Conjecture.

[coombs]

I may have made a breakthrough on my Helsdon line. As said, before 1800 it gets much harder to research ancestors and you often wonder if "Am I researching the right family?".

My ancestor was Henry Helsdon who wed Susan Riches in 1725 in Norwich. He was a widower. Not been able to trace his first marriage yet but his first wife was Elizabeth and their first child Henry was born in 1714. Henry had 3 sons call called Robert who died in infancy. With Susan he had 2 daughters called Elizabeth. He lived at All Saints, Norwich and the nearby St Peter Parmentergate. I descend from his son Dennis Helsdon born 1729.

Seems Henry liked the names Robert and Elizabeth a lot. Henry died in 1750 and left a will but only mentions wife and 3 surviving children.

Dennis married in 1752 and had children called Benjamin Helsdon, Mary, Rebecca, Robert, Dennis, Allen and Henry. St Peter Per Mountergate, Norwich.

Helsdon is a pretty rare surname and a Norfolk surname. It has some variants. In 1732 a Nicholas Helsdon wed Alice Linn and said he was of St Peter Per Mountergate, Norwich. He had children called Robert, Benjamin and Mary. Alice died in 1743 and Nicholas remarried in Horsham St Faith in 1744 I think. Horsham St Faith is just north of Norwich.

A Nicholas Helsdon was baptised in Horsham St Faith, Norfolk in 1707. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Helsdon. Not yet found a baptism earlier of a Henry yet to the same couple. An Elizabeth Helsdon was buried in St Peter Per Mountergate, Norwich in 1726.

The Henry Helsdon baptised in 1677 in North Walsham has been eliminated. He wed Elizabeth Morter in 1699 in North Walsham but I think died in 1706 and Elizabeth remarried. His children all wed in North Walsham.

A Robert Helsdon was baptised in 1685 in Stratton Strawless to Robert Helsdon. Also an Elizabeth Helsdon was baptised in Docking in 1697 to Robert and Elizabeth, and a son Robert buried that year son of Rob and Eliz. Docking though is in North west Norfolk.

I may be onto something here so will have to keep plugging away further.

[coombs]

Small update is. I found a Elizabeth Helsdon baptised in 1686 in Horsham St Faith daughter of Henry Helsdon according to FreeREG and a *ic* Helsdon buried there in 1696. Best to look at the original register next time I am in Norwich RO. So Henry Helsdon who wed Susan Riches may have been the son of Robert born c1660 or Henry born c1660. Henry did name 3 of his sons Robert Helsdon though.

It is very probably Henry Helsdon born c1690 is related to Nicholas born 1707. Could be he was his cousin or brother. Nicholas had a son Robert in 1735.

[philipsearching]

familysearch is good for Norfolk.  When parishes aren't available on the parish register pages it's worth checking on Bishops or Archdeacons Transcripts.  I found:

England - Norfolk Archdeacons Transcripts - Horsham St Faith - 1600-1812 - baptisms, marriages, burials

image 37 of 220 (1695) Rich Hellsdon was buried January ye 29

Hope this helps
Philip

[coombs]

Hi

Thanks for the info.

The Rich Hellsdon is probably a relation. Again it is the burden of proof and if they did not leave a will it can hinder the research. I shall look to see any Richard Helsdon (and variants) on IGI or FreeREG.

[coombs]

Update. Actually Horsham St Faith registers are at NRO from 1695 onwards in full and the 1698 death was Nicholas Helsdon, not Richard. The register has his name in full.

So Henry was probably baptised there c1680-1695 but AC transcripts have some gaps.