Author Topic: John Ferris TOZER  (Read 4678 times)

Offline Arranroots

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John Ferris TOZER
« on: Saturday 19 November 05 12:51 GMT (UK) »
Posting an interest in the organist and composer John Ferris TOZER.

JFT senior was born about 1830 in Exeter, Devon.  He married Elizabeth Alice SQUIRE in the June quarter of 1852 and had several children, among them JFT junior.

This tale does not concern them, however.

It is said in the family I am studying, that JFT senior fathered an illegitimate child, Hermon HOOKINGS (mother Margaret) born 11 June 1874.  Young Hermon was a gifted musician and played most instruments including the church organ.

I have tried to approach this story from the HOOKINGS side: I Hermon's birth cert and the refs for his marriages, but have not as yet sent for the latter.  Posting this in case anyone researching TOZER in Exeter is reading.  Can you help track down his father?

Any information, however small, would be appreciated!

kind regards, Arranroots  ;)
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN - HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD - GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS - WIL: WEBB, SALTER - RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS - GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY - MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD - SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON - IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK)

Offline Peggy1111

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Re: John Ferris TOZER
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 03 January 09 15:44 GMT (UK) »
Hi Arranroots.
Read with interest your query re. Hermon Hookings, supposed illegitimate son of John Ferris Tozer.  We have been researching our family roots in Exeter (Tozers) and have come across JFT senior and junior.  They were both organists at Exeter Cathedral, JFT senior was a professor of music (piano) at Exeter, hence the musical talent of HH.  We can trace JFT back to William Tozer and Richorde Ferris (hence the middle name)  William and Richorde married in Harford, Devon, JFT senior's father, also John, son of William and Richorde,  was christened in Harford and was a builder in Exeter. JFT Senior's uncle, Stephen Tozer drove the mail coach from Exeter to Bristol.

JFT senior is my husband's 1st cousin 4 times removed according to the kinship report on my Family Tree Maker.

We have tried and tried to find birth dates and parentage of William Tozer and Richorde Ferris without success.  The only thing we have is a record of their marriage in Harford on  21st April 178, so we assume their birth dates to be around 1760.

You say that you have Hermon's birth certificate, is the father named on it?  would it be possible to attach a copy of it and let me have a look? I would be very interested to hear from you and to know whether you have ever heard of Richorde Ferris or her family.

Both the JFT's were composers and organists, apparently there are papers about JFT in the archives of Exeter University

All the best, Peggy Tozer

Offline Arranroots

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Re: John Ferris TOZER
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 03 January 09 16:13 GMT (UK) »
Hi Peggy

Welcome to Rootschat!  :)

I'd be delighted with anything you can add to this conundrum - not least because I undertook to "solve" it and never did!  Even Exeter Archives applied themselves assiduously and equally drew a blank.

I impressed myself by immediately laying my hands on the relevant file - but I seem to have passed the actual cert on to the friend for whom I was researching.  Give me a while and I will read through to refresh my memory & get back to you.

Kind regards, Arranroots  ;)
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN - HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD - GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS - WIL: WEBB, SALTER - RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS - GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY - MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD - SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON - IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY (DUBLIN), BOYLE(DUNDALK)

Offline paperhound

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Re: John Ferris TOZER
« Reply #3 on: Monday 07 July 14 20:19 BST (UK) »
I am just researching Tozer, JFT junior was brother of Elizabeth T, my wife's 3xggrandmother

We have a great photograph of JFT junior