Help wanted brick wall ancestor–Samuel Samson DAVIS, gunlock maker of London

[michelledennis]

My ancestor Samuel Samson Davis of Aldgate, London has been on my ‘most wanted’ list for over 20 years. I have gathered much information on his marriage, children, occupational life, and burial, but can’t find anything of his origins (birth, baptism, parentage).
I have researched all the known baptisms for Samuel/Samson DAVIS – but cannot confirm the correct one.

KNOWN FACTS
Born approximately 1781, probably in London. (from age at burial).
1803 – marriage to Betty HOLBROOK at St James, Paddington – stating he was ‘of this parish’.
1804 – 1st son Samuel born Prescot Street, Whitechapel, baptised St Mary Whitechapel.
1805 – 1818 worked Tower of London, living at 4 Upper East Smithfield, Aldgate.
1807 – 2nd son Joseph born Butlers Buildings, East Smithfield, baptised St Botolph, Aldgate
1809 - 1832 Butlers Buildings/4 Upper East Smithfield, Aldgate.
1832 – death & burial 4 Upper East Smithfield, buried at St Botolph, Aldgate.

*Samuel had a sister Ann (died 1840) who married James Keech a chemist of Deptford, Kent (1796-1846) at St Dunstan’s, Stepney on 24 July 1823. No children found. (Ann was mentioned in Samuel’s will of 1832 naming her as a guardian of his surviving 9 children).

Samuel and Betty’s children were – Samuel 1804, Joseph 1807, Sarah 1809, Elizabeth 1811, Ann 1813, Catherine 1814, Mary 1816, Samson 1818, and John 1821.
I am descended from their third son, Dr Samson Davis who immigrated with his family to Melbourne, Australia in 1852.

RESEARCH CONDUCTED
Trade & post office directories, taxation records, death duties, occupational records (apprenticeship, guild, freedom, trade, company, Tower staff records, board of ordnance), patents, newspapers, obituaries, magazines, property, insurance, will, burial, marriage, baptism of all children.
Checked Paddington St James baptisms and marriages (for his own and his parents)
Followed up possible London baptisms, but unable to confirm. (1779 St Mary Whitechapel is not him!)
FamilySearch entry regarding Samuel Samson DAVIS is my own old, incorrect entry.
Had my male line DNA tested to look for possible connections.
Checked all London wills of Samuel and Samson DAVIS in case they were his father – all ruled out!

Any advice on where else to look for his origins would be greatly appreciated!!!

Michelle Dennis
Sunbury, Victoria, Australia

[whiteout7]

Samuel Samson Davis appears here in a DNA project
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Davis?iframe=ysnp

So it does give a few clues about family relationships, perhaps you could research some close relatives an find futher clues? Interestingly a really early member of the same group came from Wales.

[michelledennis]

Thanks Whiteout7 - but that DNA listing is actually me!  Ive tried that too. cheers, Michelle

[jomcd967]

Have you had a look at this apprentice record Michelle?

Davey Samuel, son of John, to his father, 29 Sep 1794, Armourers' and Braziers' Company

Jo 

[michelledennis]

Thanks Jo - that does look very positive despite the surname difference, but we all know how wrong transcriptions can be, so definitely worth a look.  Would anyone be able to suggest how I can get a copy of this apprenticeship record? (I'm in Australia).  cheers, Michelle

[michelledennis]

Sorry - just found that apprenticeship indenture in the Freedom of the City papers on Ancestry, but definitely not the right one - this one is for Samuel Davey of St Saviours, Southwark, and Samuel definitely signs his name as Davey.  Darn it!  Thanks though Jo for the suggestion.

[Lily M]

There's a 1757 apprentice record on Findmypast for someone who has the master:  Samuel Davis - gun lock maker in Bilston, Staffordshire

But it's by no means an unusual name, so there may be no connection.

[JMB1943]

Michelle,

I think that Lily M has provided a real clue here.  There were many gun-lock & parts makers in Staffordshire, especially the Wolverhampton area, in the 1700's.  Some of these subsequently moved down to London.
A google of 'gun-lock makers in Staffordshire' brings up many old directories etc for this time period, 1700's and later.; e.g. John Sansom, gun-barrel mfr, of Wednesbury near High Bullin (Staffordshire general & commercial directory, by W. Parson and T. Bradshaw, 1818).

Another search brings up  http://www.wolverhampton-gunlocks.fslife.co.uk/ and on this site is listed
John Davies, 1719-26, gun-lock maker; at the bottom of the site are given the sources that were used to compile the list of names.

If you accept that,

1) until the last 100-150 yrs, there was no standardized spelling of names, so Davis =~ Davies
2) First-born sons were usually/often named for their father; Samuel Sansom Davis 1st son is baptised as Samuel,
3) occupations were often passed down father-to-son,
4) ~25-30 yrs between generations

Then I think that you may be able to follow the thread of a line that started in the Midlands, where a female Sansom & a male Davies married and eventually your Samuel Sansom Davis is in London for his marriage.  If John Davies is b. ~1700, then he could be the gt-grandfather of your ancestor, b.~ 1781

If you already have this info, then no harm done; if you do not, then maybe it will help.

Regards,

JMB

[JMB1943]

Looks like I have transcribed your 'Samson' into 'Sansom'.

However, still suggest that you consider birthplace in the Midlands, not just in London.

Regards,

JMB