RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wiltshire => England => Wiltshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: mchopper on Wednesday 14 October 09 22:37 BST (UK)
-
I am trying to find the parents or any family of Joseph Pearce. He was born about 1805 in Southover, Sussex, England. He married Jane Fennell on june 6 1826 in Melksham, Wiltshire, England. Jane's parents were Charles Fennell and Rebecca Amor, but I haven't been able to locate Joseph's line. I have located nine children for them all born in Bromham. Their oldest, Mary, married William Leaper and they moved to Canada. I am descended from them. Thanks for any help you can give.
Lori
-
Hi Lori,
There is a Roger Pearce age 80, shoemaker, born Wilts, living with them in 1871 Census. He may be worth following up. Possible brother/uncle?
RG10/1913/34/12
IGI has this christening, just posting for future reference;
Joseph PIERCE
21 February 1808, Newhaven, Sussex
Parents, Joseph THOMPSET and Mary PIERCE
I would say this one is illegitimate.
I will see what I can find.
Cheers,
Trish
-
Hi, I didn't know about Roger Pearce but I think he is probably a brother of Joseph. Joseph and Mary had a son that moved to Canada and I believe he was a shoemaker as well.
I have never heard of Joseph Pierce, but I will look into that a bit.
Thanks for helping.
Lori
-
Pearce/Pierce are often interchangable.
Trish :)
-
I have done further looking and I doubt that he was born in Sussex. I think it must have been wrong in the census. I believe he was born in Wiltshire.
-
Hi again,
I think we need to back up here a bit.
May I ask if you have Marys Marriage Cert?
Does it state her Father as Joseph?
And what is his ccupation?
What is Marys year of birth?
Do you know for sure she was born Bromham, Wilts?
The Joseph you have been following always on ALL Census 1851/1881, states his POB as Southover, Sussex. On 1841 not born in County.
It is not impossible he was born Sussex and other siblings elsewhere.
Cheers,
Trish
-
I presume it is your Tree on An... and it appears you do not have 1841 census.
1841 census
Bromham, Wiltshire
HO107/1184/3/Bromham
Joseph PEARCE, 35, Cordwainer, No, not born in County
Jane, 35
Mary, 13
Joseph, 11
Elizabeth, 9
Emily, 7
Phoeby, 5
Luesa, 3
Henrietta, 2 mths
Al others born in County
( typed as transcribed)
NEXT DOOR;
Elizabeth PEARCE, 84?, Yes
Henrietta Pearce, 24, dressmaker, No
James Pearce, 25, cordwainer, Yes
Lucy Pearce, 25, Yes
Robert, 3, Yes
William, 9mths, Yes
David HAMBLEN, 55, Mason, Yes
Previous page;
Amy PEARCE, 40 and Family, occp housekeeper
Roger PEARCE, 50, Cordwainer and Family
It is likely they are all related, as Family groups often lived nearby to one another in those days.
Trish :)
-
Hi Trish, Wow, you've been busy. The tree on ancestry isn't mine, but I have seen it.
I don 't have a marriage certificate or birth cert for either Joseph Pearce or Jane Fennell. I was in contact with someone (a few years back) who had a copy of their daughters birth certificate which named them as her parents. I got Joseph's birth place from the census record as Sussex, but I started to doubt it after looking through a tree at ancestry.
Joseph was a cordwainer and a shoemaker. I have no idea what cordwainer is but I do know that he was a shoemaker. It appears that alot of the Pearce family were shoemakers. His son that came to Canada was also a shoemaker. I think it is pretty safe to say that Roger was his brother and Elizabeth was his mother. I am a bit stumped on who the other people living with Elizabeth are (in the 1841 census). Since she is listed as being 84 she would be too old to be the mother of any of them. She is mostly likely the grandmother of James and the younger ones are probably his children. Who his parents are I have no idea.
I know that Joseph and Jane were married June 6 1826 in Melksham, Wiltshire.
Their daughter Mary (born 1827 in Bromham) worked at home near Brighton where she met William Leaper whom she married and moved to New York and then Canada with. Her birthdate might have been 1824 or 1827. This information was taken from a family bible. It also stated that Joseph Pearce and Jane Fennell had two children go to Canada (Mary and Joseph) and two go to australia and New Zealand. William Leaper left the home he worked at and met Mary and worked at BUckingham Palace as a footman to a lady-in-waiting of Queen Victoria.
That is pretty much all that I know.
Lori
-
Hi Lori -
I typed in Roger Pearce, Bromham, Wiltshire a few weeks back and up came your message. I am descended from Roger Pearce/Ann Hopkins, also from Bromham, Devizes (Wiltshire). Your thoughts about Joseph and Roger being possible brothers has crossed my mind as well, but in my research I have discovered that William Pearce (wife Betty Atwood) is Rogers father and they did not have a Joseph:
Their children are as follows: Robert b. 1793 and d. 1794, Mary b. 1793?, Betty b. 1794, Ann b. 1797
Roger Pearce is married to Ann Hopkins and they have 6 children, the first son being Thomas Pearce who came to Canada and is my great-great grandfather, a cordwainer. The Pearces were all shoemakers. We were in Bromham this fall at St. Nicholas Parish where Roger Pearce is buried. I talked to Dennis Powney who looks after the geneology of the Parish and he explained that a cordwainer works with a special fine leather from Cordova, Spain and the shoemaker would have special orders from clients as well as looking after the needs of the local citizens.
In the 1850 census Thomas Pearce (m.Caroline Poole), he is 31 and she 26 along with their children Elizabeth 8 months, and Thomas 2, are living with Caroline Fennell, age 8 and listed as "cousin". And this is where you and I have a connection!!! This is the first I have heard that there were other Pearces in Canada before my Thomas arrived with his family.
I am curious about Trish using the term "next door" when writing about the 1841 census and Elizabeth Pearce, 84. How can she be sure of that fact?
What a help Trish has been in sorting through all the information.
I would love to hear from you, perhaps we can learn more from each other, there are so many questions to ask!!!
Penny
-
Hi Penny,
My email is (*) if you want to contact me.
Lori
Moderator Comment: email address removed as per RootsChat policy to prevent spam and other abuses. Please use our secure PM (personal message) system to share email addresses and other personal information. Thank You.
-
Wow, that was fast. I certainly do want to contact you, thanks for your email address. What did you think of my information?
Penny
-
Hi Lori and Penny,
I just got notification of this post and I am in Australia!
How incredibly exciting for you both to have made contact.
As this was done a while ago I will have to look at this all over again to answer your question Penny. Welcome to Rootschat ;D
But from memory I always look at Census pages before and after the people I am researching to see if there is a possible connection with names.
When I said "next door" it is probably the household right next to or very close by that is transcribed on the Census.
Back later,
Happy New Year
Trish :)
-
From 1841 census with Elizabeth aged 84ish, I am pretty sure this is James;
JAMES PEARCE
14 May 1815, Bronham, Wiltshire
Mother, BETTY
James PIERCE married LUCY BOLLAND, 27 June 1837, Sothbroom, St James, Wiltshire ( marriages were usually in Brides Parish)
So it looks like it is possible 1841 Census Elizabeth is Bettys ( born1794) Mother.
James is her Grandson and Robert/William Great/Grandsons.
-
Back to the original JOSEPH, born 1806 query;
Joseph in ALL census entries is born Southover, Sussex. That does not mean his Parents were.
1841 I have posted
1851 Joseph is born Southover,Sussex, Jane Bronham, Wilts
With them are;
Joseph, 21
Phebe, 15
Henrietta, 10
Reuben, 9
Susannah, 4
1861 he is born Southover and at home with him and Jane are;
Jane, 25
Rueben, down as 14, but image is hard to read, should be 19
1871 Still born Southover with Jane and Reuben + Roger PEARCE, 80 ( c 179) Widow, 80, Shoemaker born Bronham, Wilts***There has to be a connection somewhere but not sure yet. I presume this is you Roger Penny?
This Roger I am sure is Roger PEARCE, born 1791, Bronham, Wilts, christened 02 January 1791, Brnham.
Parents WILLIAM and BETTY
Now on the same Batch are, all with parents William/Betty;
Joseph Pearce, 1784
William Brewer Pearce, 1785
Ann Brewer Pearce, 1787
Ann Brewer Pearce, 1789 ( 1st probably died)
Roger Pearce, 1791
Robert Pearce, 1793
Betty, 1794
Ann Pearce, 1797
( you can check out exact dates of christenings yourself)
There is this Marriage;
William PEARCE
Betty PEARCE
29 May 1793
Bronham, Wiltshire
To marry it 1783 at abt 20/25 yrs old, so born c 1760 it could be the Elizabeth age 84 in 1841 Census.
Or it could be the Betty Attwood marriage you found also which is submitted.
OR to confuse you more William could have married twice!!
And also ther could have been more than one William/Betty combo having children in Bronham at the same time.
-
Christenings. All Bronham, Wiltshire
PEARCE
Parents JOSEPH/JANE
MARY Pearce, 27 January 1828
JOSEPH STAPLEFORD Pearce, 03 January 1830
ELIZABETH Pearce, 06 January 1832
PHOEBE JANE Pearce, 04 April 1836
EMILY Pearce, 02 February 1834
LOUISA Pearce, 18 April 1841
HENRIETTA Pearce, 18 April 1841
All appear on 1841 Census
REUBEN Pearce, 06 August 1843
SUSANNA BARBARA Pearce, 16 August 1846
-
Full Census entries for 1841 for the other Pearce families living nearby .
AMY PEARCE, 40, Housekeeper
William, 15, Ag lab
George, 10
Eliza, 6
Dan?, 4
All born in County
After next house;
ROGER PEARCE, 50, Cordwainer
Ann, 45
Thomas, 20
John, 15, Mason
Jane, 15
William, 13
Ann, 8
All born in County
-
I am just posting EVERYTHING I find in case we all have an ahha moment ;)
Caroline Elizabeth FENNELS
Christened, 29 January 1843, Bromham, Wiltshire
Parents JAMES Fennels and ELIZABETH
James FENNELL married Elizabeth CLIFFORD, 26 December 1842, Bromham, Wilts
Now the Marriage of Joseph and Jane Fennell is submitted.
Everything I post is EXTRACTED unless I say otherwise.
Christening;
Jane FENNELL
04 January 1809, Bromham, Wits
Parents, CHARLES and REBECCA
Ther are 13 children on batch to this couple born 1787/1813
Marriage Records on IGI are submitted#;
Charles FENNELL
Rebecca AMOR, 1786 Wiltshire, they have either 12 Feb and 20 Feb.
Charles and Rebecca have no child JAMES that I can see to be the Father of Caroline ::)
Now back to earlier query.
Is it not impossible that William and Betty had a few children in Bronham and then moved to Sussex had more and then back to Wilts???
Only 4/5 children born to a couple is not many for those times.
I wish someone with access to records could find a possible christening for Joseph abt 1806 PLEASE :) :D
-
Hi Trish and Lori:
Trish you are a fountain of information!! About my Roger; he was born in 1791 in Bromham, January 02 to William Pearce and Betty Attwood. They were married January 26, 1789, she was a widow and he was a widower, so you were right, they did marry twice. I have a copy of their marriage certificate and Rogers baptismal which I sent for some time ago. The interesting thing is your information about Joseph 1784, William Brewer 1785 and Ann Brewer 1789. This is new information to me, leading me to wonder if these children were from his first marriage (is it a stretch to think they might be Betty's from her first marriage - although why the Brewer)? The second William/Betty Pearce marriage in Bromham - May 29, 1793 I believe is not mine.
I had a professional geneologist do a little research for me last fall and neither he nor I could find a first marriage for Betty, we don't know if Attwood is her married or maiden name or whether she is from the area (although on the marriage certificate it states Betty Attwood of the Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Devizes).
My dates somewhat coincide with yours as well:
Robert b. Apr. 2, 1793
d. June 1, 1794
Mary b. 1793 (a twin to Robert?)
Betty b. 1794
Ann b. 1797
A curious situation is that my Roger Pearce (I have his death certificate) passes away in 1877 at the residence of his nephew Joseph Pearce but his parents did not have another son who lived. This would make sense then with the information that Lori mentioned about Josephs mother's maiden name being Pearce.
I don't know how much all of this helps you Lori, but all in the aid of pulling it together I guess. I wish we knew who the parents of Joseph are!!
Keep in touch.
Penny
-
My husband is Gordon Leaper, great grandson of Wm Leaper and Mary Pearce. I have the history from when they immigrated til now. Also some I have found on line. So you Leaper and Pearce relatives write. Barb Leaper
-
I came across your thread while doing a family tree for my cousin's husband. He is a great-great grandson of Roger Pearce and Ann Putnam through his grandfather William Pearce Blake; and a great-great grandson of Joseph Stapleford Pearce and Jane Fennell through his grandmother Matilda Jane Leaper. In regards to the topics discussed here, I was unable as well to find a christening for Joseph Stapleford Pearce, but penciled in as his possible parents Joseph Stapleford and Mary Stapleford, who were married in nearby Brighton, Sussex on August 29 1803. I had William Pearce and Betty as Roger's parents, but did not have the further information on them discussed above, which I am grateful for. I went back in detail only as far as Roger and Joseph Stapleford's generation. I don't know how they were related, but I'm sure they likely were; Joseph Stapleford was back in the Bromham area in 1826 when he married Jane Fennell in nearby Melksham. Both couples lived in Bromham for the rest of their lives, and their families were obviously close; when Ann died, Roger boarded with Joseph and Jane. I'm guessing William Leper met Mary Pearce (Joseph Stapleford and Jane's daughter) at the Rectory at Ayot St. Peter's, where he was the Butler and she was the Cook in the 1851 census. They were married in November, and came to New York the next year, in company with William Pearce (Roger and Ann's son) and his wife. I was able to trace most of the children of both Roger/ Ann and Joseph Stapleford/ Jane, six of whom came to Canada and all lived near each other in the Pickering-Markham area. I was curious about the Australia/ New Zealand connection however, as I had no information in that regard. I would be glad to share the information I have; and especially to receive any further information and corrections to my information regarding the children of Roger/ Ann and Joseph Stapleford/ Jane which I would be glad to post here if anyone is still following this. Thank you, Larry
-
I should correct a typo in my previous post. It was John Pearce and his wife Elizabeth who came to Canada with William and Mary Leaper. The four children of Roger and Ann that came to Canada were Elizabeth, Thomas Hopkins, John Hopkins, and William; the two children of Joseph Stapleford and Jane were Mary, and Joseph Stapleford.