Spicer LEACH

[jaro]

Hi Can anyone help me with the parents of Spicer Leach born about 1786 in in Somerset.I am trying to find where the name Spicer came from - presumably a mothers/grandmothers maiden name at some time.Although several Spicers follow on he seems to be the earliest in this particular family.Any help would be appreciated. Regards Jarro

[DRH123]

Hi Jarro

Can't find that Spicer but there was an earlier one baptized in 1764

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/SearchResults.pl?RecordType=Baptisms&RecordID=4765958

What part of Somerset do you think your Spicer  was born in?

David

[jusnoneed]

Hi found these two

Spicer Leach bapt The Blessed Virgin Mary, East Chinnock 16 Apr 1786, parents William and Eleanor

Spicer Leach bapt St Nicholas, Dinnington 7 Dec 1764, parents Robert and Sarah

[jusnoneed]

Just did a search on FamilySearch and there are a number of links with Spicer Leach name which may help your hunt.

[jaro]

Thanks David (DRH123) & Jusnoneed ,I will follow through with the leads you have given me and hopefully will find what I want. Regards Jaro .

[wellsead]

Hi. I am also undertaking some research into Spicer Leach - with a specific interest in his daughter Mary Leach (who became Mary Wellstead). I am interested to share any information you have found about the family. I've stumbled across some information that indicates the author Jane Austen was quite likely at Spicer and Mary Leach's wedding at All Saints Church, Southampton. I am looking to research forward from Spicer to Mary Wellstead and to current relatives.

[lininberks]

Hi,  I think that Eleanor Leach (nee Petwin), the mother of Spicer Leach, died in 1798 in Southampton, and her husband William remarried a year later to Sarah Garrish. William died in 1838.  Sarah and William were my 4x Great Grandparents. 

I have some info on Spicer's ancestors and also on William's descendants.  Let me know if you want anything specific.

Intrigued to hear about the Jane Austen connection!

Linda

[wellsead]

Hi Linda

Great to hear from you. I am specifically looking into Spicer's daughter Mary (Leach, married name Wellstead). She goes on to open the first Dame School in Hedge End (village near Southampton). I am not a relative, but I live near Wellstead School which has been named after her. I am creating a little history of Mary Wellstead for the school.

I've got quite a bit of info on Mary now, although I can't find a burial record for her. There is also some confusion with another living Wellstead relative over when she died (as her sister in law was also a similar age and called Mary Ann Wellstead - I have visited that grave but cannot find Spicer's daughter).

Any info you have and are able to share would be lovely, even if I already know it, it will help me to build a bigger picture. The Jane Austen connection is as follows;

"Spicer Leach met Mary Martell and they were married in August 1808 at All Saints Church, where they would regularly attend and later send their children to the Sunday School. Notably, Jane Austen was also in attendance at All Saints Church at the time of their marriage, and was only a few years older than Spicer and Mary. Jane notes in her letters that she was most upset to miss two church services in January 1809, so we might assume she was a regular church goer. If so, perhaps she was in attendance at the wedding of Spicer and Mary Leach six months earlier. Could they even have been friends with the up and coming novelist? Perhaps the influence or admiration of such a friend would have inspired Spicer and Mary to further the education of their children?" (quotations as taken from the piece I am writing from the school).

[lininberks]

Hi again, only just found this reply, sorry for the delay!  I only recently worked out that William had been married before, so don't have too much on Spicer's branch.  William was a harnessmaker/saddler and a number of his children followed him into this business.  He was originally from East Chinnock in Somerset, and 5 of his 8 children with 1st wife Eleanor Petwin were born there.  Sometime between 1788 and 1790 the family relocated to Southampton as Eleanor had twin sons there in January 1790, both of whom sadly died when only 2 months old.  Eleanor had a further son in January 1794 but he also died at 2 months.  Of the 8 children (all boys!) born to William and Eleanor I have only found 2 who survived to adulthood, Spicer and Joseph, however I have yet to trace the 2 eldest sons, Thomas and Edward. Joseph became a painter/glazier.

Spicer had 8 children with Mary.  3 died young, but the rest survived to marry and have their own families. Mary Ann's brother John James died on the Isle of Wight in 1838 at the age of 25 leaving a widow and 3 young children.  Her brother Joseph was widowed in 1849 with 2 children - his son William is visiting with the Welsteads in the 1851 census. Sister Sarah Jane married James Leach in 1842.  There is a possibility that James may be the son of Spicer's brother Thomas, but that is yet to be confirmed.  The final brother Thomas is difficult to pin down as there are a few possibilities in the area and needs more investigation.

Do you know which death applies to Mary Ann - I haven't been able to work out which Mary Ann died when.

That's about all I have on this branch at the moment, hope it gives you some more info.

Linda