Childs and Hurlstone of Melbury Osmond

[gail steel]

Hi Kelly,
Thank you for responding so fast. I have done some more searching of David [Edward] Childs and Mary Wellman. Mary was born in 1734 and died in 1778/1779. as far as I can ascertain. According to Family search she married William Wellman in 1755 and he died in March 1763. She married David Childs in July 1763 and from the info I found, they had 7 children, the last one being Elizabeth in 1779. All 7 children were born in Melbury Osmond, so I presume that this info is correct. I haven't found anything to the contrary.
If Mary married William Wellman, according to the info I found, they had 1 daughter, Betty, born 1755; and 2 sons, Andrew born 1756 and Alexander born 1757. I am still looking into this info.
I would like to be in touch with you, as it is great to find more of my relatives. How do I go about getting in touch with you privately?
Anyway, thanks again for your help,
Cheers,
Gail

[Kells]

Hi Gail,

I'd be happy to make contact privately, I'll send you a message.

I have the last child for David and Mary being David baptised 11 March 1787. There was also a daughter Rachel in 1781 following Elizabeth in 1779. This is where I have made the conclusion that Mary the wife of William Wellman was just too old to be the wife of David Childs.

The marriage for William Wellman and Mary Orchard was in Melbury Osmond in 1744. The children of this couple were baptised in Melbury Sampford between 1746 and 1757 (William 1746, William 1750, Joan 1752, Betty 1755 and Alexander 1757). There was also a base born son of Mary Wellman named John baptised 10 June 1764, after the marriage of David and Mary, possibly suggesting another Mary Wellman in the area. The Wellman's are quite numerous in Dorset. Though I haven't found an alternative for our Mary, I'm not confident that the records on Family Search can be relied upon. Ancestry and the Dorset OPC are much more comprehensive.

Sadly the marriage record doesn't name either David or Mary's status as bachelor or spinster or widow or whatever the case may be, which makes it difficult to know either way. Looking at others it appears that the vicar was not recording this information for anyone!

I've looked a little deeper into William Wellman. I believe he was a son of Alexander and Joan, baptised 1711 in Melbury Sampford. His parents had come from West Chelborough. To have been married in 1744 (there is no marriage recorded in 1755), his wife Mary would have to have been born at the very latest in the mid 1720s. To then be married to David Childs in 1763 and have children up to 1787 while aged in her 60s, it doesn't quite check out. I'm sure there is a connection between the families somehow, but placing Mary wife of David in there is proving difficult so far.

It is unfortunate that the Yetminster registers are so unreadable at the time both David and Samuel Childs were born, but it still seems the best bet. Nearly all of the Ancestry trees have David's parents as Joseph and Mary nee Hurlstone though. Yetminster is so close by so it should not be discounted. Many clues are there.

I'd be interested to hear of your link to Lydia also. She would never have known about her nieces going to South Australia

Cheers,

Kelly.

[Rowetribe]

Hi Gail,

I have a copy of David Childs baptism in Axmouth, Devon. Jun 15th David son of Joseph Childs had private baptism. (South West Heritage Trust Archive Ref: 2749A/PR/1/2). Joseph name is given as Cilds (bad transcription)

Also I have a copy of Joseph Childs of Melbury Osmond and Mary Hurlstone marriage at St Michaels, Axmouth, Devon on 11 Jun 1728.

I am descended from Joseph Childs 1703 and David Childs 1729. My Great Grandmother was Emily Childs 1821 - 1870 of Melbury Osmond. Plus a some intermarriages with other Childs/Chiles

[Kells]

The baptism record of a David Childs in Axmouth has been fairly well proven to be incorrect in fitting with this family.

David Childs who married Mary Wellman was baptised in Yetminster in Dec 1735. Samuel and Elizabeth Childs (nee Mores) were living there at the time as this is where they married in July 1735, it was Elizabeth's parish. Samuel moved his family back to his parish, Melbury Osmond, some time after Samuel jnr. was born in 1748. Other children included Josiah, Thomas, and Margaret (the latter two named after Samuel's parents). Sadly the Yetminster registers are almost illegible. Ancestry has transcribed David's baptism there as "Edward".

Joseph Childs (who married Mary Hurlstone) provided for each of his children in his will but made no mention of David. I would take this as strong evidence that David does not belong there.

Cheers,

Kelly.

[Rowetribe]

Hi Gail,

David Childs baptism at Axmouth, Devon appears on both Ancestry and Findmypast sites. Ancestry transcription is "Dauvid Childs" and Findmypast is "David Cilds". Familysearch appears to have nil records for Axmouth at all. I do know about the baptism of a son either (David or Edward) to Samuel and Elizabeth Childs of Yetminster.

As to Joseph will it could be that he disowned him? I have a couple of relatives one still living that have be disowned by their families.

The Axmouth baptism image I have of David is from the Findmypast website.

Regards,
Richard

[Kells]

Hi Richard,

I had once accepted the David Childs from Axmouth as my ancestor but since the original images of the Dorset parish records and wills became available through Ancestry I re-examined everything.

It would be more likely that the David born to Joseph and Mary nee Hurlstone died before Joseph made his will, probably in early childhood. I don't think the Yetminster family can be easily dismissed. Yetminster is only 3 miles from Melbury. When Samuel Childs married Elizabeth Mores in 1735 his parish was given as Melbury Osmond. He was baptised in Melbury in 1711.

I can't provide the image for David's baptism in Yetminster (Dec 1735) here as it won't upload, but if you do look at it closely it says David son of Samuel and Elizabeth Childs. It is part of a page which is badly smudged and right at the bottom of the page, so easily missed. It is not unusual for the eldest children to be baptised in their mother's parish so it would seem they stayed in Yetminster for a time.

The fact that Samuel and Elizabeth had sons David and Samuel brings me to a link further along the chain - my ancestors were Samuel Childs born 1774 (son of Samuel) and Elizabeth Childs born 1779 (daughter of David) who married in 1803. Despite the numerous Childs families in the area I had worked on the likely possibility of a family connection between the two and plotted the various families and their relationships. Though there are gaps in the earlier records, I am convinced that the Samuel born in 1711 who went to Yetminster to get married is the common ancestor of both my David and Samuel. The omission of David in Joseph's will is the main issue for me.

I guess you could take it either way, both are plausible. Unless anything new comes to light to add further weight to it I'll go my way for now.

Cheers,

Kelly.

[Rowetribe]

Hi Kelly,

Yes I have the Yetminster image from Findmypast. I also found the Familysearch record of Axmouth thru "http://www.archersoftware.co.uk/igi/fs-dev.htm#A".

The dorset records are not all that good compared to some of the Yorkshire records (Dade) as the give the parents and grandparents.

Did you know that the Childs were the most prolific in the 1700s but in 1988 there was only one. Thomas Edward Childs. By 1995 there was none.

I have some more info of the Childs of Melbury Osmond. It a list the occupants, buildings and dated known to have lived in the village. If you are interested I can transcribe them for you.

Cheers,
Richard

[Kells]

Hi Richard,

Quite a shame they died out given they were once so numerous. I'd be interested to see what you have if it isn't too much trouble to put together.

Thanks,

Kelly.

[Rowetribe]

Hi Kelly,

My Childs are great grandmother Emily (1848 - 1924) (widow of  Joseph Bartlett) she was the daughter of  George Childs (1822 - 1886) and Elizabeth Childs (1821 - 1870). George was the son of John Childs and Ann Bishop. Elizabeth was the daughter of Edmund Childs and Elizabeth Childs. Seems many Childs intermarried.

Families of Melbury Osmond

The dates are an indication when the person was first known to be in the parish or when they were first mentioned in a document. Does not include any Census data or all the Childs that lived in Melbury Osmond.

Chiles.         1635       Proprietor. An early Childs?
Childs, Christopher   1791
Childs, John      1794      Lived in Manor Farm Cottages.
Childs, Jane      1794      Wife of John.
Childs, Will Rowlson   1825 – 1882   A joiner. Lived in Manor Farm Cottages. Had one son 8     daughters.
Childs, Susannah   1828 – 1872   Wife of William Rowlson.
Childs, Absalom           1839 – 1904   Carpenter and “trusted man on the Estate”
One of Chapel founders.
Childs, Ellen      1845 – 1931   Wife of Absalom.
Childs, William           1841      Joiner.
Childs, Henry George   1844 – 1927   Lived at Drive End Farm. One of four brothers who worked for the Estate. Joiner. Wheelwright and and undertaker.
Childs, Elizabeth         1849 – 1933   Wife of Henry.
Childs, Fanny         died 1965           Daughter of Henry George
Childs, John         1887 – 1972   Son of Henry George. Born Drive End Farm. Lived in Rock Cottage/House. Carpenter, wheelwright, undertaker and property owner.
Childs, Bessie                    Sister of John.
Childs, Thomas          1857              Labourer.
Childs, Philip          c1840      Son of Thomas. Lived in The Nook.
Childs, Ada                    Daughter of Philip.
Childs, Edward           1857      Lived in School Cottage.
Childs, Samuel           1857      Lived in Chapel Cottage.
Childs, Isaac      1857      Lived in Little Hintock.
Childs, Jonathon   1857      Lived in Little Hintock.
Childs, Jonas      1857      Lived in Oak Cottages.
Childs, George           1857      Lived in Oak Cottages.
Childs, Edwin      1863 – 1924   Lived in The Nook.
Childs, Fanny      1851 – 1924   Wife of Edwin.
Childs, Abraham   Died 1913   Buried in same grave as his sister, Ann Pitcher.
Childs, Arthur      Died 1923
Childs, Mary      1870 – 1956   Wife of Arthur.
Childs, Henry      1875      Founder member of Chapel.
Childs, Elizabeth           1866 – 1937   
Childs, Wilf Walton   1880 – 1964   Served in WW1.
Childs, G. E.      1882
Childs, Mark      1888      Rector’s Clerk.
Childs, Charles                         Served WW1.
Childs, Herbert                         Served WW1.
Childs, Harry                    Served WW1.
Childs, George                         Served WW1. Lived in Drive End Cottages.
Childs, Ernest                    Served in WW1.
Childs, Thomas           1897      
Childs, Cyril           1898      Served In WW1.
Childs, Marjorie           1904 – 1991   
Childs, John                    Father of Arthur and Thomas Edward.
Childs, Bessie                    Wife of John. Lived 2 Townsend Cottages.
Childs, Mabel                         Daughter of John.
Childs, Annie                    Daughter of John
Childs, Arthur           1900 – 1987   Son of John. Head Gamekeeper for Lord Ilchester. Born 2 Townsend Cottages.    
Childs, Mary                    Wife of John.
Childs, Gerald                    Son of Arthur. Lived in Holywell. Last of the Melbury Childs in this area.
Childs, Thos Edward   1906 – 1985   Son of John. Gardener at Melbury House. Live in 1 Townsend    Cottage all his life, last of the Childs in the Village.
Childs, Frieda Frampton 1906 – 1985    Wife of Thomas Edward. From Dorchester.

Cheers,
Richard