Ann Sproxton (1760 - 1838)

52 Ancestor Challenge - Challenge 4

Blake, King, Coleman, Pearce, Farmer, unknown, Lambden, Sarah (unknown), Knight, Ellis, Knight, Vincent,  Butt, Durnford, Arnold, Molton, Cotterel, Bartlett, Alderman, Ann (unknown), Sherwood, unknown, Habberfield, Collings, Rawlings, Tanner, Dove, Morgan, Lywood, Canham, 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

I have now reached the fourth week of the 52 Ancestor Challenge and still reporting in a timely fashion. My lecture now complete, my back very much on the mend, I can now settle back into my daily research pattern with one exception. Sitting is apparently the new smoking so I will get up every thirty minutes or so and do some exercise. Being a bit of an exercise fanatic anyway, that is not a problem! But coming up with so many exercise routines will be an interesting challenge in itself.

This week Ann Sproxton is my 4x great grandmother as are all the individuals in this 52 Ancestor Challenge. Ann was baptized 14 Sep 1760 at Great Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire. The knowledge of Ann goes back to our first time at Salt Lake City Family History Library and indeed our only time there thus far. The marriage registration for John Cobb and Ann Sproxton is dated 24 Nov 1782 at Lund, East Riding of Yorkshire and the priest obligingly wrote that Ann was born at Great Driffield and John born at Kilnwick (East Riding of Yorkshire).  I attach an image of their marriage registration:

 

Interestingly enough the x is written in such a way that it looks like a w and transcriptions of this marriage registration have read John Cobb and Ann Sprowston. This is the only Sprowston that I have ever found and it wasn't util I saw this marriage registration and realized that it read Sproxton that I was able to move back in time with Ann. The witnesses are John Wilson and Benjamin Cobb. Benjamin is likely the brother of John Cobb. 

Going to the Great Driffield parish registers which I could readily do at the FHL in Salt Lake City I found the baptism of Ann Sproxton 14 Sep 1760 and the daughter of Richard Sproxton and Ann Harland. Richard and Ann had been married 24 Dec 1753 at Great Driffield. They baptized four children at Great Driffield:

Daniel baptized 12 Mar 1754 (and about whom I know nothing more at the moment)
Richard baptized 10 Oct 1756 (married Frances Dent 12 Apr 1790 at Tunstall, ERY and they have three children Richard 1791, Francis 1794, and Ann 1797)
Ann baptized 14 Sep 1760
 Dyna baptized 22 Jun 1765

Richard was buried 3 May 1770 at Great Driffield and Ann 17 May 1797 was buried at Great Driffield. I continued following both lines back in the registers at the Family History Library and I will show this information at the bottom of the post.

Ann Sproxton and John Cobb baptized three children at Lund:

Elizabeth 24 Aug 1783 (my ancestor)
Ann 18 Mar 1791
John 18 Jan 1793

I have not been able to learn anything to date about Ann and John but will take a few moments now to look them up in Find My Past as I have not examined this family in a few years.

However, Elizabeth married Robert Gray 13 Jan 1806 at Lund and more on the Gray family another day but they baptized 9 children at Etton. Three of these children emigrated to Canada and one of them, Robert junior, is my 2x great grandfather and my second emigrant ancestor to come to Canada from England. He married a daughter of the first emigrants (and she herself was also an emigrant). One of their daughters, Grace Gray, was my first Canadian born ancestor. This is a very thin line as her son was my second Canadian born ancestor and my mother was my third Canadian born ancestor.

Back to John Cobb and Ann Sproxton and especially Ann. Ann was buried 21 May 1838 at Lund near Beverley (she outlived her daughter Elizabeth by 7 years and also lived long enough to see my ancestor Robert and his brother William depart for Canada around 1832). Realizing that I feel even more compelled to see about the other two children Ann and John siblings of Elizabeth.

This partial map of the East Riding of Yorkshire lets you see the location of the various parishes mentioned above and can be seen on the Genuki webpages:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/Misc/Maps/ERYParishes.gif

I know from the Land Records that John Cobb farmed and paid rent of  5.5 pence to the Parish Church at Lund. His brother Benjamin had an ale house. John is in the land records into the 1830s at Lund although by 1837 the rent is paid for the late John Cobb perhaps by his wife as she is still alive at this time and this is of course Ann (Sproxton) Cobb.

In the burials for Lund, I found John son of John Cobb, labourer, buried 16 Jan 1803. Ann is  baptised as the daughter of John Cobb, Yeoman, 18 Mar 1791. There are a number of marriages for an Ann Cobb but difficult to determine if one of them is this Ann.

 Ahnentafel Chart for Ann Sproxton (abbreviated):
1 Ann Sproxton (1760-1838)

2 Richard Sproxton (1721-1770)
3 Ann Harland (1731-1797)

4 Richard Sproxton (1691-1768)
5 Dorothy English (1692-1772)
6 Timothy Harland (1674-1776)
7 Ann Wilkinson (-1761)

8 Richard Sproxton (1663-1774)
9 Margaret Garrit/Garratt (-1720)
10
11
12  John Harland
13
14
15

16 John Sproxton (c1630-1714)
17 Ann Simpson (-1708)
18
.....

33 John Sproxton (-1663)
34 Isobel (-1650)


Ann is my 4x great grandmother:

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 Yorkshire England
6. Elizabeth COBB (b 24 Aug 1783) - Lund near Beverley Yorkshire England
7. Ann SPROXTON (b 14 Sep 1760) - Great Driffield Yorkshire England
8. Richard SPROXTON (b 10 Oct 1721) - Hutton Cranswick Yorkshire England
9. Richard SPROXTON (b 2 Oct 1691) - Hutton Cranswick Yorkshire England
10. Richard SPROXTON (b 2 Aug 1663) - Hutton Cranswick Yorkshire England
11. John SPROXTON
12. John SPROXTON (d 21 Jul 1663) - Hutton Cranswick Yorkshire England


Prior to 1663 I do not have any information on this Sproxton family. In the records at Kew C 135/104/7 there is mention of a Post Mortem for William Sproxton or de Sproxton Yorkshire and 23 Edw III is 25 Jan 1349 to 24 Jan 1350. Three hundred years earlier there was a Sproxton in Yorkshire so all rather interesting but is this the same family? There was also a Sproxton Leicestershire which occurs in the records and could this family have taken their name from that place. A mystery and perhaps next time at Salt Lake City will have a look.

Also in the reign of Edward I, Robert de Sproxton Post Mortem C 133/88/3.

According to the National Archives there are 4 records 1000-1099, 9 records 1200-1299 and 11 records 1300-1399. With the earliest records being in the Domesday Book. Sprostune being in North Yorkshire in the Domesday Book.

Cobb family at Lund near Beverley and Kilnwick on the Wolds, East Riding of Yorkshire

Elizabeth Cobb is my 3x great grandmother and she married Robert Gray 13 Jan 1806 at Lund near Beverley but they lived at Etton. Elizabeth was described as of the parish of Lund and Robert of the parish of Etton in their marriage registration.

I blogged on my Cobb family two years ago:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2011/05/cobb-at-lund-and-kilnwick-east.html

and the research decision at that time was to transcribe the land records that I had collected at the Family History Centre in 2008 for Lund, Etton and Cherry Burton. Yesterday I did do one set each for Holme on the Wolds 1787, Cherry Burton 1800 and Lund 1813-1814.

I shall have a look at all the records that I photographed and make a list of them and mention the quality of the image and then decide which ones to transcribe. The original file is very legible; my lack of experience in photographing microfilm on a microfilm reader was the cause of my poor images.

Etton Parish Registers

Marriages, Baptisms, Burials - 1714 - good copy
Marriages, Baptisms, Burials - 1715 - good copy

Holme on the Wolds

Marriages, Baptisms, Burials - 1771 - good copy
Marriages, Baptisms, Burials - 1775 - good copy

Cherry Burton

Church Wardens Accounts - 1797 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1798 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1799 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1800 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1801 - fair copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1804 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1805 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1806 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1807 - poor copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1808-1809 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1810-1811 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1812 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1815 - fair copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1816 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1817 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1818 - fair copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1819 - fair copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1820 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1821 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1823 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1824 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1827 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1829 - good copy
Church Wardens Accounts - 1830 - fair copy

Holme on the Wolds


Land Tax Assessment - 1788 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1787 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1790 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1791 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1792 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1793 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1794 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1795 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1796 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1797 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1798 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1799 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1800 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1801 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1802 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1803 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1804 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1805 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1806 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1807 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1808 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1809 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1810 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1811 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1812 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1813 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1814 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1815 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1816 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1817 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1818 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1819 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1820 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1821 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1822 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1823 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1824 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1825 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1826 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1827 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1828 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1829 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1830 - poor copy

Lund

Land Tax Assessment - 1782 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1787 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1789 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1790 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1791 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1792 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1794 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1795 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1796 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1797 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1798 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1799 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1800 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1802 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1804 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1805 - poor copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1809 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1812 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1819 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1821 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1825 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1826 - good copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1827 - fair copy
Land Tax Assessment - 1829 - poor copy

Lund Parish Registers

Poor Law Rate - 1738 - fair copy
Poor Law Rate - 1739 - fair copy
Poor Law Rate - 1741 - fair copy
Poor Law Rate - 1743 - fair copy
Poor Law Rate - 1837 - good copy

Kilnwick

Poor Law Rate - 1753 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1756 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1758 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1760 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1762 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1767 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1778 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1780 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1784 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1788 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1789 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1797 - good copy
Poor Law Rate - 1799 - good copy

Cherry Burton Parish Registers

Marriages, Baptisms and Burials - 1746 - fair copy

Collection for defense against the French  1798 - good copy
Collection for defense against the French  1808 - good copy
Collection for defense against the French  1809 - good copy
Collection for defense against the French  1811 - good copy
Collection for defense against the French  1798 - good copy

There is a poor copy of a will from 7 Jun 1811 testator ? Johnson

Owners and Occupiers - 1788 - good copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1789 - fair copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1790 - fair copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1791 - fair copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1792 - poor copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1793 - fair copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1794 - fair copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1796 - good copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1799 - good copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1804 - good copy
Owners and Occupiers - 1812 - poor copy

Lund

Marriages 1744 - 1746 - good copy

My next research day for the Cobb family I will pick some of these to transcribe.

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

I blogged on my Gray family during the routine daily research day 10 May 2011 and I probably have thought very little about my Gray family in the past two years. My great grandmother was Grace Gray and she married William Robert Pincombe 23 May 1865 at St John the Divine Parish, Arva, Ontario. They buried their first child as an infant and my grandfather was either the next child born or followed another infant death. Still working on that piece of information. John Routledge Pincombe was born 10 Sep 1872 after they had been married for seven years. I know that Grace adored her three children and must have grieved for her second son who died at just six months of age probably from a viral epidemic. He looks quite healthy in his picture about the age of four months.

My blog suggested that I should work on available records for East Yorkshire. I would like 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 who was my  5x great grandfather. Searched Ancestry and Find My Past but did not find any new information that would assist in my search.

My Grey/Gray family were principally farmers before 1830 and looking at the Poor Law Rates for Kilnwick in the mid 1700s there were no Gray/Grey families living at Kilnwick and paying poor law contributions.

12 May 1784
A Tax laid by the inhabitants of Lockington in the Parish of Kilnwick of the Rate of one Penny per pound Rents to be Collected as often as need Requireth

Philip Fisher
George Fox
Thomas Chapman Junior
Thomas Chapman Senior  (Land)
William Wilson (Land and Marsh)
Richard Wilson
Alexander Wederell (Road Lane close)
William Weldby
William Wederell
Widow Houldsworth (flats and house)
William Stephenson
Thomas Fenton
John Hodgson
 Henry Blakstone
William Pickering
Ralph Richardson (Land)
Thomas Watson
John Coaks
John Robinson (Stripe)
Hugh Chapman
Thomas Chapman (Tythe)

An interesting list of those who paid tax in 1784 at Lockington in the Parish of Kilnwick.

19 Jun 1760
A Tax Laid by ye Inhabitants of Lockington In the Parrish of Kilnwick for the Repairs of the Church at the Rate of 8 Pence a Pound for the year 1760 George Fox Churchwarden

Thomas Chapman
Thomas Chapman Senior
Philip Fisher
George Fox
Hudgh Chapman
Robart Coale (Land and Marsh)
Alexander Weatheril
William Weatheril
William Waldby
John Houldswarth
Richard Willson
Thomas Fenton
John Hodgson
Henry Blakstone
William Pickering
Ralph Richardson (Land)
John Robinson (Stripe)
Philip Fisher (Land)
Thomas Watson
John Coaks

Another interesting list of those who paid tax 24 years earlier at Lockington in the Parish of Kilnwick.

Lockington is actually 1.3 miles south of Kilnwick On the Wolds. So my data collected in 2008 at the Family History Library rather missed the mark! But perhaps someone searching these names will get a little boost for their research.

I have about 20 years worth of this data but I was new to imaging on microfilm in those days and a few of them are very poor quality images.

The amount of the tax is also included in the image but I did not list that here. The LDS does hold Parish Registers for Kilnwick and perhaps I will at some point order the microfilm in for Kilnwick to see if I can learn more about the Grey/Gray family there. I shall try to remember to do that for one of these research days. I shall use this particular time to work on the images I did bring back for the various parishes in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Cobb at Lund and Kilnwick, East Yorkshire Riding

Elizabeth Cobb married Robert Gray 13 Jan 1806 at Lund (near Beverley), East Yorkshire Riding. Elizabeth was baptized 24 Aug 1783 at Lund near Beverley the daughter of John Cobb and Ann Sproxton who were themselves married  24 Nov 1782 at Lund near Beverley.


The Cobb/Sproxton family information was one of my great finds at the Family Search Library in Salt Lake City. Although the information does appear on the IGI the surname Sproxton was listed as Sprowston and solving this error lead me other records which were very helpful in sorting out my Cobb line.


Today, I want to transcribe the records that I collected in 2008 (yikes it has been that long) for this family.


I collected a list of the Churchwardens and did not find any Cobb families listed at Lund before the 1780s. in 1786 Benjamin Cobb was a Churchwarden (and in 1787). The Cobb family are not listed on the Tax Assessment before this time. John Cobb farms continuously in this area from the 1780s until his death in 1837 at which time Benjamin Cobb takes over his land.


Prior to living at Lund the Cobb family were at Kilnwick, identified by the priest at the marriage of John Cobb and Ann Sproxton as his parish.


Robert Gray was described as of the parish of Etton in 1806 when he married Elizabeth Cobb who was described as of the parish of Lund (indeed she was baptized there).


Parish Registers for Lund near Beverley


Baptism of Elizabeth daughter of John Cobb yeoman 24 Aug  1783

Baptism of Benjamin son of Benjamin Cobb shopkeeper 22 Feb 1788

Baptism Ann daughter of John Cobb yeoman 13 Mar 1791

Baptism John son of John Cobb yeoman 18 Jan 1793

Baptism Jonathan Marshall son of Benjamin and Jane Cobb labourer 20 Sep 1815

Baptism Benjamin son of Benjamin and Jane Cobb publican 18 Aug 1817

Baptism Jane daughter of Benjamin and Jane Cobb publican 11 Oct 1821

Baptism Thomas son of Benjamin and Jane Cobb inkeeper 5 Nov 1823

Baptism Mary Ann daughter of Benjamin and Jane Cobb publican 21 Nov 1825

Baptism John son of Benjamin and Jane Cobb publican 16 Sep 1827

Baptism Sarah daughter of Benjamin and Jane Cobb publican 7 Feb 1830

Baptism Ann Emma daughter of Benjamin and Ellen Cobb tailor 18 Apr 1846

Baptism Charles Arthur son of Benjamin and Ellen Cobb tailor 3 June 1849

Baptism Jane Elizabeth daughter of Thomas and Frances Cobb wheelwright 18 Jun 1854


Marriage of Benjamin Cobb of this parish batchelor and Ann Harrison of this parish spinster married in this church by banns on the twelfth day of February in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty one by me William Mosey Vicar. This marriage was solemnized between us Benjamin Cobb (signed) and Ann Harrison (signed) in the presence of William Bonwer and Thomas Holdsworth.


Marriage of John Cobb of this parish (born at Kilnwick) and Ann Sproxton of this parish born at Great Driffield married in this church by banns the twenty fourth day of November in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two by me William Mosey Minister. This marriage was solemnized between us John Cobb (signed) and Ann Sproxton (signed) In the presence of John Wilson and Benjamin Cobb.


Marriage of Benjamin Cobb of this parish batchelor and Jane Marshall of this parish spinster were married in this church by banns this tenth day of November in the year one thousand eight hundred a fourteen by me F Lundy Vicar. This marriage was solemnized between us Benjamin Cobb and Jane Marshall. In the presence of Thomas Parkin and Thomas Holdsworth.


Marriage solemnized in the Parish Church of Lund 24 Dec 1847 between Thomas Cobb and Frances Ullyott both of full age, batchelor and spinster, wheelwright and  none, Benjamin Cobb father publican and Mark Morton father labourer witnesses William Kirby and Elizabeth Vary.


Burial of Jane Cobb 6 Apr 1878 aged 60 years

Burial Benjamin Cobb 14 Oct 1878 14 months

Burial Benjamin Cobb 10 May 1822 68 years

Burial Robert Cobb 29 Apr 1826 91 years

Burial John Cobb 5 May 1837 87 years

Burial Ann Cobb (wife of John Cobb) 21 May 1838 77 years

Burial Jonathan Marshall Cobb at Driffield 8 Aug 1850 35 years

Burial Jane Cobb 24 May 1852 64 years


Benjamin Cobb and John Cobb above were brothers and children of John Cobb and Sarah Beilby who were married 14 Nov 1745 at Lund near Beverley (IGI). Their family


From the IGI

Elizabeth baptized 22 Feb 1746 at Kilnwick

John baptized 29 Jul 1750 at Kilnwick; buried 5 May 1837 at Lund near Beverley

Benjamin baptized 16 Feb 1757 at Kilnwick; buried 10 May 1822 at Lund near Beverley


These were the only children that I found baptized to John and Sarah Cobb at Kilnwick. Why they baptized children at Kilnwick and married at Lund is a mystery as I have still not located the area in which they farmed since John is referred to as a yeoman.


I should have carried on looking back into the registers at Lund to find this marriage but will do that another time.


Kilnwick Parish Registers

Baptism Elizabeth the daughter of John Cobb 22 Feb 1746

Baptism John the son of John Cobb 29 Jul 1750

Baptism Benjamin Cobb the son of John Cobb 16 Feb 1757


Lund Parish Registers

Marriage John Cobb and Sarah Beilby both of this parish were married 14 Nov 1745


Great Driffield

Baptism Sarah Beilby daughter of John Beilby 6 Nov 1720


Benjamin Cobb had many many descendants whereas I think that Elizabeth Cobb was the only descendant of John Cobb his brother. I have not yet found any information on her younger brother John or her sister Ann.


Transcribe the land records the next time for Lund, Etton and Cherry Burton.

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. 

Getting ready for the FHS Library

Today I continued transcribing the William Hinxman will from 1579 and it is becoming less spotty but will be a little while completing. The Inventory should also be interesting and I found an inventory from the late 1500s that I shall use as an aid for the terminology in this inventory. Household effects are fairly standard so should be a good aid. It is quite an interesting will as William names many of his relatives as well as his own family. The Hinxman family at Andover is, I think, a rather small one in the 1500s and finding son Joseph there was quite rewarding as well as a son William. It does mean that the Hinxman families that I have found at Andover are related which is always helpful.

I also want to get ready to go to the Family History Library tomorrow morning to continue looking at the Hutton Cranswick Parish Registers. I will now start at the beginning and take images of the pertinent entries for the Sproxton/Simpson/Garrit/Wiles families. It would appear that John Sproxton Junior married Ann Simpson 5 Jan 1659 and that it was another John Sproxton who married Anne Huser in August 1659. It will be interesting to see if I can determine if this was John Sproxton Senior in a new marriage. I want to work my way through the register up to the late 1700s to ensure that I find all the BMBs for these families. In 1753 my Richard Sproxton married Ann Harland at Great Driffield and my Sproxton family is found there after that time.

If I complete all of that then I will look at the other Parish Registers on this microfilm (a bonus for me) which include: Skerne, Watton, Beswick which are all lying beside my parishes of Hutton Cranswick and Kilnwick on the Wolds. The other two parishes Burton Agnes and Bridlington Quay are somewhat away but I do have a couple of entries for Bridlington so will also look at them later.

Another full day spent working away on items plus a 14 km bike ride. I did a little more on the will and a little more on the Sproxton family.

Sproxton - Hutton Cranswick

I expect that the Sproxton family will occupy me for a little while in my blog. I updated my legacy file with all the Sproxton entries in the IGI so that I can check them against the Hutton Cranswick film on Tuesday next. I printed off a map of the East Riding of Yorkshire which includes my pertinent parishes - Cherry Burton, Etton, Holme on the Wolds, Lund, Kilnwick on the Wolds, Hutton Cranswick, and Great Driffield. Interesting they all touch on corners or share borders. The Gray, Cobb, Hilton, Sproxton, Stephenson, Aly, Beilby, Harland, Todd, Wiles, Wilkinson, Garrit, Huser, and Cooper lines all live in one or other of these parishes. They form an interesting tree stretching back from Robert Gray Junior with parents Robert Gray Senior and Elizabeth Cobb (my emigrant ancestor who arrived in London Township by 1832). Looking at the other parishes on the Hutton Cranswick microfilm (Beswick, Watton, Skerne, Burton Agnes and Bridlington Quay) may be quite helpful to me with respect to marriages that I can not locate in the other parishes or baptisms - less so Burton Agnes and Bridlington Quay since they do not touch on the other parishes but I will give them a glance anyway :).

I am also starting to read through the three wills from the 1500s that I am going to transcribe. I am looking forward to reading them as they are on the Hinxman family. Although they are from an earlier time period than Eleanor Blake Hinxman they will none the less bring some light to bear on this family in Andover in the 16th century.

We were off for an 11 km bicycle ride early this morning just to start our day off. It was cool for an early August morning actually but our weather this summer has been very wet and cooler than usual. However, I will not complain - the gardens and lawns are beautiful this year.

I also did my short research note for the BIFHSGO journal which was due last week but we were away and then I forgot when I got back home. Thank goodness for email reminders. Today my first publication in an English genealogical journal was published (Cumbria Journal) and it is the Protestation Returns for Lanercost. I actually have transcribed every parish in the Eskdale Ward and will eventually get them proofread and can publish them if they want or simply give them to the Cumbria Record Office.

This evening we had everyone over for a barbeque and to plan the engagement party for our youngest and her husband to be. We have that all done and just need to put in our order. The dogs had a great time and enjoyed their steak.

My sister pointed out a possible error in the Carling tree. I had put this together about five years ago when I first started genealogy and had the material from another researcher. The tombstone says that Hannah Carling Beverley's parents were John and Ann not Thomas and Elizabeth as I had understood. I do find a patron entry for parents of Hannah Carling Beverley of John Carling and Ann Hodgson from Rowley (three parishes below Cherry Burton). I really have no idea on that. Thomas and Elizabeth married at Etton just 10 months before Hannah was born but her baptism isn't recorded at Etton so somewhat suspicious. I will put that one on the back burner for when we return to Salt Lake City. I have a lower interest these days in the Carling line as it is a collateral line to my own and I was researching it to see if I could learn more about the Gray family through it but actually I uncovered all the details directly at Salt Lake City and didn't need the assistance of a collateral line.

Tomorrow I shall work on the will transcriptions and finish preparing to go into the LDS on Tuesday. I want to have a list of all the Sproxton and collateral entries that I have not yet verified. I was very pleased to get back another two generations at Hutton Cranswick and would like to find the information for Grace Wiles, Margaret Garrit and Anne Huser and their parents/grandparents if possible. This microfilm has certainly provided a number of interesting pieces of information.