3
« on: Thursday 30 May 24 13:38 BST (UK) »
Hello PJ
The Hiram Horsfall you mention was, I think, the brother of my great grandfather, whose name was Hiram. My great grandfather, Frederick and his much younger brother James were sons of Hiram Horsfall (born Heptonstall 1810), the first of the Horsfall family to live at Whitworth. Hiram's father was Abraham (born 1786), who by 1841 had Chamber Hill farm in Briarfield, some way north of Whitworth. Abraham was born to a large family in what is now Todmorden.
Now ... Hiram (my g-g grandfather) died young in 1852 in his mid-thirties. When Hiram died his wife, Ann (Barker), was pregnant with a son, who was named Hiram after his late father. This Hiram would have been the 'Uncle Hiram' you mention. About a year later Ann remarried to a much older man called Robert Rudman, but 'your' Hiram retained the Horsfall surname. My great grandfather Frederick Matthew Horsfall was the son of Hiram and Ann. He was born in 1849 and had siblings (Anne, Thomas, Mariah) born obviously before Hiram, their father's death. After Anne's remarriage she gave birth to a son in 1855, Joseph Rudman––who was, therefore, the half brother of Frederick and 'your' Hiram.
Hope you can make sense of the above. Turning it into a diagram will help. Note that the first Hiram was born 1810, not the date given elsewhere.
Best wishes IAN