Derbyshire Quakers - Monyash Ashford Meeting

[Designer Jeans]

George Wood (born 1625 Bonsall) is said to have married Hannah Quick in Matlock in 1658 as recorded in the Monyash Ashford Meeting of Quakers.  George and Hannah emigrated to America in 1682 where they helped to found Darby County.  With them was Richard Bonsall, his wife Mary (dau of Geo and Hannah) and their daughter Abigail. 

I am seeking any info on Richard Bonsall of Mouldridge, his marriage, birth of Abigail, birth/death of other children and his whereabouts prior to 1682.  Where can I access Monyash Ashford Meeting records for this period?

Help and suggestions would be very much appreciated.  Many thanks.

[hepburn]

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01s8y/

Have you seen this have this info'?

[Designer Jeans]

Thanks for responding.  Yes, I have seen it.  Once Richard Bonsall gets to Pennysylvania there is a wealth of information about him and his descendants.  His life in Derbyshire is still largely unknown although there is masses of misinformation online.  I am trying to piece his early timeline together, but feel my best hope of info is the Monyash Ashford Meeting records, but I don't know where they are or whether I can have access.  There are two records of Richard when he went to America, one has his origin as Ashford, the other as Mouldridge.  Ideally I need his marriage and birth of his children.

[hanes teulu]

Cannot contribute to the Richard Bonsall request but did spot reference to George Wood playing "an obscure role" in the 1782-83 Pennsylvania Assembly.

He was elected member for Chester County at the assembly which met Philadelphia, Twelfth Day of the First Month 1782-3 ("First mo. 12, 1783").

"First mo. 13 and 14" - these two days were taken up with a lot of discussion about absenteeism from the sessions and it was decided offenders were to be fined and any future absence had to be approved by the House.
"First mo. 15" - the first offenders were fined for absenteeism.

Wonder what was so important the next day when -

"First mo. 16 - John Blunston and George Wood, two members of the House, desire that they may have Liberty of the House to depart for two Days, which was accordingly granted them."

"Second mo. 3" - the House adjourned. No mention of George and John not returning but 2 members were fined £5 having not turned up at all - a tidy sum..

So, your distant "rellie" might be said to have achieved a first under the newly introduced absence rules!

He appears again in the House from "Eight mo. 24, 1783" but disappears by the next assembly held "Third mo. 10, 1784"

[Watson]

The Derbyshire Record Society has published Derbyshire Hearth Tax Assessments 1662–1670, which might help you find the whereabouts of Richard Bonsall, if he was in the county.

Quaker records should be deposited at the National Archives and I think they are on-line and indexed by Ancestry.

[hanes teulu]

These may have some pointers -
https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/subject-guide-genealogy-2019
https://www.qfhs.co.uk/public_html/research.htm

[goldie61]

This site also has a lot of information if you've not seen it.
http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~mbonsal/genealogy/bonsal/notes.html

They seem to have found what evidence there is................., although it doesn't look like they have found the Quaker records back in Derbyshire.

Richard Bonsall was said to have been baptised 17 March 1641 at Hartington.
Here is his baptism if you've not seen it.

You'll find a lot of people from this area went to Hartington church, or sometimes Alstonefield.
I have people who move about from one to the other - it worth checking both.
Familysearch have the registers, and you can view them for free at home as long as you're signed in.

Unfortunately I can't see any wills for these people either on findmypast or TNA, which would have been very handy.

Have you searched The National Archives Discovery site?
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
You could try seeing if they hold Quaker records, or know where they might be.
You could also search for the Bonsall family in Derbyshire - unfortunately you'll have to weed out all those hits that come up with the name of the place Bonsall in them.
This is an interesting one -
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5914826
The family would seem to go a long way back in this part of Derbyshire - here a Richard Bonsall of Heathcote, (where the family is said to come from),  is 70 years old in 1562...............

The National Archives also hold, or will tell you where they are, lots of manor court records.
It may be worth looking at the Manorial records for Hartington/ Alstonefield/ Ashford to see if any of these people are mentioned.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/manor-search

[Dizzifish]

Just in case this is of use...

"Unfortunately I can't see any wills for these people either on findmypast or TNA, which would have been very handy.

"

There are quite a few Wills on FindMyPast which might be of interest ? =

Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate 1521-1860

Roger Bonsall - 1559 - Hartington, Derbyshire.
16 in Alstonfield. - year 1631  to 1850 ..... a few named Richard Bonsall from there.

added: https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/site-elements/documents/pdf/leisure/record-office/nonconformist-guide.pdf

[goldie61]

I think I was looking specifically for the Bonsalls for whom there were death dates given - my brain was in overload by the time I got to looking for wills!
You're right of course Dizzifish.
There may be wills of other members of the family which might give some information -
"to my brother Richard in America" would be the best thing to find!
Most Derbyshire wills were proved at Lichfield, and these are on findmypast as you say.
At least most of them are.
There is another index of Lichfield wills here - this is taken from the actual Lichfield wills at what used to be Lichfield Record Office, but has now moved to Stafford:
https://www.staffsnameindexes.org.uk/default.aspx?Index=C
Occasionally you find wills on this which haven't made it onto findmypast - I think those proved at 'peculiar' courts.
I see there is a will for a Mary Bonsall of Heathcote, Hartington, widow, in 1725 listed on this index, proved at the Dean of Hartington court.
I can't see it on findmypast.
It may be a good idea to send for it.
There may be others on this names index.