Thomas Coole

[Helina]

I need some advise please. for years I have been trying to find a connection and if it was not for family trees on ancestry I would say no.

Thomas Coole 1740-1821 Gloucestershire, married to Elizabeth Sweet in 1755 St Mary Bitton, they had eight children
Ann abt 1756
Samuel abt 1757
George abt 1759
Hester 1759 died bef 1763
Betty abt 1761
Hester abt 1763
Grace abt 1765
Dinah abt 1768
I have found baptisms for 7 of the children apart from George, my Great Grandfatherx4,
Why have all the other children been baptised but not George?
Ann was baptised at Hanham Abbots St George, as was Samuel and Grace. The other four children it just says Bitton.

Have been trying to knock this brick wall for along time so any help would be appreciated.

helina

[DRH123]

Hi, you've got a complicated family there.

There appear to be two Thomases, both with wife Betty! The first clue is the baptisms on different dates in the same year, and it's confirmed by them being shown as from different hamlets.

Ann 1759 d. Thomas Cool of Oldland
Betty 1761 d. Thomas and Betty Cool of Oldland

Hester 1759 d. Thomas Cooll of Hanham
William 1761 d. Thomas and Betty Coole of Hanham

The others that I can see are

Oldland
Hester 1763
Grace 1765

Hanham
Samuel 1757
Dinah 1768

(All actually baptised at Hanham, but also shown in the Bitton records. Hanham and Oldland were both in Bitton parish.)

However, I can't see a baptism for George. What evidence is there that he came from this area, and of his family?

David

[Helina]

Thank you David for looking

Yes that is the trouble, I can go back to 1804 to George Coole born George Coole born about 1779, back to 1838 with certificates etc otherwise nothing.  A Great Aunt many years ago when I was not interested said the Coole family came over from Ireland but when or if?  But I know my father back in 1937 went over to Ireland looking at family graves.

I would like to know for certain but all I can see is a large brick wall.

helina

[DRH123]

Have you seen the will of Hannah Coole, spinster of Bristol. Written 1792, proved 1808?

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/4294/images/41513_326957__0002-00044?pId=120474

She names several brothers and sisters, including a Thomas who has daughters Elizabeth Green, Ann Cains, Ester Hunter, Grace Coole and Dinah Coole. That makes the two Thomases idea look much less likely, but the strange baptism pattern harder to explain.

Thomas also has a grandson George (parents not given) and Hannah's brother George has a son George, both candidates for your missing ancestor.

There appear to have been Cools in Bitton well before 1700 and in the wider Bristol/ South Glos. area  before 1600 but that doesn't rule out an Irish connection.

[Helina]

Yes David, I have a copy of that will, there are only possibilities. George born 1759 married Elizabeth Austin, they had a son called George born 1779, could be the grandson but who knows
Thanks
helina

[Girl Guide]

Intrigued to note that Thomas was only 15 when he married Elizabeth.  Certainly started young in those days.

[DRH123]

He was probably older. The will of an Isaac Cool which was proved 1740 includes his grandson Thomas, son of his son Issac. It looks likely that this is the same Thomas. I suspect someone entered that into their tree as born before 1740, someone copied that carelessly, dropping the "before". and another 200 or more have recklessly copied that. Actually the will was written 5 years earlier, so that Thomas was definitely born before 1736!

David