The BEECH's

[lina]

Hi again Holly,
During ads on tv, my family also had a house named Ellenbro at Wadsley. You will find in the area two streets named after both houses. I wish more evidence would arise while I'm still around to make certain of my line back through the 1700 barrier.
Best wishes,
Lina

[WideEyedGirl]

Hi Lina,

I never saw the window but did hear about it, the church warden there told us of someone visiting the churchyard to see the window from Australia, so maybe that could have been you?

I wish you the best of luck with your research - tracing that far back is a feat in itself (here's me struggling to beat down the 1800 barrier! ). If I come across anything to do with your Ashforth's I'll send it along to you in case it's something you haven't found yet.

Best wishes,
Holly

[lina]

And all the very best in your research also Holly, you have an amazing journey before you with many emotional experiences undoubtedly. My entire family tree over all branches covers above 20000 individuals now and after 15 years of research, writing many emails and letters so therefore meeting many people I find I am more or less dabbling these days and pottering around with more far flung surnames. I am always ready to help those who have a genuine interest and a need to know those who have gone before in their ancestral line.
Take care
Lina in Australia

[WideEyedGirl]

I think my family tree has just broken 2000, and that's with about 4 years on-and-off research. I just wish I'd have started researching my family history earlier so that I could have told my grandfather who he was descended from. I just can't wait for the breakthrough in my Ashforth line now - I have so many mixed sources saying different things about Abraham's parents that I just don't know where to go. I guess part of the satisfaction of researching ancestry though is discovering what you'd never think you'd find out.

Holly

[lina]

I feel exactly the same way, in regards to my mum and dad. Seems silly that while we are children or young adults and having a full and varied life we don't seem to spare the time to think or ask questions about family our parents might refer to from time to time, or those whom are mentioned once or twice and spoken about in hushed tones. If you could tell me exactly what you have on Abraham I am quite willing to have a search for you.
Regards,
Lina

[lina]

Have been having a search Holly and probably came up with the names you have been given. Abraham was baptised in 1802 Sheffield to John and Hannah. As you probably know John had married Hannah Heaton and had subsequent children.John 1793-1817, William 1795-1869, Ann 1803, Mary 1806, Joseph 1810-1997, Henry 1815-1882.
 I am now wondering if the John who married Ann Paulden at Bradfield 1795 could be yours. I was wondering if Ann called herself Hannah when her children were being born. James was also baptised at Sheffield to John and Hannah in 1813.
On looking at the census however, I see where Harriet, Abrahams wife is from Rotherham, she is buried at Chapeltown the same as Abraham, so that marriage alone leads one to the Rotherham John and Hannah. The two James Ashforths which appear in the census in the Sheffield area one is a silver plater and the other a cabinet maker, those occupations don't seem to fit with Abraham being a fettler, whilst John married to Hannah Heaton was a table fork maker and later a nailer as we spoke about through Ancestry, so think I will leave it there.
Lina

[WideEyedGirl]

Hi Lina,

Here's what I know about John Ashforth so far;
- Abraham was baptized at Sheffield 15 September 1802, son of John Ashforth (labourer) and Hannah.
- When Abraham married Elizabeth Wild at Rotherham on 10 Aug 1840, his father John is said to be a fettler like Abraham is.
- In 1860 when Abraham married Harriet Lowe at Sheffield, John is said to be a mason, whereas Abraham is a draper living on Norfolk Street. Abraham lived all his life in Ecclesfield and Chapeltown, and died there in 1879.


The John Ashforth at Wentworth/Scholes was the one who married Hannah Heaton in Rotherham. They had John (b.1793), William (b.1795), Ann (b.1803), Mary (b.1806), Joseph (b.1810) and Henry (b.1815). John is said to be a fork maker or cutler on all the baptisms of the children at Wentworth, that's why I had my doubts when John is listed as a labourer at Sheffield.

The James Ashforth baptized at Sheffield 25th Jun 1813 was son of John and Hannah of Sheffield, where John was a baker, so this James appears not to be related to the ones at Wentworth.

Added to this, Abraham didn't use the above names for his children (it's often common to see people naming children after their siblings and parents). Abraham's children were; Hannah (b.1827), Harriet (b.1830), John (b.1833), Sarah (b.1836), Frances (b.1839), Aaron (b.1840), Alice (b.1842), Louisa (b.1846) and Elijah Thomas (b.1851).

I struggled however to find other marriages between a John Ashforth and a Hannah other than the one at Rotherham, but there must have been more if there seems to be more than one John Ashforth and Hannah in the Yorkshire area at the same time.

Holly

[lina]

Hi Holly,
Aren't I slow, it took me until my last answer to your email to remember I had had contact with you in Ancestry.I understand about Samuel and James appearing to have been born to another John and Hannah as it struck me that way on finding them born Sheffield. Now here is another angle and I'm wondering if you had thought along these lines. Could their surname have started out as Ashworth!!!!Have you ever searched in other counties as no other John and Hannah appear in the Sheffield bmd's. Have you looked in Lancashire parish clerks online, their are quite  few John Ashworths married to Hannah's, that is one option. Also Derby and Warwickshire were other areas where the name arose. As a young person our surname was regularly called to our face Ashworth and Ashford, so the possibilities are endless.
Lina

[lina]

Here is another instance of mispronunciation of the name. If you look for a William Ashworth born Worral living Bradfield in the Sheffield Records Online 1841 census [he is a male servant to Joseph Ibbotson and family] you will see on Ancestry he is shown as William Ashforth. Then also on Sheffield Records there is an Amos Ashworth, with wife Sarah and daughter Elizabeth living at Owlerton, and not many other places are closer to Chapeltown, Ecclesfield etc than Owlerton, so I reckon somewhere the name has been misspelt making your John and Hannah that much harder to find regarding where their beginnings started. If you look for Amos Ashworth and his family he can't be found in later census on Ancestry and I can't find a death or birth for him anywhere either, so he is probably part of your family who are amazing at disappearing. Must go to bed.
Lina