Stows in Polstead Suffolk

[lstow1983]

Hi

I am looking into my family history.  I have so far gone back to James Stow (born c.1806) who married an Anne Bugg in Polstead Suffolk.  I think James' parents were Abraham Stow (1772) and Sarah (?) and I think Abraham's parents were Francis Stow (1745) and Mary Alderton (1745).

I am a total novice at this but I think that I have this right.  I am now lost and have no idea how to go back further - I have run out of census and cannot find parent's names on birth/christenings.

I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks in advance Laura

[ribbo39]

Hi Laura,

In the Suffolk Burial Index (ex SFHS) there are these burials;
27-4-1838 Abraham Stow (66) Polstead St.Mary
9-10-1803 Mary          "    (64)       "            "
or
8-1-1811   Mary          "    (68)       "            "

On Ancestry there are some trees that are showing;
Bapt; 4-12-1739 Francis Stow s/o Abraham & Susan

Marr; 15-5-1735 Abraham Stow - M - Susan Goslyn Polstead St. Mary

There are more but i'm hesitant at this stage in case you go off the right track as there are a lot
of "Stows" around.

FindMyPast is as you know a paysite.
Ancestry.co.uk is also a paysite
alternatively you could purchase some of the CDs issued by the SuffolkFamily History Society
at this address;
http://www.suffolkfhs.co.uk/osc/index.php?cPath=31

At the moment their records start from 1754 for parish records but the burial index CD starts
in 1538.

Census records only started in 1841 with limited info in them and every 10 years, till 1911,
the contents became more and more interesting.
I hope this helps but certainly come back here and ask whenever you wish.

Alan

[smudwhisk]

While it would appear James was living in Polstead at the time of his marriage to Anne Bugg, he wasn't baptised there and there are no children to an Abraham or Sarah in the parish between 1793 and 1813.

However, the 1851 and 1861 Census both list his birthplace as Glemsford, so you actually need to check the Glemsford parish registers for him.  While familysearch only has one entry for a Stow baptised in Glemsford, William in 1808 to Abraham and Sarah, that doesn't mean that he wasn't baptised in there because familysearch is notorious for being incomplete even for parishes they have transcribed.  This will mean you need to get the parish registers checked for a baptism for James.  I don't have access to Glemsford.

There are Stow's in Polstead having children in the early 1800s, Joseph, John and Samuel, and they may be related but you would need to find a link.  There is on the 1861 Census a Sarah Stow widow living in Polstead born Glemsford who may well be Abraham's widow because she is resident on the 1851 Census with her married daughter Jane who familysearch are showing as being baptised in Polstead.

It is also possible James was baptised in a parish between Glemsford and Polstead.  If you are unable to access one of the Suffolk Records Offices, you could, as ribbo39 has already mentioned, purchase some of Suffolk Family History Society's baptism indexes to see if you can find James on one of those in an area between Glemsford and Polstead.  The site has a map showing which CDs relate to which deaneries in the county and where they are so you can see which cover the area between Glemsford and Polstead.

Once you've confirmed definitely who James' parents were, you can then work backwards from his parents.  But you do need to confirm he was the son of Abraham and Sarah before looking at them.

[stowe88]

hi, I hope we can help each other out. I have traced my Stow(e) line back to Polstead in 1560. I have hit a wall with finding the parents of Clement. Drop me an email if you would like the tree. Its fascinating.  matthew.stowe88@outlook.com