Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Suffolk Sue B

Pages: [1] 2
1
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Friday 01 June 12 14:39 BST (UK)  »
The oldest will I have is for Thomas Rous born 1656 at Westleton which is dated 1728, in this he mentions his son Thomas and daughter Ann Paul (Ann married twice, first to Wm Chambers then to Thomas Paul) and his (second) wife Mary (late Clamp) and he wished to be buried alongside his former wife (which would have been Ann Gooch as Mary was still living). Connected to this will is an inventory taken by E Woods and John Rouse. The next will I have is that of John Rous, who mentions his son Thomas (who married Hannah) and Thomas' brother John who is the one who died young. Thomas was given the farm etc at Theberton, and John the farm etc at Westleton - oddly in later years we find a grandson Thomas in residence at Westleton. I was able to look at the Court Rolls a while ago and it clearly shows when Thomas took over the office (I can't remember what his title was) from his brother John following John's untimely death. What is missing is information connecting Thomas Rous born 1656 to John born about 1700 - but who knows the place and date. It wasn't at Westleton that's for sure...............well sort of sure, the years that are important are virtually unreadable on the parish registers. Something that I've never been able to find out is whether the John Rous of the inventory is the same John Rous of the will. I've compared the signatures and it's possible they could be the same hand - but the first is a strong hand while that on the will is rather hesitant, possibly because John was at the time an ill man.
So we need to know two things - proof that Thomas Rous (bn. 1686) who married Sarah at Covehithe was the son of Thomas born 1856 at Westleton, and secondly the parentage of John Rouse born about 1700. Although I suspect John was born a bit before this as he and his wife Mary had a daughter Mary baptised at Westleton in 1718. (Sadly this Mary must have died an infant as they had another daughter Mary baptised in 1721).
I need all the luck I can get - thanks



2
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Thursday 31 May 12 19:24 BST (UK)  »
Thank you, I think I'm getting my head around it. Thomas born Westleton 1638 (my records say 1632?) then Thomas born 1656 (whose will I have) and Thomas born 1686 who married Sarah at Covehithe.
Does Thomas born 1686 connect back to Westleton? Also how does John Rous, the father of Thomas who married Hannah connect to the family?
I've booked a seat at the RO on Saturday - and can't wait to see what I may find.



3
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Wednesday 30 May 12 19:23 BST (UK)  »
By obvious link I meant that I found nothing that led me back to the known Rouses at Westleton. It looks as though I need to get to the RO and have another look at the PR's for Covehithe. Could you tell me how they fit into the Westleton family so I can check it out. My late mother in law talked about the Covehithe Rouses, but can't remember what she said or meant, although she also told me when I first started researching her family that 'there were Rouses at Middleton, but they were nothing to do with us'. Even when I'd proved they were I'm sure she never quite believed me. 

It's the same Benjamin, that's good.................you probably already know that his wife Mary Ann born Southwold, married at  Rushmere,St Michael, Suffolk 1845 and died at Holbrook, Suffolk 11 March 1868. Benjamin then married Emma Wright in 1872 and Bessie born 1874 and James born 1882 were added to his family. Benjamin and Emma are found in later census' living Horseheath, Cambridgeshire.

So pleased I was able to explain about Lettice and Letitia clearly - it's not easy without repeating youself all the time.

All for now
Sue

4
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Tuesday 29 May 12 21:19 BST (UK)  »
Having worked on the Theberton/Westleton and latterly the Benhall Rous family for almost 20 years my faith is faltering ;-) There are so many Rouses at Westleton that I can't place, and yet their ancestors must belong together at some point in history. I've also tried putting a tree together for the Rouses living at Westleton in the 1600's and just can't make it work how you'd think it should............eventually I have to give up for another few months as it drives me mad!

Now, the Covehithe family..............the only one of 'our' Rouses I know of who lived at Covehithe was a Benjamin Rouse born to Sarah Rous about 1813, Sarah was the daughter of William Rouse and Sarah Wink & baptised 1796 she died soon after Benjamin was born aged 18. It would seem natural for Benjamin to move somewhere where he had relations,  therefore I've studied the PR for Covehithe very carefully, but I've never been able to tie the Rouses there with our Rouses at Westleton etc. That's not to say they aren't connected in some way, just that there doesn't seem to be an obvious link.

As I'm convinced that Lettice Rous, baptised at Benhall and who married Thomas in 1809 was the daughter of John Rous and Mary Crowe I've been able to add her to my Rous tree through her husband Thomas. Letitia daughter of William Rous and Catherine Calver is another story - I think it would help to make a 'mini tree' so perhaps some of my Rous 'spares' will fit in there and hopefully some time someone will discover who this William belongs to.

On one level I feel perhaps our Rouses did come from Henham, but so far I've not found a thing to support this, so if it was the case it was obviously earlier than 1600.

By the way - Lettice was the one baptised at Benhall and Letitia was baptised at Westleton (to William and Catherine). To confuse things I've also found our Lettice of Benhall being called Letta - no wonder they give me a headache!

The wills - the earliest I have is that of Thomas Rous dated 1728 who mentions his son Thomas and grandchildren by him and daughter Ann Paul. I also have an inventory that goes with this will listing the property in his house, this inventory was carried out by a Mr Woods and John Rous - it would seem that John Rous was his grandson and probably the father of Thomas who married Hannah and his brother John who died young. I also have one of John Rous who was definitely the father of Thomas and John, also Thomas's will and a couple of others from Westleon. plus of course that of John Rous of Benhall (Lettice's father). So far I've not found any information to back up my theory that Thomas Rous of the 1728 will was the grandfather of John (father of Thomas and John).

Where does Thomas Rous and Susannah fit in? I haven't come across them before.




5
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Tuesday 29 May 12 12:47 BST (UK)  »
I've just been through the fiche for Westleton again - William Rous' wife was definitely Catherine. Their marriage is recorded in the PR so clearly and in a good hand that it's impossible to mistake it for anything else. At their marriage 16 August 1774 Catherine's surname is written as Calver, but at the baptism of Letitia it could be Carver.
William and Catherine had three known children - Elizabeth baptised 1778, Richard baptised 1783 and Letitia baptised 1787, all at Westleton. This William Rous (seen in the PR's with and without the 'e') is a puzzle, he cannot belong to Thomas who married Hannah as their son William was baptised in 1759 and married Sarah Wink at Laxfield in 1783. Also William s/o Thomas and Hannah would have been too young to marry in 1774, well maybe not too young but it would be highly unlikely.
I've never found another marriage for William after the death of Catherine in 1808.
 
Lettice Rous baptised at Benhall in 1786 the daughter of John Rous and Mary (Crow) it was this Lettice who married Thomas Rous (son of Thomas Rous and Sarah Day) in 1809. In the census of 1841 Lettice was staying with her daughter Athelinda (who married William Nollar) at Middleton, Then at the next census in 1851 Lettice (by then a widow) was living at Benhall with a Sarah Rous aged 91. Also there were two grandchildren of Lettice Rous - Louisa Nollar and Margaret Rous (daughter of Lettice's son James). Lettice is described as being 'housekeeper', and as I said previously it suddenly struck me that Sarah Rous wasn't her mother in law, but her step mother, the second wife (previously Sarah Goose) of her father John Rous. Lettice also gives she was born at Benhall. I should add that Sarah Goose, the second wife of John Rous was mentioned in his will, stating that she was to have rooms in their house at Benhall, any household 'bits and pieces' she wanted and an income paid every quarter!

Having spent many hours poring over the PR's for Westleton it appears there must have been two Rouse families - or at least two (or more) branches of the same family.............I have never been able to get my head around where (for instance) William Rous and Catherine fit in, or other Rous people that don't appear to connect to the Rouses I'm familiar with. I have all the wills that should connect these people, and they don't!




6
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Monday 28 May 12 09:45 BST (UK)  »
Esdel I've just checked the Westleton fiche and William's wife was Catherine. However looking at her surname again I'm not s0 sure it isn't CARVER rather than CALVER.

7
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Thursday 24 May 12 16:42 BST (UK)  »
The only one I can't confirm is Edmund as I've not done too much work on the FREE family -  although my husband's grandmother was a FREE and they are an interesting family to research. I'm sure you know that they were Quakers, and then I came across a baptism at Middleton for one of the Frees which mentioned this. Also they were literate at a time when many working people were not - I don't know if it was because they were Quaker but I have been reliably informed that one the FREE family taught a good proportion of Middleton to read and write. When I have time I'll try and find my notes.

8
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Wednesday 23 May 12 14:37 BST (UK)  »
Darn it!! Just wrote loads and then lost it!!!! So I'll Have to start again!
Double Marriage at Benhall 20 June 1809
Thomas Rous sotp and Ann Rous also sotp married by Licience. Both signed. Witt Thomas Rous and Hannah Rous
Also the same day
Thomas Rous sotp and Lettice Rouse sotp by Banns. Thomas signed Lettice by mark. Witts Thomas Rous and Hannah Rous.
It appears (by the handwriting) that the bridegrooms witnessed each other and Thomas who married Lettice had a sister Hannah so she could have been the other witness.
Also the signature of Thomas who married Lettice appears to be very similar to the Thomas Rous who was involved in taking the 1841 census.
In 1841 Thomas (who married Lettice) is with his son James and daughter in law Caroline at Chatburn Farmhouse, Westleton, also there at this census was Thomas' mother Sarah (Day). For some reason Lettice was in Middleton visiting daughter Athelinda and her husband William Nollar.
In 1851 Lettice was in Benhall acting as housekeeper to a Sarah Rous - until today I'd thought this to be Sarah Rous (Day), but it's now clearer....................the Sarah Rous mentioned has to be her step mother Sarah (Goose).
Somehow Lettice being the daughter of William Rous and Catherine Calver doesn't feel right - if that were the case than surely this Lettice would state her place of birth as Westleton rather than Benhall.  Also there is a baptism at Benhall in 1786 for a Lettice the daughter of John Rous and Mary Crow.
Don't you just love these Rouses?!!!
I haven't seen the marriage of Mary Rous of Benhall in 1803 where Lettice is a witness (lots for me to do at the RO next time I'm there) but I'm very familiar with the name Betsy Freeman - in fact I have a picture of her somewhere. This link somehow makes beautiful sense somehow - but need to think it through.
But I'm sure our 'Lettice/Letta' is the lady baptised at Benhall and who married Thomas Rous and went on to be the parents of James and Athelinda Rous.
William Rous and Catherine have always been in the shadows........although they must belong to the Westleton clan I've never found anything that suggests they are closely linked. Having said that the Rouses always give me a headache!
I have several wills, which should link them all together, but they don't - there is a piece of the jigsaw missing, and I can't find out which piece it is!!!!

9
Suffolk / Re: Roose Free chr 17 Aug 1561 Dallinghoo
« on: Wednesday 23 May 12 11:34 BST (UK)  »
Thanks for the input..........as I expect you've gathered the Rouses can shorten anything to anything if they were in the mind and were sadly lacking in imagination when choosing names for their offspring. Never was there such an awkward family :o)

Pages: [1] 2