How I discovered my 5th great-grandmother

I found my Shepheard family lived in Cornwood parish, in Devon County, England, for many generations, dating as far back as the early 1600s. The parish baptism, marriage and burial registers are complete from 1685 onward. In that year, a fire in the churchwarden’s house destroyed all of the parish records, including BMD registers, tax rolls, militia lists, etc.

Using the Cornwood parish registers, I was able to trace the Shepheard line back to Nicholas Shepheard, born in 1716. He and his wife, Mary, had eight children between 1761 and 1775, all baptized in Cornwood.

I did not immediately find the marriage record for Nicholas and Mary; so I was not sure what her surname was. The children had been baptized in Cornwood, beginning in 1761; so I was pretty sure they were married around 1760 or earlier. One of the children was named Jane Treby Shepheard, the only one with a middle name, which suggested the mother’s maiden name might be Treby. But I could find no Mary Treby in Cornwood or elsewhere.

In 2007, I did a search of records in the catalogue of the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office (PWDRO) and found several land-related documents in which the name, Shepheard, and the area, Cornwood, were shown. I ordered a number of these, including one which pertained to a “release” and which were named John Shepheard of Lutton, Cornwood and Jane, his wife and Thomasin Shepheard, spinster” and “Sampson Shepheard, of Westlake, yeoman.” These, of course were my 4^th great-grandparents, John and Jane Treby Shepheard, first cousins who had married each other, Jane’s sister, Thomasin and her brother, Sampson. All had been born in Cornwood.

The documents concerned a property near the village of Westlake, in Ermington Parish, next door to Cornwood. Sampson Shepheard, was noted as being obligated to pay his three sisters £20 each in order to occupy the lands which he had inherited from their mother, Mary Shepheard. A release dated June 12, 1813, executed by Sampson, his sisters, Jane Treby Shepheard and Thomasine Shepheard, and Jane's husband John Shepheard acknowledged the payment and, further, described the history of the property.

The land appears to have been purchased by Arthur Jeffrys, a house carpenter in Ermington, from Christopher Shepherd (no relationship) as described on documents dated the 3rd and 4th of May 1732, for 180 pounds. On the 13th and 14th of February 1753, a document was executed between himself, a Thomas Edwards, the Elder, Thomas Edwards, the Younger, Arthur Parnell, Gentleman, Thomasine Barrett, Widow and Mary Barrett, her daughter, under which part ownership was conveyed to Thomasine Barrett "reciting that a Marriage was intended between the said Arthur Jeffrys and the said Thomasine Barrett". It further stated that, if no there was no issue from the marriage that all rights to the land would go to Mary Barrett and, upon her death, to her children. As it turned out Arthur and Thomasine did not have children and Mary did inherit the lands.

Mary apparently did not leave a will but did leave instructions concerning disposition of the Ermington property. With agreement of her eldest son, Nicholas, it was to go first to her second son, William, and if he was then deceased, as he ultimately was, to her third son, Sampson. Interestingly, these instructions were recorded in several of the land documents concerning the Westlake lands. All of the children named in the documents matched with the baptism records from Cornwood parish, helping to confirm, as best I can, the entire family.

Document number 636/12, Release of Twenty Pounds a Piece . . ., Plymouth and West Devon Record Office

In addition, and very important to my family history research, the documents also showed Mary's mother, Thomasine Barrett, as being from Newton Ferrers, in Devon, and a widow at the time of her marriage to Arthur Jeffrys. A search of records for that parish showed that a William Barrett married a Thomasine Goad on the April 6, 1736, and that they had two daughters, Mary, baptized on July 21, 1736 and Jane, baptized on March 25, 1737, both in Newton Ferrers. No other children have been found. Jane died and was buried in Yealmpton Parish on May 31, 1738 leaving Mary the only surviving child of William and Thomasine.



1736 July 23 - baptism entry for Mary, daughter of William and Thomasin Barret, Newton Ferrers parish baptism register

Thomasine Barrett and Arthur Jeffrys were married in Ermington parish on February 25, 1754. I found that entry on the Ermington marriage register. I assumed that Mary Barrett might have continued living with her mother and step-father, in Ermington parish, and looked for a marriage for her in the Ermington register. The event was, in fact, recorded on February 4, 1760. Both signed the register and Mary’s step-father, Arthur Jeffrys was one of the witnesses.


1760 February 4 - marriage entry for Nicholas Shepheard and Mary Barratt, Ermington parish marriage register

The land documents were very useful in identifying my 5^th great-grandmother and my 6^th great-grandparents. They also led to my discovering the marriage records for both sets of ancestors.

All images reproduced here are used with the kind permission of the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office,  The baptism and marriage images were downloaded from FindMyPast.

Wayne Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program, handling four parishes in Devon, England. He serves as the Editor of Chinook, the quarterly journal of the Alberta Family Histories Society. Wayne also provides genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated.

Letters From Home

Hand-written letters are a real part of family history. Old letters are prized for the information they contain about individuals and events. They reflect the writer’s thoughts, dreams and emotions. Unfortunately, the art of letter-writing is a dying phenomenon and future generations will not be privileged to enjoy the intimate feelings expressed in a hand-written letter.

Letters in the past served to tell family members about the lives of their relatives – the important events being observed, the new additions to families, the loss of loved ones – all on a very personal note from one individual to another.  They were eagerly anticipated and highly coveted by recipients, especially if they had come from relatives who lived far away.

It is possible to see how historical events unfolding in different parts of the world affected the lives of individual families through the news expressed in letters to loved ones. Following are two letters written by a mother, living in England, to her son and daughter-in-law, living in Canada in the late 1930s. A very good friend has allowed me to publish them here as illustrations of family connections kept strong by the regular contact of personal correspondence.

The letters were written a year apart, by my friend’s grandmother – 11 months before and just one month after the start of World War II – and comment on both intimate family matters and on the effects of a war that was to eventually consume most of the world. They are a wonderful insight into one individual’s thoughts about the conflict and also her personal feelings toward her family members during that time. It is particularly appropriate during this week of remembrance to recognize and remember how conflicts affected not only the soldiers, but the families who remained at home.

74 Shakespeare Av.

Bath

Oct 3^rd 1938

My Dearest Laurence and Lenore,

We’re back to normal this week. We have had a most anxious and tense time the last two weeks. Last Wednesday we all thought War would be declared – and when Chamberlain arrived from the Munich pact it was with great relief to hear it was Peace. Last Wednesday a great number of children were getting ready to leave London. We feel we have a breather now. How long it will last no one knows. Austen last week was helping to fit and deliver gas masks after business hours and it would be 12 to 1 o/c before he got back. We were fitted for ours but would only get them if War was declared. Austen was surprised as everyone was carrying theirs about in Southampton and Winchester. I’m sending you and Lenore a little “peace present” in separate parcels. Yours is a silver “paper and letter” opener – perhaps you may remember it – and Lenore a little Burmese silver box. Please let me have a line as soon as you receive them or I will think they have gone astray. Hope you received the draft for £500!

Love from Aunty Ethel and Your affectionate

      Mother

Parcel posted Oct. 4.

74 Shakespeare Av.

Bath

Oct 2^nd 1939

My Dearest Laurence and Lenore,

I received the enlargement of “Bill” this morning. I thought it must have got lost as I received the snaps two weeks ago last Friday. It is a lovely picture of a baby so young. He looks very determined and intelligent and I’m very glad to have the picture. The dates on the back of the snaps you first sent me were 7 weeks and 4 days and the second lot marked 11 weeks. He certainly is a very fine baby and I can see a great likeness to you both.

Aunty would love to knit a sweater for Bill but she couldn’t get any book in town with ones for a baby under a year old. Would you be able to send her the directions for one and illustration of same. When you say sweater do you mean with a high neck and polo collar or little coat buttoned up to the neck with or without a collar. What colour would you like it knitted?

In this mornings paper, men of 21 to be called up. Service will begin early next month. Isn’t it all too terrible. Every town and city is a perfect “black out” no streak of light to be shown anywhere. We’re getting a little more used to the gloom but it is very depressing. We’re glad you is all well. I’m glad to say I’m feeling better although these troublesome times are very trying for my complaint. The Petrol is now rationed so we don’t expect to see Austen now. We will let you know how he gets on.

Do write again soon and send directions for any knitted garment you want. Hope your Mum and Dad keep well. With fondest love to you all from us both.

Yours lovingly and kisses for Bill.

Mother

[Note: “Austen” was Laurence’s brother and “Aunty Ethel” was their mother’s sister. “Bill” was the first grandchild in the family and son of Laurence and Lenore.]

In both letters we see an attitude of “life does go on” even though the parties lived so far apart from one another and a tremendous uncertainty of war was so apparent. And we can feel the love expressed by one person through but brief notes sent by a mother to her son, written in her own hand.

This week, remember also all the families of the past who were also touched by conflict but yet continued on as best they were able in trying to maintain as normal a life as was possible.

Thanks, Bill, for allowing me to share these precious letters with the world!

Wayne Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program, handling four parishes in Devon, England. He serves as the Editor of Chinook, the quarterly journal of the Alberta Family Histories Society. Wayne also provides genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated.

Looking Next Door for Answers

Not every clerk or vicar was as diligent in recording notes in many of the old parish records; so, if answers are not readily apparent in one parish, sometimes it is useful to look at entries for the same time period in a nearby area.

Take, for example, the great many deaths of children in Plympton St. Mary parish between 1769 and 1773. Out of 195 burials, 69 were indicated as being infants or children. A first assumption might have been that an epidemic spread through the area, taking first the most vulnerable of residents – the very young!

1769 to 1770 Burials in Plympton St. Mary Parish, Devon County

Similar notes appear in the burial register for Plympton St. Maurice parish, next door, in the 1760s. Children always seemed to bear the brunt of whatever afflictions invaded the communities in the 18^th century, but the latter part of 1766 witnessed an inordinate number of child deaths when, between  October  2^nd and December 12^th, 10 of 12 burials were children.

1766 Burials in Plympton St. Maurice Parish, Devon County

This kind of information suggests that some research would be warranted to find out if there had been an outbreak of contagious disease. And if health issues persisted over many years, might it even have caused a migration of people away from an area?

There was no cause of death given for the large number of deaths of children in either of Plympton St Mary or Plympton St. Maurice parishes in the mid-18^th century; so was the answer to be found elsewhere?

In the neighbouring parish of Cornwood, there were, again, many deaths during the same period, many of them children and infants as well. Between 1770 and 1772, the local vicar recorded notes concerning the causes of death. So we can get an insight into what may have been happening in that community. The notes did not specifically refer to just children but of the 42 burials listed, 13 died of old age, four from consumption and nine from smallpox. At least two contagious diseases caused the deaths of over half of those buried in this small, rural community. Had similar outbreaks occurred in towns such as Plympton St. Maurice, no doubt the rates may have been much higher.

1771 to 1773 Burials in Cornwood Parish, Devon County

In this case, it helped to look in neighbouring areas for information to answer the question of cause of death. It is not totally definitive but the combined notes in all of the parish registers do give us an expanded picture of what was happening in the region over several years.

By the way, for other types of data, such as baptism and marriages, it is also useful to review records in next door parishes. Often a couple might have been married or had some or all of their children baptized in a parish near to where they actually lived and worked, possibly because one of both of them had originated there or because a vicar was out of town at the time they needed him. If you cannot find a marriage or the births of all of the children within a family, look in the records of a nearby area.

Burial images reproduced here are used with the kind permission of the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office (PWDRO),  Images were downloaded from FindMyPast , or copied from my own microfiche of the parish registers.