Hi all, I am researching Thomas Goodman born abt 1766 Wiltshire. I am also on the Hertfordshire forum as Thomas lived and died in Hertfordshire. He married Zylpah Harding in Rickmansworth Hertfordshire in 1795 and had several children. He later remarried Mary Purseler in Watford although there doesn't appear to have been any children from that union.
Some of his descendants and myself have been trying, for some time, to discover who his parents were. There is no obvious record of his birth in Wilts either. On the Rickmansworth, West Hyde, census, 1851, HO107/1714, 8, 469, his place of birth is down as Rushall or Russell, Wilts. He died later in 1851 and is buried at West Hyde. Previously Rushall and some other places were searched, on my behalf, in Wilts but without any success.
Recently, Maddie from Rootschat Herts forum, noted that the name Russell may have been used in the past, whilst meaning Rushall. It was while reading the account of the hanging of John Goodman at Devizes, Wilts in the 1800s. He refers to Russell and an area quite near to Rushall. It did confirm to us also that there were Goodman people around that particular area. Other than the Rev. G. Goodman who came later.
I have put a request in the Wiltshire newspaper for any male Goodman, descendant from the Wiltshire Goodman people, 1700s-1800s, who may be willing to take a DNA test at no cost to him. However, I have not had any luck with that either. Please pass on my request if you should know of any likely person. Also if you can throw any light on my struggle I would be grateful.
