Hendersons of Bristol: Driving me crazy

[Geordie daughter]

I am trying to untangle the relationships of a group of Hendersons who lived in Bristol between the late 1730s and 1790s:
Sarah Henderson, born around 1756 according to her burial record, was "the daughter of Samuel Henderson, Esq., of Bristol" and married James Goddard of Salisbury at St. James, Bristol, in 1782. One of their sons, George Anthony Goddard, married Eliza, the daughter of Henry Browne of Bristol. Henry Browne was apprenticed as a young man to Anthony Henderson, jeweller and goldsmith (born circa 1749, based on him marrying in 1772) who I believe to be related to Sarah, but despite my best efforts, I have been unable to discover how.

All the Hendersons I have found so far were Dissenters of one sort or another (Quakers, Baptists, Methodists, etc) and records for them are patchy. There are two possible candidates for Sarah's father: Samuel Henderson the linen draper, and Samuel Henderson the sugar baker, and both were in St. James's parish at one point or another. The linen draper had "a third son" named Anthony who trained in law and was also an M.P. for Brackley, and the sugar baker had a business partner named Anthony Henderson. The latter Anthony took on apprentices Richard Henderson (c.1780) and Samuel Henderson junior (c.1783), but I cannot for the life of me figure out how they are all related, as I can't unearth any baptisms, and the few burials I have found very often only give the surname (occasionally preceded by "Mr" or "Mrs,") or just "child of X Henderson," which is incredibly unhelpful. The only marriage I can find (apart from that of Samuel junior's) is for a Samuel Henderson and a Sarah Wall in Stapleton in 1748. This Samuel may possibly be a younger brother of the Quaker James Henderson who married Rachel Dixon/Dickson at the Meeting House in 1738 - there was a witness of that name at the couple's wedding - but this is only conjecture on my part.

The only thing I have managed to establish is that neither of the Samuels is descended directly from James and Rachel, as only one of their male children survived and he married in 1768. If anyone has done some detailed research on the sugar baker Hendersons and can clarify the relationships, you'd be saving me from insanity!

[Capetown]

I suggest you search the National Archives

Just Google

a2a

which takes you to the Archives Search...

Just had a very quick look for starters.

Held by: London Metropolitan Archives : City of London, not available at The National Archives

dated: 4 November 1788

Insured: Samuel HENDERSON sen., Anthony HENDERSON and Samuel HENDERSON jnr ., Bristol, sugar refiners

Other property or occupiers: Hullins Lane, Bristol

reference: MS 11936/358/550247


---

Held at Plymouth & West Devon Record Office

1829

Declaration of Henry BROWNE (Goldsmith) of Bristol, Goldsmith, concerning pedigree of Mary HENDERSON


Appears to be a number o Prerogative Court of  Canterbury Wills of the Henderson's of Bristol - which can be read on Ancestry

HENDERSON

Anthony Esq - 14 February 1793
etc.

[Geordie daughter]

Hi Capetown (nice choice of name, btw)

The Henry Browne declaration sounds as if it might clear things up to some degree - not sure why it's held at Plymouth and West Devon R.O though!! Unfortunately I have a sub to Find My Past, not Ancestry, so can't access the Henderson wills, which is frustrating!

[sugarbakers]

Considerable evidence of the Hendersons of Bristol on Sugarbakers website ... www.mawer.clara.net/sugarhhej.html ... Samuel, Anthony, Richard, Samuel jun.

Thank you, Capetown, for nod towards wills, I've not summarised those on the website yet ... a quick glance ...
1793 Anthony , wife Sarah, brother Samuel, nephew Richard.
1804 Samuel, daughter Sarah, daughter Mary, son Richard.

1807 Sale of premises ...

TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
By Mr.STEPHENS, ON THE PREMISES,
In NELSON-STREET, late in the occupation of SAMUEL HENDERSON, Esq. (leaving Bristol)
On MONDAY the 25th of May, and the following days,
The Valuable HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, Fashionable PLATE, TABLE and BED LINEN, TABLE SERVICES of NANKEEN and other CHINA, plain and cut GLASS, elegant mahogany LIBRARY BOOK-CASE in three divisions, large and valuable collection of BOOKS by the most esteemed Authors, best editions and elegantly bound, Port Folios of curious Print and Engravings, modern Maps and Atlas by Cary, capital pair of 18 inch Globes, Telescope and Microscope, fine collection of Prints framed and glazed, &c.
Catalogues will be ready to be delivered one week preceding the sale.
N.B. The PREMISES, SUGAR-HOUSE, and extensive WAREHOUSES adjoining, to be LET. For particulars enquire of Messrs.HALL and JARMAN, Solicitors, Broad-street, Bristol. (One property.)
(Felix Farley's Bristol Journal, 25 April 1807)

[Capetown]

The Long Will of Samuel HENDERSON (Sugar Refiner)- 6 FEBRUARY 1806


A bit faint and lots of pages....

Mentions first his Son, Richard HENDERSON, then another two Sons, Samuel & Anthony - and then daughter Sarah - Wife of James GODDARD.

Another daughter: Mary HENDERSON and mentions Henry BROWN

The Declaration - dated 1829  of Henry BROWNE of Bristol, Goldsmith, concerning pedigree of MARY HENDERSON

LLOYDS BANK DEEDS AND PAPERS.  Worcester.  HENDERSON Family of Pimlico.  Declaration of Henry BROWNE of Bristol, Goldsmith, concerning pedigree of MARY HENDERSON.

(Held Plymouth and West Devon Record Office.

[Capetown]

I am trying to read the Will of ANTHONY HENDERSON Esq dated 14 February 1793 -

He mentions his Wife Sarah..... therefore he mentions :

His brother, Samuel (Sugar Baker) - Nephew: Richard HENDERSON, son of Samuel
Niece, Sarah GODDARD wife of James GODDARD

Nephew:  ? SHORT - son of my late Sister, Dorcas? SHORT

Elizabeth HENDERSON, Spinster

Letitice BROWN his Niece, wife of Henry BROWN  the Jeweller

Sister, Margaret HENDERSON, and Son's nephew: Richard HENDERSON.

and so on....

[sugarbakers]

Thanks, Capetown.  You are are right it is a long will, but proved 6 Feb 1804. It'll take me a while but I'll try to get a summary on my website asap.

... and (just seen your latest) similarly the 1793 one.

[Capetown]

Wills as so useful...

Seems some of the family went off to Pimlico!!!

Happy Hunting.

[Geordie daughter]

Thank you so, so much, both of you! I'm doing air punches right now, as you've not only begun to untangle this family, but finally given me and a fellow researcher a missing link we desperately needed: Dorcas Short nee Henderson must surely be the mother of Letitia Browne nee Short and Samuel Henderson Short. She was buried with her husband Thomas Short (one of several Thomas Shorts) at Brunswick Square Burying Ground in Bristol, but we couldn't figure out how they fitted into the family even though a "Mrs Henderson" (possibly Anthony senior's wife?) was buried in with them at a later date. Dorcas was a fair bit younger than Thomas, going by their ages at death, so she may have been a second wife. I have to nip off out shortly, but when I get back (and my head's stopped spinning), I will go through all of this properly.