William Driffill b 1704,Glanford Brigg

[Geoff-E]

From my index to the marriage bond (transcribed), you can add RISLE

[NZDriffill]

Dear Debbie

Like the other contributors, I have found numerous spellings in the transcriptions of Susannah's name.  However I have used the spelling Wressell and/or Wressle as there are numerous references to combined Wressell and Driffill/Driffield families in the Lincolnshire archives.  Susannah was from a well known Quaker family in Thealby and there are many references to the Wressell family in Quaker documentation.  While I have already constructed much of the Wressell/Driffill tree, I am visiting the Lincolnshire Archives in December (from New Zealand) to pull all of the files that relate to this family group.

As you know Susannah and William married some way from home as a marriage outside 'the friends' was frowned upon and there is reference to this in some of the Quaker documentation.  William married well.  The Wressell's controlled solid landholdings and as Stephen Wressell died in 1729 leaving a widow and three daughters (the other two remaining spinsters), William Driffill ended up controlling this land. William was the first Driffill in the area of Thealby/Burton upon Stather and over the next two generations the family acquired further landholdings and their claim to specific ownership of land was confirmed when the parish was 'enclosed' in 1803.

The Thealby Wressells are descended from a veritable Quaker 'who's who'.

Christine Driffill McDonald

[Susan Flint Elmore]

Hello Debbie & Christine...

William & Susannah were my 5th great grandparents.  I have Susannah's name as Mirzel, but believe it should be some form of Wressel.  My line comes through their son, Ralph and Ann Wiliamson, and their son John and Winifred Wade.  I'm so glad to learn of the history of Susannah's family!

[NZDriffill]

Hi Susan

Thank you so much for reading our posts!  I hope that I may have some information that will be helpful to you. There are a lot of issues with Driffill family trees that have posted online and circulated and in recent months a group of dedicated Driffill researchers have been collaborating to try and sort out some of the problems in these trees. For example if you are a descendant of John Driffill and Winifred Wade, then we believe that John is not the son of Ralph and Ann Williamson - Ralph being the son of William Driffill and Susannah Wressell.  We have a compelling case with lots of hard evidence from the Lincolnshire Archives which shows that Ralph, the son of William and Susannah is mis-represented in almost all Driffill family trees.
If you have worked back through your ancestry to John Driffill (1771-1850) and his wife Winifred Wade, then you are almost certainly also a descendant of Ann Martin and Ralph Driffill of Crowle/Burton upon Stather. This Ralph is not the son of William (1704-1794) and Susannah his wife, but rather their nephew.
In most family trees, the life events of three and up to four different Ralphs  have been merged into one person which has created a great deal of confusion.
I have written a bit of discussion paper called "The Mysterious Case of the Mixed Up Ralphs" which endeavours to shed some light on this problem and includes the source evidence which hopefully separates the Ralphs.
I have endeavoured to attach my paper to this message.  I do hope that you will find this useful information and I am very happy to discuss with you any of the proposals that I have suggested in my writing.
With many blessings, Christine Driffill McDonald

[Geoff-E]

I have Susannah's name as Mirzel, but believe it should be some form of Wressel.

The register is here (right hand page).  For some reason the clerk forgot to use an upper case W, so the letter is unlike other Ws on the page. http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=711671&iid=404366