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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Avondale16 on Tuesday 17 April 18 13:26 BST (UK)
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I have been trying (for 5+ years) to break down a 'brick-wall' in my family tree. In attempt to make a breakthrough I have been looking at a family (William & Mary Stevens) who I believe moved to Bath, Somerset in around 1818.
I have found there marriage entry in Bath from 1818 & then I have been able to trace them in the census records from 1841 to 1871 (they both died shortly after 1871) but I am failing miserably to find their baptism records. The census returns consistently gives both as born in Devizes, Wiltshire, Williams DOB is given between 1790-1792 & Mary's as 1792.
Ideally I would like to find William's baptism record as this may help prove/disprove that he is the brother of my 3 x ggf but failing that I am hoping to find Mary's record. She appears to have an unusual surname - it has has been transcribed as EAFSON & I have also tried searching for EAGSON, EAJSON, EAPSON, EAYSON & EAZSON but with no success.
From the extract attached does anyone have any other suggestions?
Any help would be much appreciated
Keith
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The middle letter looks like a ‘long s’, so I suggest Easson.
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I hadn't considered that so thanks JenB I will see what I can find
Keith
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Certainly "Easson". It's often spelt Eason - the name occurs regularly in the West Country although not common.
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Certainly "Easson". It's often spelt Eason - the name occurs regularly in the West Country although not common.
Again thanks Old Bristolian - still no luck searching under Easson or Eason - closest I can find is Easton - very strange ???
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Have you tried Esson? It's yet another variant!
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Have you tried Esson? It's yet another variant!
Thanks for the suggestion Archivos - still no luck I'm afraid. I'm beginning to think that Devizes is a red herring......
Keith
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Have you tried Esson? It's yet another variant!
Thanks for the suggestion Archivos - still no luck I'm afraid. I'm beginning to think that Devizes is a red herring......
Keith
Ah. Most frustrating. Good luck...!
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Hello Keith
Devizes for a birth place may not be a red herring at all.
If they might be Nonconformists (NC), Dissenters, Quakers or Jews, do you know if records of all the Devizes Chapels and Meeting places survive and if any Catholic Records have survived and if all are actually online.
Some early Nonconformist (NC) records don't survive and this is probably the major headache for some of us stuck, when we go into the period before the first Census of 1841. I believe NC, may be my problem.
There are specialist Libraries, like the Dr Williams Library, London; the John Rylands University Library Special Collections, Manchester and others, which have some manuscript records and printed items of NC.
Sometimes C of E Visitation Surveys name some surnames who are NC in various towns.
Just because a C of E Parish Church married them, or buried them, doesn't always mean a C of E /Anglican Baptism.
Do you have their burial information and if any grave Memorial Inscription (M.I.) survives?
Surviving Wills and other documents, Tax, Land (Manor) records and Tithe Maps with Apportionment Schedules which list Owners and the main Occupier (not always helpful if the Occupier sub-lets), Enclosure Maps and Awards, can be good sources that might prove a family surname was resident. Early 19th Century Voting Polls if they owned property.
"Devizes was a hot bed for dissenters." Bit more here about the various Nonconformists (NC) in Devizes.
http://www.trustfordevizes.info/the_dissenters
Mark
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Hello Keith
Devizes for a birth place may not be a red herring at all.
If they might be Nonconformists (NC), Dissenters, Quakers or Jews, do you know if records of all the Devizes Chapels and Meeting places survive and if any Catholic Records have survived and if all are actually online.
Do you have their burial information and if any grave Memorial Inscription (M.I.) survives?
"Devizes was a hot bed for dissenters." Bit more here about the various Nonconcormists in Devizes.
http://www.trustfordevizes.info/the_dissenters
Mark
Thanks Mark - that is all useful information. I have tracked both William & Mary through to death & they are buried in Locksbrook - St Swithin's, Walcot with no M.I. As I mentioned in my original post the real reason for looking at William was to try & find a link to my 3 x ggf & the reference to Devizes being a hotbed of dissenters is interesting. My 2 x ggf on who I have plenty of information left Bath & went to London in the mid/late 1830's & by late 1850 he & another like-minded man had established a Strict Baptist Chapel in Chelsea. His obit states that his parents (my elusive 3 x ggf) were "ungodly" & I have always taken this to mean not of the SB faith.
His obit goes onto to say that he was offered a job as a bootmaker/shoemaker in London, after his master in Bath failed - again I have taken the term 'failed' as meaning went bankrupt. I checked the bankrupt register for the period & I found only one shoemaker based in Bath who went bust - a John Sloper & on looking into the Sloper family I came across baptisms for them in the Maryport Street SB Chapel in Devizes which made me wonder if he worked for Sloper was this the first influence of the SB faith on my 2 x ggf?
I think I need to look further at the NC registers.
Keith