Help on Potts/Simpson

[potts9852]

I have discovered a Robert Simpson, born abt 1826 in Alston Moor, Cumberland - lived with my great great grandfather "George and Jemima Potts) in Easington, Durham. 
He is listed as a nephew.  I wonder if anyone has seen a Potts/Simpson marriage in Cumberland?
Thanks,

Jim

[AMBLY]

Hi Jim

Even though the realtionship is meant to be to "head of Household", Robert might be the blood nephew of Hannah Jemima rather than of George? So it could italso  be a marriage between SIMPSON and (Hannah's   Jemima's maiden name)?

Some Alston marriages here:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CUL/Alston/

A number of SIMPSON males marrying in the 1813-1837 list but none to a POTTS.

Cheers
AMBLY

Edit:  Don't know where I got Hannah from! Must have had a moment! Have edited to correctly say "Jemima"

[potts9852]

Thank you and a real good point.  The George Potts whom I refer to had a wife named Jemima Slater (born 1818 in Newborn or Shirley).  Are there any Slater/Simpson marriages in the lot?

I jumped to conclusion because I have found a DNA match within 8 generations (in the US)who can trace his Potts line back to Cumberland.  Seems they originally hailed from Haltwhistle, Northumberland, but that would have been at the very extreme of the DNA match and we can't find much on them in the mid and early 1700s.  My line goes back to Dalton le Dale, then Longbenton, then Hexham.  It probably goes to Haltwhistle from there.
Thanks,
Jim

[AMBLY]

Hi Jim

There doesn't appear to be a POTTS/SIMPSON or SLATER/SIMPSON marriage in those lists of Alston marriages does there?

But - now I see...nephew Robert SIMPSON was with George & Jemima POTTS  all the while 1851-1871
1851: age 26 - b Alston Cumberland
1861: age 36, b NK Cumberland
1871: age 45, b Alston Moor, Cumberland

Robert wasn't apparently  with them in 1841, or at least not listed in the Kelloe, Durham  household with Jemima and the first 3 POTTS children - but then again, neither was George POTTS enumerated there, so possibly he was down the pit and got missed? And maybe Robert SIMPSON was with him.......

We can possibly narrow Robert's place of birth though, to Nent Head, which is within the Alston Moor parish.....
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CUL/Alston/
"ALSTON, (or Alston Moor or Aldstone), a parish and market town in Leath ward, in the county of Cumberland..........It contains the curacies of Garrigill and Nenthead, and the hamlets of Clarghyll, Nentsbury, Leadgate, and Nenthall. The town stands on the slope of a hill, on the right bank of the south Tyne, near the confluence of the Nent with that river."

Since:  in  1881, it seems Robert is living with his cousin, William POTTS age 27 ( George & Jemima's youngest ) and his (William's ) wife & children:

Cousin: Robert SIMPSON 56, unm, Superintendant Coal Inspector, b Nent Head, Northumberland (sic).
RG11/ Piece: 4969/ Folio: 19/ Pg 32

So as much as anything, possibly looking for a parish record of his baptism in Nenthead circa 1826. At least that has a time frame, rather than looking for a marriage which may have occurred years and years earlier (if Robert was child born later in a marriage, for example, or if he was born to an unmarried mother)

Cheers
AMBLY

[GeoffE]

Should we not consider the Robt SIMPSON bap 1824 Alston which is in the IGI, son of Robert and Mary?

Robt SIMPSON/SIMSON married Mary MEDCALF/METCALF 1818 Alston

I've seen a granddaughter described as "niece" in a census, so I wouldn't take "nephew" too literally.

[potts9852]

Hello Ambly and Geoffe,

I looked on the map and notice that Hexham and Alston are not terribly far apart.   George is registered away from the family in 1841 and not with Robert Simpson.  This looks like a track that is going to take some time.  I imagine I will follow up on the Metcalf angle and see where that takes me.  I will also look for baptismal information as well.
You guys seem very good at all this.  I have a William Potts, born 1778 in Acomb, father of George Potts, 1809, Northumberland and can't seem to be able to develop his siblings or parents.  Can you provide any assitance with that?

Sincerely,

Jim   

[bobgraham]

Hexham and Alston aren't very far apart in distance but they are in height! That is one roller coaster of a road now - goodness knows what it was like then. Having said that the railway ran down to Haltwhistle and then on to Hexham. And the railway still runs down the other side towards Easington etc.
bob