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  • A few questions...

    Hi everyone

    I have a few questions about some areas of my family tree and was wondering if anyone would be able to either help or give me some pointers about where to go to research? I'm still quite new to genealogy and am frustrating myself with getting stuck and not knowing where to look haha!

    The first problem I have is one that is REALLY bugging me. I'm not sure what information you may need to help, so do ask if I miss anything out I've got back to the early 1700s of the Hitchcock family in Wiltshire, mainly Hilmarton, Goatacre and I've found that Thomas Hitchcock (which seems to have many different spellings back then, I've found Hiscox, Hiscock, Hichkock, Hitchcoks all for the same people) married Ann Jurdgin in Purton on 29-7-1719. And then the trail goes blank. I can't find a Thomas Hitchcock (with any of the surname variations) in the Purton Parish Records. There are a number of female Hitchcocks' baptism records saying "daughter of Thomas" which I'm assuming could possibly be the father of the Thomas I am tracing, but the Parish Records I'm looking at (at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre), are saying there were no records taken, for reasons they did not know, for the years 1692, 1693,1694 and I'm thinking that either he was born in those years or he was born in a different parish before his sisters. My question is, which also applies for many of the lines of my tree where I'm getting stuck, which is the best way to find an ancestor when they don't seem to be in the set of Parish Records where you are expecting them?

    Also, his wife Ann Jurdgin is a puzzler too. It says in the Parish Records 'Juram' in brackets after her name, so I presume that they didn't know how to spell her surname, or Juram is a variation of her surname? Either way, I can't find any records back of her or her family with the surnames of Jurdgin or Juram. Does anyone know the history of this surname? It seems quite unusual to me.

    My last question where I'm having some problems (although I haven't researched these on the microfiche at the history centre yet, so I may be asking a question I can find the answer to) is there a way to research the parents of illegitimate children? I had one where I have solved the mystery as my mum could remember vaguely her grandfather mentioning a surname and by process of elimination of the children of the child's grandfather, I solved it. But I have a couple on the other side of the family which I can't seem to solve. There is Henry W Taylor (1840-1920) in Hilmarton, Wilts who I found on the censuses living with his grandparents Henry (born 1794) and Elizabeth Taylor (born 1794). And on a different branch, Henry Charles Light, born 1869 in Old Sodbury, Glocs. He was also living with his grandparents on the censuses, William (1820-1882) and Mary Light (1820-1903).

    Apologies for the long post, but I would appreciate any helps, tips or pointers!

    Thanks in advance

    Selina x

  • #2
    Welcome to FTF Selina!
    You have done very well (and been lucky) to find your family so far. You have done the right thing by studying the parish record films at the Family History Centre, and not just relying on sometimes incomplete information found online.

    It can be very frustrating if there are missing years in the PRs and your man could well be one of the missing ones. Other reasons he might not be there are a mistake by the vicar/clerk who wrote it down or that he came from a different parish. The usual advice is to search through neighbouring parishes in an ever widening area .... a long job!

    Other things you can consider are to thoroughly research all the family, siblings, cousins etc in case some light is thrown. If you can visit the County Archives you might find other records for the parish and area such as wills, churchwardens' accounts, bastardy bonds etc.

    Ultimately you might have to leave them for the time being and come back fresh another time! Some people have found a breakthrough after years but many lines just stop for lack of local evidence. For example two of my lines stop in the mid 1700s because there are two men with the same name in a parish and I have found no way of deciding which one is mine!

    I don't think I've covered everything but hope there's some hints here.
    Anne

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by thelilradish View Post
      Hi everyone

      I have a few questions about some areas of my family tree and was wondering if anyone would be able to either help or give me some pointers about where to go to research? I'm still quite new to genealogy and am frustrating myself with getting stuck and not knowing where to look haha!

      The first problem I have is one that is REALLY bugging me. I'm not sure what information you may need to help, so do ask if I miss anything out I've got back to the early 1700s of the Hitchcock family in Wiltshire, mainly Hilmarton, Goatacre and I've found that Thomas Hitchcock (which seems to have many different spellings back then, I've found Hiscox, Hiscock, Hichkock, Hitchcoks all for the same people) married Ann Jurdgin in Purton on 29-7-1719. And then the trail goes blank. I can't find a Thomas Hitchcock (with any of the surname variations) in the Purton Parish Records. There are a number of female Hitchcocks' baptism records saying "daughter of Thomas" which I'm assuming could possibly be the father of the Thomas I am tracing, but the Parish Records I'm looking at (at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre), are saying there were no records taken, for reasons they did not know, for the years 1692, 1693,1694 and I'm thinking that either he was born in those years or he was born in a different parish before his sisters. My question is, which also applies for many of the lines of my tree where I'm getting stuck, which is the best way to find an ancestor when they don't seem to be in the set of Parish Records where you are expecting them?
      The obvious answer to filling in gaps in parish registers is to try the Bishops' Transcripts. They may contain listing for the missing years but there is no guarantee.
      Have you tried online at familysearch their records are often compiled from Bishops Transcripts.

      In some parishes there are up to four different copies of parish registers for a period, each containing slightly different information. There is also the slight possiblity of a day book (the book the vicar recorded baptisms, marriages & burials before recording them in the parish register at the weekend) in the parish chest.

      Originally posted by thelilradish View Post
      Also, his wife Ann Jurdgin is a puzzler too. It says in the Parish Records 'Juram' in brackets after her name, so I presume that they didn't know how to spell her surname, or Juram is a variation of her surname? Either way, I can't find any records back of her or her family with the surnames of Jurdgin or Juram. Does anyone know the history of this surname? It seems quite unusual to me.
      In medieval times there was no correct spelling of a word or name, a word was written as it sounded. It was not until printed books became commonplace that spellings were formalised.


      Originally posted by thelilradish View Post
      My last question where I'm having some problems (although I haven't researched these on the microfiche at the history centre yet, so I may be asking a question I can find the answer to) is there a way to research the parents of illegitimate children? I had one where I have solved the mystery as my mum could remember vaguely her grandfather mentioning a surname and by process of elimination of the children of the child's grandfather, I solved it. But I have a couple on the other side of the family which I can't seem to solve. There is Henry W Taylor (1840-1920) in Hilmarton, Wilts who I found on the censuses living with his grandparents Henry (born 1794) and Elizabeth Taylor (born 1794). And on a different branch, Henry Charles Light, born 1869 in Old Sodbury, Glocs. He was also living with his grandparents on the censuses, William (1820-1882) and Mary Light (1820-1903).

      Apologies for the long post, but I would appreciate any helps, tips or pointers!

      Thanks in advance

      Selina x
      Again no definitive answer.
      In many, if not most instances of a bastard birth the mother would be identified. In a number of cases the father would also be identified in the parish register, often noted as putative or other similar note.
      It is also often possible to trace the father of a bastard child by the use of Bastardy Bonds, Maintenance Orders, Filiation Orders, Sessions Papers and Registers of Securities.
      But as with so much in family history the subject of your particular search may not be mentioned.

      Cheers
      Guy
      Guy passed away October 2022

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you so much for your advice. I have started searching through neighbouring parishes and have solved one missing link so far. Not the one I wrote here about, but I'm keeping on!

        I have found the bastardy records at the History Centre but I couldn't seem to find the parish I wanted, but perhaps someone else was using them at the time so I will try again when I go next.

        Thanks again!

        Selina

        Comment


        • #5
          This may not be of any help - but I thought you should know
          Genes Reunited search box for surname
          Jurdgin = 0 results
          Juram = 6 results

          but Ann married as JARAM on familysearch
          Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.


          so Jaram = 300 results ...so I think she may have been
          Ann Jaram b 1697 at Holme upon Spalding ...she is on 11 peoples family tree on Genes Reunited

          do you think this is a possibility for your Ann JURDGIN / JURAM ??...going to find out where Holme upon Spalding is ...hopefully close to Purton ?? fingers crossed
          ADDED
          Oh dear ...Purton ,Wiltshire to Holme Upon Spalding in Yorkshire is 200 miles .....

          Ann Jaram 1697 Holme Upon Spalding ,Yorkshire
          Ann Jaram 1690 Yorkshire England ...
          Ann Jaram 1680 Middleton On The Wolds,Yorkshire

          I know it`s a long way - but I think your Ann may be one of these 3 ....
          Last edited by garstonite; 30-06-14, 07:45.
          Allan ......... researching oakes/anyon/standish/collins/hartley/barker/collins-cheshire
          oakes/tipping/ellis/jones/schacht/...garston, liverpool
          adams-shropshire/roberts-welshpool
          merrick/lewis/stringham/nicolls-herefordshire
          coxon/williamson/kay/weaver-glossop/stockport/walker-gorton

          Comment


          • #6
            Having re-read all the posts again The Ann Jaram b 1697 seems the more likely - making her 21/22 at her marriage in July 1719 ...I think you can rule out the 1680 Ann Jaram - she would be 39 when they married ....the one thing putting me off is the 200 mile difference in birth and marriage places ??...
            Allan ......... researching oakes/anyon/standish/collins/hartley/barker/collins-cheshire
            oakes/tipping/ellis/jones/schacht/...garston, liverpool
            adams-shropshire/roberts-welshpool
            merrick/lewis/stringham/nicolls-herefordshire
            coxon/williamson/kay/weaver-glossop/stockport/walker-gorton

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi garstonite,

              It's been a while since I have been on here as I have been trying to plough through other branches of my tree and give this one a break, hoping that there would be a light bulb moment when I came back to it!

              Thank you so much for all the work you went to to help solve this! I really appreciate it!

              I think you are definitely right that she may be one of these, and I am also leaning towards the Ann Jaram born in 1697.

              I would like to think that this is her, but I'm really intrigued as to how they met or why she/her family came to Wiltshire.

              Thank you again!

              Selina

              Comment


              • #8
                Sorry, I can't seem to find an Ann Jaram born in Holme upon Spalding in 1697 on Ancestry or Family Search. Was it just on Genes Reunited you found this one please?

                Comment


                • #9
                  The full name of the village is Holme (up)on Spalding Moor and it is near the town of Howden, East Yorkshire. It can be difficult to track the place on Ancestry, familysearch.org etc because sometimes it's on, other times upon. Just to confuse matters further, there is another village not too far away sometimes called Holme on the Wolds, sometimes Dalton Holme because it is associated with neighbouring South Dalton.

                  Awful long way from Wiltshire!

                  Jay
                  Last edited by Janet in Yorkshire; 20-08-14, 22:41.
                  Janet in Yorkshire



                  Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Ah thank you Jay! I shall keep searching!

                    I agree, it is a long way from Wiltshire, but if it possibly turns out to be correct, hopefully it may be an interesting story to uncover!

                    Thanks again!

                    Selina

                    Comment

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