FAMILY HISTORY:  NEWS                

 

This page documents chronologically, any thing of interest relating to my family history research and associated projects.

Names and places are generally highlighted in Bold print.

Do a search on this page to FIND the Information you came here to  look for, usually  Edit > Find.

 

FAMILYHISTORY Home      Last updated 29th  April 2008

 

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290408 Received an email from Jean Thatcher about her Thatcher ancestors in Othery and Morris ancestors in Westonzoyland.

 

030308 Received an email from Patricia Hecker about her Kick ancestor Solomon Kick1823 from Aller. He was the son of Thomas Kick1785, brother of John Kick1791, who was my ancestor. 

 

080108 Julia Palmer has discovered that it is Rosanna Bown1813, daughter of William Bown1774 & Rosanna Bartlett, that is her ancestor, and not the Rosanna Bown1824, daughter of Robert Bown1794.

 

221207 Exchanged some emails with John Clothier from Corfu, who shares the same 3x Gr grandfather John Bown1775. His line of descent goes as follows… John Bown1775> Hannah Bown1805> Anna Gillard1836> Thomas Andrews1871 >Florence Andrews1891>

 

151207 Exchanged emails with Farrell Fox of Somerset, whose ancestor Hester Squire1863, his great grandmother, was the sister of Elizabeth Squire who married Robert Alexander Ando Bown1858. Robert was the son of Robert Bown1794 and Caroline Ando of Pitney.

 

041207 Geoff Fathers from Australia sent me an email recently about his Bartlett ancestors from Pitney. His family married into the Bown’s. Hannah Bartlett1782 married John Bown1775, and her sister Rosanna Bartlett1794 married his brother William Bown1774.

 

271107  As so often happens in Family History I was stirred recently by a conversation with some relatives, and as a result I have been reviewing in a new light, some copy documents that I obtained quite a few years ago from the Somerset Records Office. I had not previously realised the significance of the location of a house referred to in the Deeds of 1823-38, as Langacre, Middlezoy.   Research has revealed that there was indeed a settlement of up to eight houses at Langacre. Where was it? Go to a new page of research at   http://dbown100.tripod.com/middlezoybownhouses.htm

 

300907 Received a number of emails from Julia Palmer, who is related to Rosanna Bown1824 Othery, who married her relative William Cross from Bishops Lydeard. They lived in various locations in Taunton through at least 1861 to 1891, according to the census records. Rosanna Bown 1824 was the daughter of Robert Bown1794 and Anne Champion.

Another distant cousin found! Note some of this info now believed to be incorrect. See latest note on 080108.

 

220807 Received an email from another David Bown from BC Canada, who is descended from Alfred Bown1890, son of Robert Alexander Bown1858.        Wow 3 new Bown’s in 1 week !

 

200807 Received an email from Eileen Bown, wife of Dennis Bown. His ancestry goes back to William Bown1751. Now waiting to hear where it comes forward to?

 

140807 Received an email from Albert Bown from Pueblo, Colorado, USA regarding his Bown Ancestors. His line goes back to Samuel Bown1807 who was older brother to my great great grandfather Charles Bown1815

 

240607  Exchanged emails with Helen Mueller regarding her Kick, Hosier, Stevens & Barnstable  relatives from Middlezoy.

 

130507 Check out the Somerset pictures page which now contains pictures of over 190 Somerset towns and villages. 

 

120507 Received an email from Pat Beasley, a descendant of  Richard Bown 1755 of Middlezoy. Her line then went as follows:  Jane Bown1781, Joseph Bown1817, William Bown1841, Edward Bown, Elsie Bown,

 

070507  Exchanged emails with Peter Smith regarding John Bown who married Letitia Mullins June 1855.

 

Jan07  Exchanged a number of emails with Diana Reid regarding our mutual grandparents Walter & Eliza Bown, her grandmother Florence Hutchings(nee Bown) and grandfather Albert Hutchings, who lived at Pipers Inn Ashcott.

 

231106  Uploaded my BOWN Gedcom to Rootsweb World Connect. 

My details can be found at http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=dbown100  Hit the list button to see all my ancestors.

You can search for names other people have submitted at the following web address: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/     Seems like a good place to go look for your ancestors. Suggest you use the ‘Advanced Search’ as you can be a bit more exacting in your search and not waste time going through pages of unrelated people with the same search name.

 

121106 Recently added ancestor charts to the pages for Callow, Hurd, Lockyer, and Keirle (Other Names). This should make it easier to understand the relationships involved.

 

091106  Still plodding on with the Somerset Village Photo Project with the number of villages covered now up into the 90’s. Went to Otterhampton, Stockland Bristol, Lilstock, & Killton today. Check out if your village has been ‘done’ yet at http://dbown100.tripod.com/album.htm . Have added links to some villages to old postcard views as well.

 

281006 Exchanged emails with Tim Walker from Virginia, USA, regarding his Atyeos of Middlezoy & Othery. He is also interested in the names Sarah Rossiter, Richard Gent, Mary Pathe, and William Atyeo. Have done some lookups for him in the Middlezoy parish registers, for which I have the fiche.

 

241006 Got a reply from Peggy Gleich, President of BIGWILL, British Interest Group of Wisconsin & Illinois. See their website at www.rootsweb.com/~wiilbig/

 

221006 Exchanged emails with Wendy Durston re here 5x great grandmother Elizabeth Kick born Aller 1734.

 

171006  Sent email to Jeni Martin about her Bowns on Ancestry Family trees at http://awt.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=mymob&surname=Bowen%2C+Geoffrey+Leigh&ti=5538

 

111006 Exchanged emails with Bill McLean regarding our mutual Bown ancestors descended from John Bown1775 who married Hannah Bartlett1782. Bill’s wife had a Bown family who emigrated to Macoupin County Illinois in 1856. Her grandfather Albert C Bown was subsequently born there in 1874.

 

101006 Exchanged emails with Tony Bate regarding our mutual Lockyer & Kick ancestors, relating to George Lockyer1817 who married Jane Kick1820 in Middlezoy.

 

031006  Received details from Marcella Jackson about her grandfather Henry Taylor and his wife Kate Bawden, from Middlezoy, who emigrated to Irving, Illinois in 1912. Added these details to Illinois page.

 

021006 Exchanged emails with Fran Henley about her grandfather Thomas Loveridge from Stoke St Gregory, who emigrated to Warren Co Illinois in 1889. Added these details to Illinois page.

 

270906 Exchanged emails with Geoff Bown from Grimbsy, North East Lincs.

 

260906 Exchanged emails with Ruth Dunlap whose great-grandfather, George Ashelford, came to DeKalb Co. Illinois from Stogumber parish, Somerset in the 1850’s. Added these details to Illinois page.

 

240806 Exchanged several emails with Kathleen Adamson about her Wards of Chiselborough near Yeovil, who migrated to Iroquois, and Lake Counties in Illinois. Added these details to Illinois page.

 

190806 Exchanged emails with Rob Clarke about his Callow and Bown relatives. His great great grandparents were George Bown1856 and  Elizabeth Callow1856. George’s parents were Joshua Bown1818 and Grace Emery. Joshua spent most of his life in Othery.

 

260706 Re established communications via email with Audrey Garreteson, daughter in law of Helen Sturdevant (nee Bown) of Salem, Missouri. Helen Bown1906-2001 was one of two daughter’s of Albert Bown1872 & Helena Hilker1865, who lived at Alton Illinois for a period of time. Albert was the son of Walter Bown1843 & Eliza Jane Lockyer1852 of Middlezoy, Somerset, England. Albert migrated to Illinois via Liverpool & New York in 1890 to initially stay in Alton, with his uncle William Field Lockyer, Eliza Jane’s brother.

 

250706  Exchanged emails with Therese Ives about her gr grandfather William Brean who migrated from Wrington, via Liverpool & New York to end up at Southport, later Kenosha County, Wisconsin in 1870. By  the Census of 1880, this family was living in the village of North Chicago/Shields Township of Lake County, Illinois.

 

240706 Posted a message about Somerset migrants to Lake County Illinois on the Ancestry Board and received a reply from John in Racine, Wi, about his Small relatives migration from High Ham to the Mundelein area in Illinois. Sent him an email with some Small information, and now awaiting a reply.

 

210706 Received an email from Monique regarding her William Bown who married a Lemma Ann Cruson and settled in
Soldiers Grove Wisconsin area.  She says ‘What I do know is that William was born in New York around 1816. William and Lemma married in Steuben County Indiana.  Leema was born in Ohio.’

 

200706  Exchanged emails with Steve Farmer from East Sussex. William Bown, who was a convict from Derby sent to Australia , was my GGG Grandfather from my maternal side, he says.

 

170706  Exchanged emails with Gail Wacker from Ohio USA. She is interested in Bown’s, Keirles,  and also says … I am related on the Bown's side through marriage only. I am descended from Jenny Perratt, daughter of Robert Perratt and Elizabeth Sherwood.

 

140706  Received an email from TJ Perry regarding John Bown1828 and Louisa Hucker1833, married in Othery in 1858.

 

130706  Received an update email from Tony Pearce about his William Hugh Bown 1867, and the problems that he encountered when he became Hugh Pearce by the 1891 census. Charlotte married Joseph Pearce in 1871. He was born at Greylake illegitimate son of Charlotte Bown 1841. In 1891 he marries Emily Annie Belton, daughter of the innkeeper at the 'London Inn' at Othery .

 

170606 Attended the Othery Street Fayre with a stall. Met many interesting people from the village and nearby.

 

010606  Exchanged emails with Jillian Trethewey regarding her Smith, Tottle, Laver, Langford, and Palmer ancestors who were boatmen on the river Parrett, and who lived mainly in Moorland and Burrowbridge.

 

200506  Exchanged emails with Peter Crandle who has a Somerset Light Infantry group photograph that was taken for and includes his grandfather George Randle in about 1900, also including an Oliver Bown (right hand image in the following picture)  and a Guy Bown  oliverbown2.jpg . I believe these were probably sons of Charles Oliver Bown 1853 who married Alpha Jane Walden, with Oliver b1878 and Guy b1882. I then remembered I had been sent a photo of an Oliver Bown taken in 1918 as an engineer in the RAF, by Paul Donnellan oliverbown1.jpg . Am now awaiting a higher resolution picture from Peter to determine if the Oliver is the same person in each photo. Write to me if you can throw any light on this story.

 

140506  Added a page of headstone transcriptions from local villages, Bown & related names only I’m afraid. Maybe I’ll do all headstones at some time in the future. http://dbown100.tripod.com/headstonetranscriptions.htm

120506 Received an email from Sandra ref Othery & Burrowbridge. Interested in the names Sharman, Reed, Keirle, Kift and Storey.

Did a photography trip with TE, to Middlezoy,Windmill hill, the church, and then to Pitney.

At the church we met Ann Hutchings (nee Lockyer) who’s grandfather Walter John Lockyer went to Alton Illinois in the 1800’s.

 

090506  Visited Shapwick and Pedwell taking photos. Added these to Album page.

 

300406  Received an email from Judith Matthews giving an update on the descendants of Robert Alexander Bown b 1858. Incorporated this detail into my Bowntree page.

 

210406  Went on a short cycle ride to Sutton Mallet & Moorlinch to take some pics. Met an interesting old gent called Mike Coombes with his Jack Russell ‘Millie’ and his two other dogs out for a ride in his muddy car. Added these villages to the album.

 

130406 Exchanged emails with Deb George from Iowa, USA  re Thomas & Sarah Bown of Evercreech.

 

040406  Exchanged emails with Sara Black re her Keirle’s of Stoke St Gregory.

 

030406   Visited and took photos around Kingsbury Episcopi, Shepton Beauchamp then South Petherton. Added these villages to the album.

 

010406  09-30 set off on a 23 mile photo session & bike ride to Burrowbridge, Athelney, Curload, Stoke St Gregory, Stathe, Burrowbridge, Othery, and Westonzoyland. Went into Stoke St Gregory church & church yard. Stopped again at WZ church & church yard. Added photo albums for Athelney, Curload, Stathe, & Stoke St Gregory.

 

310306  Exchanged emails with Steve Bown from South Australia re his Charles Bown born July 25th 1824.

 

060306 Visited Middlezoy, Turn Hill (Beer Woods), and High Ham with TE, on a photographic outing. See the pictures on the Photo Album page.

 

030306  Cycled to Westonzoyland, Middlezoy, then Othery, taking pictures as I went. See these on my new Photo Album page.

 

280206  Decided to create a ‘Photo Album’ page of modern photos of the villages surrounding Middlezoy. Photos not already existing will be taken during this year, so if there are any special request’s now is the time. See the Photo Album page to check which villages will be covered.

 

250206  Now completed my Hurd research for the time being. The results of my research can be seen on a new web page at http://dbown100.tripod.com/Hurd.htm 

 

220206  Visited High Ham Church yard and photographed some Small headstones. (Remember Sarah Small married George Hurd in High Ham)

 

200206  Working in conjunction with Tony E, we have created a new web site devoted to showing mainly modern photographs of Middlezoy. Although still in the course of construction, you can pop along to see what’s there at the moment, at http://middlezoy.tripod.com/home.htm  

 

180206  Have finally solved the reason why some of my Web pages were not displaying pictures properly. Word 2003, which I had recently started using, had a default setting for viewing web pages constructed on it, to Int Explorer 5.0 or higher. Changed this to 3.0 or higher and things started working again, especially when browsing with Mozilla Firefox, which does not seem terribly compatible with Int Explorer enabled pages. Anyone else had experience of this?

 

170206  In relation to the Hurd investigations, I was put in touch with Mary Bench who it turned out also had a Bown relative in her ancestors. Hannah Bown1805 from Middlezoy, married first William Francis of Aller, then John Gillard of Aller. Hannah was older brother to my Great great grandfather, Charles Bown1815. Hannah Gillard (nee Bown) died 1890, and is presumably buried in Aller churchyard, so a revisit back there will be coming shortly.

 

140206 Visited Middlezoy with Tony E and took a variety of photos before we both got caught in a torrential downpour and got wet through. Didn’t finish the job so we will be going back again. See thumbnails of the pictures on the Middlezoy page or at http://dbown100.tripod.com/mzoy140206.jpg .

 

120206 Posted a message on the Rootsweb Somerset message board to get census info on the Hurds of High Ham. Subsequently received images of all the census’s 1841 to 1881 and was able to establish who Elizabeth Hurds (Annie Callows mother) family consisted of. Have now created a separate web page for Hurd with all this detail on it.

 

Visited Aller church & took a few pictures. Discovered that they have a family history book where you can leave your contact details and names of interest, and they also have a plan and list of all graves in the churchyard. Look at thumbnails views of the photos taken at http://dbown100.tripod.com/Aller120206.jpg 

 

080206:  Visited the Wesleyan Methodist Church (1898),  in Middlezoy, known variously as chapel or the chapel. Obtained the key and was able to go inside and photograph the many wall plaques including one in tribute to Walter Bown who died in 1910, referring to him as ‘one of the honoured founders of the Middlezoy Total Abstinence Society’ and to his faithfull wife Eliza Jane Bown d1936. Other plaques photographed referred to Elijah Barnstable who died 1898 and ‘who generously gave the site for this place of worship’, his wife Ann Barnstable died 1886, daughter Louisa Bown died 1909;  Mr & Mrs F Callow, who donated a light for the organ; Andrew & Violet Hutchings; Myrtle Annie Gillard died 1957; Lillian Ella Chinn d 1917 aged 23, Florence Minnie Darby d 1951. Around the outside wall there are various stones with writing inlaid on them….Mrs W C Harris, L E Chinn, Mrs A Tucker, A stone laid by Mrs M Ling, Mrs W Crawford, Mr W Slocombe, Mrs W Bouchier, Hugh Bevan Esq, This stone was laid by ?????????  May 19th 1898(will rephotograph this), Mrs John Coombs, HD Stone, Mrs J Harris.

 

030206  1: Have reached agreement with Tony E that we will go and photograph around Middlezoy village during week beginning Monday 13th Feb, weather permitting. For all of you with ancestors from the village, but who are unable to visit, we shall in the near future, be creating a website showing all the photos taken.

2: Am planning a visit next week to go see and photograph  the plaque in the Chapel that refers to Walter Bown setting up the Temperence Movement in the village. My Aunty Joan, his granddaughter, will accompany me.

 

220106  Still experiencing some software problems with MS Word, which is used to compile my web pages. Some links are corrupting the pages so have been un linked!

 

200106  Sent email to Barbara Clayton re Rebecca Edington 1822 (nee Lockyer), daughter of Richard Field Lockyer 1776 and Nancy Lockyer 1780 (nee Hawkins). Rebecca would have been Aunt to my Great great grandmother Eliza Jane Bown 1852 (nee Lockyer) . Had found her Edington website with the Locker info and decided to email her. Then discovered that I had previously seen her Lockyer message on the Genealogy Lockyer message board last year, but had got no reply to my message regarding her message. Hoping for better luck this time.

 

150106  Received an email from Tony Ethridge. Turns out that he is recovering from a heart attack last July, and a triple heart bypass op last October. Sounds like he is recovering well. I’m sure we all wish Tony a full recovery.

100106 Exchanged emails recently with Marcella Jackson, who’s mother was born in 1910 at Cutley Farm, Middlezoy. Her G G grandfather was Thomas Edington.

271105 Received an email from Diana Reid from Canada, who turned out to be a second cousin. Her grandmother Florence Hutchings, (nee Bown), was a younger sister to my grandfather James Bown. Awaiting further correspondence.

 

260905 Recent exchange of emails with Elizabeth Marsh, who is seeking any information about her father, Henry Charles Bown (or Henry Pearce, as he was brought up by Hugh & Emily Pearce) b1910 in Middlezoy. Her grandfather, Henry’s father,  was William Hugh Bown. Please email me if you can provide any information.

 

290605 Exchanged emails recently with Amy Anzlovar, who has an interest in various Othery families, including Bown, Pester,  and Hucker. Her Pester relative ran the old  Castle Inn in the village.

 

180605 Attended the Annual Othery Street fayre and visited the display in the village hall by the Local History Group.

 

220305 Received email from Mike Bale about William Bown1822 who married Mary Ann Jeffrey1824. His grandmother was a daughter of this couple.

 

010305 Finally got some information on how Albert Bown (b1874) travelled to the USA courtesy of Ken Macdonald on the Ancestry Somerset Message board. He travelled on the ship ‘the Majestic’ from Liverpool, reaching New York on 3rd July 1890 when he was 18 years old. Ken also located the 1930 census showing Albert working as a kilnsman, in a brickyard. We still don’t know how he made his onward journey to Alton Illinois to meet up with his uncle Richard Field Lockyer.

240205 Charmaine Cottam made contact by email. She is related to Anna Bown, b1869 Middlezoy, who married Alfred George Raines at Worle. Anna Bown is her great grandmother.

210105 Barbara Clayton of Iowa USA wrote on the Genealogy.com Lockyer message board about Richard Field Lockyer(b1776). Posted a message in response but no reply recd to date.

200105 Have received new information about Bown’s & Lockyer’s in Illinois, a response to a message I posted on the Ancestry Macoupin County (Illinois, USA ) message board. Gives location of some Illinois online archives of marriages & deaths.

281204 Have received several emails from Willy Bown in Chile. Unfortunately they are all in the native tongue, Spanish, and it is therefore difficult to understand them. Have been using Google translator.

171204 Have just acquired a lovely print from an old book entitled ‘Sedgemoor from Middlezoy’. See the Middlezoy page and look for mzoy23. Believed to be looking towards Westonzoyland from Windmill Hill.

271104 Have now located Annie Bowns old shop book, and what a wonderful historical document it is. Will be creating a page devoted solely to this book as it contains so much social history of the village from 1903 to 1937.

141004 Exchanged emails with Lisa O’Donnell(St Louis Missouri), re her Sarah Lockyer from Aller/Othery

031004 Recd email from Tony Bate (New Zealand) re Lockyer, Hook & Biddlecombe families in Middlezoy. Think this may give me some more Lockyer family names.

300904 Visited V R again and he has come up with some more Middlezoy pics( a pack of 6 postcards). See them at http://dbown100.tripod.com/vernspics.htm

210904 Recd letter from Barry Chapple in Australia re Talbot family(was a featured research name a few years ago but dropped in favour of Bartlett after new info came to light), but is also researching the Bown name. Will write back to him.

150904 Visited V R to discuss photos of Middlezoy.

110904 Went to Exeter postcard fair and bought 4 small photos of Middlezoy taken in 1949. mzoy18-21

100904 Obtained a new old postcard of Middlezoy, mzoy22. Probably my oldest Mzoy card yet circa 1900-1905

090804 T E sent me a better quality photo of ‘Orchard street’ Middlezoy.