Somerset & Dorset Pages - Number 5

Family Queries

Pamela Lee Cranston is searching for the family and parents of Robert DAY who married Abigail COLLYAR at Beer Crocombe SOM on 24 May 1664 (Ref:Phillimore Somerset Marriages Vol 4). Their first child Abigail was premature and did not live. That name was used again later. There is possibility that Robert may have come from Isle Brewers SOM, not far from Beer Crocombe. There may be a connection with an Ann DAY who married Sonders BULT in 1654 at North Petherton SOM in 1654. Pamela would welcome any leads about the origins of Robert DAY.

Joe Kropp is seeking assistance with the following surnames: GALPIN, DAVIS, ALLEN. William Edward GALPIN was born at Tolpuddle DOR in either 1807 or 1810 and had two known brothers; George GALPIN who married an Ann and John GALPIN who also married an Ann. William Edward married Frances Ann DAVIS at Tolpuddle in 1831. She was the daughter of James DAVIS b.1786 in ENG and Frances ALLEN, b.1787 in ENG and her siblings were: 1. James; 2. Jack; 3. Henry d. in Newfoundland; 4. George; 5. Samuel; 6. Olivia m. Richard BROWN; 7. Alfred.
Children of William Edward GALPIN & Frances Ann DAVIS were: 1. Frances Ann b.1833 DOR, m. Arthur WEED; 2. George W. b.1835 DOR; Mary; Jane O. b.1839; 5. William Edward (Jr) b. 1840 DOR m. Sarah Delilah BOTTS in USA; 6. James b. 1845; 7. Priscilla; 8. Henry A. b. c1848.
William Edward GALPIN (Sr) & family emigrated to Michigan ILL USA c1845, eventually settling in Bloomfield, Davis Co., Iowa.
Joe Kropp would like to communicate with anyone having information on these families and will gladly share.

Angus Cameron is looking for information about John BLANEY who was possibly born in DOR in 1629 and died in 1709 in Salem MA USA. His first marriage on 11 Jul 1660 at Lynn MA was to Hannah KING (b. 1643 Lynn MA USA, d. 1676 Lynn MA) and they had a son Joseph b. 2 Oct 1670. John Blaney founded the Blaney family in MA USA. His second marriage on 3 Nov 1679 in Lynn MA was to Elizabeth PURCHASE (b. 1633 ENG, d. 1696 Lynn MA).
Angus has details of eight generations of Blaneys, starting with John. In the seventh, a third child was Joseph Blaney, born on 3 Dec 1829 in Boston USA and he emigrated to Australia in 1853. There he married, in Wollongong NSW AUS, Margaret RYAN, b. 18 May 1835 Campbelltown NSW AUS, daughter of Daniel Ryan and Mary Ann nee Knowland. There were five children. Joseph died 14 Sep 1865 Shellharbour NSW AUS. Mary Ann died 23 Jul 1896 Ashfield NSW AUS.
Angus would be interested to exchange information with interested families in Dorset, USA and Australia.

Richard Hinde has been researching his family history and has found both his great-grandfather Humphery HINDE and his grandfather John W. HINDE. They came from Fortunes Well, Portland DOR. In the 1871 Census (p.33 at 168 Fortunes Well), he found only one John HINDE, age 9, listed as about the right time frame, born 20 Mar 1862.
From the 1871 Census, the children of Humphery HINDE (GGF)and Elizabeth Jane (GGM) are given as: Elizabeth Ann (b.c1861); John W. (b. 20 Mar 1862), Richard's GF; Hugh (b.c1864); Ellen (b.c1866); Geo? William (b.c1868); Martha (b.c1870). All were born in Portland DOR.
GF John W. HINDE emigrated to Key West, Florida about 1880. Sometime in the late 1800s, some of John W. Hinde's siblings went to Australia. Richard would be interested in communicating with Hinde families in Dorset and in Australia.

Lenora McArthur is searching for information on PUCKETT and JEFFRIES in the 17th century. Her ancestor John PUCKETT, b.c1616 in Dorchester DOR, first appeared at Virginia in America about 1637, with his brother William. Their parents are believed to have been Henry and Ann. Lenora does not know whether the parents came to America or not. John PUCKETT married Ann JEFFRIES who was also born in England. Her father is believed to have been William JEFFRIES. Lenora would be interested to find people who are also researching these families.

Paul Thorne would be pleased to find more about his Thorne family in Somerset, particularly his 2xGGF James Thorne who was born at Creech St Michael SOM in 1832 and his wife's first name was Eliza. James died and is thought to have been buried in West Monkton SOM. There is a possibility that James' father was George Thorne.
James and Eliza had a son George THORNE, born 1868 at North Petherton SOM, married Betsy BOND and died in 1910. No definite locations are known but it does appear likely that the families were living somewhere in the North Petherton, West Monkton, Creech St Michael and Taunton areas.
George and Betsy had a son George Edgar James THORNE, born 1898 in Taunton SOM, married Edna THOMAS and died in 1981. Their son David THORNE, born 1941 in Taunton SOM, married Christina Mary HICKEY, and it is their son who is Paul David THORNE, born 1964 in Bristol GLS, living in the USA from age 3.
Paul would be most interested to have contact with families who know about the Thornes and his forebears from James to earlier times.

John and Joy Lewis are seeking information about their FOOT ancestors and those of BARNETT and GURD connected by marriage.
James FOOT is believed to have had two sons Samuel and Peter and may have had a daughter Mary, all born in Donhead St Mary DOR. Peter is known to have married Sarah GURD on 23 Mar 1840 at Donhead St Mary. They had at least two sons, Andrew (b.c1844) and Enos (b.18 Oct 1846), and a daughter Martha.
Andrew married Phoebe ... from Alvediston WIL and it is known that they had sons (Henry, Andrew and Sidney) and daughters (Emma, Ellen and Martha). Enos married Elizabeth ALLEN on 4 Oct 1871 and is Joy's paternal GGF. Three of Enos' sons married BARNETT sisters with the BARNETT side, traced back to James Barnett, b. Ash DOR, whose children were born in Pimperne DOR.
John and Joy would be delighted to communicate with any researchers investigating these families. They have quite a considerable amount of information about later generations but would welcome assistance with the families and ancestors of James Foot. FOOT families are rather numerous in Dorset, making the tracing of ancestors very complicated.

Mark Biles is interested on information on any BILES and WATTS families in relation to James BILES who married Eliza WATTS at Chilton Contilo (now spelt Contelo) SOM on 12 Jul 1840. The family was in Sydling St Nicholas DOR in the period 1847-1852. Their children were Emily Watts BILES b.Dec 1840 Yeovil SOM; Esau BILES b.Mar 1843 Yeovil SOM, d. Dec 1852 Dorchester DOR; Enoch BILES b. Sep 1845 Yeovil SOM; George Watts BILES b.30 Nov 1847, William BILES b.1850 and Mary Martha BILES, the last three at Sydling St Nicholas DOR.

Penny Ling is searching for information about Gustave RUSCOFF, born about 1840, who was an Onion Johnnie from Brittany who met and married Mary Ann ...? from Poole DOR. It is possible that Ruscoff may not be his real surname but just the place he came from. The family finally ended up in London, with children: Blanche (no date) and Gustave Louise b 1873. Penny would welcome any assistance.

Iain Challishas several family interests and would welcome any information and assistance in his search.
His GGF Robert LYE was born in Martock SOM c1837 and married Hannah COXALL from Cambridgeshire. He cannot find any record of this marriage. A daughter Esther Matilda LYE (Iain's GM)was born at Shoreditch MDX in 1871. Iain would be interested in any information on Robert and Hannah LYE and the LYE family in general.
Elizabeth FRY was born in Wareham DOR c1823. Her first marriage was to William KERR (d.1852) and her second marriage was to Archibald BRYDEN. They all lived in Poole DOR in the 1840s and 1850s. There were children from both marriages and Iain's GGM Emma Rose BRYDEN was one of them. Iaian would welcome further information on the three parents and particularly on the descendants of other children from both marriages.

John Wehmeyer came across a letter written by Robert and Kate Studley, dated 9 June 1908, to their Uncle in the USA. There is no envelope. He is trying to discover more about the family who wrote the letter because it has been written to an ancestor in his family. The letter is reproduced in part here:
"My dear Uncle,
It was with great regret we read the account of our Cousins death in the papers you so kindly sent us. I am sure it must have been a very great blow to you all ... What a trial for her husband losing his wife and be left with so young a baby ... I am glad to tell you Grandfather Studley keeps very well considering his age ... Lizze my daughter at home has been very poorly for the last two or three weeks ... Haymaking will soon commence now a good many have got their clover cut. Grandfather, Robert and the boys unite with love to all cousins also yourself.
From your loving nephew and niece, Robert and Kate Studley
PS I shall send papers to Annie"
John believes that "Uncle" was his 2xGGF John Barthold Wehmeyer who married Mary Ann Studley Single after her husband died in the Civil War. The "cousin" could have been his daughter Annie Charlotte who died on 23 Apr 1908, leaving her husband George Wisely with a small baby and two girls. It is probable that "Grandfather Studley" was the father of Mary Ann Studley and Robert Studley could have been her brother.
John would be delighted to communicate with any Studleys or others who know about Broad Oak Farm and the families there in 1908. [Webmaster adds: Broad Oak Farm must be near the border of SOM and DOR, possibly near Mosterton DOR though the address on the letter seems to suggest that Misterton SOM was the post office. The SOM/DOR border is between the two villages.]

Judy Fleming is researching the name BLACKMORE as her GM Elizabeth Sarah Blackmore claimed some kinship with the family of R.D. Blackmore, author of Lorna Doone. Judy would be grateful for any information on the ancestry or pedigree chart for R.D. Blackmore who was born at Longworth BRK in 1825 to Rev. John Blackmore whose wife died four months after RDB was born.
Added 2 Feb 1998: From a correspondent Judy has found her elusive GGF William Blackmore, born 1834 in Winsford SOM, and his father George Blackmore, born 1800, baptised 1802 at Brompton Regis SOM. George's father William was born in 1771 at Brompton Regis, baptised 1 Jan 1772, married 26 Feb 1795 at St Mary Parish Church in Taunton SOM.
Judy would be delighted to find any connections with her GGF William and her 2xGGF George. She stayed in Dulverton in Sep 1997 but did not have the family information and wished had known of it.

Peter Green is interested in any information about the family of Ann SUTHERLAND who was his 2xGGM. Ann was living in or near New Brunswick NJ USA in 1827-28. There is no evidence that she was born in the USA. She was sent back to England with her two sisters (Jane and Mary?) after their mother died in 1827. Peter has an exercise-cum-sketchbook given her by a friend, E.M. Duyckink, in 1827. It was used as a form of autograph book. All the early entries refer to the apparently recent death of her mother and Ann's imminent departure with her siblings possibly to England. One entry dated 1827 is signed by William Sutherland who could well have been her father. She appears to have been the eldest but there is no indication of the DOBs.
Ann married John BLENKIRON of Reeth in North Yorkshire about 1842-3 and they had six children. The eldest, Catherine Ann, was sent to school in Bath SOM at the age of 12 in 1856 and in her letters home she refers to her aunts Mary and Jane in Bath. There were no Blenkiron aunts with these names. An address in Catherine Place in Bath is mentioned though this might have been the school. Peter has a photograph of Ann Blenkiron nee Sutherland in her fifties and another of her daughter Catherine at school in Bath. Peter would be delighted to make contact with any descendants from the family of Ann Sutherland and to have any information about the family.

Cal and Barb Joslin are trying to discover more of Cal's Joslin family history. His father, George JOSLIN, was born in Edinburgh Scotland in September of either 1908 or 1910. George's mother was born in Bognor Regis DOR where the family had an inn or hotel. George went into the Merchant Marine and worked for the P&O; Steamship Company. He met Cal's mother, Hilda Gail CUMMINGS (born in Prince Edward Island Canada on 12 Jul 1918) while stationed in Montreal in 1945.They were married in Liverpool ENG or nearby Sefton Park, possibly in 1946 and divorced some years later. George died on board ship in 1965 and was buried at sea, in the Suez Canal area.
Cal and Barb would be delighted to receive advice and help that can be offered about the Joslin family in Dorset and elsewhere in their wanderings around the UK and abroad.

Anne White is hunting for information about the STREET family of Pitminster SOM and particularly about her 3xGGF Jacob STREET. Jacob was possibly born about 1790 in Pitminster SOM and was certainly in Newfoundland Canada in about 1820. It is not clear whether he came to NF via the New England States in 1819-1820 with a brother Isaac(?). Jacob left NF to travel to England in 1858-1860 and then to travel on to New York where he is said to have stayed with his cousin Francis Scott Street (Street & Smith Publishing Co.). Abraham and other sons(?) were fishermen who went on to own schooners in the Epworth/Burin area in Newfoundland.
Anne would be delighted to make contact anyone having information on the Street family of Pitminster SOM or of any Street family.

Patricia Done is seeking information on John PADDEN who married Elizabeth at a date and place unknown but they were living in Huntspill SOM when son Richard was born in 1783. There is no record of the death of John or Elizabeth in Huntspill nor of a baptism of any other children. Richard Padden married Sarah Jennings in Huntspill SOM in 1803. They had at least three children; Richard Padden (1809)and George (1816), born in Huntspill SOM and James Jennings Padden (1822) born in Mark SOM. Pat would appreciate any information as to the origin of this Padden branch - there were at least two other Padden families living in Huntspill SOM at the time.

Les Storey is interested in the period about 1830 when Sampson MOON was a Waterman and married Jane COUCH 17 Feb 1835 in Stoke Damerel DEV. There was only one son, James MOON, b. 9 Nov 1842 in Devonport, Plymouth DEV. James was in the Coastguard, married Elizabeth Jane BALAMY and they were living in White Nothe, Osmington DOR. The Coastguard records show James Moon was at "White Nose".
There were four sons; William (1875), Samuel (1877), Richard John (1878) and Frederick (DOB not known). Richard was Les' GF and married Elizabeth STUTTAFORD (date and place not known), serving in the Royal Navy until he died, in Jan 1919.
Les would welcome any help that can be given about the families from around 1830 onwards.

Natasha Taylor is searching for more information about her ancestors pre-1760 who came from Corscombe DOR. Thomas TAYLOR (1760-1805) married Elizabeth FRAMPTON (d.1838) in Corscombe DOR on 10 Feb 1778. One of their children was Thomas TAYLOR (1792-1877) who married Elizabeth ROSE in 1814 at Corscombe DOR. Elizabeth was originally from Misterton SOM. Their son John TAYLOR (1816-1901) married Mary Ann TAYLOR (d.1894) and one of their children Job TAYLOR was born in Corscombe DOR in 1840. John, Mary Ann and the family moved to Bridport DOR c1842 and subsequently emigrated to Burin, Newfoundland, Canada in 1860. Job TAYLOR (1840-20 Nov 1928) married Jane WOUNDY in 1865. Natasha would appreciate any advice and help from researchers about the period pre-1700 in Dorset. She is able to supply information from 1760 onwards for those interested to contact her.

David Warford has a problem sorting out two John WARFORD individuals, born in Bruton SOM. One was born in 1623 and the other in 1653. He has been unable to confirm if either of these two men could be the John WARFORD who first appeared as an inhabitant of Westchester county, New York in 1680. He would appreciate any advice and/or help which can be offered.

Lorene Latham is trying to find the origin of Samuel RUSSELL who emigrated to South Australia on the Morley, a ship that departed 3 Dec 1839,London, called 28 Dec 1839,Plymouth and arrived on 20 Apr 1840 in South Australia. His embarkation card gave his age as 22 years, agricultural labourer, from Shapwick but no county given. The writing on the card could be read as Shopwick but no such place is known. There are two Shapwick villages, one in DOR and one in SOM. Lorene has only found one possible Samuel Russell to date from the IGI, born 1819 in Shapwick SOM to Charles and Betty Russell. Lorene would welcome any advice or help in sorting out the origin of her Samuel Russell. She has considerable data about Samuel, his marriage to Elizabeth Mills in Adelaide SA AUS and the 15 children born to them.

Liz Runacres is looking for information on the three VEY brothers who were born in Dorset in the period 1750-1770 and on their parents. Samuel VEY lived his life in Dorset, either in Poole or West Lulworth. Thomas and George VEY emigrated to Newfoundland, Canada, in about 1785. Thomas returned to Dorset about 1832.

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