On the hunt for Halford males

[kizmiaz]

Hello

I have been looking for years for a possible father for my ggg-grandmother Eliza Halford Chapman without success, so I thought I'd go off on a slightly different track to see if I can get any suspects.

Eliza was born in about 1827 in the Wivelsfield/Keymer/Hurstpierpoint area and was the daughter of Ann Chapman, who was only 16 at the time.

I can see no reason for the unusual middle name of Halford unless it was from her father (no Halford lines as far as I can tell on either of Ann's parents side)

So, I am on the hunt for any eligible males in the appropriate area who could have been the father.

All I have found so far in Sussex is a baptism record for a William Halford in Hurstpierpoint in 1827, son of 15 year-old Harriett Halford. And Harriett was born in 1812 to Nathan Halford and Barbara, so Nathan is a possibility. I can't find any marriage or birth details for Nathan, but If he was born about 1785, he would have been in his mid 40s when Eliza was born.

Are there any others I can consider?

So, to summarise, I am looking for males with the surname Halford, born between 1770 and 1812 in, perhaps, 5 miles of Hurstpierpoint.

Any suggestions most gratefully recieved

Thanks

Glen

[Frances]

Hi Glen,

This is the Christening for Eliza in case you do not already have it?

Eliza Halford Chapman Christened 23 March 1828 Wivelsfield, Sussex
Mother Ann Chapman

Frances

Will also send PM

[kizmiaz]

Thanks Frances for the info

Glen

[kizmiaz]

Hmm, annoyingly the National Archives seem to have several records for putative fathers of children born to Ann Chapman in Sussex, but this must be a different Ann since my Ann was only 8 when the first child was born. And the location is about 30 miles away from Wivelsfield

Glen

[Roy G]

Might be worth looking at the males of this Anne's family

Ann Holford Born: 1794, Clayton, West Sussex
Christened: 13 Jul 1794, St John The Baptist, Clayton, West Sussex

Roy G

[Roy G]

Looked for Ann Holford's male siblings but found None.  But did find that her parents (Nathan and Barbara of Bolney and Clayton) moved around a lot and can be found in both Clayton and Wivelsfield between 1800 & 1820. 

By the way, I note you have restricted yourself to looking for a young man of about your Anne Chapman's age.  Don't discount that it could also have been an older man (like Nathan Holman senior) who was already married!

Roy G

[Roy G]

Me again
Have a look at the following website.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bobmorris/438.htm
You will find that the Holford family were well established landowners with extensive agricultural interests in all the areas around where your ancestor Ann Chapman lived. 

I have tried to say this politely, for history shows hundreds of examples of males from a background of both power and wealth distributing their favours indiscriminatley.  Similarly, young girls can also see the prospect of permanent financial secrurity well worth loosing their honour for.

I know it will put many more Holford males in the frame, but perhaps there may be something in some Holford papers that may tie your ancestor to one of them in particular.

Roy G

[kizmiaz]

Thanks for the link Roy

No need for politeness round here. 

I think a lot of these landowners were randy old sods, but I am cooling on the idea of the father being Nathan, since he would have been fast approaching 70, while Ann was only 16. Not out of the question if he had a child in his mid 50's with wife Barbara, but not a nice thought.

I had restricted the search to males between 1770 and 1812 for purely moral reasons, not biological ones! 

My list of suspects now reads, in no particular order:
Nathan Holford (1759 - 1841) - Hope not!
Nathans sons John (1787 - 1868) and
George (1792 - 1838). Although he was living in Brighton at the time, he may have popped home for a dirty weekend

Personally, I think young John may have some explaining to do!

Glen

[Peter Higgs]

Morning - this is very interesting - my great grandfather Samuel Holford Fuller was born in Wivelsfield in 1858 and only. his mother Sarah Fuller is recorded.  Interesting how the name of this family of Holford's name became the middle name of their illegitimate offspring!