My surname interst, DOWSE/DOUST/DOUSE & STILEMAN

[GeoffTurner]

Hi, a group of fellow descendants and I are researching Isaac Dowse/Douse (b Keevil 1774). He was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey on 28 May 1800 for stealing a horse, and sentenced to death, but this was later commuted to transportation to Port Jackson for life. The court case is here. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?div=t18000528-93 He was quite an accomplished brickmaker in NSW before dying in 1853. He was my 4 x great grandfather. Of course it is harder for us in Australia to research these things but I have his parents as William Douse/Dowse 1736-1822) and Ann Jefferies (1743-1821). All I have for Ann is a father, Langley Jeffryes, b 1725, and mother, Mary Matthews, b 1720. But for William I have father Robert (1714-1790) and mother Alice Alexander (1702-1739). Robert's father I have as another Robert (1684-1727) and his mother as Sarah Sloper (b 1685). Robert's father I have as William (b 1660). Alice Alexander's parents I have as William Alexander, b 1671, and Mary Larence (Laurence) b 1675. I also have some antecedents for Sarah Sloper. I must emphasise that none of this comes from primary sources, it is all from things we have gleaned from the internet from here in Australia, but if if it looks OK feel free to grab it, or query it, or ignore it. Or I'll happily answer any questions. Geoff Turner     

[KirstenB]

Hello Geoff. It's good to hear from you on this thread. As you may have seen from previous messages there are quite a few of us researching the Douse and associated families from Wiltshire. I run a web site for the name and if you would like to contact me through that I can add more https://sites.google.com/site/dousefamilyhistorygroup/ . There are about 30 of us across the world with Douse links. For now I am a descendant of William Douse and Ann Jefferies through their son William born in 1766 he was my 4x great grandfather.
I have looked before at the suggestion that Isaac Douse born abt 1774 is the one convicted of horse stealing and transported. I haven't had time today to go back over the records but anything else you have on this would be interesting. We also have in the group a number of people who have done a an autosomal DNA test. Although this far back to a link we may not get a match it would be intersting to know if any of you have tested. If you are intersted in more about the Douse family and to get our newsletter etc. do reply here and if you can send me an email through our site. Kind regards, Kirsen

[GeoffTurner]

Hi Kirsten, I have sent you an email so if you don't get it let me know and I'll post it in here. On Isaac Dowse the convicted horse thief's cemetery record in Campbelltown NSW in 1853 his parents are listed as William Dowse and Ann Jefferies, so I think that has to make him the brother of your William (b 1766). I have done a DNA test through Ancestry.com but our first common ancestors would be our 5 x great grandparents so I wouldn't expect a close relationship to show up. Other descendants in Australia have taken the test as well but the same would apply to them, I think. Geoff Turner

[ramrecycle]

Hi, I'm Paul Gardner from Minnesota, USA, and I'm descended from Robert Jefferies of the Keevil/Bulkington area of Wiltshire through his son Phineas. I wouldn't be surprised if Ann Jefferies is a sibling or at least a cousin of my Robert. Just posting here for the record.

[youngtug]

Ancestry have the Wiltshire PRs to view; https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/61189/