Results of Research at Salt Lake City - 6 April 2008

I continued with the Milton Abbas Poor Law Records and learned a little about the Norris family (John Arnold married Hannah Norris 5 July 1751 at Milton Abbas). Hannah's father was John and definitely not mentioned on this Poor Law Record but the Poor Law Record of 1667 thus far in transcription lists Christopher Norris and the Protestation Returns of 1641-2 list Christopher Norris, George Norris, Leonard Norris and William Norris. A Francis Arnold is listed on the 1696 Poor Law Rate and the 1641-42 Protestation Return lists David Arnold, Henry Arnold Gent, Henry Arnold, John Arnold, Richard Arnold and William Arnold. The father of my John Arnold was also John Arnold and his father was likely James Arnold. But I have no idea who the father of this James (bc 1668) was. Nor do I know the father of John Norris (bc 1700). I was hoping to learn more about this family at Salt Lake City as the Parish Registers have never been filmed (only the Bishops Transcripts are available and they are limited). Thus far neither of these families appears on the disbursements which is unfortunate :) They were both farmers.

I continued working on DNA studies as well. My Hampshire study has now expanded to four members. This has the potential to be very popular and will eventually occupy a lot of time I suspect. The potential for interesting observations remains very high if enough people join that can trace their ancestry back into the 1500s or earlier on paper. I do not think that I will turn people away but will put them into an Unassigned category for the moment. If their family lore says Hampshire, they may one day prove the line. If the study becomes very large I will concentrate only on the individuals with a valid paper trail in my reporting. That would also encourage people to do the paper trail and not just wait for matches.