Hi Mabel,
Many thanks for your response.
James and Keziah Lawrence / Laurence were enumerated in Goatacre, Hilmarton, Wilts, for the 1841 census, living with their children: Charles 20 and Mary 25. They were in Goatacre again, for the 1851 census, with no children.
Mary Ann Lawrence, of this topic, was the youngest daughter of William Lawrence (1767 - 1834) and of Mary Wilkins, his wife, (1776 - 1847), who were both buried in Hilmarton, after their deaths. Sorry for my earlier typo - William died in Ashbury, Berks, in 1834 and not in 1838, as I mentioned in my earlier post. This William was born in Goatacre, Hilmarton, a son of Richard Lawrence (1738 - 1813), who was also a farmer in Hilmarton.
Coming back to the James of your message, he was also born in Goatacre and lived there; he was a younger brother of William and witnessed William's marriage to Mary Wilkins, in Hilmarton, on January 5th., 1809. He is also the James Laurence of your message.
Here is a brief biographical note on this family, showing only the Lawrences / Laurences we are discussing here.
Richard Lawrence was baptized in St. Laurence Church, Hilmarton, on December 31st., 1738. On May 23rd., 1762, in Hilmarton church, by banns, he married his first cousin Ann Lawrence. Richard was a yeoman farmer in Hilmarton till about 1763 / 64 and then in Goatacre. He was an occasional churchwarden in Hilmarton church - he signed his name Laurence in the PR. Richard 74 was buried beneath a chest tomb, with m.i., in Hilmarton churchyard, on September 2nd., 1813. Ann Lawrence 77, widow, was buried in Hilmarton churchyard, on February 27th., 1818. Richard and Ann had issue, all baptized in Hilmarton:
3. William Lawrence, son of Richard and Ann Lawrence, born in Goatacre and baptized in St. Laurence Church, Hilmarton, on September 20th., 1767. William was a yeoman farmer in Hilmarton, Bignol. William Lawrence, farmer, married (3) Mary Wilkins, spinster, of Bremhill, in Bremhill, on January 5th., 1809, by licence, in the presence of James Lawrence and Mary Wilkins; About 1822, William and Mary moved to farm in Idstone Farm, in Berkshire. William continued to farm in Beaconhill Farm, Hilmarton, till 1825. William signed his last will, in Idstone, on April 13th., 1833; he wrote a single Codicil to this will on April 29th., 1834; his will and Codicil mention Mary, his wife, his four sons: Richard, William, John and James and his two daughters Mary Ann and Sarah (will p.c.c. prob 11/1843). William 67 died in Ashbury, Berks, and was buried, with m.i., beneath a chest tomb, in Hilmarton churchyard, on September 18th., 1834. Mary 70, a widow, died in Bradenstoke, Wilts, and was buried in Hilmarton on June 19th., 1847.
8. James Lawrence, son of Richard and Ann Lawrence, born in Goatacre and baptized in Hilmarton on February 9th., 1777; James was a yeoman farmer in Goatacre and Hilmarton; he married Kerzia Alderman, both of Hilmarton, on September 26th., 1805 (BVRI-2). In the 1841 census, James Lawrence 60, farmer, and Kisiah 55 were living in Snow Hill, Goatacre, with Charles 20 and Mary 25; in the 1851 census for Hilmarton, James Laurence 73 was a retired farmer, living with Kezia only; Kezra 68 was buried in Hilmarton, from Goatacre, on August 24th., 1851; James and Kezia had issue: Mary (1813) and Charles (1818) and 3 others.
Best wishes.
Peter.
