Pinhoe area - Gorfin family

[Discoveringmypast]

Hi

I'm having difficulty tracing my Gorfin ancestors prior to 1819.  My 3 x great grandfather Edward Gorfin was born 1822 and his parents were Joseph Gorfin and Mary Harper married 1819.  He had three siblings Joseph (b1820), Mary (b1825) and John (b1827) - I've found their baptism records.

I would like to find out about the ancestors of Joseph Gorfin and Mary Harper, presumably they were born around 1790-1800 in Pinhoe or close by.  (I've found a marriage for a Joseph Gorfin to Sarah Clark in 1763 but they are more likely to be his grandparents.)

Could anyone help with my search for the Gorfins or with the Devon Parish records?  I've searched in the usual places, FindMyPast and FreeReg but have only found the above.

Many thanks for your help.
Sue

[suzard]

there is a tree on A*****y which  gives Joseph Gorfin (who married mary Harper) b 1763 Pinhoe died 1842 St Thomas Devon
his parents Joseph Gorfin (1738-1814) and Sarah Clark b 1761

1841 census shows
Pinhoe Devon
Joseph Gorfin 79 N Pensioner
Mary 60 lab
Mary 16Lab
John 13 lab
all b Devon
HO107 263 30 15 5 4

then
1851
Checke? St Exeter Devon
Mary Gorfin Head w 66 pauper Pinhoe
John son U 25 Porter Pinhoe
HO107 1868 123 38

if this is the correct family then I wonder if John and Mary had been married previously??

Suz

[suzard]

It seems very likely the 1841/51 census are the correct family

1861
16 Waterloo Place Exreter St Sidwells Devon
William Gibbings Head widower 36 ag lab Devon
Thomas Joseph Gibbings son 10 Sidwell Devon
Elizabeth Gibbings daughter 3 Sidwell Devon
Mary Gorfin mother in law widow 76 Formerly dairymaid Burlescombe Devon
John Gorfin brother in law single Buck Maker? Pinhoe Devon
RG9 1393 74 48

There is a marriage reg FreeBMD Mar qtr 1851 Exeter on same page William Gibbings Mary Gorfin

son Thomas Joseph appears on 1851 census as Gibbings but it seems he was registered as Thomas Joseph Gorfin in 1850 and in later census seems to be using Gorfin surname

Suz

[Discoveringmypast]

Hi Suz

Thank you for your reply.  Yes, I think because of their ages Joseph and Mary may have been married before - perhaps Mary was widowed and Harper isn't her maiden name.

I will keep looking but it's frustrating there aren't more Gorfins in the parish registers, although I have found it's a name often incorrectly transcribed many different ways (even found it in a later census as Garfin).

Thank you again for your help.
Sue

[suzard]

Have you seen the parish register for their marriage - it won't give parents but may say bachelor or widow??

Do you know what Joseph Gorfin's occ was??

1841 has him as "N Pensioner" -I wondered if maybe he was a naval pensioner - maybe he was away a sea so never married til later in life - just guessing!!

Suz

[Discoveringmypast]

Hi Suz

I've only see the transcription of the marriage and that doesn't record the parents sadly.

Joseph's occupation was a shoemaker, it was recorded on all his chidren's baptisms.  So he may have just married late in life.

I've just made contact via my tree on another site and they may have information that goes back further than I have been able to access, so I'm hoping for some leads there.

Thank you again Suz, if you think of anything else that may help I would appreciate it.  If you are interested in how I get on, please let me know.

Kind regards
Sue

[suzard]

would be interested in any further information you may be given - it may help us to help you further

Suz

[suzard]

Hi Suz

I've only see the transcription of the marriage and that doesn't record the parents sadly.



.

Kind regards
Sue

At that time it is unlikely parents names would be in the parish pegister - usually there are just witnesses names (which can sometimes be relatives and help give more clues - but the bride and groom are often given their marital status -Bachelor/spinster/widow /widower

Suz

[suzard]

Found parish register -unfortunately it doesn't give Mary's marital status

Page 6 entry no 18
Parish of Pinhoe Devon
Marriage by banns  Vicar Thomas Bartlam A M
Joseph Gorfin of this parish Bachelor
Mary Harper of this parish
11 July 1819
Joseph and Mary "made their mark" x
Witnesses : Samuel Broom -made his mark x
Matthew Hawkes ? signed -he witnessed a marriage on the day before -maybe he was the Parish Clerk?)

Parish Records Burial Page 29 entry 231
1 Jan 1843
Joseph Gorfin of Pinhoe age 80
G Hawkins vicar

Joseph must have died at the end of Dec as his death is registered Dec qtr 1842

1861 Mary gives her p.o.b  as Burlescombe Devon

there is this baptism
parish register Burlescombe Devon
12 Jun 1785
Mary daughter of Edward & Elizabeth Harper
maybe?

Suz