Author Topic: Family Pedigree date and author?  (Read 1321 times)

Offline cristeen

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Family Pedigree date and author?
« on: Wednesday 12 September 18 21:48 BST (UK) »
I have a pedigree, passed down my husband's family which has been very useful as a basis for my research into his family. As to be expected, some information is accurate, some close to the truth and some downright fallacy!
I have recently been wondering who produced the document and when, so I thought you super sleuths might like another mystery :)
I have some clues. Addison Thomas Steavenson wrote to his sister in 1856 telling her that the pedigree could now be taken back to William the Conqueror and mentions that Robert Henry Allen supplied the information. I believe this to be R H Allan of Blackwell Hall, Darlington who may have had links to Bernard Burke (Peerage etc) The pedigree must date post 1874 because a property sale of that date is mentioned.
All opinions, suggestions for research welcome
Newson, Steavenson, Walker, Taylor, Dobson, Gardner, Clark, Wilson, Smith, Crossland, Goldfinch, Burnett, Hebdon, Peers, Strother, Askew, Bower, Beckwith, Patton, White, Turner, Nelson, Gilpin, Tomlinson, Thompson, Spedding, Wilkes, Carr, Butterfield, Ormandy, Wilkinson, Cocking, Glover, Pennington, Bowker, Kitching, Langhorn, Haworth, Kirkham.

Offline IJDisney

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 12 September 18 23:47 BST (UK) »
1874 is also the last life event on the chart (for the death of unmarried Ann Steavenson). One clue to dating it would be to see what dates are missing that you would expect to see (esp. the deaths of some of the later generations, or the marriages of the last generation). If the dates (or marital partners) are missing, then the chart probably predates those key events.


Offline Ruskie

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 13 September 18 01:29 BST (UK) »
Cristeen, is this piece of paper an original or a later print or copy?
Is it a single side printed piece of paper or taken from a book?

The Victorians were very interested in genealogy and were keen to trace their family back to royalty, so you are right to be suspicious of some of this. It looks to have been professionally laid out and printed, but that could have occurred at a later date.

It seems you already know that RH Allen supplied the information and the last event is in 1874, so you have answered your own question.  :) Do you think that RH Allen may have been an amateur or professional genealogist especially if he had links to Burkes?

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 13 September 18 02:08 BST (UK) »
I believe this to be R H Allan of Blackwell Hall, Darlington who may have had links to Bernard Burke (Peerage etc) The pedigree must date post 1874 because a property sale of that date is mentioned.

If I have the correct R H Allan, he died 1879, if so between 1874 & 1879?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bolckow/14849179294

Annie
South Uist, Inverness-shire, Scotland:- Bowie, Campbell, Cumming, Currie

Ireland:- Cullen, Flannigan (Derry), Donahoe/Donaghue (variants) (Cork), McCrate (Tipperary), Mellon, Tol(l)and (Donegal & Tyrone)

Newcastle-on-Tyne/Durham (Northumberland):- Harrison, Jude, Kemp, Lunn, Mellon, Robson, Stirling

Kettering, Northampton:- MacKinnon

Canada:- Callaghan, Cumming, MacPhee

"OLD GENEALOGISTS NEVER DIE - THEY JUST LOSE THEIR CENSUS"


Offline IJDisney

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 13 September 18 08:32 BST (UK) »
I wonder who commissioned the original pedigree mentioned in 1856? R.H.Allen might have started that pedigree, but I don't think he produced the actual printed one in the image if he died in 1879.

Dr. William Edward Steavenson is on the chart and mentioned twice in notes. His death is not noted, and one note says that he 'possesses a tankard', strongly implying that he was still alive when this pedigree was prepared.

He married in 1886, and his son, Archibald Graham (on the chart), was born in 1888. The pedigree must therefore post date those events. Dr. W.E.Steavenson died in 1891.

So a date of 1888-1891

Offline JohninSussex

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 13 September 18 14:11 BST (UK) »
When I have seen a family tree like that, being a fold-out insert in a printed book, it has been a book about the family in question, compiled and privately printed by a family member (traditionally one who was a vicar) so unless you can find it online (I had a quick search without success) perhaps the local library/record office would have a copy. 

Of course, without a book title it would be difficult to track down and there's always the possibility that this page is one of a number of trees in the particular book which is mainly about another branch of the family (ie the title would not contain the name Steavenson). 
Rutter, Sampson, Swinerd, Head, Redman in Kent.  Others in Cheshire, Manchester, Glos/War/Worcs.
RUTTER family and Matilda Sampson's Will:

Offline cristeen

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Re: Family Pedigree date and author?
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 15 September 18 11:43 BST (UK) »
Apologies for not replying earlier, sometimes living folk get in the way!
Thank you all for your useful suggestions. The pedigree has always been a sheet of paper, printed on one side only. I don't think it came from a book, at least I have never been aware of such a possibility. Unfortunately my father-in-law, who provided the pedigree, has just passed away and none of his children are interested enough to have enquired about it's origins.
IJDisney, I hadn't twigged that the Dr Steavenson referred to was probably W E Steavenson, I had assumed it was Robert MD Newcastle Infirmary. It would make more sense for the silver cup to be passed to the eldest son Joseph of Shantock Hall. I have wills for John Steavenson (married Elizabeth Graham) and all his children (except John jnr) and there is no mention of the cup. I do know that Elizabeth's father left her £300 on attaining 21 years or her marriage.
Rosinish, I think you have the correct Robert H Allan. I read somewhere that his father had a personal printing press at Blackwell Hall (Grange).
The statement about the family descending from Derbyshire Stevenson's is incorrect I believe (having studied three generations of wills from that family I was unable to find any links) but the family were using those COA in the 1830's so someone must have started researching at least as early as that. I thought this could have been Addison Thomas, maybe triggered by his marriage to a Strother who had a long pedigree of her own. I guess other family members continued the work so this pedigree is a collaborative effort.
As a matter of note where a capital B has been used it denotes that person's admittance to the Freemen of Berwick, usually around the age of 21, not their birth year!
Newson, Steavenson, Walker, Taylor, Dobson, Gardner, Clark, Wilson, Smith, Crossland, Goldfinch, Burnett, Hebdon, Peers, Strother, Askew, Bower, Beckwith, Patton, White, Turner, Nelson, Gilpin, Tomlinson, Thompson, Spedding, Wilkes, Carr, Butterfield, Ormandy, Wilkinson, Cocking, Glover, Pennington, Bowker, Kitching, Langhorn, Haworth, Kirkham.