RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Kent => England => Kent Lookup Requests => Topic started by: mongoose2 on Thursday 25 October 07 20:02 BST (UK)
-
In my research I have come across the following family living at Palm Cottage (now a social club) and I wonder if any one else has come across them
James Freidrich Schon b. abt 1804 Baden, Germany - a retired missionary
Elizabeth Catherine DRAKE (I think) b.1815 Chatham
Children
Frederick Robert Weeks Schon b.1841 d. 1889 Chatham
Harriet Cordelia Schon b.abt 1844 Sierra Leone, Africa
James Edward Schon b abt 1845 Sierra Leone
Robert Schon b. abt 1848 Sierra Leone
Sarah Alice Scon b. Q4 1850 Chatham
Charles Henry Schon Q2 1854
Fanny Eliza Schon Q4 1855 Chatham
Herbert Rheinhardt Schon Q4 1858
Specifically cannot find the christenings on CityArk and would be also interested on any info on his missionary work.
However any info would be useful. I have looked thru censii records and freeBMD.
Barry
-
You might find this interesting.
The Times, Friday, Apr 25, 1884; pg. 10; Issue 31117; col B
University Intelligence
Oxford, April 24.
A convocation was held this afternoon at 2 o'clock for the purpose of conferring the honorary degree of DCL upon the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the honorary degree of DD upon the Rev. James Frederic Schön. The house met in the Sheldonian Theatre....The honorary degree of DD was subsequently conferred upon the Rev. James Frederic Schön, who for about 30 years had been a missionary on the Niger, had translated many portions of the Bible, and who is an authority on the numerous dialects of West Africa. The Regius Professor of Divinity, in presenting him, spoke of his life as justifying his name. It was not for brilliant feats that he claimed for him the distinction, but because benefictis secretis ultro collatis humano generi profuerat. To Dr Schön also a warm reception was accorded." [Abridged.]
-
Regarding his son James Edward....
The Times, Friday, Jul 24, 1868; pg. 11; Issue 26185; col F
"Royal College of Surgeons
The following gentlemen having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, were admitted members of the College at a meeting of the Court of Examiners, on the 21st inst.viz-
[lengthy list including...]
J E Schön, Chatham, Kent, of the London and Middlesex Hospitals"
And this is an interesting one...note the initials are likely to have been a misprint
The Times Friday, Nov 30, 1877; pg. 5; Issue 29113; col F
"African Languages - The Institute of France has awarded a gold medal, "The Volney Prize," to the Rev C F Schön, of Chatham, for his valuable works in the Hansa language. Mr Schön has reduced this language, the Greek of Western Africa, to form and published a grammar and copious dictionary. This is the second time that this medal (the Volney) has been awarded to a missionary of the Church Missionary Society. It was bestowed on the Rev S Koelle, for his Polyglot of 100 African languages."
-
Thanks David I also found this.
James Frederick Schon (b c.1802) of Ober Weiler, Baden, Germany attended the Basel Seminary and, in 1831, the Church Missionary Society College. He was ordained a deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832 when he went to Sierra Leone. He accompanied the first Niger Expedition in 1841. His connection with the CMS ceased in 1853 after 20 years' service. He was renowned for his African linguistic work, particularly in Hausa, and he continued to be engaged in this work after ceasing to be a missionary. He was the author of numerous works including Journal of the Niger Expedition (1842); Vocabulary and Elements of Grammar of the Haussa Language (1843); Translations of Genesis, Exodus, the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles into the Hausa Language (1857-1861); Grammar of the Haussa Language (1862); Dictionary of the Hausa Language (1876). In 1848 he became chaplain to the Melville Hospital, Chatham. In 1877 he was awarded the Volney Prize for his linguistic work and in 1884 received an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. He died at Chatham 30 March 1889. Schon married Anne Elizabeth Nylander in 1835: she died in Sierra Leone 5 Nov 1837. In 1839 he married Cordelia Irving who died the following year. On 5 February 1841 he married Catherine White (nee Drake), the widow of James White, a CMS missionary. Catherine survived her husband, dying 26 Oct 1892. One daughter, Annie Catherine married Edward Thomas Higgens, CMS missionary in Ceylon, in 1858.
Reference: Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904, Church Missionary Society, 1905).
Now that is what I call useful. Still cant find were he had his children baptised and am a little confused by the details of the child who married as its not one of the schon's kids
Barry
-
Charles's birth?
The Times, Friday, Apr 21, 1854; pg. 1; Issue 21721; col A
"On the 19th inst. at Chatham, the wife of the Rev J F Schon, Chaplain of Melville Hospital, of a son"
-
There was an obituary in The Times, Thursday, Apr 04, 1889 (pg. 10; Issue 32664; col D). It repeats virtually everything you already know but also mentions that he was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
-
Hi Barry
Which churches did you check for the baptisms of any SCHON children?
I wonder if baptisms were performed in the chapel of the Melville Hospital?
Also, there are registers of the Royal Dockyard Church, Chatham at the Centre for Kentish Studies at Maidstone on film or fiche.
Casalguidi
-
have looked on cityark but its not easy as the indexes are not searchable by name. Have looked in dockyard church (which is now disused) to no avail
Barry
-
Did you check all the parishes on Medway Cityark ie. Brompton/Chatham/Gillingham & Rochester and do you have any idea in which church the mother was baptised - just wondering if they would have used the same church with her being local?
Did you see Frederick's baptism in 1842 at St Bride, Fleet Street, London http://www.familysearch.org
Casalguidi :)
-
didnt check all way too time consuming bearing in mind it was for a friend and had most of the info. Was trying to find a piccy of the cottage as I've been and looked and the grounds / boundary is still there but no cottage.
Barry
-
thats intersting about st brides bearing in mind the kiddies should have been babtised in the garrison church and thats the place they werent found.
-
I've had a look on cityark and found the following baptisms:
Herbert Reinhart son of James Frederick & Elizabeth Catherine SCHON of 8 Gibraltar Place, Chatham (clergyman) baptised 18 Jun 1858 St John Chatham (born 1 April)
Fany Eliza dau of James Frederick & Elizabeth Catherine SCHON of 8 Gibraltar Place, Chatham (clergyman) baptised St John, Chatham 27 Jun 1856.
Charles Henry son of James Frederick & Elizabeth Catherine SCHON of 8 Gibraltar Place, Chatham (clergyman) baptised St John, Chatham 13 Aug 1854.
Sarah Alice dau of James Frederick & Elizabeth Catherine SCHON of 8 Gibraltar Place, Chatham (clergyman) baptised St John, Chatham 1 Jan 1853.
Casalguidi :)
-
which church Casa as I spent 2 hours going thru cityark.
Thanks for this
Barry
Oops forget that I wish I could read lol
-
Have just found another sibling, Emily Cooke SCHON, baptised at Brompton 13 Apr 1850 http://www.rootschat.com/links/02dj/
Casalguidi :)
-
Thanks Casa
shame old brompton only goes back to 1848 (end of) there are 3 more children
Robert b. 1848
James Edward b abt 1845 and
Harriet Cordelia abt 1844.
I've looked back to beginning of Old Brompton not there.
Barry
-
Hi Barry, this could be the previously unknown daughter that is mentioned in the biography you found:
1851 census - 13, 14, 15 Milner Square, Islington, Middlesex
Annie C SCKON (written with the two "dots" over the "o" as in German) inmate 14 missionary's child b.Sierra Leone, West Africa (British subject)
The property appears to be a home for the children of missionarys (head Samuel H UNWIN) HO107/1499 folio 127 page 5
If her age and the dates in the biography are correct then she looks to have been a daughter by James' first wife.
..............................
I wonder if the other children could have been baptised where they were born rather than Chatham/Brompton (I haven't checked all the registers on Cityark)? 1851 gives Robert as being born in Staffordshire ie.
1851 - Melville Hospital, Chatham
Elizabeth DRAKE wife mar 55 b.Rochester Kent
Frederick R W N SCHON grandson 9 b.Chatham
Robert grandson 3 b.Brown Edge, Staffordshire
+ 1 servant.
HO107/1611 folio 355 page 20
Casalguidi :)
-
Robert's baptism was at Brown Edge http://www.familysearch.org
Just enter "Robert" as the forename with batch number C166431 into the IGI search box ;)
Casalguidi :)
-
casa the two missing children were both born Sierra Leone so wont be babtised here.
Barry
-
Thanks David I also found this.
James Frederick Schon (b c.1802) of Ober Weiler, Baden, Germany attended the Basel Seminary and, in 1831, the Church Missionary Society College. He was ordained a deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832 when he went to Sierra Leone. He accompanied the first Niger Expedition in 1841. His connection with the CMS ceased in 1853 after 20 years' service. He was renowned for his African linguistic work, particularly in Hausa, and he continued to be engaged in this work after ceasing to be a missionary. He was the author of numerous works including Journal of the Niger Expedition (1842); Vocabulary and Elements of Grammar of the Haussa Language (1843); Translations of Genesis, Exodus, the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles into the Hausa Language (1857-1861); Grammar of the Haussa Language (1862); Dictionary of the Hausa Language (1876). In 1848 he became chaplain to the Melville Hospital, Chatham. In 1877 he was awarded the Volney Prize for his linguistic work and in 1884 received an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. He died at Chatham 30 March 1889. Schon married Anne Elizabeth Nylander in 1835: she died in Sierra Leone 5 Nov 1837. In 1839 he married Cordelia Irving who died the following year. On 5 February 1841 he married Catherine White (nee Drake), the widow of James White, a CMS missionary. Catherine survived her husband, dying 26 Oct 1892. One daughter, Annie Catherine married Edward Thomas Higgens, CMS missionary in Ceylon, in 1858.
Reference: Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904, Church Missionary Society, 1905).
Now that is what I call useful. Still cant find were he had his children baptised and am a little confused by the details of the child who married as its not one of the schon's kids
Barry
Hello Barry
Sorry about my error on the post
I was trying to send an additional links on records of fiche available for this family. unfortunately it would not allow me to copy and pase details on here . I have had no trouble in the past on this site and others.
Yes Barry certainly a first class post.
Regards with apologies
Raphael
UK & Germany
-
as as added bit of interest Annie C schon marries Edward T Higgens in Ceylon in 1858 I have found them back in the country in 1881 ( annie and the kids no Edward) and finally in 1901. Edward shows living with Annie in 1901 less than 2 miles from where James lived in Gillingham. He is born around 1825 in Snodland just South of where they end up in 1901.
Barry
-
I appreciate that I am 13 years late to this thread :) However, in the unlikely chance that the original posters revisit the thread:
Queen Victoria's god-daughter, Sara Forbes Bonetta, freed as a child from slavery in Benin, lived with the Schon family at Palm Cottage:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Forbes_Bonetta?fbclid=IwAR0azafxXZZmJoXQ62tEy-mm09yJHQEiJqnQwg2W5qG_rVBiS3Y0Em-X3j0 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Forbes_Bonetta?fbclid=IwAR0azafxXZZmJoXQ62tEy-mm09yJHQEiJqnQwg2W5qG_rVBiS3Y0Em-X3j0)