Hodgkiss/Hodgkinson

[Rachel H]

Hi,
Is anyone else researching the Hodgkiss family that lived in the Brewood/Bishop's Wood area of Staffordshire in the early 1800s? I've traced my ancestors back to my 3x great grandparents Aaron and Mary Hodgkiss, born circa 1825. They later changed their surname to Hodgkinson so it's taken me a while to discover them. They married in 1858 after they had already had several children (Keziah, William, Mary, Ellen, Sara, Ann and Charlotte) and although the children all have Hodgkiss on their birth records Aaron/Mary, their son William and Aaron's brother, James,  all use Hodgkinson on the censuses and William (my gg grandfather) uses Hodgkinson on his marriage certificate and we have been Hodgkinsons ever since. By the mid 1800s they're living in Penkridge and late 1800s Rugeley. They often give their trade as besom makers before working at the coal mines in the late 1800s.

I'm now trying to find records for Aaron's parents. I know their names are James and Kerenhappuch. I'd also like to find Mary's parents. Her maiden and married name are both Hodgkiss and her father was called William.

Hope someone out there can help as I'm now stuck. I have heard that they may originate/be gypsy families but I haven't had chance to look into this yet.

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
I'm not related but I like a challenge.
As you probably know
Aaron Hodgkiss was baptised at Brewood 17 Oct 1824 s of James and Kerenhappuch besom maker.
Daughter Maria 3.6.1827-25.9.1823 age 6 of Bishops Wood,other sons Henry 30.1.1820 and James 4.11.1821 as Hodgkins.

It looks like James is on the 1841 census
Jones Lane Brewood
James Hodgkiss 70  besom maker y
Mary 70 n
So it looks like Kerenhappuch has died between 1827 and 1841.
And there is a burial for a Kerenhappuch 4.6.1827 at Brewood but supposedly 8 mths.

James Hodgkins seems to die Mar 1844 Penkridge age 74. ref Vol 17 page 98

In 1840 on the tithe map he is renting a house and garden of Abraham Bright, in the north of the village.

The wife seems to be a bit of a mystery as there are earlier children for a James and Mary Hodgkiss at Brewood
John 7.2.1813 Wyrley
Mary Ann 6.6.1813 Crateford shoemaker
Harriet 25 Sep 1814 shoemaker
James 24 Sep 1815 Crateford shoemaker

Of course they could be a separate couple.
It seems strange that James and K only had  children 1820-1827 if he was born in 1770.Surely she would have to be a lot younger than him and perhaps a second wife.
I can't seem to find any marriages for James.

The obvious baptism for James is at Cannock St Luke
James  son of Arthur Hodgkins of Cheslyn Hay 19 May 1765.
Arthur  seems to move a lot.
Children
Ann Hodgkiss 9.11.1745 d of Arthur and Sarah of Cheslyn Hay at Codsall
Sarah Hodgkin(son) 2.3.1753 Shenstone d of Arthur and Sarah- travelling people
(Sarah was buried at Stone 23.11.1763 d of Arthur a stranger)
Elizabeth Hodgkiss 18.8.1760 Blymhill d of Arthur and Sarah vagrants
John Hodkis s of Arthur buried Wolverhampton st Peter 4.2.1762
Elizabeth Hodgkins 19 Nov 1786 Penkridge d of Arthur

Arthur Hodgekiss s of John bapt 5.4.1729 at Church Eaton is the only baptism I can see.Which is a bit late if his daughter Ann is baptised 1745.But of course he could have been a older child when he was christened.

It's there I hit a brickwall.

As for Mary I think she was baptised at Cannock St Luke 13.8.1826 d of William and Mary Hodgkins of Cheslyn Hay pit man or potman it's hard to tell.(I'd go for pitman)
Sisters  Sarah 14.1.1816 ,Elizabeth  3.12.1820,brothers Manuel 25.9.1814 and Thomas 15.11.1829

There is also a William s of William and Elizabeth Hodgkins of Cheslyn Hay bapt at the non conf chapel 4 Mar /20 Mar 1815

Sorry but I'm really struggling to find them on the census

Ciderdrinker

[Rachel H]

Thanks for all this, Ciderdrinker, you've given me loads to look into.  I'm hoping to put what I can together and then go over to Brewood and Penkridge to have a look at the burials and church registers. Kerenhappuch does seem a bit of a mystery, like you say. I'd also seen the burial record for a Kerenhappuch aged 8 months and wondered if there was a connection, another reason to go and see in person and check if there is a headstone. I'll keep updating this thread when I get chance to get further. Thanks again for the help. I'm still learning how to look beyond basic censuses and BMD records so hope my success will improve as I progress. If anyone has any other ideas to add to what Ciderdrinker has done it'd be really welcome. Thanks again, Ciderdrinker.

[lalkav]

I've been researching a family tree for a gypsy family in the town where I live. It's very confusing as they use different surnames. Their great grandmother was Elizabeth Hodgkins (known as Black Bess) born c1815 in Wolverhampton. She then changed it to Hodgkinson, her 2 brothers that I've found also went by Hodgkinson (one was known as Jack Grapes). One of her brothers was born c1841 in Penkridge. Apparently there were 16 children. I've found baptisms where it states their abode was in a tent on Cannock Chase. They were all besom makers or hawkers. I think they were all probably part of the same family as yours.