Thomas GERRY - St Agnes/Crantock/St Columb

[Goldberry]

I recently started to research my family history and I'm trying to unravel the origins of Thomas Gerry.

These are the facts I have so far:
- born St Agnes 1798 (1851 Census) 1799 (1871 Census) - note: age 62 1861 Census
- married Elizabeth Pollard 20 May 1822 in Crantock (Cornwall Family History Society)
- children: Maria Gerrey baptised 9 Nov 1822 Crantock (CFHS)
                 Thomas Gerrey baptised 25 Sept 1825 Crantock (CFHS)
                 Henry Gerry baptised 23 Jun 1836 Crantock (CFHS)
- occupation: Miner (1851/1861 Census)
- living: St Columb Minor (1851 Census)  with wife Elizabeth and son Henry
             St Columb Minor (1861 Census) (Mount Wise, Newquay) with wife Elizabeth
             Porscatho, Gerrans (1871 Census) in household of daughter Maria (Nicholls) - notes: (1) Thomas Gerrey (2) no mention of wife Elizabeth in household

Other:
Possible daughter: Mary Ann Gerry born c 1834 ?  (Found from another family tree, but unable to substantiate)
Possible mother: Jane Adams (Thomas Gerry Adams, baptised 21 Jan 1799, St Agnes, no father's name - CFHS)
Possible death: Thomas Tregerry died 1872 age 74, St Columb (Elizabeth Tregerry, died 1867,  age 69, St Columb) (freeBMD.org)

Any help or advice would be most welcome.             

[krisesjoint]

Hi Goldberry,

A Big Welcome to RootsChat 

Like you I feel the 1799 baptism of Thomas Gerry ADAMS the most likely. Thomas does list St Agnes as his POB.

As to Mary Ann I feel she is another child, although there is no baptism in Crantock. (I have the microfiche and she is definitely not listed) Mary Ann lists her birth as Crantock.

I believe she was another child though have not proved it. Will have to check when I have time to see if there was any crossover between the children in any census. Unfortunately the family do not appear in the 1841 census and by 1851 Mary Ann is not living with family. I find it of interest that this Mary Ann also does not appear in 1841. (Is it just coincidence or is she their daughter)

To me the most curious aspect and the reason I feel she is likely a fourth child is the use of this name TREGERRY. Mary Ann Married in 1853 - civil registration lists GERRY but the announcement lists TREGERRY.

St Columb Minor Curch

4 Sep 1853 Thomas RAWLE = Mary Ann GERRY

West Briton Advertiser .....Mairages September 1853

9th September 1853, Friday

At St. Columb Minor, Mr. Robert ROWLE, to Miss Mary Ann TREGERRY, both of Newquay.

Thomas died and was buried TREGERRY as did his wife Elizabeth. Son Henry, seems to separate from his wife Mary Jane PASCOE and she also takes on the name TREGERRY in the 1871 census. All most curious. I did start a thread once wondering why the TRE was added.

I never found an answer. I am not connected to the family although Mary Jane PASCOE'S brother line does connect to my family.

I was really curious as to the TREGERRY name and why it was used, and was at one time trying to help other descendants unravel it.

Cheers Kris 

[Goldberry]

Hi Kris

Thanks for your reply - it's all very interesting!  Are the other threads still on the board?  If so, it would be great if you could point me to them.

I'm pleased to hear that I'm working along the right tracks, because all this is new to me and there's obviously loads more for me to learn about researching families.  At the moment I've been working on names and dates, but I'm also keen to find out more about where and how they lived.

Back to Thomas - His father isn't named on his baptism so what's the likelihood of his father being named on his birth certificate? Also, (which does seem sort of blatantly obvious) did Jane name him after his father - 'Thomas Gerry'??

Whilst trying to find the birth details of Thomas (Jr) I've done a huge amount of research on the Gerry families living in the area in the 18th century, mainly to try to see where, if anywhere, he might have fitted in.  I do know that there was a Thomas Gerry (son of John Gerry and Jane Pengilly) living in St Agnes at the time and, coincidentally, he was born in the same year as Jane Adams (1771).  In a small village like St Agnes, presumably they grew up together.  Thomas (Sr) went on to marry Grace James in 1803, although Jane Adams appears alone at the age of 70 in the 1841 Census.  I believe Thomas (Snr) was buried in 1836 (age 65) in St Agnes (residence Mingoose), and Jane may have died in 1842 (Mar) or 1843 (Dec) (there are two Jane Adams - Truro - freebmd  - with no ages).

Thomas (Sr) and Grace did have a son called Thomas in 1822 - so I don't know whether that would discount my theory?   

Does this mean the end of my research of the Gerry line (which would really disappointing. )?

[krisesjoint]

Hi,

They are old threads - from before I had the Crantock fiche but here is what I can find - You can use the search feature at the top of the page to search.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,154242.msg728420.html#msg728420

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,358181.msg2353031.html#msg2353031

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,154208.msg834556.html#msg834556

Yes if Thomas was illegitimate it will likely be difficult to trace him any further. There are no birth certificates until civil registration began in July 1837 - same with marriages - fathers were not named at marriage until after civil registration began. No father named at baptism (sadly generally the case) 

Cheers Kris 

[Goldberry]

Hi Kris

I noticed in the above threads that you've done various research into Thomas and his family.  You mention something about him splitting from his wife for a time, and how do you find the newspaper announcements?

I'd love to hear any information that you've gleaned, as I don't live in the UK, so I have to rely on on-line research.

Thanks. 

[Goldberry]

Something very strange happened yesterday.

It's my understanding that Thomas Gerry married Grace James on 28 May 1803 in St Agnes, but the IGI shows Thomas Gerry to have married Sarah Reynolds on 28 May 1803 in St Agnes.

The Cornwall OPC shows Sarah Reynolds marrying Robert Reed on 28 May 1803 in St Agnes - it doesn't show any record of the marriage of Thomas and Grace James.

I queried this with the IGI and this is the reply that I've received:

Thank you for contacting FamilySearch about the information you found on our web site in the International Genealogical Index. We did the search and found that the record of Thomas Gerry md, 25 May 1803 is an extracted record. Which means it was taken from a church parish film. The other record was someones record with no source listed. There may have been two Thomas Gerrys. The record taken from the church record should be accurate. You can order the film and view it at a local Family History Center.

As I don't live in the UK I'm unable to view the film.  It looks to me as though there were two weddings on the same day and that the records have been wrongly transcribed somewhere along the line.  Can anybody help to clarify?  Thanks.

[krisesjoint]

Hi,

The marriage of Thomas GERRY to Grace JAMES was 25 May 1803
The marriage of Robert REED to Sarah REYNOLDS was on the 28 May 1803

both were in St Agnes - both extracted records. Somehow a mistake was made in the transcript.

Phillimores also list both marriages Their transcript lists GERREY as does the OPC site who have transcrobed Phillimore's transcript.

http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/moreinfo.php?ID=358698&dbtype=marriages&formval=

Viewing the records is not limited to the UK. Wherever you live you can order the records in to your local LDS family history Library. It is not expensive. They contact you when the films have arrived and they keep them for about a month allowing plenty of time for you to get in to view the film. You will probably need to book a reader before your visit.

You can purchase a copy of the records from the CRO. You will need to fill out the form and mail it. You will receive a photocopy of the entry from the parish records.

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=14713

As you have the date you could email the records office and they may give you any additional information from the entry such as witness names.

BTW it was not Thomas who seems to split with his wife - It was his son Henry.

Cheers Kris 

[Goldberry]

Thanks for your help, Kris. 

Apparently there is no further information available on either the birth or marriage records.

For now I'm going to concentrate on confirming some of the facts that I've picked up on more recent ancestors.

I think eventually I'll follow the advice that I've picked up and make a note of the assumptions regarding Thomas's parentage and follow that line back (if it's possible).

[Goldberry]

I have found an entry in the 1851 Census for Mary Ann GERRY born 1833, Crantock).  She was a house servant at the home of George JEWEL, Surgeon, in St Columb Major.  The name has been mis-transcribed in two websites as GENG and GENY.

I have also found an entry in the 1881 Census for Scotland for a Henry GERRY (age44) with his wife Mary GERRY (age 43) and a son Robert THOMSON. 

This Henry GERRY was born in England about 1837 and his occupation was Ship Carpenter (Henry from Newquay was a Shipwright).  I noticed that when boarding with Mr John THOMAS in 1871, Mary A BUNT (daughter aged 32) was also living in the household.  Her husband was a mariner and it appears she was widowed in 1875.  Her name and age would tie into the 1881 Scottish Census, however the only marriage I can find for a Henry Gerry in Scotland is to Ellen THOMSON in 1881..... which is strange as Henry's son is named as Robert THOMSON on the Census.

I also wondered whether the THOMSON might in some way link to John THOMAS?? but am thrown by the name Ellen.

(I'm writing these notes and addenda to the queries above, but please let me know if I should be putting these in another section.)