ARMSTRONGS of Ravensden

[wdurham]

Two points, David:

"Maulden parish register
OVERSEERS of the Poor, Apprenticeship

   FILE - Bond (£20) Wm Batterson of Cople - Cordwainer, to Maulden Church Wardens re apprenticeship of Wm Armstrong. - ref.  P31/14/53  - date: 12 Mar 1766

It's possible that the William who married in Cople was from Maulden"

Again, supposition, but it fits.

John and Edith were in Wilstead till 1760-ish when John was born. They appear to have both died in Maulden in 1773 and 1770 respectively. Which would have left two orphans: William aged 19 and John aged 13 when their father died. 

And an interesting point about adult baptisms - William the Wesleyan and Mary baptised their children in Wilstead more or less as they were born until 1808, when they introduced Methodism to the village. They then had at least three more children, Joshua in 1808, Thomas in 1812, and Elizabeth in 1817, who were baptised in a job lot in 1829. All are on the IGI, and the batch includes all the children of John, their eldest son, as well.

I haven't got as far as A2A for the Armstrongs yet - still poring over the IGI and the NBI!

[johnP-bedford]

from the BFHS library (partially currently in someone's spare bedroom)

Bedford St Paul's Methodist Church Class Book

For the H.C. society in Bedford circuit, this lists a John Amstrong, gent of Houghton Conquest in each of the years 1792, 1793, 1794, 1804 and is on, as A J Armstrong, the List of Local Preachers Names 1806.

....
re William & Mary of Wilshamstead, they had daughter Mary Anne who died in 1825 age 19.

John

[johnP-bedford]

....... an extract from the 'Houghton Conquest Methodist Church' booklet ..... The Early Years.... 

The earliest evidence that we have of Methodism in the village of Houghton Conquest is that a certificate was granted in 1774 for meetings to be held in the home of Thomas Potter, which was owned by John Armstrong.

It then names John Armstrong as a member in 1792 & A J Armstrong as their first preacher in 1806.

[bedfordshire boy]

But supposition based on evidence - a William Armstrong of Maulden was apprenticed to a cordwainer in Cople. It seems as though in 1766 William was a charge on the parish so was apprenticed to the Cople cordwainer, a common occurence. Assuming he completed his apprenticeship, he would have acquired settlement in Cople.

There were no Armstrong entries in Cople parish register prior to the 1779 marriage of William Eamstrong, of the parish of Cople. Unfortunately in the Cople transcript the occupation of William Armstrong is not given in any of the baptism entries of his children.

A William Armstrong age 76 was buried at Cople on 11 Feb 1828 (JOHN - any chance you could check this entry tomorrow to see if his occupation was mentioned?)

Regards

David

[wdurham]

I have found a possible burial for Thomas Armstrong b 1766, son of Thomas and Christian in Wilstead - I missed him first time round because he was buried in Holwell, which is now Hertfordshire, I believe.

In 1841 he is a farmer aged 75 and living in Holwell at Rectory Farm with wife Elizabeth.

There is a possible marriage to Elizabeth Dines of Haynes, 11 Oct 1793 - the Wilstead Armstrongs seem to have liked marrying girls from Haynes, and there is evidence from A2A which I have now had a quick look at, that a William (probably William Jnr) did eventually move to Haynes.

Burial was
NBI: Thomas ARMSTRONG Date 7 Dec 1849 Aged 84 Place Holwell Description St Peter Denomination Anglican County code BDF Quality 100

I have now found his will on A2A and ordered a PDF copy. It may cast some light....



 

[wdurham]

AHA!

It will take a lot of time to decipher this will, but some things are quickly clear:

He had at least 8 children, and names the husbands of the married daughters:

Christiana
Mary
Jane
Elizabeth
William
Thomas
John
George

His wife was Elizabeth

So there's an almost certain link - Christiana, named for his mother Christian Fiddes.

So who the hell was Thomas b 1756 who raised his family and died in Upper Gravenhurst?

EDIT: got his birth year wrong!

[johnP-bedford]

  hello Wendy & David    put the flags out ...

Marriage at Wilden on 24 Dec 1816 of William Armstrong, bachelor of Ravensden to Elizabeth Franklin, spinster, otp; witnesses Thomas Deighton & Sarah Franklin.  The Banns also say William Armstrong of Ravensden.

Marriage at Thurleigh on 1 July 1827 of William Armstrong, widower, otp to Ann Wrench, widow, otp ; witnesses Joseph Cockins & Robt Favell.

[johnP-bedford]

David,  The burial at Cople on 11 Feb 1828 of William Armstrong age 76 gave no additional information.

On relooking at Ravensden baptisms, I now find those of Thomas age 2 yrs, & Ann infant on Sept 28 1807, children to John & Sarah Arnstrong, labourer.

I could not find a marriage in Ravensden of a John Armstrong to a Sarah in 1828-1832.

Wilden baptisms, children of William & Elizabeth Armstrong
  Sarah 26 Oct 1817
  John 19 May 1822
  William 18 May 1822
  Elizabeth 17 Oct 1824 

Wilden burials
  Elizabeth Armstrong on 24 Feb 1825 age 29

+ 23 Dec 1824  Eliz Armstrong age 6 months
    6 April 1823  John Armstrong age 1 year
   4 March 1820 Elizabeth Armstrong age 2 years

OK the 1824 Eliz is the one baptised Oct 1824 possibly, & John is the one baptised May 1822 - where the baptism for Elizabeth b 1818 ?

[johnP-bedford]

The Ravensden Accounts Books is great, it has many, many pages; you need lots of time & good eyesight to extract information. The book starts in May 1801 & progresses through to 1831, itemising payments made to local people as 'benefit' or for payment for goods received. John Armstrong & just the surname Armstrong is mentioned many times. Examples :-

1 June 1801 paid to John Armstrong - Ill  0.6.0    (6 shillings)
2 Feb 1802 Paid to Armstrong- in need  0.2.0
20 Feb 1802 Paid to Armstrong for 6 quarts of beer 0.2.3

Other payments made to Armstrong & others in exchange for wood / faggots

Interesting bits emerge such as -----

Feb 1802 Paid midwife for Long & Armstrong 0.5.0
March 12 1802 Paid to Widow Froler ? for doing for Armstrong child 0.2.0
March 26 1802 Paid Mr Leech for burying Armstrong's & Dayton's children 0.3.0
.....

Dec 4 1807 Paid midwife for Armstrong's wife 0.3.6