The mystery of John Field

[ElizabethHerts]

This emanates from my Jeffcoat family.

There was a long-running Chancery case involving the Purser and Jeffcoat families, amongst others. Samuel Purser had married his cousin Ann Jeffcoat in 1800. Ann was the daughter of my 4xgreat-grandparents, Joseph and Mary Jeffcoat from Upper Winchendon, Bucks., who were Quakers.

Some background:
Samuel and Ann farmed at Moreton-in-Marsh and thrived. Unfortunately, the couple was never blessed with children, but they were close to their nephews and nieces. There was another Purser-almost Jeffcoat marriage when Rebecca Jeffcoat Freeman, daughter of Ann's sister Rebecca, married Isaac Purser. Samuel Purser took the couple under his wing and bought a fam at Hook Norton for them to farm. Sadly, Rebecca died young, and Isaac remarried.

Meanwhile, Samuel Purser died in 1852 and Ann in 1853. Samuel's will stipulated that the farm at Hook should remain with Isaac for the rest of his life. When Isaac died in 1869 the will had to be sorted out, but a family member contested it and it went to Chancery.


The case wasn't settled until 1882, and some shares were unclaimed, including that of a John Field.

Apparently John Field was a mystery to most of the family, but it seems he was the product of a second marriage of one of the Jeffcoat girls. The candidate we have is that he was the son of Sarah (Jeffcoat) from a second marriage to John Field.

Sarah's first marriage was within the Quaker faith - she married William Hemmings in 1794 and they lived at Brailes in Warwickshire. Her two sons attended Ackworth School in Yorkshire. However, William Hemmings died in 1801.

When Sarah's mother, Mary Jeffcoat, died in 1828, Sarah Hemmings is only mentioned in the will in relation to her daughter Hannah Hemmings. There is no mention of the surname Field and no indication of whether Sarah is still living or not.

I've never established what happened to Sarah or anything about John Field.

There is a marriage for a Sarah Hemmings and John Field in 1813 at Meppershall, Bedfordshire, but I have yet to find a birth for a son John Field.

[Merry]

There is a marriage for a Sarah Hemmings and John Field in 1813 at Meppershall, Bedfordshire

Do you know that this Sarah was a widow at her marriage?

[kiterunner]

When was Sarah born, Elizabeth? I'm wondering what is the latest date that she could have had children? Also is the John Field / Sarah Hemmings marriage in 1813 a Quaker one or C of E?

[ElizabethHerts]

Hi Merry and Kate,

Sarah was born in 1772 in Upper Winchendon and her records are entered in the Upper Side Meeting. (Bucks.)

She married William Hemmings on 14 July 1794 and he died on 17 June 1801 at Brailes, Warwickshire. They had 3 children - John, Joseph Jeffcoat and Hannah. Joseph Jeffcoat Hemmings was a grocer and sausage maker in Oxford, John died in the USA in 1827 and Hannah married later in life to a William Simcox.

I have just found the relevant passage in Samuel Purser's will:

"Upon trust after paying and retaining thereout all expensces of and incidental to the Sale and realization of such real estate and conveying same to the purchasers thereof to pay and divide such monies unto between and amongst my Brother Richard Purser my Sister Elizabeth Johnson and all and every my nephews and nieces who shall be born in my lifetime the Sons and Daughters of my said Brother Richard Purser my said Sister Elizabeth Johnson my deceased Brothers William Purser John Purser Joseph Purser and Robert Purser and of my deceased Sisters Hannah Purser and Ann Fisher and the nephews and nieces who shall be born in my lifetime of my said wife Ann Purser the Sons and Daughters of my said Wife’s Brothers Daniel Jeffcoat of her two Sisters Sarah Field Hannah Freeman and Rebecca Freeman in equal shares and proportions on their severally attaining the age of twenty one years"

The marriage of a Sarah Hemmings and John Field is on the IGI:

Name: John Field
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name: Sarah Hemmings
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date: 19 Mar 1813
Event Place: Meppershall, Bedford, England
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00378-2

It doesn't appear to be a Quaker marriage.
This is the marriage my Purser contact found, but I don't know how convinced he was either!
I would have thought an earlier marriage more likely.

[Shona]

Found the following.

Warwickshire Land Tax records for 1805 have a Saml Field as an occupant of Thos Hemming.

Daniel Field married Mary Hemmings in Brailes on 1 September 1835.

1851 census

Brailes

James Hemmings, 64, head, cooker, b Brailes
Sarah Hemmings, 64, wife, b Marston, Gloucester
Henry Field, 28, son-in-law, watchmaker, b Brailes
Eliza Field, 24, daughter, b Brailes
Frederic Field, 2, grandson, b Brailes

1861 census

Brailes

Daniel Field, 46, head, tailor and draper, b Brailes
Mary Field, 50, wife, b Brailes
Eliza A Field, 12, b Braikes
Sarah Hemmings, 74, mother-in-law, b Kidderminster, Worcs
Eliza Harris, 14, servant, b Brailes

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Shona.

I can't see where this Sarah would tie in with my family.
James Hemmings might have been a relation of Sarah's husband, William.

Off to the shops, so not ignoring anyone who posts in the next half hour or so!

[ElizabethHerts]

My family friend has a tentative death for Sarah Field in Southwark.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=LMAdeaths&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=Sarah&gsln=Field&dbOnly=_F0005A5E|_F0005A5E_x%2c_F0005A49|_F0005A49 _x%2c_F000576D|_F000576D_x&uidh=xt1&pcat=34&fh=30&h=9838028&recoff=6+7

I don't know whether he has the death certificate too.
I'm trying in vain to establish whether this is Sarah (Jeffcoat or Hemmings) Field from my tree without buying the certificate.

This Sarah was living at Suffolk Street at the time of her death, which I can't find on the 1841 Census. More questions than answers! Edit: Will try Great Suffolk Street.

(Note: I bought the will of a Sarah Field of Southwark from the TNA site yesterday, but I should have looked more closely at the date as it was just before the death of the Sarah above.)

[ElizabethHerts]

AHA! I found this on the National Archives website:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=188-er15&cid=-1#-1

[no title] ER 15/12/4 29 October 1818

Contents:
Draft release by John Hemmings, Warwick, woolcomber, eldest son and heir of William Hemmings late of Lower Brailes, Warks., deceased and Sarah Field, Compton, Bedford, widow of John, deceased and formerly wife then widow of said William Hemmings, deceased to Job Swetman, Sibford Gower, Oxon., tailor and Joseph Ashby Gillett, Brailes, Warks., gent., his trustee, for £80 of messuage and appurtenances in Sibford Gower in occupations of William Norton, William Applebee and Ann Applebee.


The early Jeffcoats came from Sibfod Gower.

[ElizabethHerts]

Do you read this as Sarah being deceased, or just John Field?

I can't make up my mind.:(

[ElizabethHerts]

There is also this:

ER 12/19/25 26 February 1811

Contents:
Memorandum of Agreement between Sarah Hemmings, Shipston-on-Stour, widow and Richard Hemmings for the sale, for £160 of her life interest in estates at Burmington under the will of her late husband.

[kiterunner]

Do you read this as Sarah being deceased, or just John Field?

I can't make up my mind.:(

Not sure - if they wanted to say she was deceased would they say "widow of the said William Hemmings, deceased, deceased"? Seems unlikely. It would have been easier if they put "the late" instead!

[Merry]

and Joseph Ashby Gillett, Brailes, Warks., gent

One day we will be related, Elizabeth (or I will be related to your husband!)

What with all those Lambs on my tree and Quakers in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire etc and now another tiny connection...... I do have Joseph Ashby Gillett on my tree but only because he is the ancestor of one of mum's neighbours when she lived in Broxbourne in the 1930s, and also because one of JAB's siblings married in to my tree. I suppose as a banker he would appear in lots of legal documents!

Certainly some of our ancestors most likely knew each other and many of them would have known JAG!!

[Merry]

Sarah Field, Compton

I think that should read "Campton".

[ElizabethHerts]

One day we will be related, Elizabeth (or I will be related to your husband!)

What with all those Lambs on my tree and Quakers in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire etc and now another tiny connection...... I do have Joseph Ashby Gillett on my tree but only because he is the ancestor of one of mum's neighbours when she lived in Broxbourne in the 1930s, and also because one of JAB's siblings married in to my tree. I suppose as a banker he would appear in lots of legal documents!

Certainly some of our ancestors most likely knew each other and many of them would have known JAG!!

It is my family, Merry! Through my grandfather, Cecil Henry Jeffcoat Purkis.

We are getting closer with the Brailes connection.:)

I thought too it must be "Campton" as when I looked for "Compton" on GENUKI it wasn't there.

[ElizabethHerts]

I've found William Hemming's will on Origins.net:

HEMMINGS WILLIAM HEMMING 1802
yeoman, Broomhill Farm, Epwell, Oxfordshire, previously Brailes, Warwickshire
Oxford: Bishop & Archdeacon Will, Commission, 219.240; 263/1/7; 306/3/5

[ElizabethHerts]

I also found his burial:

Name: William Hemmings
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 17 Jun 1801
Burial Place: Brailes
Death Date: 15 Jun 1801
Death Place: Warwick, England
Age: 42
Birth Date: 1759
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B02361-0

[ElizabethHerts]

I've found this will on the National Archives website:

Will of John Field , Gentleman of of Flitton cum Silsoe , Bedfordshire

Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers. Will of John Field , , Gentleman of of Flitton cum Silsoe , Bedfordshire.

Collection: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Date range: 08 July 1815 - 08 July 1815
Reference:PROB 11/1570/241
Subjects:Wills and probate


The name is correct, we know that John Field was deceased by October 1818, so is it worth a punt (or £3.34)!

Edit: I should say that Flitton and Campton are just 6 miles apart!

[kiterunner]

If you can check on the Index to Death Duty Registers on FMP it might give you the name of the executor before you decide whether to fork out for the will.

[ElizabethHerts]

Ooher!

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BDF/Misc/Manors/

Location CAMPTON

Estate/house Campton House

Period from 1590+

Family names Ventris - Field - Osborne

Brief history
Acquired by John Ventris in 1560. Probably built by Sir Francis Ventris (d. 1627). Passed to John Field in 1743. Sir Charles Ventris Field sold to Sir George Osborne ca. 1800. VCH Bedfordshire.

I don't know if there is any connection, but interesting nevertheless.

[ElizabethHerts]

Kate, I've been trying to check the death registers on FMP but the site is no playing up and won't let me see the images.:(

[ElizabethHerts]

I've found this will on the National Archives website:

Will of John Field , Gentleman of of Flitton cum Silsoe , Bedfordshire

Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers. Will of John Field , , Gentleman of of Flitton cum Silsoe , Bedfordshire.

Collection: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Date range: 08 July 1815 - 08 July 1815
Reference:PROB 11/1570/241
Subjects:Wills and probate


The name is correct, we know that John Field was deceased by October 1818, so is it worth a punt (or £3.34)!

Edit: I should say that Flitton and Campton are just 6 miles apart!


This isn't the will for the John Field I'm looking for. This chap's wife is Frances.

[ElizabethHerts]

Merry, have you seen this?

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~engcbanb/families/milton/milton04.htm
You need the second page, I think.

There's a lot about Joseph Ashby Gillet.
A lot of names I recognise from my tree - Gilkes, Farndon, etc.

[Merry]

Thanks for that, Elizabeth. If I had seen it before then it's had more work added since I first looked. Almost at the end is a photo of Martha Braithwaite nee Gillett who married Joseph Bevan Braithwaite - they were the ancestors of mum's neighbour from 1934-1939 - My grandfather would have been very interested to know his neighbour's ancestors and his own must have known one another (plus a couple of married-ins) 150 years earlier!

[tenterfieldjulie]

I think it is fascinating too Merry how our ancestors lives collide years before .. my ancestors, my nephew's new wife, Liza's OH and OC's Holdens etc all came from Saddleworth 150 years ago.
Just recently we found a photo of my bil's greatgrandfather William Osborne who came from Merriott in Somerset. My sister and I both thought, as soon as we saw it, that it looked like our grandfather, Oliver Sloman whose ancestors came from Tiverton in Somerset .. gave us goosebumps .. Julie

[ElizabethHerts]

Julie, I just love coincidences. Perhaps one day we can tie up a few loose ends.

By the way, Tiverton is in Devon, not Somerset (but I expect you really knew that!). My brother went to school there and the school was mentioned in Lorna Doone.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Oh thanks Elizabeth ... yes I slipped there .. my Slomans were in Milverton in Somerset (1841 at Preston Bowyer hamlet) and Tiverton in Devon .. or more accurately they were at Tiverton Cove, the church now being a private residence with a keep out sign on the gate! Julie

[ElizabethHerts]

I'm returning to the problem of Sarah Jeffcoat / Hemmings / Field again as I'm revisiting a Chancery Case and updating my information.

I have made some new discoveries and decided to make a timeline:

SARAH JEFFCOAT
Born 8 Jan 1772 at Upper Winchendon to Joseph and Mary Jeffcoat, Quakers.

Married William Hemmings in 1794 in a Quaker ceremony at Aylesbury.

Three children born at Brailes, Warwickshire:
John 1797
Joseph Jeffcoat 1798
Hannah 1801

1801 William Hemmings died 3 months after his daughter's birth.

1806 Sarah's father Joseph Jeffcoat died. He made provision for his daughter Sarah Hemmings, widow, and her three children.

1807 - I found the following references this morning! Sarah seems to be in Bedfordshire.

1807 Concern for mental wellbeing of Sarah Hemmings
Reference: FR2/7/8/1b
Title: Letter
Description:
From Jn Wells & Thos Hodgkin, Shipston to Emmott Skidmore of Rickmansworth

Society of Friends, Luton and Leighton Meeting
Sarah Hemmings is now in a state of derangement under the care of a doctor in the neighbourhood of London

Date: 4th Nov 1807
Held by: Bedfordshire Archives & Records Service, not available at The National Archives
Language: English


Letter
Reference: FR2/7/8/1a
Title: Letter
Description: From Jn Wells & Thos Hodgkin of Shipston [on Stour Glous]* to Emmott Skidmore of Rickmansworth, Herts

*Shipston on Stour is 4 miles from Brailes where the Hemmings family lived.

MM wld have been more satisfied if they had been informed that Sarah Hemmings was under the care of the Executors of her late Father - feared that "expence might probably fall upon our MM [Monthly Meeting] for we have been informed the expence already amounts to about £50"

Request as full a minute as possible

Date: 10th Nov 1807
Held by: Bedfordshire Archives & Records Service, not available at The National Archives
Language: English


The executors of her father's will were:
Mary Jeffcoat, relict
John Jeffcoat, son
Richard Littleboy
Joseph White

1811 John Hemmings (Sarah’s son) at Ackworth Shipston and Brails mentioned
1812 Joseph Jeffcoat Hemmings (Sarah’s son) at Ackworth

1811
Sarah Hemmings mentioned at Shipston-on-Stour (I assume this is her.)
Reference: ER 12/19/25
Description:
Memorandum of Agreement between Sarah Hemmings, Shipston-on-Stour, widow and Richard Hemmings for the sale, for £160 of her life interest in estates at Burmington under the will of her late husband.

Date: 26 February 1811
Held by: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, not available at The National Archives
Language: English

1813 Sarah Hemmings married John Field at Meppershall, Bedfordshire.

1814 Disownment by the Society of Friends
Sarah Field (nee Hemmings) of Hitchin

Reference: NQ2/5E/95-96
Title: Sarah Field (nee Hemmings) of Hitchin
Date: 1814
Held by: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Physical description: 2

https://archives.hertfordshire.gov.uk/collections/getrecord/GB46_CNQ_2_5_5_2_34

Disownment Hitchin Monthly Meeting

1818 By this time John Field had died. He and Sarah had had a son John.

Two documents cited mentioning Sarah Field (widow of William Hemmings and John Field) and her son John Hemmings.
They are mentioned in #8.

Then she disappears, though a family member states she died in Southwark in 1840. The age is right so I've just ordered the death certificate.


Poor Sarah sounds as though she suffered a mental breakdown after her first husband died. She had three very young children. I wonder if the Jeffcoat family arranged for the Hemmings boys to attend Ackworth as most of the family went there (Sarah didn't).

Sorry this is so long.

[ElizabethHerts]

Yesterday I e-mailed Bedfordshire Archives to see if there was a will for John Field. I had found reference to a nasty piece of work with this name who was charged with murdering a female employee, but they were unable to convict him.

They did find this will:
Reference ABP/W1817/32, the will of John Field of ****lington, yeoman, made 5 September 1815 and proved 21 November 1817

****lington (now Shillington!) is four miles from Meppershall.
This individual was buried in the non-conformist churchyard at Hitchin, I discovered. He was a Baptist.
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=TNA%2FRG4%2FBUR%2F95896

[ElizabethHerts]

Ha! It didn't like the parish name of ****lington!

[Merry]

I have ancestors from ****lington!

[ElizabethHerts]

I have ancestors from ****lington!

It's stupid, it's a place name!!

I think Sarah married the unsavoury John Field I mentioned.

Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette 07 March 1840
On Sunday last, in Great Suffolk-street, Borough, London, aged 66, Mrs Sarah Field, relict of the late Mr. John Field, of Poolanger, Bedfordshire, and mother of Mr. Hemmings, of the Corn Market.

Normally called Polehanger.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/meppmesenger/vol31/messenger_vol31_05.pdf

You have to scroll down to page 10.


Catalogue description
Exhibit: 1819/683. John Field of Polehanger, Meppershall, Bedfordshire. Probate...

Reference: PROB 31/1148/683
Description:
Exhibit: 1819/683. John Field of Polehanger, Meppershall, Bedfordshire. Probate inventory, or declaration, of the estate of the same, deceased

Date: 1819 June
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

[kiterunner]

Just checking whether I have fixed the censorship problem - Shitlington. Yep. Fixed. Er well, depending on whether that was the place name! If not, send me a PM to tell me what it should be and I will attempt to do that one as well!!!

[ElizabethHerts]

Just checking whether I have fixed the censorship problem - Shitlington. Yep. Fixed. Er well, depending on whether that was the place name! If not, send me a PM to tell me what it should be and I will attempt to do that one as well!!!

That's correct, Kate. Now known as Shillington.

[Merry]

Should some of the refs to 'Mary' in the long recent post be Sarah? (I'm only saying to prove I've read it properly now, as I didn't yesterday, getting carried away with Shitlington!)

[ElizabethHerts]

Should some of the refs to 'Mary' in the long recent post be Sarah? (I'm only saying to prove I've read it properly now, as I didn't yesterday, getting carried away with Shitlington!)

Probably, will check!

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Merry. For some inexplicable reason I did this in my own computer notes too, although I did spot it.