Siderfin Family of West Somerset

The Siderfin family of West Somerset was one of my original one-name studies with the Guild of one name studies. I have since surrendered the study to Mark Siderfin. He has a strong interest in the family and lives ideally where it is easiest to pursue the deeper research of this family. I have sent him all of my material with the exception of emails that I received from people. All of the details that I received from the individuals is included in my work with the exception of material after 1913 for births, 1927 for marriages and 1936 for deaths. I am abiding with the restrictions of my own country in this regard. Whenever someone writes from the Siderfin family to ask me any details I shall highly recommend Mark and provide his email address to them but I would feel it was somewhat remiss of me to provide details given to me without their permission.

My own descent from the Siderfin family of West Somerset is quite far back actually as it was my 3x great grandmother. Finding her maiden name was one of my big breakthroughs along with the birthplace of her daughter Elizabeth Rew (my 2x great grandmother). If you are interested in the Siderfin family then my webpage has a copy of the book which James Sanders wrote about his mother's family in 1912. I have found a number of inaccuracies in the book (as has Mark Siderfin) and I make note of a few of them on my webpage.

http://www.kipp-blake-families.ca/elizabethmain.htm#SIDERFIN

Elizabeth Rew (daughter of Elizabeth Siderfin) was born at Bratton and baptized at Minehead. Elizabeth Siderfin was baptized  at Wootton Courtney 19 Jun 1759 and that was one of my clues for establishing just which Robert Siderfin was her father. James Sanders in his book decided that the father of Elizabeth was a very elderly Robert that does not appear to have ever married. Rather her father was Robert Siderfin son of Augustine Siderfin (teacher at Cutcombe). Robert was baptized at Cutcombe 23 Jun 1726 and buried 9 Feb 1788 at Selworthy. I have no idea at this time what he did at Selworthy but suspect he was a farmer. Still working on that information. He married Grace Kent 5 Feb 1752 at Selworthy. Likely Augustine Siderfin moved from Cutcombe to Wootton Courtney between the birth of John (elder brother to Elizabeth) and Elizabeth as John was baptized at Cutcombe and Elizabeth at Wootton Courtney. Most of the younger children were baptized at Selworthy with the exception of Ann (married to John Nurcombe) who was also baptized at Wootton Courtney. Augustine Siderfin was buried 1 Mar 1762 at Wootton Courtney.

Having solved the query as to whether or not a Robert Siderfin who was in his late 60s would have married and then had eight children I moved on to other mysteries in the book. The father of Augustine Siderfin was Robert Siderfin and his mother's first name was known to be Elizabeth. James Sanders named her as Elizabeth Blackford. However, not long after I wrote a blog about the Siderfin family I had a comment from an individual who had a will for Augustine Question who had died in October 1708 at Carhampton. In his will he mentions his daughter Elizabeth Siderfin. Just to make the connection quite solid he also kindly mentions all of his seven children who were alive at that time. Another error in the book and it clearly establishes the link between generations. I had already heard of a will by Thomasine Siderfin (widow) who also mentions her son Robert and grandsons Robert, John and Augustine. Her husband is thought to be John and that is the point where I am busy proving that John was the son of Robert Siderfin and Ursula Webber. Augustine Question's will is inset below:

Date: 29 Sep 2009
Document: Will
Source: The National Archives # 322
Date of document: 6 Jun 1707
Author: Augustine Question
Relationship: 6x great grandfather
Location: Carhampton Somerset England
Document quality: 17th century English, bold, even writing

 [In margin] T[esta]m[ent] Augustine Question

1. In the Name of God Amen
2. I Augustine Question the Elder of Rodhuish in the Parish
3. of Carhampton in the County of Somersett Gent being in
4. good and perfect mind and memory praise be given to
5. Almighty God for the same Revoking all former and
6. other Wills by me heretofore made and Legacies by me
7. given do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament
8. In writing in manner and form following that is to say first
9. and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty
10. God assuredly trusting through the meritts death and passion
11. of Jesus Christ my Saviour to receive free pardon of all my
12. Sins and Life Everlasting in the world to come And my
13. Body to be committed to the Earth from whence it was taken
14. to be decently interred in Christian burial at the discretion
15. of my Executor hereafter named And as for my worldly
16. temporal and personal Estate wherewith God hath blessed
17. me I dispose thereof in manner and form following (that
18. is to say) Imprimis I give and bequeath unto the poor of
19. the parish of Carhampton Twenty shillings and to the
20. poor of Dunsterr Twenty shillings and to the poor of
21. Withycombe Twenty shillings to be distributed to them
22. on the day of my burial. Item I do give and bequeath to my
23. Eldest Son John Question my longest Silver Quoole Item I
24. give devise and bequeath unto my Son Augustine Question
25. and to his heirs Males All those Messuages Lands
26. Tenements hereditaments and Premisses with the appurt[ance]s
27. Hereinafter mentioned (that is to say) All those six Acres
28. of Land called Prislands now in my own possession situate
29. lying and being in the parish of Carhampton in the County
30. of Somersett And all that one Tenement or Cottage Orchard
31. and Garden late in the possession of one John Budd and
32. now in my own Possession lying in the Parish of Carhampton
33. aforesaid And all that one dwelling house and Garden
34. late in the possession of one Rose Whythycombe and now in

[Page 2]
35. the possession of her Assignee or Assignes scituate in the
36. parish of Carhampton aforesaid and all those two Meadows
37. called Wythymead and Crosemead with the Close of Land
38. called Sinnersland late in the possession of one Rose
39. Whythycombe and now in my own possession lying in the
40. Parish of Carhampton aforesaid And also one other
41. Messuage or Tenement with a Garden and two Closes
42. of Land or Pasture called the Crust and Ruappe late in
43. the possession of one John Grime and now in my owne
44. Possession lying in the parish of Carham;pton aforesaid and
45. the Reversion and Remainders thereof with all and singular
46. their Appurtenances and all my deeds and writings touching
47. And concerning the same To have and to hold the same unto
48. my said Son Augustine Question and to his heirs males
49. of his Body And for default of such Issue my Will and
50. meaning is and I do give and devise all the same Messuages
51. Lands and Premisses with the Appurtenances unto my Son
52. John Question and his heirs Males of his Body And for
53. default of such Issue I do give and devise all the same
54. Messuages Lands and Premisses with the Appurtenances
55. unto my own right heirs for Ever Item I do give and
56. devise unto my said Son Augustine Question for and during
57. the term of his natural Life All my Messuages Lands
58. Tenements and hereditaments with the Appurtenances
59. situate lying and being in the parish of Dunsterr in the
60. County of Somersett and after the death or decease of my
61. said son Augustine Question my Will and meaning is and
62. I do give and devise all the same Messuages Lands
63. Tenements and Hereditaments with the Appurtenances
64. situate lying and being in the said parish of Dunster
65. and County of Somersett unto my Grandson Andrew
66. Question the son of my said Son Augustine Question and
67. to the heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten And
68. for default of such Issue I do give and devise all the same
69. Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments with
70. the Appurtances unto my said son Augustine Question
71. and to the heirs males of his Body And for default of
72. such Issue I do give and devise all the same Messuages
73. Lands Tenements and hereditaments with the Appurtances
74. unto my son John Question and to the heirs Males of his
75. Body And for default of such Issue I do give and devise
76. all the same Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments
77. with the Appurtenances lying and being in the parish of
78. Dunsterr in the County of Somersett aforesaid unto my own
79. right heirs for Ever Item I do give and bequeath unto
80. my said Son Augustine Question my Shortest Silver Poole
81. and to his wife Cecilia Question and to their seven
82. Children namely Augustine Andrew George John
83. Thomas Sarah and Susannah Questions Two shillings a
84. Peece Item I do give and bequeath to my daughter in
85. Law Mary Question Wife of my said Son John Question
86. Two shillings Item I give to my Grandson John Question

[Page 3]
87. Son of my said Son John Question my long Table Board
88. and forme now standing in the Parlour in my now dwelling
89. house Also I give unto Augustine Question Andrew
90. Question Mary Johannah Susannah and Elizabeth Questions
91. Sons and daughters of my said Son John Question Two shillings
92. each Item I give to my Son in Law Robert Siderfin five
93. shillings Also I give to my daughter Elizabeth Siderfine
94. his wife a peece of Gold of Twenty Shillings I give likewise
95. to their seven Children namely Robert John Augustine
96. Thomas Elizabeth Jane and Susannah Siderfin ten shillings
97. a peece Item I give to my daughter in Law Anne Question
98. and to her four Children namely John, Jane, Anne and
99. Susannah Questions Two shillings a peece which said Legacies
100. are to be paid in two Months after my decease by my Executor
101. Item all the Rest and Residue of my Goods and Chattles
102. Rights and Creditts as well moveable as immovable (not
103. herein before given or bequeathed) I do give and bequeath
104. unto my said son Augustine Question whom I do hereby
105. make nominate and ordain my full whole and sole Executor
106. of this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I
107. the said Augustine Question the Elder on two part of this
108. my said last Will and Testament Indented the one part
109. thereof to remain with my said Son Augustine Question and
110. is heirs Males for Ever and the other part thereof to
111. remain in the Office where the same shall be proved have
112. sett my hand and Seal this Nineteenth day of June in the
113. year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne now Queen
114. of Great Britain and the Sixth Anno d[o]mi  One Thousand
115. seven hundred and seven 1707 Augustine Question Signed
116. Sealed published and declared this to be my last Will and
117. Testament having two parts or Originals duly Executed in
118. the presence of us Thomas Prowse Mathew Escott Amos
119. Escott


My next day to work on Siderfin I will spend time looking once again at the early Manor Records to see if I can learn anything more about the Siderfin family. As well I will do my routine checks of World Connect, Ancestry and Find My Past.