Author Topic: William Seaman STEVENS  (Read 4229 times)

Offline taonga1

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
    • View Profile
William Seaman STEVENS
« on: Monday 21 August 17 04:23 BST (UK) »
I'm on the tail of a family line that looks like breaking one of my brick walls, but having a tricky time untangling vital records for the family.

What I most want to isolate, are the names of the 8 children of William Seaman STEVENS (b. app. 1778) and Mary Foot.  William was a composer and organist in London, and a schoolmaster at one time, at Stanstead, and Albion House in Loughton.  Mary Foot was daughter of William Foot, farmer of Charlton near Shaftesbury. 

I know their oldest son was William STEVENS, of the law firm Stevens, Wood, Wilkins and Satchell.

I know their youngest son was Francis Worrall STEVENS, who spent time in New Zealand, and returned to London where he died. 

There are at least two other William Seaman Stevens (b. 1816, 1926) who are likely to be descendants. 

Unfortunately most of the records I'm finding don't include the middle name, and without that, it seems every William Stevens married a Mary!   I can't seem to narrow down a 'family church.'

I'm working backwards from the 1830s in Loughton, Essex.

My Mary Stevens married William Messenger, and their son attended Woodford Academy.

I noticed that a Francis Worral Stevens owned the school at one point, and that his son Francis came out to New Zealand and worked alongside my Messengers for a time. 

Francis Worrall Stevens went on to be a stockbroker in London, with various little scandals, and lived at Strawberry Lodge in Carshalton.

The 1841 census has Barbara Stevens (wife of Francis Worrall Stevens) and an Ellen Stevens (a sister?) in residence at the school house, as well as son Francis in attendance.  I am hoping my Mary Stevens will prove to be his sister too.

Anyone familiar with the Stevens?

Min  :-)


My mum's family:  MESSENGER (=> NZ 1852), ROSCOE/ROSCOW, ROBINSON, GROOMBRIDGE (=> NZ 1909)
My dad's family:  WHITE, CROOK. (Devon => NZ), SCHAEFFER/SCHALFER (Eisenach, Germany), MCFADYEN (Scotland) (=> NZ 1870s)
My daughter's family:  HAILEY, WAKEFIELD (=> NZ 1850s)
My husband's family:  FLETCHER (Goole, Yorkshire => NZ),GREVERS (Wassenaar, Holland), HILL (Devon => Australia), NOTT (Australia)

Offline nannyj

  • RootsChat Aristocrat
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,102
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 August 17 09:28 BST (UK) »
Have you got them on the 1851 census which would narrow down birthplaces? Then we could check parish records?

I've found Francis worrall on 1851 which gives his birthplace and dob as about 1807 Lambeth carshalton. He married Barbara vickers in 1830 hackney.

You might be better posting this on the London board, as William and Mary's children are unlikely to be baptised in Essex?

Possibly post on Hampshire board too, as William Stevens seems to marry mary for in Hampshire 2/4/1783. Her birthdate is given as c.1763.
Jamiesons, Martins and McGonigals of Coleraine, Londonderry
and
Cullens, Grahams and Challenors of Dublin county and city.

Offline taonga1

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 August 17 10:37 BST (UK) »
Thank you - I need to get my head around the geography/counties around London!

Francis Worrall Stevens bought the school from his father in 1827, and his son Francis was apparently born in Loughton around 1833 - I'.m not sure where he might have lived before that.
My mum's family:  MESSENGER (=> NZ 1852), ROSCOE/ROSCOW, ROBINSON, GROOMBRIDGE (=> NZ 1909)
My dad's family:  WHITE, CROOK. (Devon => NZ), SCHAEFFER/SCHALFER (Eisenach, Germany), MCFADYEN (Scotland) (=> NZ 1870s)
My daughter's family:  HAILEY, WAKEFIELD (=> NZ 1850s)
My husband's family:  FLETCHER (Goole, Yorkshire => NZ),GREVERS (Wassenaar, Holland), HILL (Devon => Australia), NOTT (Australia)

Offline taonga1

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 August 17 10:57 BST (UK) »
Hmmmm - Francis Worrall Stevens gives his father's birth year as 1778, which would make a 1783 wedding not possible! 
My mum's family:  MESSENGER (=> NZ 1852), ROSCOE/ROSCOW, ROBINSON, GROOMBRIDGE (=> NZ 1909)
My dad's family:  WHITE, CROOK. (Devon => NZ), SCHAEFFER/SCHALFER (Eisenach, Germany), MCFADYEN (Scotland) (=> NZ 1870s)
My daughter's family:  HAILEY, WAKEFIELD (=> NZ 1850s)
My husband's family:  FLETCHER (Goole, Yorkshire => NZ),GREVERS (Wassenaar, Holland), HILL (Devon => Australia), NOTT (Australia)


Offline suffolk*sue

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,295
  • Catherine Sandys & Sarah Richardson,where are you?
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #4 on: Monday 21 August 17 11:15 BST (UK) »
Thank you - I need to get my head around the geography/counties around London!

Francis Worrall Stevens bought the school from his father in 1827, and his son Francis was apparently born in Loughton around 1833 - I'.m not sure where he might have lived before that.

St John the Baptist, Loughton
a child called Barbara and Francis baptised October 28th, 1833.

There is a William Stevens buried in same church 5th November,1834 aged 73 yrs.
Census information is Crown Copyright  -  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline suffolk*sue

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,295
  • Catherine Sandys & Sarah Richardson,where are you?
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #5 on: Monday 21 August 17 11:36 BST (UK) »
William Stevens married Mary Foot, by licence on 3rd April, 1783 in Berwick St John, Wiltshire. The groom's residence at the time was St George, Bloomsbury, London. Witnesses were Henry and Dorothy Amey.

The marriage license allegation says he was 22, bachelor and a gentleman,she was 20 and daughter of Sarah Foot. One of the bondsman was a William Foot.yeoman.  Nothing about Seaman as a middle name.
So this man could quite possibly be the death I found, as the approx birth year ties in.
Census information is Crown Copyright  -  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline taonga1

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #6 on: Monday 21 August 17 11:51 BST (UK) »
That sounds likely to be the right family - so Francis Worrall Stevens reported his father's birth year incorrectly, I imagine!

I think I recall that Francis Worrall ceased teaching in 1834, which may be due to his father's death/inheritance?
My mum's family:  MESSENGER (=> NZ 1852), ROSCOE/ROSCOW, ROBINSON, GROOMBRIDGE (=> NZ 1909)
My dad's family:  WHITE, CROOK. (Devon => NZ), SCHAEFFER/SCHALFER (Eisenach, Germany), MCFADYEN (Scotland) (=> NZ 1870s)
My daughter's family:  HAILEY, WAKEFIELD (=> NZ 1850s)
My husband's family:  FLETCHER (Goole, Yorkshire => NZ),GREVERS (Wassenaar, Holland), HILL (Devon => Australia), NOTT (Australia)

Offline taonga1

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 250
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #7 on: Monday 21 August 17 12:04 BST (UK) »
Just found a snippet saying that my Mary Stevens was born around 1801 and was from Waltham Cross, but unsure whether that was her birthplace, or residence at time of marriage.  Marriage date 28 Nov 1829.  This is from family papers
My mum's family:  MESSENGER (=> NZ 1852), ROSCOE/ROSCOW, ROBINSON, GROOMBRIDGE (=> NZ 1909)
My dad's family:  WHITE, CROOK. (Devon => NZ), SCHAEFFER/SCHALFER (Eisenach, Germany), MCFADYEN (Scotland) (=> NZ 1870s)
My daughter's family:  HAILEY, WAKEFIELD (=> NZ 1850s)
My husband's family:  FLETCHER (Goole, Yorkshire => NZ),GREVERS (Wassenaar, Holland), HILL (Devon => Australia), NOTT (Australia)

Offline suffolk*sue

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,295
  • Catherine Sandys & Sarah Richardson,where are you?
    • View Profile
Re: William Seaman STEVENS
« Reply #8 on: Monday 21 August 17 12:07 BST (UK) »
William Stevens, bachelor
Mary Seaman of St George, Middlesex
15th May, 1760
Witnesses
Thomas Orchard
?? Williamson
St John the Evangelist, Westminster, London
Census information is Crown Copyright  -  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk