Jane Hilton (1739 - 1824)

52 Ancestor Challenge - Challenge 46

Blake, King, Coleman, Pearce, Farmer, Mary (unknown), Lambden, Sarah (unknown), Knight, Ellis, Knight, Vincent, Butt, O'Ford, Arnold, Molton, Cotterell, Bartlett, Alderman, Shepherd, Sherwood, Elizabeth (unknown), Happerfield, Collins, Rawlings, Tanner, Dove, Morgan, Lywood, Lanham, unknown, Peck, Pincombe, Charley, Rowcliffe, Pearse, Rew, Moggridge, Siderfin, Kent, Gray, Hilton, Cobb, Sproxton, Routledge, Tweddle, Routledge, Routledge, (unknown) Buller, unknown, Beard, Hemsley, Welch, Brockhouse, Cheatle, Woodcock, unknown Taylor, unknown, Harborne, Lewis, Roberts, Croxall, Lawley, unknown

Jane Hilton has always been a bit of a mystery. I found the marriage of Robert Gray and Jane Hilton at Cherry Burton 6 Jun 1771 in 2004 when I was doing my course work at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. I do not think my cousin George was convinced that this was necessarily the right marriage for the father of our Robert Gray baptized at Holme on the Wolds (we are fourth cousins and this is our common ancestor). I must write and ask him to read my idea through one of these days on Robert Gray. But looking around and finding the burial of a Robert Gray and a Jane Gray from Etton to Cherry Burton rather intrigued me and I pursued that thought.

Checking through Find My Past Records for Beverley:

Thomas Hilton - joyner/carpenter - baptized a number of children at Beverley.

Jane Hilton baptized 1 Aug 1739 at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas daughter of Thomas Hilton a joyner
Mary Hilton baptized 1 Jun 1741 at Beverley St John daughter of Thomas Hilton carpenter
Thomas Hilton baptized 26 Oct 1742 at Beverley St John son of Thomas Hilton carpenter
Elizabeth Hilton baptized 12 Mar 1745 at Beverley St John daughter of Thomas Hilton carpenter.

Francis Hilton - shoemaker - baptized a number of children also at Beverley.

Thomas Hilton son of Francis Hilton shoemaker buried 15 Aug 1740 at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas
Joshua Hilton baptized 14 Aug 1741 at Beverely St Mary and St Nicholas son of Francis Hilton shoemaker
Francis Hilton baptized 15 Nov 1743 at Beverely St Mary and St Nicholas son of Francis Hilton shoemaker
James Hilton baptized 30 Jul 1745 at Beverely St Mary and St Nicholas son of Francis Hilton shoemaker

Two Hilton families baptizing children during the same time period at Beverely.

A marriage I found earlier does fit in with these baptisms for Thomas Hilton at Beverley. Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable married 20 Jan 1739 at St Mary and St Nicholas in Beverley (both of the parish).

I am wondering if Francis and Thomas were brothers. Francis Hylton and Mary Daniel married 8 Nov 1738 at Kirby Underdale (Francis Hylton shoemaker of the parish of St Mary Beverley and Mary Daniel of the parish of Kirby Underdale).

Two Jane Hilton marriages were a bit confusing.

Jane Hilton and William Barton, banns were read and they married 5 Mar 1769 according to the register.

Jane Hilton was married to Robert Gray Junior 6 Jun 1771 at Cherry Burton, banns were read, and marriage soleminized in the presence of Robert Constable junior and Francis Baker.

A mystery there perhaps but having one of the witnesses of the marriage between Jane Hilton and Robert Gray as Robert Constable gives some credence to this Jane being the daughter of Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable.

Are Thomas Hilton and Francis Hylton related?

Thomas Hilton baptized 8 Dec 1706 son of Thomas Hilton shoemaker at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas; buried 15 Dec 1706
Thomas Hilton baptized 15 Mar 1707 son of Thomas Hilton shoemaker at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas
Frances Hilton baptized  9 Jan 1710 daughter of Thomas Hilton shoemaker at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas

Thomas Hilton shoemaker buried 21 May 1733 at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas

Thomas Hilton joiner buried 16 Jul 1765 at Beverley St Mary and St Nicholas

I am however satisfied that Jane Hilton is the daughter of Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable. Learning more about this family will be interesting. I am also confident that Thomas Hilton joiner is likely the son of Thomas Hilton shoemaker. But I was unable to find a marriage for this Thomas Hilton yet.

There was a Mary Constable baptized  7 Dec 1709 at Cherry Burton daughter of Richard Constable.

There was a substantial Constable family at Cherry Burton in this time period. There is a will for Richard Constable probated in 1719 of Cherry Burton. There are a number of wills for this Constable family and one day when I am looking at the Constable family I should investigate them.
 
Ancestry of Jane Hilton:

1. Elizabeth BLAKE
2. Helen Louise PINCOMBE (b 18 Oct 1916) - Westminster Township Middlesex County Ontario Canada
3. John Routledge PINCOMBE (b 10 Sep 1872)- Lobo Township Middlesex County Ontario Canada
4. Grace GRAY (b 22 Mar 1839) - London Township Middlesex County Ontario Canada
5. Robert GRAY (b 3 Nov 1810) - Etton East Riding of Yorkshire England
6. Robert GRAY (b 4 Aug 1774) - Holme on the Wolds East Riding of Yorkshire England
7. Jane HILTON (b  1 Aug 1739) - Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire England
8. Thomas HILTON (b 15 Mar 1707) - Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire England
9. Thomas HILTON

Robert Gray (1739 - 1808)

52 Ancestor Challenge - Challenge 45

Blake, King, Coleman, Pearce, Farmer, Mary (unknown), Lambden, Sarah (unknown), Knight, Ellis, Knight, Vincent, Butt, O'Ford, Arnold, Molton, Cotterell, Bartlett, Alderman, Shepherd, Sherwood, Elizabeth (unknown), Happerfield, Collins, Rawlings, Tanner, Dove, Morgan, Lywood, Lanham, unknown, Peck, Pincombe, Charley, Rowcliffe, Pearse, Rew, Moggridge, Siderfin, Kent, Gray, Hilton, Cobb, Sproxton, Routledge, Tweddle, Routledge, Routledge, (unknown) Buller, unknown, Beard, Hemsley, Welch, Brockhouse, Cheatle, Woodcock, unknown Taylor, unknown, Harborne, Lewis, Roberts, Croxall, Lawley, unknown

Robert Gray, one of my 4x great grandfathers, has always been rather a fascination for me. He was identified by my fourth cousin  (at least his son was many years ago) when he took a trip to Etton and environs in order to put the finishing touches on his book about our mutual families in Westminster and London Townships around London, Ontario. When I was at the Family HIstory Library in Salt Lake City I photographed many many records for Etton and Holme in the Wolds as well as Cherry Burton. Later I borrowed the Parish Registers for a number of parishes in this area at the Family History Library. Slowly I was able to put together the Gray and in earlier days the Grey family at Etton when they emigrated but going back through Holme on the Wolds then Cherry Burton and perhaps Kilnwick all in the East Riding of Yorkshire and very close together. The earliest record I have attached myself to is that of Robert Grey baptized 28 May 1686 at Kilnwick son of yet another Robert Grey. For a number of generations all of the males in my direct line are Robert but there are a number of other forenames as they have families of four or five in a number of generations.

The Gray men were husbandmen/yeoman farmers as far back as I could trace in the tax records. Robert Gray (junior) married at Cherry Burton 6 Jun 1771 to Jane Hilton baptized two children Ellen 1 Dec 1771 and Robert 4 Aug 1774 at Holme on the Wolds but he does not appear in the Land Records at Holme on the Wolds. He is likely the son of a Robert given he is referred to as Robert Gray junior in his marriage lines. There is a Robert Gray in the land records of Cherry Burton where I believe that the present Robert Gray was born/baptized 4 Oct 1739 son of Robert Grey/Gray and Ann Stephenson. Robert Grey and Ann Stephenson were married 2 Jul 1734 at Cherry Burton and thus far Robert, their son, is the only one that I have found baptized by them.

I do find a William Stephenson as a land owner/occupier there however. Noting that by 1820 William Stephenson is no longer listed. Perhaps a clue would be to find the baptism of Ann Stephenson and will check out Find My Past.

Ann Stephenson baptized 17 Feb 1712 at Bainton daughter of John (Bainton is 3.6 miles from Holme on the Wolds and 7 miles from Cherry Burton).

This is the only baptism that I find in the vicinity and not a lot of baptisms for Ann[e] Stephenson using the name variants for both the forename and surname.

 Baptism of the son of this Robert Gray at Holme on the Wolds

Family Lore and my cousin George DeKay established that the Robert Gray junior who emigrated to Canada circa 1832 was the son of Robert Gray and Elizabeth Cobb. They married 13 Jan 1806 at Lund near Beverley (Elizabeth's parish). That Robert Gray was known to have been baptized at Holme on the Wolds from family history written by George DeKay (Carling Beverley Gray Hildred West Mason and their descendants: Pioneer Families of London Township Middlesex County, Ontario, published privately by George P. DeKay (A pictorial, historical and genealogical record) 1976 at Hyde Park near London, Ontario, Canada. I have a copy of this book.

I verified all the dates and places listed by George in this book and the London Township books later published by The London Township History Book Committee in two volumes. Volume 1 A Rich Heritage 1796 - 1997 ISBN 096896060X and volume 2 Families past and present ISBN 0968960618.

Does Cherry Burton figure in the history of my Gray family? I did copy all the land records and Robert Gray is listed in those land records as a proprietor. He is known to have died in 1808 and been buried at Etton in 1808 where my 2x great grandfather Robert Gray junior was baptized in 1810. Does not finding any other Gray families in the immediate area mean this is my Robert Gray baptized at Cherry Burton. Those thoughts need to be answered as speaking with my cousin he was not, at that time, convinced that the Robert Gray baptized in 1739 at Cherry Burton was the Robert Gray buried at Etton in 1808.

A cropped map of an original image of the East Riding of Yorkshire:

Source: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/Misc/Maps/ParishMaps.html

You can see Cherry Burton with Etton above it then South Dalton and immediately above that Holme on the Wolds and then Lund above that parish. Above Lund is Middleton on the Wolds and than Bainton.

Looking at the Gray family in this area and extracting their information.

The burial at Cherry Burton of Robert Gray 20th May 1808 names him as a Farmer aged 70 years from Etton parish giving him a birth year of 1738. In 1809 from this same parish of Etton the burial of Robert son of Robert and Elizabeth Gray 14 Mar 1809 2 years of age buried at Cherry Burton from Etton. This is an older brother to my Robert. Why would Robert Gray choose to bury his son at Cherry Burton and can we take from the burial of the older Robert Gray that they are the same family?

There is another Robert Gray baptized to Robert Gray a shopkeeper at Bainton 19 Nov 1731 so was this Robert Gray a shopkeeper at Bainton the farmer buried in 1808 from Etton. Robert Gray a trader and husbandman of Bainton buried a daughter Jane 11 Jul 1773 which I feel eliminates this other possible Robert Gray from my family line.

There is another Robert Gray buried at Cherry Burton  son of Stephen and Rosamond Gray 13 May 1774. Is he perhaps the Stephen Gray son of Robert Gray baptized 8 Apr 1712 at Cherry Burton? That Robert Gray baptized five children in total at Cherry Burton:

Robert baptized 28 May 1708
Stephen baptized 8 Apr 1712
William baptized 28 Jun 1714; buried 23 Sep 1715 at Cherry Burton
Ann baptized 10 Apr 1719
Mary baptized 17 Feb 1725

There was a Robert Gray buried at Cherry Burton son of Stephen and Rosamond 18 May 1775.
There was a Robert Gray buried 30 Nov 1780 at Great Driffield and his will states that he was a gent leaving his will which was probated in 1779 (eliminated as the Robert Gray baptizing children at Cherry Burton as he was a yeoman farmer although his will might be interesting to read and can be purchased online at Find My Past).
There was a Robert Gray whose will was probated 24 Aug 1809 of Bainton (450 pounds). Also helping to separate out the Robert Gray baptized at Bainton from the Robert Gray baptized at Cherry Burton.

Robert Gray married Elizabeth Cobb 13 Jan 1806 at Lund Near Beverley. This was my Robert Gray. Elizabeth Cobb was of the parish of Lund.

Looking at Stephen Gray and he was born 1750 and died 1798 at Cherry Burton. The burial register shows him to be of Bishop Burton and 48 years of age when he was buried 11 May 1798.
There was a Stephen Gray buried at Bainton, a bachelor, 18 Apr 1830. The marriage of Stephen Gray and Rosannah Gray both of the Parish of Garton was soleminized 22 Dec 1746.

The marriage of Stephen Gray and Rosamond Smith was soleminized 6 Apr 1774 at Beverley.

 This could be the descendants of Stephen Gray brother to Robert Gray baptized at Cherry Burton in 1712.  I have followed it through out of curiosity. The naming of his son Robert is interesting.

Looking at the land records for Cherry Burton (Rental costs and then monies for use of the Church on the image but I am recording just the monies for use of the Church below):

Roger Gray 1793 1 shilling
Robert Gray 1793 1 pound 7 shilling 1 halfpence

Roger Gray 1798 2 pence
Robert Gray 1798 1 pound 1 shilling

Roger Gray 1799  2 shillings
Robert Gray 1799 2 pounds 1 pence

Robert (probably Roger but written thus) Gray 1800 14 shillings 8 pence
Robert Gray 1 pound 4 shillings

Roger Gray 1801 1 shilling 6 pence
Robert Gray 1801 12 shillings 2 pence

Roger Gray 1804 4 shillings 2 pence
Robert Gray 4 shillings 7 pence 1 farthing

Roger Gray 1805 3 pence
Robert Gray 1805 3 pounds 4 pence

Roger Gray 1806 6 pence
Robert Gray 1806 6 shillings 1 pence

Roger Gray 1808 3 pence
Robert Gray 1808 2 shillings 4 pence

Roger Gray 1809 3 pence
Robert Gray 1809 4 shillings

Roger Gray 1810 3 pence
Robert Gray 1810 4 shillings

Roger Gray 1811 9 pence
Robert Gray 1811 1 shilling

Roger Gray 1815 6 pence
Robert Gray 1815 8 pence

Roger Gray 1816 3 pence
Robert Gray 1816 4 pence

Roger Gray 1817 3 pence
Robert Gray 1817 4 pence

Robert Gray 1818 6 pence

Robert Gray 1819 4 pence

Robert Gray 1820 4 pence

Robert Gray 1824 6 pence

Robert Gray 1826 4 pence

There are no Gray families at Holme on the Wolds in this time period paying rates and Robert is listed as a husbandman at the baptisms of his two children at Holme on the Wolds. Now what of Etton where Robert (my 3x great grandfather) baptized his children? I am not sure why I do not have the records for Etton? Did I check them in 2008? I would have thought so as I knew that Robert was from Etton. According to my records I did look at the land tax assessments for Etton 1787-1832. I think at some point I will borrow this film once again from the Family History Library.

Looking back to my early blogs:

 http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2009/08/gray-cobb-hilton-sproxton-and-others.html

The Hearth Tax for East Yorkshire has a number of Gray entries:

Forename Surname Mem Ref. Wapentake / Hundred Constabulary / Ward

Geo: Gray m. 38 Harthill Bainton Beacon Great Driffield and Little Driffield (Great Driffield)

Jon: Grey m. 38 Harthill Bainton Beacon Great Driffield and Little Driffield (Great Driffield)

Rd: Grey m. 38d Harthill Bainton Beacon Great Driffield and Little Driffield (Little Driffield)

Rd: Grey m. 38d Harthill Bainton Beacon Great Driffield and Little Driffield (Little Driffield)

Rich: Grey m. 39 Harthill Bainton Beacon Middleton on the Wolds

Yorkshire, East Riding, Hearth Tax Return, 1672L (E179/205/504) and Kingston Upon Hull, Hearth Tax Return, 1673L (E179/205/505)

It is interesting to see all the entries from Great Driffield (my Harland family was there).

There is a baptism 28 May 1686 at Kilnwick for Robert Grey son of Robert Grey as there doesn't appear to be a Grey/Gray family at Cherry Burton in this time period. Is this the Robert Grey buried 8 Aug 1736 at Cherry Burton whose son Robert was baptized 28 May 1708 at Cherry Burton. He himself was buried 13 Nov 1780 at Cherry Burton (married to Ann Stephenson 2 Jul 1734 at Cherry Burton). Only one child baptized to this couple at Cherry Burton thus far found Robert Gray baptized 4 Oct 1739 at Cherry Burton and likely buried there 20 May 1808.

To add a little extra to that support there is a Jane Hilton buried 13 Sep 1824 from Etton to Cherry Burton. Robert Gray (junior, rechecking the original image I had missed this the first time through giving evidence that his father Robert was still living in 1771)) married Jane Hilton 6 Jun 1771 at Cherry Burton. But more on the Hilton family in next weeks 52 Ancestor Challenge.

Ancestry of Robert Gray

1. Elizabeth BLAKE
2. Helen Louise PINCOMBE (b 18 Oct 1916) - Westminster Township Middlesex County Ontario
3. John Routledge PINCOMBE (b 10 Sep 1872)- Lobo Township Middlesex County Ontario Canada
4. Grace GRAY (b 22 Mar 1839) - London Township Middlesex County Ontario Canada
5. Robert GRAY (b 3 Nov 1810) - Etton Yorkshire England
6. Robert GRAY (b 4 Aug 1774) - Holme on the Wolds Yorkshire England
7. Robert GRAY (b 4 Oct 1739) - Cherry Burton Yorkshire England
possibly
8. Robert GRAY (b 28 May 1708) - Cherry Burton Yorkshire England
9. Robert GRAY

One year hence

It is interesting to look at the past year of my life and my research for they are forever entwined. I entered this past year with back trouble resulting from two falls about two weeks apart. I learned a great deal about my character as a result of those falls. I can be an absolutely very stubborn person and it was that absolute stubbornness that resulted in my basically standing for six months whenever I was awake and thus my back healed with careful exercises which initially did not appear to be working although I have done my yoga exercises for over 45 years. I had to finetune them to work with a healing back and so I did and the net result was amazing in retrospect. Six months after the accident I was able to return slowly to my research and sitting at the computer for longer than a couple of minutes. I still did do some research but not to any great extent. It gave me a great deal of time to think about where my research was going and the activities with which I was involved. The two were in a hopeless collision that I had to resolve and it took me the other six months to resolve that and to train my mind not to become involved in projects that did not directly lead to more information on my two one name studies or to enhancing my own family research. It has been difficult to keep myself from becoming distracted by other interesting ideas but as I turn 70 in just a couple of days I think that I am now facing forward and thinking clearly in terms of how to accomplish the most out of my research days to both compliment my one name studies which do quite fascinate me and my own family research which has changed in some ways this past year.

First of all, my DNA studies are now completely integrated with my family research. Although I still do all that paper research (while mostly microfilm records either online or as fiche that I have purchased), I am now looking keenly at all the autosomal data that I have accumulated by testing both myself and my brother at most of the companies. Me, I am tested at every main company except for National Genographic 2.0 and Britains DNA and my brother is tested at every company except AncestryDNA which I intend to resolve in the next month or so. I am somewhat overwhelmed with dna data at the moment and about to get another deluge of information from 23 and Me so will wait on that test for another month. I also want to do the Full Genome of my brother who has been so willing to be tested. He has been grand. But now I am able to produce these interesting tables combining all the companies results and my known cousins and triangulate results to give me a peek into the past.

Secondly, I have determined that five years is the length of time that I will spend on the Blake and Pincombe one name studies. I will still maintain them after that date but I will not actively research other lines than my own after I am 75 years of age. I hope that in the five years I will find someone younger/willing to take on the one name studies and give them all my acquired material or I will donate it to a local repository to be available to anyone who wishes to use it.

Thirdly, I will from now on have a 52 ancestor challenge beginning each new year where I selectively work on family lines  - next year is already dedicated to the 4x great grandparents of our grandchildren and many other grandchildren as their descendants number in the tens of thousands on their French Canadian side and their Colonial American side. My side, English, has considerly less descendants due to very small families in some of my lines that went on to produce offspring. The two World Wars were particularly hard on many of my family lines in the southern part of England. But even before that I have a number of only children in lines in more than one generation.

Fourthly, I need to plan (with my husband of course) several research trips directed at learning as much as I can about several lines that are quite veiled to me although the DNA results are certainly showing that I am looking in the right direction. I just need to read what is available in a couple of particular repositories.

Fifthly, I have a couple of large scanning projects that I want to complete this next year. I will redo my calendar to suit these changes in my thoughts. I will turn two half days into scanning days.

Since my dedicated research days on particular family lines (namely Monday although that occasionally comes a little earlier) is not involved with my own family lines I need to have some "spare time" built into my calendar plan to accommodate DNA research with respect to my personal family lines. I have started to write to cousins to see if I can persuade any of them to test for particular lines. My mother's side now has a couple of interesting results that let me look back into her lines but I still have very little on my father's side of close family relatives so that I have a control group to look at other matches as they drop into my various matches at the many companies. He was an only child and I only have a few 2nd cousins on his side.

For the remainder of this year, I will continue working on my 4x great grandparents - Jane Morgan is to come and I know very little about her. That will just be luck I think finding out more about Thomas Rawlin's wife's line. Then on to the Lywood family which has been well researched by Warwick Lywood with his one name study although the name of George Lywood's wife is Elizabeth Lanham rather than Canham which was a rather great find earlier in the year. Then my Peck line and Martha Peck's father was unknown and remains that way - was he a Napoleonic soldier? a great unknown but Elizabeth Peck will be written about. Then John Rew the grandfather of Elizabeth Rew my 2x great grandmother married to John Pincombe, the emigrant, and staying with the Pincombe theme I will look at Philip Rowcliffe father of Elizabeth Rowcliffe married to Robert Pincombe and Mary Charley my 4x great grandmother and mother of Robert Pincombe. Then back to Somerset and Grace Kent married to Robert Siderfin is my next 4x great grandparent. Up to the East riding of Yorkshire to write about Robert Gray and Jane Hilton my 4x great grandparents whose grandson Robert Gray Junior was my emigrant ancestor in that line. Their son Robert married Elizabeth Cobb and my next 4x great grandfather was her father John Cobb of Kilnwick ERY. Then finally on the homeward trek I reach into the family lines of my maternal grandmother looking at her grandmother's Welch family. John Welch married Margaret Brockhouse 16 Feb 1783 at Rugeley Staffordshire and they are my 4x great grandparents. My 2x great grandmother Ann Welch's maternal grandparents were William Cheatle and likely Sarah Woodcock married 23 Feb 1773 at Castle Donington. A recent DNA match may help to prove this line. Then the last ancestor challenge of the year is my unknown Taylor line written up something like I wrote up unknown Buller quite a while ago now. I suspect he is the father of Samuel Taylor married to Ann Lewis Harborne and one of these days I think the DNA matches will tell me part of that story. Was he Irish? I am curious about that as his wife was English going back another three generations. It will be an interesting last post of the year to write. That gives me a total of 16 4x great grandparents to write about in the 52 Ancestor Challenge and there are 16 weeks remaining. And Challenge 36 was published for this week  - William Dove.

Will of Reverend William Blake, Clerk of Crewkerne, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/1321/255, probated 22 Apr 1799

The Reverend William Blake Clerk at Crewkerne is the son of William Blake of Taunton who died in 1772 at Taunton whose will was blogged yesterday.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/11/will-of-william-blake-of-taunton.html

William, the testator, is also the brother of the Reverend Malachi Blake whose will was blogged earlier:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/10/will-of-malachi-blake-esquire-taunton.html

This is a known collateral line of Admiral Robert Blake


Admiral Robert Blake [101] is the 2nd cousin 4 times removed of Reverend William-161 Blake [537]

                                Common Ancestor

                              * Humphrey-21 Blake [1]
                                  (Cir 1499-1558)
                                    * Agnis [2]
                                 (          -1585)
                                   Married  [1]
                                        |
                    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |                                                                    |
                    |                                                                    |
     * John-27 (the elder) Blake [3]              * Robert-28 Blake [4]
          (Cir 1521-After 1576)                        (Cir 1523-Cir 1592)
               Johan [12]                                      Margaret Symonds [22]
            (          -1595)                                          (          -1600)
          Married Cir 1541 [4]                                   Married  [5]
                    |                                                                    |
                    |                                                                    |
         * William-39 Blake [18]                   * Humphry-43 Blake [25]
           (Cir 1559-Cir 1642)                               (Cir 1563-1625)
                Anne [84]                              Sarah Swithers formerly Williams [100]
            (          -1644)                                         (          -1638)
              Married  [21]                                  Married 5 Oct 1597 [26]
                    |                                                                   |
                    |                                                                   |
          * John-59 Blake [88]                           * Admiral Robert Blake [101]
               (1597-1645)                                             (1598-1657)
             Elizabeth [155]
              Married  [38]
                    |
                    |
          * John-86 Blake [158]
               (1629-1682)
           Mary Wilkins [276]
        Married 20 Jun 1648 [84]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend Malachi-112 Blake [278]
               (1651-1705)
             Mary Mico [414]
             Married  [140]
                    |
                    |
        * William-140 Blake [419]
               (1688-1772)
           Jane A'Court [529]
               (1689-1769)
        Married 21 Oct 1712 [186]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend William-161 Blake [537]
               (1730-1799)

It is in the will of Malachi Blake that a second daughter is mentioned for William namely Hannah but she must have died between the time of the writing of Malachi’s will and William’s will. Malachi was buried 13 Apr 1795 and the will of William was written 28 May 1795. Possibly the death of his brother spurred on the writing of his own will.

Although this is a lengthy will it mostly deals with William’s own family although he does remember his servants in his will.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 18 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1321/255
Testator: Reverend William Blake, Clerk
Place: Crewkerne, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 28 May 1795, probated 22 Apr 1799
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: The Reverend
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Clerk

1    This is the Last Will
2    and Testament of me William Blake of Crewkerne in the
3    County of Somerset Clerk made and published this
4    twenty eighth day of May in the year of Our Lord one
5    thousand seven hundred and ninety five in manner
6    following (that is to say) First I will that all my just debts
7    and Funeral Expences shall be paid and satisfied and
8    I give and bequeath unto my Son Malachi Blake and
9    to his Wife Mary the Sum of fifty pounds a peece to
10    buy their Mourning and I hereby ratify and confirm
11    all and every Surrender and Surrenders that I have
12    lately made to my said Son Malachi of all my Lands
13    Tenements and hereditaments within and parcel of the
14    Manor of Taunton Deane Also I give and bequeath
15    unto my daughter Mary Blake the Sum of One
16    thousand two hundred pounds of lawful Money of
17    Great Britain to be paid her in one year after my
18    decease with Interest at the Rate of four pounds per
19    centum per Annum from my decease and which said
20    Legacy I will shall be paid her over and above the Sum
21    of one hundred pounds given her by her Grand Mother
22    Downings Will and charged on the Estate and Lands
23    called Yatford hereinafter mentioned and for payment
24    of the Said Sum of One thousand two hundred pounds
25    I hereby charge and subject all and every my Lands
26    Tenements and hereditaments residuary Estate and Effects both Real and
27    personal and I do hereby in pursuance and in Exercise
28    of the power and Authority given to and vested in
29    me in and by the last Will and Testament of my late Mother in Law
30    Betty Downing deceased and of all
31    other powers and Authorities whatsoever in thereto
32    enabling give devise and bequeath limit and appoint
33    unto my two Sons William and Downing Blake all
34    that Messuage dwelling house and Tenement and the
35    Outhouses Gardens Orchards Closes Fields hereditaments
36    and
    [Page 2]
37    and premises thereto belonging with the appurtenances called
38    Yatfords and the Reversion and Remainder thereof situate in the
39    parish of Ilminster in the County aforesaid in the occupation
40    of Thomas Jugg as Tenant thereof to hold the same unto and
41    to the use of them my said Sons William and Downing
42    Blake their heirs and assigns for ever as Tenants in
43    Common and not as Joint Tenants charged and chargeable
44    nevertheless in and by the said Will of their Grandmother
45    Downing with the payment of the Sum of one hundred
46    pounds to my said Son Malachi and with the like sum
47    of one hundred pounds to my said daughter on her
48    attaining the age of twenty one years Also I do hereby
49    in pursuance and in exercise of the power and authority
50    given to and vested in me in and by a certain deed of
51    Settlement bearing date on or about the eighth day of
52    August one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight
53    made after my Marriage with Hannah my late Wife
54    and of all other powers and authorities whatsoever me
55    thereto enabling give devise and bequeath limit and
56    appoint unto my said two Sons William and Downing
57    Blake all and every my Messuages dwelling houses
58    Outhouses Gardens Orchards Closes Lands Tenements and
59    hereditaments whatsoever with the appurtenances and
60    as well Freehold as Leasehold and Copyhold now in the
61    occupation of David Symes as Tenant thereof called Rapps
62    situate within the several parishes of Broadway Hilton and
63    Ashill in the County aforesaid or some or one of them
64    and all other my Lands Tenements and hereditaments
65    whatsoever within the said several parishes of Ilminster
66    Broadway Hilton and Ashill To hold the same unto and to
67    the use of my said Sons William and Downing Blake their
68    heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns according to the
69    Tenures- and natures of the said premises respectively as
70    Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and I give and
71    bequeath unto my said two Sons William and Downing
72    and to my daughter Mary all my household Goods
73    and Furniture plate China and Books equally to be
74    divided between them Share and Share alike all the rest and
75    residue of my Messuages Lands Tenements and heredit[ament]s
76    whatsoever and wheresoever and Also all the rest and
77    residue of my Monies and Securities for Money Mortgages
78    in Fee and other Mortgages debts sum and Sums of Money
79    personal Estate and Effects whatsoever I give devise and
80    bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my
81    said two Sons William and Downing Blake their heirs
82    Executors Administrators and Assigns equally to be divided
83    between them as Tenants in Common and not as Joint
84    Tenants to and for their own proper use and benefit but
85    charged and chargeable nevertheless with the said sum of
    [Page 3]
86    one thousand two hundred pounds to my said daughter Mary
87    as aforesaid) and lastly I do hereby make and appoint my
88    said two Sons William and Downing Blake to be joint
89    Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking
90    and making void all former and other wills by me made
91    In witness whereof I the said William Blake the Testator
92    have to ev[er]ie Sheet of this my last Will and Testament
93    contained in two Sheets of paper set my hand and Seal the
94    day and year first above written W[illia]m Blake Signed Sealed
95    published and declared by the said William Blake the
96    Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the
97    presence of us who have hereunto at his request in his
98    presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our
99    Names as witnesses hereto Samuel Sparks Joseph Kennaway
100    Isaac Sparks
101    I annex this as a Codicil to my last Will and Testament I
102    give to Susanna Morgan if she lives with me at the time of
103    my death the Sum of thirty pounds besides Mourning and it
104    is my Will that my Executors pay her the thirty pounds
105    within six Months after my decease besides any wages that
106    may be due to her at the time of my decease I give to
107    Joseph Mumford two Guineas and a Sack of my cloathes
108    and I give one Guinea to Sarah Stembridge the Wife of
109    John Stembridge and three of my old Shirts Witness my
110    hand this 29th of May 1795 W[ilia]m Blake
111    Whereas I have by my last Will and Testament
112    dated the twenty eighth day of May one thousand seven
113    hundred and ninety five given and bequeath the Sum of
114    one thousand two hundred pounds unto my daughter
115    Mary Blake and for payment thereof charged all my
116    Lands Tenements hereditaments residuary Estate and effects
117    both Real and personal and I do by this Codicil which I
118    direct Shall be added to and taken as part of my said last
119    Will and Testament annul revoke and make void the Sum
120    of one thousand pounds part of the said Legacy and do
121    direct that the remaining Sum of two hundred pounds
122    which I give and confirm to her shall not be paid or
123    payable to my said daughter until the expiration of three
124    years after my decease and paid without Interest and in
125    lieu of the said Sum of one thousand pounds hereby revoked
126    I give and bequeath to my said daughter Mary the Sum of
127    one thousand two hundred pounds stock which I have
128    in the three per cent Consolidated Annuities and
129    also the Sum of two hundred pounds which I have in
130    the four percent Annuities and do order the Executors of my
131    said Will to transfer the same to her immediately after my
    [Page 4]
132    death but should I not have so much Stock as aforesaid at my
133    death then I direct my Executors to purchase so much as shall be
134    deficient of the said Stocks respectively and to transfer the same to
135    my said daughter who it is my Will shall be at the Expence of
136    buying Mourning for my Servant Susanna and not my
137    Executors and I do hereby confirm my said Will and this a
138    Codicil indorsed herein in every other respect In witness
139    whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the sixth
140    day of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine
141    Wm Blake Signed Sealed published and declared by
142    the said William Blake as and for a Codicil to his last will
143    and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunder
144    subscribed our names in the presence of the said William Blake
145    Samuel Sparks Joseph Kennaway Isaac Sparks
146    This Will was proved at London with two Codicils
147    the twenty second day of April in the year of Our Lord one
148    thousand Seven hundred and ninety nine before the Right
149    Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master
150    keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
151    lawfully Constituted by the Oaths of William Blake and
152    Downing Blake the Sons of the deceased and Executors named
153    in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all
154    and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said
155    deceased having been first Sworn by Commission duly to administer

Hilton Family of Cherry Burton. Poor Law Rates for Cherry Burton 1800, Holme on the Wolds 1787, and Lund 1813-1814

I last looked at the Hilton Family of Cherry Burton and Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire 11 May 2011 and other than a comment on the Roehampton University database on the Hearth Tax paid in the East Riding I have not particularly thought about them in the two years since. Life has been much too busy!

Jane Hilton married Robert Gray the younger 6 Jun 1771 at Cherry Burton and she was buried at Cherry Burton 13 Sep 1824 from her home in Etton. Jane was the mother of Robert Gray who was baptized at Holme on the Wolds and Robert Gray was my 3x great grandfather and the last of my Gray line to die in England.

In the earlier blog:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2011/05/hilton-at-cherry-burton-beverley-east.html

I mentioned that I had found a baptism for Jane Hilton 1 Aug 1739 in Beverley with parents Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable. Since Jane was 87 when she was buried 13 Sep 1824 and working my way back the baptism would have her 85 years and 1 month of age so in her 86th year. As well Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable were married in Beverley 20 Feb 1737.

The last research day I looked at the Constable family but the intention is to look further at the Hilton family.

Looking through my paid sites and google search does not add to my knowledge of the Hilton family.

I believe that I will transcribe some of the material I collected for Cherry Burton in 2008 from the Family History Library.

Poor Law Rate 1800 Cherry Burton

An Assessment laid upon the Township of Cherry Burton for the use of the Church at 8 pence per pounds for the year 1800

Freeman, Reverend Mr. G
Watts, Reverend Mr. J
Arden, Mr. Jno
Cocksworth, Jno
Dattry, Jno
Arden, Jethro
Levit, Robert
Emmerson, Mary
Willson, Thomas (senior)
Griffin, William
Watson, Stephen
Watson, Mary
Brigham, Thomas
Forristor, Jos
Witty, William
Sissons, William
Everingham, Benjamin
Johnson, William
Stickney, Matthew
Stephenson, Lew:
Willson, Thomas (junior)

Downes, Robert
Almack, Thomas (junior)
Constable, Robert
Grasby, Richard
Bilton, Jno
Gray, Roger
Stephenson, Ralph
Garland, Jos:
Gray, Robert
Ransom, Samuel
Sissons, Samuel
Richardson, Richard
Foster, Jos:
Brigham, William
Stephenson, Robert
Best, Francis
Baker, Jno
Shearsmith, Jno
Cook, William
Hesselwood, Jno

I have about twenty years worth and some of the people remain constant during this time period with a few disappearing and new ones arriving.

Poor Rate 1787 Holme on the Wolds

 Proprietors Names     Occupiers Names
William Leak                Himself
Mrs. Perrot                  John Swift
Mrs. Fern                     John Swift
William Ellat                   William Teal and John Weatherhill
Mrs. Clark                      Robert Willy
James Moat                    Himself
William Tranmire             Himself
John Harland                   William Longhorn
Duke of Devonshire         John Harland
John Buttle                      William Roantree
Robert Sherwood            Himself
Mrs. Clark                       William Stephenson
William Willson                Himself
William Heward               Himself
Nicolas Ellat                    Richard Tindal
Thomas Biggins                Himself

I collected about twenty years of Holme on the Wolds just to determine that my Robert Gray did leave Holme on the Wolds and move on to Etton.

Poor Rate 1813-1814 Lund

Thomas Richardson
John Walkington
Robert Appleton
William Chapman
William Bulmer
Robert Warde
Richard Wilson
William Wilkinson
Thomas Parker
William Smith
William Barker
Faith Metcalf
George Gray
William Witheringwick
George Walgate
John Reddy
George Witty
William Lowson
David Christie
John Broadley
William Taylor
Samuel Winter
John Waddington
Nicholas Lewison
Phil Hardbattle
Thomas Hornby
Richard Cross
William Etherington
Thomas Cross
Charles Walgate
William Hought
William Robson
Ann Orrat
Hugh Ridsdale
John Robson
Thomas Foster
John Robinson
Richard Stephenson
John Smith
Cathr Mease
Benjamin Cobb
M. Duke Foster
John Cobb
John Vary
John Whipp
George Biggins
T Grimston Esquire


At Lund I was interested in the Cobb family which remained at Lund into the 20th century as far as I can tell and I would have cousins who still live in this area.

I will continue extracting information from the images that I took at Salt Lake City with this research day. I do not think there is anything more I can do on the Hilton family until I order in the Registers from Salt Lake City or go there - whichever comes first!

Hearth Tax - Roehampton University project

The Hearth Tax project at the Roehampton University has now added East Yorkshire information. This is an incredible resource for looking at East Yorkshire Riding in 1672. The Hearth Tax is a listing of householders in England of the 1660s and 1670s and provides an insight into the status of individuals (i.e. their property).

http://www.hearthtax.org.uk/

All of my East Yorkshire Riding people can be found in the hundred / wapentake of Harthill Bainton Beacon and specifically the Constabularies / Wards of Great Driffield and Little Driffield, Etton, Hutton Cranswick, Holme on the Wolds, Cherry Burton, Lund near Beverley, Kilnwick, Skerne, Watton, and Barmby on the Moor.

The lists also reveal to me that some of my surnames were indeed somewhat unique with only a couple of members listed for each particular surname. In particular Sproxton, Beilby, English, and Garratt belong to this group. My other surnames of Grey/Gray, Cobb, Harland, Wilkinson, Hilton, Constable, and Stephenson are also listed although in greater numbers.

I have found a Robert English at Barmby on the Moor who may be my ancient ancestor. Dorothy English married Richard Sproxton 15 Nov 1716 at Hutton Cranswick. Her parentage is unknown to me.

Hilton at Cherry Burton, Beverley, East Yorkshire Riding

Jane Hilton married Robert Gray the younger 6 Jun 1771 at Cherry Burton. Jane was buried at Cherry Burton 13 Sep 1824 being brought there from Etton. That, along with examining all other Gray entries in the area, helps to form the basis of my proof that Jane was the mother of Robert Gray baptized at Holme on the Woods.

Hilton is not that common a name in this area and one of the witnesses at the wedding of Robert Gray and Jane Hilton was Robert Constable Junior. In the IGI there are two possibilities for Robert Constable in a similar time frame to Jane's baptism. One is baptized at Cherry Burton and the other at Beverley. The Constable family is prominent in Cherry Burton with Joseph Constable serving as Churchwarden and two Robert Constables listed as Principal Inhabitants at the beginning of the Transcription of the Cherry Burton Parish Registers by the Yorkshire Parish Register Society in 1903. Searching this particular book on Ancestry does not yield any Hilton names. A visual search of the parish register did not reveal any Hilton names either. The Hilton family did live at Beverley and it is 3.5 miles WNW to Cherry Burton from there.

I located a baptism for a Jane Hilton 1 Aug 1739 at Saint Mary and Saint Nicholas Parish Church in Beverley and the parents were Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable. I have not found any more information on Thomas Hilton or Mary Constable and that will be my research today looking at the Hilton family. The age of Jane Gray was said to be 87 years of age and with a baptism 1 Aug 1739 and a burial 13 Sep 1824 this is a span of 85 years and 1 month. The marriage of Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable at Saint Mary and Saint Nicholas was 20 Feb 1737 so there is the possibility that Jane was a year old or more when she was baptized 1 Aug 1739. There are 56 entries in the Cherry Burton Parish Registers for a "Mary Constable" and I shall read through them all to see if there is anything useful there.


Richard Constable buried 15 Jun 1681
Richard son of John Constable baptized 10 May 1683
John Constable married Mary Wilson 31 Jul 1684
Thomas the son of John Constable baptized 23 Dec 1689

John the son of John Constable baptized 2 Sep 1692
John son of John Constable buried 4 Sep 1692
Mary wife of John Constable buried 11 Feb 1692

Robert the son of Robert Constable baptized 31 Oct 1692

Mary daughter of Robert Constable junior baptized 2 Feb 1697
Mary Constable widow buried 14 Apr 1700
Robert Constable alebrewer buried 23 Apr 1700
Thomas son of John Constable baptized 30 Jan 1707
Mary daughter of Richard Constable baptized 7 Dec 1709
Joseph son of Richard Constable baptized 18 Jun 1714
Richard son of Richard Constable baptized 28 Aug 1715
 Richard son of Richard Constable baptized 30 Sep 1715
Richard Constable buried 12 Apr 1719
John Constable husbandman buried 10 Feb 1723

Robert Constable and Helen Constable both of this parish married 2 Jan 1734 by Banns

Two possibilities for Mary Constable. It would appear that Jane was their only daughter so it is not inconceivable that Mary Constable was older when she married Thomas Hilton. Robert being a witness and he could be her cousin as much as her father or brother. It was an interesting look at the entries for the Constable family and they are a very large family at Cherry Burton. Why marry at Beverley? I suspect it may have been a run away marriage. Jane Hilton was said to be "of the parish" so perhaps her mother at least returned to live at Cherry Burton. I shall continue to hunt out the Hilton family.

Gray/Grey family at Etton, Holme on the Wolds, Cherry Burton, East Yorkshire Riding

Grace Gray, my great grandmother married William Robert Pincombe at St John the Divine, Arva, Ontario 23 May 1865 and this was one of my great finds when I wrote, along with the other members of the Pincombe family in the London Ontario area, the Pincombe Profile which forms a part of the Westminster Delaware History book titled: Delaware and Westminster Township History Book, Volume II, Together in History. The Westminster Township Historical Society: The Aylmer Express Limited, Aylmer, Ontario. pp 522-525, 2006. 


I had searched online for their marriage, traveled back to London to check the London Room and Toronto Archives but had not found their marriage recorded. The Church at Arva burned down and took the records with it unfortunately. However, my half-second cousin had the Pincombe family Bible and in the course of discussion with them I acquired scans of all the pages in the Bible and about 400 images from various photo albums. My grandfather's baptism had also been lost in the fire at Arva and his birth was not registered (at least not yet found) so the clarification on his birth date was also good. 


Grace Gray was the daughter of Robert Gray (Junior) and Elizabeth Mary Ann Routledge. She was born in London Township 22 Nov 1839 and baptized 19 Feb 1843 at St Paul's Anglican Church in London, Ontario (now St Paul's Cathedral). She died 31 Jul 1886 in London Township and was buried at Trinity Anglican Church in Lambeth. Her life was to be somewhat sad as their first child died as an infant of one month while they were living on Concession 5 Lot 4 of Lobo Township. The infant was buried at Poplar Hill Cemetery. Their next child, my grandfather, was the only child who lived to adulthood. The third child Elizabeth Mary Ann died at 13 one year after her mother from influenza. The fourth child Robert Henry died at the age of six months of a brain fever. 


Robert Gray (junior) was baptized 3 Nov 1810 at Etton Yorkshire the son of Robert Gray (senior) and Elizabeth Cobb. This information successfully passed down through the family so I had an excellent starting point. The other great source that I have used extensively for these families was written by George DeKay in 1976:


Carling, Beverley, Gray, Hildred, West, Mason and their descendants: Pioneer Families of London Township, Middlesex County, Ontario. London, ON: George P. DeKay, 1976


Since George and I share Gray ancestry I have had a number of conversations with him but unfortunately due to Grace's early death and the family (to a large extent) moving west details of even her actual existence had been lost to that family. The picture I remember seeing of her as a child has also disappeared. Although the picture of her daughter reminds me of the picture of her mother. My mother did resemble her grandmother and aunt. My mother had a few stories about her grandmother from her father but my grandfather Pincombe died when she was only eight so again the stories are far back in the past.


Robert Gray and Elizabeth Cobb married 13 January 1806 at Lund (near Beverley), East Yorkshire Riding. Robert was baptized 4 Aug 1774 at Holme on the Wolds and he was buried 29 Jun 1864 at Cherry Burton (Robert supplied his birth place on the 1851 and 1861 census). Robert is identified as the son of Robert Gray husbandman. My cousin did not feel that there was sufficient information to determine which Gray family Robert belonged to in this area. 


I decided to pull all the Gray records from the Etton Parish Records as I found it interesting that Robert died at Etton but was buried at Cherry Burton (as was his wife). Etton is 1.1 miles NNW from Cherry Burton and Holme on the Wolds is 2.2 miles NNW from Cherry Burton. To reach Etton from Cherry Burton you take the Etton Road from Etton you take Main Street and then Main Street turns north traveling through South Dalton to Holme on the Wolds.

The Parish Registers at Etton indicate that Robert Gray was taken to Cherry Burton for burial (as was his wife and their first infant who died very young).  


The Poor Law Register lists only two Gray surnames at Cherry Burton - Roger Gray and Robert Gray. In 1797 Robert Gray (baptized at Holme on the Wolds) is listed on the Cherry Burton Poor Law Assessment (L6 10s 0d and L1 7s 1/2 d ). In 1798 same place (L6 10s and L1 1s). In 1799 same place (L8 2s 6d and L2 1/2 d). In 1800 same place (L8 2s 6d and L1 4s). In 1801 same place (L89 2s 6d and 12s 2d). in 1804 same place (36s 15d and 4s 71/4 d). In 1805 same place (36s 15d and 3s 1/3d). In 1806 same place (36s 15d and 6s 1/2d). In 1807 same place (28s and 2s 4d). In 1808 and 1809 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1810 same place (L4 and 1s).  In 1811 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1815 same place (L4 and 8d). In 1816 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1817 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1818 same place (L4 and 6d). In 1819 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1820 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1822 same place (L4 and 6d). In 1823 same place (L4 and 4d). In 1824 same place (L4 and 4d). Robert Gray is not listed in the Poor Law Register of 1827, 1829 or 1830. 

Although Robert Gray was baptized at Holme on the Wolds his father Robert does not appear on the Land Records there.  They Gray family does not appear on the Land Records at Lund either. '


The Parish Registers for Cherry Burton are quite interesting for the Gray/Grey family living there.


The first mention that I found thus far is


Robert Grey buried 8 Aug 1736 at Cherry Burton (possibly this is the Robert Grey baptized at Kilnwick 28 May 1686).


This Robert Grey is shown as baptizing five children at Cherry Burton


Robert Grey baptized 28 May 1708 at Cherry Burton and is liked the Robert Grey buried at Cherry Burton 13 Nov 1780 (74 years old). He is also likely the Robert Grey who married Ann Stephenson 2 Jul 1734 at Cherry Burton.


Stephen Gray baptized 8 Apr 1712 at Cherry Burton


William Gray baptized 28 Jun 1714 and buried 23 Sep 1715 at Cherry Burton


Ann Gray baptized 10 Apr 1719 at Cherry Burton


Mary Gray baptized 17 Feb 1725 at Cherry Burton


In the next generation of Gray at Cherry Burton there is


Robert Gray baptized 4 Oct 1739 and the son of Robert and Ann Gray. This is likely the Robert Gray buried at Cherry Burton 20 May 1808 farmer at Etton (70 years of age) and the father of Robert Gray baptized at Holme on the Wolds. He is likely the Robert Gray (the younger)  who married Jane Hilton 6 Jun 1771 with witnesses Robert Constable Junior and Francis Baker (likely the Parish Clerk as his signature often appears). The mother of Jane Hilton was likely Mary Constable (married to Thomas Hilton). Robert Gray the younger would work for this family as his father was still living (not buried until 1780). 


We also have the first son of Robert Gray and Elizabeth Cobb buried at Cherry Burton and noted in the register as coming from the parish of Etton. John Gray, fourth child of this couple, was buried at Cherry Burton 5 Apr 1817 (5 years of age).


Jane Gray (wife of Robert Gray living at Etton) was buried 13 Sep 1824 (87 years of age) at Cherry Burton thus giving more evidence for Robert Gray (baptized at Holme on the Wolds) being the son of Robert Gray and Jane Hilton.


Elizabeth Gray (formerly Cobb) and wife of Robert Gray was buried at Cherry Burton 29 May 1842 (47 years of age with no mention of Etton but this Elizabeth is known to be the wife of Robert Gray).


Robert Gray (baptized at Holme on the Wolds) was buried at Cherry Burton but it was noted that he lived at Etton 29 Jun 1864 (89 years of age). 


It is the Land Records of Cherry Burton where I find Robert Gray in 1758 as owner of a piece of land which he also occupies and along with James Stephenson junior occupiers of Richard Bell's land and Robert Gray by himself on Mrs. Barker's land. In 1789 Robert Gray still owns a piece of land at Cherry Burton and is occupying Richard Bell's and Mrs. Barker's land. In 1790 he is still an owner as well as occupying his own land, Robert Barker's and David Burton's land. In 1791 he is still an owner as well as occupying his own land and Reverend Mr. Barker's land. In 1792 he is still an owner as well as occupying his own land he also occupies Reverend Mr. Barker's land. In 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796 and 1797 the same as 1792. In 1799 he is still an owner as well as occupying his own land and Hannah Frankland's land. In 1800 same as 1799. In 1805 same as 1800. In 1810 same as 1800. 


In 1787, 1789, 1793, 1794, 1797 and 1804 there are no Gray/Grey families at Etton. In 1807 Robert Gray is a tenant of the Reverend John Fox and paying L1 16s 10d. In 1810 and 1811 the same (different payment). In 1814 Robert Gray is still there as a tenant of two different people but my copy is blurry. In 1816 he is still an occupier of the Rev Gilby but also one of the assessors. In 1820 he is still an occupier of the Rev Gilby. In 1827 he is still an occupier of the Rev John Gilby. In 1828 the same. In 1830 the same. I am wondering if at some point (perhaps the mid 1820s to late) Robert Gray junior (my 2x great grandfather became the occupier and his father perhaps retired. I do know that one of the reasons that Robert Gray emigrated was the lack of available land to farm at that time in Etton and the stories of available land in southwestern Ontario. The last record that I photographed was 1832 and Robert is known to have been in Ontario by 1835 when he married Mary Routledge. 


His father Robert remained on the census at Etton until his death in 1864. By the census he would appear to be living in the Village at least from 1841 on. 


The story of the Gray family is only slowly unfolding. I need to look at more records but the relationship from son to father appears to be quite correct 


Robert junior baptized 3 Nov 1810 at Etton
Robert the younger baptized 4 Aug 1774 at Holme on the Wolds
Robert the elder baptized 4 Oct 1739 at Cherry Burton
Robert baptized 28 May 1708 at Cherry Burton (father was Robert)


Likely searching through new available records for Yorkshire would be a good next step to determine if the Robert Grey baptized 28 May 1686 at Kilnwick was the father of Robert Grey baptized 28 May 1708 at Cherry Burton. The line from there down appears to check out with parish registers, poor law records and land tax assessment. 

Gray-Cobb-Hilton-Sproxton and others

I did receive an email from one of the Gray family descendants searching his line and belonging to the East Yorkshire Mailing List. I do not see a link between our lines in the 1700s and 1800s but perhaps earlier. He is still working his way back as am I. I hadn't really done anything with all the images that I brought back from Salt Lake City for East Yorkshire. Mostly because I am still working on my images from the 2nd and 3rd day and Yorkshire was the 5th and 6th day of research there.

I did determine that the Robert Gray at Cherry Burton in the late 1700s was the father of Robert Gray baptized at Holme on the Wolds (although I am not sure why he was baptized there). The burial registers for Etton and Cherry Burton revealed that Robert Gray who was baptized at Cherry Burton 4 Oct 1739 was the same Robert Gray who farmed at Cherry Burton into the early 1800s and who died at Etton and was buried at Cherry Burton 20 May 1808. There is only one Gray family at Etton in the Parish Registers. Robert Gray baptized at Holme on the Wolds 4 Aug 1774 was the Robert Gray who farmed at Etton from 1807 on from the Land Tax Records. He is still there well into the 1830s and I will give a more accurate picture of that once I review the Etton Land Tax Records which I filmed (every year although some of the images are somewhat blurry). My 2x great grandfather Robert Gray (aka Robert Gray Junior) also farmed at Etton before he emigrated to Canada in 1832. His prime reason for emigration was the lack of land for farming in his area and the abundance of it in London Township where he emigrated. His knowledge of this would have come from the Carling family who were brewers at Etton and whose son Thomas had emigrated to London Township in 1819 (he was a Talbot settler). Thomas married Margaret Routledge and in 1835 Robert Gray married Mary Routledge (her youngest sister). With Robert came his younger brother William and much later in the 1850s James their youngest brother emigrated to Canada - Richard and John remained in England as did their sisters Ann (never married) and Eliza who married Richard Hart Guy.

Having established the connection back to Cherry Burton I also was able to find the marriage of the parents of Robert Gray (Robert Gray and Jane Hilton who married 6 Jun 1771 at Cherry Burton). This would appear to be the Jane Hilton who was baptized 1 Aug 1739 at St Mary and St Nicholas, Beverley as one of the witnesses to the wedding was Robert Constable junior. The parents of Jane from the baptism were Thomas Hilton and Mary Constable. Robert could be Mary's brother. There only appears to be one child (Jane) in their family and Mary could be the Mary Constable baptized at Cherry Burton 14 Feb 1700 with father Robert. This Robert Gray's parents were Robert Gray and Ann Stephenson who married 2 Jul 1734 and I need to determine their other children hopefully from my images although I remember having difficulty with these years in the register. Robert Gray was baptized 28 May 1708 at Cherry Burton and was the son of another Robert Gray and it is at this point that I have difficulty. I am not sure who his father was in terms of where he was baptized. He does not appear to have been baptized at Cherry Burton. There is a Robert Gray baptized at Kilnwick in 1686 (28 May) who could be the Robert Gray buried 8 Aug 1736 at Cherry Burton. But this will require another long look at the registers.

I will now extract the Gray family from Hutton Cranswick given the information which I received from another researcher on his Gray family which is at Hutton Cranswick. I shall give a glance at the images that I took of the parish register when I did my initial run through.

An email from the Siderfin researchers that I was speaking of earlier on Genes Reunited came in today. I responded that we had chatted. I must admit that I do not mind turning over the Siderfin one name study to him if he wishes to take it on. He is advertising for people to send him their information and he will put together a family tree which is an excellent idea and I will wait to see what emerges. I have quite a bit of information that I have pulled out of the census which I had thought about putting up on a webpage (up to 1890) along with the images of the book on the Siderfin family by Sanders. I have already put up a Legacy file of the information in James Hooper Sanders book. There are errors and I have put in a note showing the correction to my line. I am not sure that I agree with the researchers thoughts on James not knowing his own great grandfather. I think that his family being inlaws with the Clark family does make sense but will wait and see what evolves in that regard. I do not have the advantage of all the records at Taunton with respect to the family.

Tomorrow I need to work on the cake for the engagement party. I decided that I would make the Wedding cake, this will be a trial run and I will see how I like doing that. I will use fondant icing for the engagement cake. Otherwise I will have a cake made for their wedding. I could bake the cake and cupcakes and just have everything iced. Other than that everything is ordered or purchased. Just the punch to make on Friday and cook the meatballs in sauce. My ability to do a great deal of preparation and then actually appear at a party is limited! I can do one or the other. Usually I choose to do the former and pass on the celebration but this is my daughter's party and I can not disappoint her.

Results of Research at Salt Lake City - 10 Nov 2008

Today was a sorting day looking at the various items that I brought back and deciding an orderly manner in which to transcribe or otherwise interpret them. My excel file of all the images includes the picture number, the area that was being researched (usually the village/town/city but sometimes the county only), the item that was being photographed and the date. That way I can sort it by image number, area, item or date. In retrospect it will be a workable system. Setting it up initially was a quandry as I didn't know at the beginning how many pictures I would take.

I decided to update my Legacy file as I never do that when I am on the road or away from my main computer researching. I always record all the changes in a word file although might actually enter them into the legacy file on my portable computer. I want to maintain the integrity of my Legacy file though and avoid making quick changes that haven't had time to "gel" in my mind. I had obtained a number of baptism, marriage and burial entries and that resulted in my deciding to update my webpage with five new family lines since I had acquired what I consider to be a sufficient number of details. This time it was the Durnford, Ellis, Hemsley, Hilton and Tanner family names that were added. I now have 39 surnames traced back in varying degrees on my webpage. I also have an *.pdf file associated with many of them (still remaining to do for the new additions today) which includes the marriage partner and date for each generation if known. I can extract the Relationship to me chart from Legacy and put it into an *.pdf file for ftp to my webpage. I have found this to be a very worthwhile use of my webspace as I have been receiving the occasional email from people asking about some of my information or whether I know where their family line fits in.

I believe I shall now split my effort a little between the land tax assessments for Devon and Protestation Returns into a table (I copied the originals) for use with my one name studies on Pincombe and Siderfin. I am considering putting my Lambden study in hibernation simply because I haven't had enough time to really get into the study and perhaps someone else will pick up this study if it isn't being worked on by me. Two studies appear to be sufficient work for me at the moment. I have entered four of the twelve charts that I received from the Pincombe one name study that existed before I took the task on and for the Siderfin I have managed to locate and put into family lines most of the Siderfin individuals that I have found in parish and civil records up to 1900 and these I have added to the excellent family chart made by James Hooper Saunders in 1910.

I am also planning to spend some time each day now on the Genuki Hampshire webpages. I wanted to go to England and see Hampshire myself before I put too much more effort into the pages. I am now satisfied that I can continue with this project and do it justice - not as much as a native Hampshire person but the best that I can do from afar.