HUTCHINGS Ashbrittle SOM, d.1904 Goulburn NSW AUS ); Jane (b.1817, m.1842 John BRABHAM Uplowman DEV, d.1896 Towrang NSW AUS); John (b.1819, m.1854 Anne HOWE Sydney NSW AUS, d.1891 Goulburn NSW AUS); Robert (b.1819, m. 1855 Elizabeth BULMER Goulburn NSW AUS, d.1878 Goulburn NSW AUS). John and Robert were twin brothers.
Rhonda is also trying to gather information about William VOWLES who married ... STEVENS. They appear to have had only one child Elizabeth (b.1838 SOM) who married Henry John RICHARDS in 1861 at Bristol ENG. They emigrated and arrived in QLD AUS in 1865. Elizabeth died in 1903 at Camperdown NSW AUS.

Ken Smith knows that his GGF James Priddle (b. 1859 Nelson's Plains NSW AUS) was the sixth child of Luke Priddle and Mary Ann nee Collins who were married in 1848 at Kingsbury Episcopi SOM ENG and arrived in Sydney on the Lady Amhurst in 1849 as Assisted Bounty Migrants. There is some confusion about the place of birth as distinct from the place of baptism but it seems probable that Luke and Mary Ann could have both been born in or around East Lambrook near Kingsbury Episcopi.
Luke's parents may have been William PRIDDLE and Elizabeth nee ELLIOTT, married in 1817. William seems to have been born in 1794, the son of George PRIDDLE and Elizabeth nee WILLY. There are further possibilities going back from this George to another George (b. 1794) who married Mary Loveridge.
Ken has problems with resolving some of this ancestry and would greatly welcome any input or advice on the period prior to about 1830 in families around East Lambrook, Kingsbury Episcopi and neighbouring parishes.

Robert Baker would welcome assistance in tracing his ancestors in the area around South Petherton SOM. His 3xGGF William BAKER married Hannah PAVIOR at South Petherton in 1829 where their son Walter was born in 1829. Walter married Frances (Fanny) TAYLOR on 5 Aug 1851 and they emigrated to Australia on the Sultana, departing Plymouth DEV on 21 Jan 1855 and arriving Sydney NSW AUS on 19 May 1855. They moved to the Uralla district (northern NSW) where Walter was a shepherd on the Gostwyck property of Mr Henry Dangar, a well-known pastoralist. Robert would be delighted to have some advice and assistance on tracing his ancestry in Somerset.

Linda Naranjo is wishing to find more about her GGF Silas KNAPTON who was born in Dorset ENG to William KNAPTON and his wife whose name and maiden name are not known. Silas was their seventh child and was still in his childhood when his parents died. He lived in an orphanage until he was about 12 years old when he was bound in apprenticeship to a baker. It seems that the other children of the family were ald enough to fend for themselves though this is not certain. Silas eventually emigrated from Dorset to Harbour Grace in Newfoundland. Linda would be most interested in information on this KNAPTON family and would welcome any interchange.

Dorothy Joycey is researching the surname SLY in the hope of starting a One Name Study with more than 30 others studying the name, mainly in DOR.
The children of Richard and Sarah SLY were born in various locations because of Richard's occupation as an Excise Officer. Information on them to date is as follows, all surname SLY:
Mary Willis (bpt.Feb 1783 Melcombe Regis DOR), Richard (b.Ringwood, bpt.Blashford HAM), Betty (b.Lymington HAM, m.SUGGET)), Sarah (b.?, m.BOREMAN New Romney KEN), Thomas Willis (b. Martock SOM, bpt.9 Jun 1794 Broadmayne DOR), John (b.1796 Crewkerne SOM), William (b.1798 West Knighton DOR), Margaret (still single in 1831). Much of the data on the children came from the Will of Thomas Willis SLY (probate 1831).
Dorothy knows that John settled at Wool DOR and that William moved to New Romney KEN and Bethnal Green MDX. She has a number of Pedigree charts which might be of assistance to others interested in SLY and would welcome any information on these SLY families and their ancestors.

Denise Crawford has some real problems in searching for ancestors of her GF Albert Charles BATT, born c1901. He emigrated from Dorset to Canada in the 1920s, married, had a family and died in 1972.
His mother was unmarried, left her child with the Batt family and supposedly went off to London soon afterwards. James Batt and his wife Mary nee Mahon raised the child, gave him his name but never formally adopted him. Mary Batt claimed that his real mother became pregnant by a stone cutter (name mentioned in Denise's email) but another was pregnant also and she became his wife.
Denise has been unable to find the birth certificate of the child who became Albert Charles Batt. She would greatly appreciate any advice/help that can be given in finding that certificate.

Dori Fulk, nee Dorothy Hardy Wood, is trying to find out more about the origins of Thomas Hardy of Ipswich and Bradford MA USA about whose descendants she has extensive information and will share with anyone interested.
She would welcome any help that can be given about both John Hardy the elder and the younger, listed in the table above, together with more about their spouses, An Annatts and Ffillis Tysser.

Penny Ling is searching for information on Gustave RUSCOFF who was an Onion Johnnie from Brittany. He met Mary Ann ? from Poole DOR, moved to Poole and married her. RUSCOFF may not have been his real name, just the place from which he came in Brittany. The family finally ended up in London. There were children: Blanche RUSCOFF (b?) and Gustave Louise RUSCOFF (b 1873). Any information would be much appreciated.

Colleen Pounsford is trying to locate descendants of Mary Joan POUNSFORD and Elizabeth Lloyd POUNSFORD both of whom were daughters of Robert and Tryphena (nee Lloyd) POUNSFORD of Westonzoyland SOM. Mary Joan is listed in the 1861 Bridgwater Directory as Milliner and Dressmaker: did she marry? Robert Pounsford died Aug 1830 Westonzoyland SOM. Tryphena was listed in the 1851 Census Westonzoyland SOM. Colleen has been unable to locate her death. Did she remarry? Any advice and help would be much appreciated.

Melanie Sprague is seeking any connection to Robert PENNEY (b 6 Mar 1779 DOR) and the family of his wife Mary BAGGS (b 1782 DOR). Place and date of marriage not certain but they lived in Owermoigne DOR by 1799 when son William was born. May have been other children but only family line of William known. Any ideas for names of other children? Date and place of Robert's death not known.
William married Elizabeth GARLAND in 1819 and there were 10 children. The family emigrated to USA in 1845, farming first in Wisconsin and then Iowa. A family profile in an Iowa county history says Robert PENNEY owned a dairy farm in Owermoigne with part of the business "to supply the King's household with milk and butter while at his summer castle. William was often sent with these articles so he saw King George many times". Family myth maybe? Melanie would be interested to know if there was any such royal estate near Owermoigne where King George (III or IV?) may have stayed. Ideas, suggestions and theories would be welcome.

Allan Griffith has problems sorting out the ancestry of Robert SKINNER whose birth year is certainly 1801. Robert was probably born in Ash Priors SOM, of parents John Skinner and Elizabeth nee JOYCE. There are no siblings known. Robert married Mary RICH c1830 and had the following children, believed born in Bridgwater SOM: Mary Jane 1831, Sarah Ann 1833, William Henry 1837, Anna Maria 1839 and Elizabeth 1842. Mary died c1842-3 and Robert married Mary's younger sister, Ann (b 1814) in 1844. They had the following children: Amelia 1845, Rhoda 1848, George 1850 and Henry 1853. All the family, except probably the two older girls, emigrated to the USA in 1854/5.
For John Skinner, there are two possible sets of parents: James and Phillis Skinner had son John baptised in Chipstable SOM, 14 Dec 1770; John and Susannah Skinner had their son John baptised in Horsington SOM, 10 Nov 1771. [It is possible that James and Phillis are the more likely parents in view of the location - JLS].
NOTE ADDED 19 Sep 1998: Mary Jane SKINNER (b1831) married a man named MOORE and Sarah Ann SKINNER (1833) married a man named CURETON. No marriage place or date nor husbands' first names have been found. Allan would be delighted to find this information and even some descendants of these two Skinner girls.
Allan would appreciate any confirmation, refutation or additional details on these ancestors in Somerset or even elsewhere. Any documentary evidence would be very welcome.

Dan Woodrow is looking for ancestors and descendants of Woodrow children mentioned in the Overseers of the Poor Account Books for Wimborne Minster in the entry listed in 1765: "Pd Wm. White for taking Woodrow's and Harvey's boys apprentice to Newfoundland".
Dan is searching for any information which will help him identify the ancestors and descendants of John Woodrow b c1790 possibly in Wimborne Minster DOR from whom were descended Mary, Anne, James and Richard (b 1817). These brothers and sisters arrived in Newfoundland in 1837. Dan would welcome any assistance and advice.

Denise Gillespie is searching for information on her ancestor Walter Taylor who was born to Sarah Taylor in 1815 in Martock SOM. Sarah nee Elliott was the wife of Thomas Taylor who died in 1811. Other background is as follows:
John Taylor and Grace nee Cribb had two sons William and Thomas Taylor. William Taylor married Sarah Egney; Thomas Taylor married Sarah Elliott. Walter Taylor, b1815 Martock SOM son of Sarah Taylor, married Ellen Boucher (Butcher).
Denise would welcome any help that can be given in finding information on Walter Taylor.

P J Cox is really keen to find out anything about his ancestors. Although he is an mining engineer in South Africa, his ancestors had been Master Mariners and Sailmakers. They started out in Dorset ENG, but some of the family moved out to Australia and New Zealand. Here is some of the background.
John COX, a sailmaker, was born in Melcombe Regis DOR and married Milborough SMEETHAM in 1787. They had four children: Richard b 1799, Matilda, Elizabeth (died an infant), Elizabeth (2).
Richard COX, the son and also a sailmaker in Weymouth DOR, married Matilda PAVEY in 1846. They had eight children:Richard Pavey (b 1844), Milbro (b 1846), Matilda (b 1848), Ann (b 1850), John (b 1851), Elizabeth (b 1853,died an infant), Charles (b 1856,died at 14), Alfred (b 1858). Of these, John was a Master Mariner, moving to Auckland NZ in 1882, living in Shelly Head Road in that city. Alfred married Elizabeth RHOADES in 1897.
Alfred also was a Master Mariner and worked from Weymouth DOR although he had contact with South Africa. And here is a bit of history! Alfred Cox carried Baden Powell back to England after the siege of Mefeking and also took Cetswayo Zulu king into captivity. PJ's family has letters of thanks from them both.
Alfred and Elizabeth had three children:John (b 1899), Milbro and Benjamin. This John is PJ's GF who had Peter John as a son who is PJ's father. PJ would be delighted to make some contact with relations or with anyone who knows about members of the Cox "extended" family.

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