John Smith - Tarporley - 1752

[sugarbakers]

Trying to discover whether or not the John Smith bpt Tarporley 14 June 1752 s/o John Smith & Catheren (Rixon) is the same John Smith capillaire maker & sugar refiner of Upper Thames St, London, from before 1807 to his death in 1832 aged 80.

His granddaughter, Kate Hopkins, wrote that "he was from Cheshire and that his family was famous in Vale Royal". Also that "he was the youngest of 19 children". Her brother Edward Smith, in his writings, suggested Tarporley.

John Smith married Margaret Alice Bedell in 1790 at St Anne Soho, and they had 8 children. Sugar refining was a family business through to 1923.
Considerable family info, post-1790, at  www.mawer.clara.net/city.html .

I'd be grateful for any evidence of the John Smith of Tarporley 1752 leaving Cheshire for London ... or indeed staying to marry / have a family / die there.

Bryan

[sugarbakers]

FamilySearch shows these events, that when listed chronologically, could possibly create a family for John Smith senior - 3 wives, many children - but I've no idea whether they are all of the same family.

* 1724 Dec 22  John Smith = Sarah Walley

1726 Nov 25  John s/o John & Sarah bpt
1729 Aug 30  Hannah d/o John & Sarah bpt
  1730 Apr 3  Hannah d/o John & Sarah died
1731 Jun 5  Roger s/o John & Sarah bpt
1732/3 Jan 7  Mary d/o John & Sarah bpt
1739 Oct 21  Thomas s/o John & Sarah bpt

* 1742/3 Jan 30  John Smith = Mary Somner

  1743 Jun 11  William s/o Smith buried
1743 Nov 20  James s/o John & Mary bpt
  1744/5 Mar 9  Thomas buried died at Nantwich
  1745 Aug 15  John buried died at Tarvin
1745 Dec 8  Thomas s/o John & Mary bpt
1748 Apr 17  Martha d/o John & Mary bpt
  1749 Jul 13  Martha d/o John buried died at Willington
1750 Jun 24  Mary d/o John & Mary bpt
  1750 Dec 6  Elizabeth buried died at Whitchurch Salop
  1750/1 Jan 11  Sarah d/o John buried
  1750/1 Feb 15  John s/o John buried
?1753 Jan 1  Joseph s/o John & Mary bpt? (late bpt?)

* 1751 Sep 20  John Smith = Catheren Rixon

  1752 Apr 8  Mary wife of Smith buried died at Tarvin
1752 Jun 14  JOHN s/o John & Catheren bpt

1762 Feb 27  John buried

Bryan

[rolnora]

Trying to discover whether or not the John Smith bpt Tarporley 14 June 1752 s/o John Smith & Catheren (Rixon) is the same John Smith

Hi Bryan,
If John was the youngest of 19 children then I don't think it's the correct baptism.
The only marriage that I can find for a John Smith and Catherine Rixon took place Tarporley in 1751
 I think that would make John the first child born to this couple.

[sugarbakers]

I think that would make John the first child born to this couple.

Agreed, rolnora ........ but not necessarily the first born of the father   

Bryan

[Jo Harding]

There is a transcription for a baptism for John Smith in Tarporley on 14/06/1752, s/o John Smith, no mother's name shown. The parish register has the baptism as for John Smith, the son of John Smith of Tarporley by Catheren his wife was baptised on the 14th day of June 1752.

There is another baptism for John Smith in Tarvin on 2/06/1751, s/o John Smith of Oscroft.

I would have to say that both Tarvin and Tarporley are Vale Royal as far as the Cheshire term is concerned.

Have you asked if they have any information in the Cheshire Record Office?

http://archives.cheshire.gov.uk/

There is an excellent series of local history books which did individual volumes on the various towns and villages in Cheshire. There was one written on Tarporley and if my memory serves me correctly, another on Vale Royal (another on Tarvin).Many of the books in this series were written by Frank Latham.

I note that there is a Tarporley Historical Society: http://tbdhs.blogspot.co.uk/

Vale Royal covered quite a large area and this included Delamere Forest.

http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/17288

Jo

[Jo Harding]

I forgot to ask if you have seen the Cheshire Parish Register Database:

http://cgi.csc.liv.ac.uk/~cprdb/

Jo.

[sugarbakers]

Many thanks, Jo.

I'll follow up the Tarvin bpt and also work through the links you've kindly suggested.

Much appreciated.
Bryan.

[sugarbakers]

FamilySearch shows Smith bpts in Tarvin from that of John s/o John 2 June 1751 through 1754, 1756 to 1760, though they may not all be the same father as they are certainly not all the same mother. It does suggest though that John 1751 was not the youngest in the family.

Two books from E**y this week ...
Frank Latham's 'Tarporley' mentions a George Smith in the 1664 Hearth Tax, and a John Smith who was paid for supplying 'urchins' (hedgehogs) heads in 1713.
Thomas Hughes's 'The Vale Royal of England' barely mentions Tarporley, and does not list a Smith family of the 1700s. The earlier family of Sir Thomas Smith of Hough and Chester appear to have departed to America much too soon, although it's possible this family is still relevant.

The lack of info in these books makes me question just how 'famous' the Smith family was in Vale Royal and if so, for what. 


Looks like I'll have to see when I can get up to Chester RO.

Bryan.