Hodder Brick Wall

[rebeccaclaire86]

If anyone fancies a challenge, I could use some assistance!  I have a long-standing brick wall that I keep coming back to with my 4x great-grandfather Joseph Hodder, born sometime between 1800 and 1811 in Somerset (either Stringston or Dodington which are neighbouring villages in Somerset).  He gave his father’s name as John on his marriage entry, but I have been completely unable to find a baptism for Joseph, or an appropriate baptism/marriage/death of a John Hodder who could be his father in this area.

I strongly suspect he may be related to Anthony Hodder and Sarah who had children baptised in Dodington around the correct time period, but cannot prove it.

This is what I know about Joseph:

1841 in Dodington, Somerset – Aged 30, Ag Lab, born in Somerset, living with the Date family (his daughter Jane later married their son).
1843 in Nether Stowey, Somerset – Married Sarah Hall, at which time he was a full-aged bachelor living in Dodington.  His father’s name is given as John.
1845 in Dodington, Somerset – Daughter Jane Hodder is born.
1851 in Holford, Somerset – Aged 42, Ag Lab, born in Stringston, Somerset and living with wife Sarah and daughter Jane.
1859 in Bridgwater – Convicted of setting fire to a barn and was described as 48, a labourer and living in Dodington, Somerset.
1861 – in Woking Invalid Prison, Surrey – Aged 50, Ag Lab, born in Dodington, Somerset.
1863 in Bridgwater – Convicted of theft in Dodington.  Aged 63, a Labourer.
1863 in Taunton – Died in the County Gaol aged 63.

Any help on determining Joseph's parents would be hugely appreciated, I am frustrated at having such a 'recent' brick wall that I can't break through, and keep feeling as though I'm missing something!  Thanks in advance for any help

[snowball]

Hi, you may have this but Anthony and Sarah Hodder are witnesses to the marriage of John Hodder and Jane Ridler on 11/11 1813 in Lilstock (not far away).

John appears to be a farmer in Lilstock b c1781 in the 1851 census HO107/1920/500/17

No obvious death for him but the John Hodder who dies in Frome reg district in March Q 1861 is the right age (80).

Can't immediately see any children for John and Jane, though. Edit: there are a couple, in Lilstock: Robert 1814 and Anthony 1817. (Ancestry records seem to start in 1814)

Rob

[rebeccaclaire86]

Thanks Rob, I hadn't seen that couple, that looks very promising - particularly since in 1841 Joseph was living with my ancestor Richard Date whose maternal grandmother was a Ridler. The rough ages are spot on too, the date for Joseph is slightly out and his fathers occupation on his marriage was a labourer, but it still seems a reasonably good fit!

I've looked at the censuses you mentioned and noticed that in 1841 they are living with the Coles family. One of the witnesses to Joseph and Sarah's marriage was Elizabeth Coles (hard to read on the marriage certificate but the GRO transcribed it as that on their copy and I don't see what else it could be). I think she was working as a servant in the same household as Sarah Hall (Joseph's wife) on the 1841 census, so another possible link there.

Looks like the baptisms for 1813 are missing as they don't appear on Martin Southwoods transcription website either.

Thanks for taking the time to look, I think this couple is definitely a strong possibility!

[rebeccaclaire86]

A little more circumstantial evidence that seems to indicate this could be the correct family, and that the Hodder and Date families could be more linked than I had previously thought - their son Robert moved to Kensington and worked as a Tailor (he's there in the 1871 and 1881 censuses on Sutton Street).  Joseph's daughter Jane Hodder married George Date, who was also a Tailor (as were his brothers), and who also moved to Kensington.  Could just be a huge coincidence, but it's quite an interesting one!

[rebeccaclaire86]

Have just come back to this family after a bit of a break - thought I'd post on here again as I didn't want to start a new topic!  I ordered the death certificate of Jane (the wife of John Hodder, nee Ridler) in the hopes that Joseph or his wife Sarah would be the informant, but sadly that wasn't the case.  I think that John likely died in the Lunatic Asylum in Horrington, so his death certificate would likely have been registered by a member of staff.

On balance, I'm very inclined to think Joseph was the son of John and Jane as:

1) I know for certain that Joseph was born in Stringston/Dodington, and John and Jane lived in nearby Lilstock.

2) There is no other John Hodder I have found in the vicinity who could potentially be Joseph's father, and I know that John was the father of Joseph from his marriage certificate.

3) The baptisms for 1813 in Lilstock are missing - which is quite possibly when Joseph was baptised.

4) Joseph's only daughter was called Jane; none of his wife Sarah's siblings or her mother were named Jane.

5) Joseph's possible brothers lived in the same area of London that his daughter Jane moved to after her marriage.

6) John Hodder married Jane Ridler; in 1841 Joseph Hodder was living with Richard Date who was the grandson of Beatrice Ridler.  Joseph's daughter Jane later married Richard's son George, who was a tailor - the same occupation as her possible Hodder uncles.

I feel so certain this is the correct family - but no idea how to prove it for certain!