Frances Hawkins nee Elford

[Phoenix]

Frances was buried in Winterbourne Kingston (also known as North Kingston) Dorset 4 January 1822. Her age was given as 29.

She had married John Hawkins in Langton Long Blandford, Dorset in 1815.

They had one son, George.

I have never been able to find a baptism for Frances. Does anyone have any bright ides?

The witnesses to the marriage were John's sister Charlotte and Joseph Cumberland.

[kiterunner]

Just to add that Joseph Cumberland is a witness on all the marriages, so we can ignore him. It doesn't say on the marriage record whether Frances was a spinster or a widow, though if her age at death is correct she would be a bit young to be a widow in 1815. Possible though.

[Phoenix]

I've been looking for Frances for over forty years, without success.

I've heard it said that the Elfords were non-conformists, but nothing is showing.
I find it odd that the couple only had a single child, unless she were suffering some long-standing disease. Mind you, John appears to have been a shepherd, wandering all over the place.

[kiterunner]

There is a John Hawkins baptised at Winterborne Anderson 18 Aug 1816, son of John and Frances. Abode is Anderstone, father's occupation labourer. Ancestry have indexed it as Hankins but I will put in a correction.

[kiterunner]

And he could be the John Hawkins buried at Winterborne Kingston 6 Jan 1828 age 14, abode Winterborne Kingston.

[Phoenix]

Ooh, thank you, Kite!

That makes perfect sense. How odd, to find a rellie, only to bury them again.

Add to say that John is with his second family in Anderson in 1841.

[Merry]

There's a will for a Mark Elford in 1811 who mentions a dau Frances. He's from Fifehead Neville.

[kiterunner]

Ooh, well spotted, Merry!

So, Mark Elford, farmer, made his will in 1805 naming his wife Jane, since deceased, two sons Mark and George and four daughters Elizabeth, Mary, Jane and Frances. Probate granted in 1811.

[Merry]

The will mentions wife Jane and children Mark, George, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane and Frances. Three of them (unnamed) are under 21.

Just noticed the will was written in 1805.

Baps
Elizabeth 1787
Mark 1790
Mary 1791
George 1797
Jane 1799

wife Jane died 1809.

No bap for Frances!!

I'm now worried she was listed after Jane as that would make her too young at her marriage.

[kiterunner]

Mark Elford married Jenny Cathine 13 Jan 1787 at Fifehead Neville, both of the parish.

Baptisms of their children at Fifehead Neville:

Elizabeth 19 Aug 1787
Mark 24 Jan 1790
Mary 29 Apr 1791
George Noble 25 Dec 1797
Jane 24 Feb 1799

But I don't see Frances's baptism.

Edit - snap, Merry!!!

[kiterunner]

We don't know when George Noble and Jane were born, do we? I wonder whether they started having the children baptised when they were a few years old after Mary, and then didn't get round to having Frances baptised at all. So Jane could have been born about, say, 1793, then Frances a year or so after? A bit tenuous maybe, but hopefully we can find some ages of the siblings at some other date to see when they were likely to have been born. Got to go shopping just now though.

[Merry]

George Noble 25 Dec 1797

Hmmmm.....George died Oct 1817 and was listed as aged 19 at burial, so apparently a baby at baptism!

[Merry]

Jane might have married George Elliott as there's a Jane Elliott b about 1797ish in Fifehead who has a son called Mark on the census 1851 and 1861. I can't see a marriage between George and Jane.

[Merry]

This is Jane's burial:


1864 20-May Jane ELLIOTT Margaret Marsh 67

If she was Jane Elford then she could have been two or so when baptised, but I'd still be happier if Frances had been listed before Jane on the will and then we could have slotted her into the gap before George!!

[Phoenix]

There is a Frances Elford m 1828. Off to find her.

[Phoenix]

She marries in Okeford Fitzpaine, by licence.

[Phoenix]

William Raynold of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire to Frances Elford PE/OFP/IN 1/1/9 11 Apr 1828


These documents are held at Dorset History Centre

1 doc

Conditions of access: PLEASE USE MICROFILM MIC/R/

[Merry]

And Robert Andrews, a witness at that marriage, is the husband of Mary Elford who appears on censuses as b in Fifehead.

Back to the drawing board.

Is it worth looking at more wills or have you done that already?

[Phoenix]

I don't think I had spotted that Mark Elford will - 'cos I am sure I would have got excited. But I think I had looked at others.

My main problem is that I have not got a clue as to where Frances came from. I have always assumed Dorset, but I don't know for sure.

All the older Elfords on the 1851 census seem to come from Winterbornes Houghton or Stickland, so same sort of area as the Mark you found. There is nothing to prevent my Frances being a much younger sister of his, or a cousin.