John Atlantic Stephenson

[dianecon]

maggie i forgot to say i believe john atlantic stephenson when he born on the ship, was originally named argo brummell stephenson, john senior didnt like this name hence john atlantic they were a bit eccentric with their names,i was a little confused and thought the ship was called the argo brummell so thats cleared up x

[Buffers]

Hi Diane,

So you're yet another John Stephenson descendant! I'm researching on my wife's behalf. She is descended from John Atlantic's brother Albert Peak Stephenson - another one of John's sons with a strange name, given to him because he was born at Peak Hill when his father John Sr. was an agent for Peak Alum Works. Albert Peak had a son Albert Henry and Albert Henry's son was also named Albert Peak - this was my wife's grandfather.

Your John Atlantic heirlooms sound wonderful. Your sudden appearance has generated a bit of activity on Rootschat after a few quiet months. There were several months of enthusiastic contact and swapping of information, followed by a lull which occurred because we all hit a brick wall when it came to finding birth and death details for John Sr.

In the spring my wife and I are going to come out of winter hibernation, get to Geordieland and visit Newcastle Records Office etc. With a bit of luck we'll break through the barrier and find John Sr.'s background.

Regards

David

[ALTZA53]

Hi Joy/Dianne,

Have not heard anything re the Duke of Gloucester in the Stephenson/Gordon side and have checked with my contact in the Brumwell side who says not heard of the rumour either.

Obviously still could have some substance but we need to get further down our family lines, which is the problem at the moment.

JAS was not quite correct re his baptism as this didn't occur  on his arrival in Calcutta in 1829 nor under the name JAS, as both he and Henry were baptised together in Ghazeepore 1-4-1833 and JAS was named as John Bromswell Stephenson.

I have a copy of the actual Registry entry of 1-4-1833 for the 'District of Ghazeepore in the Archdeaconry and Diocese Calcutta' and I would take the Bromswell as a simple spelling error by the clerk, for the correct Brumwell. Also had John's birth stated as being ' Born at sea 18-6-1833' !!!!!!!!!!!!! Given that entry date was 1-4-1833, being before the supposed birth, that was an impossibility and as we all know was actually 1829.

Regards

Ian

[maggie360]

Dear all,
David suggested a summary of what we know so far about John senior would be a good idea so here goes! At the very least we will get an overview and who knows we might get a break through with collective minds.....
John Stephenson was listed as 46 in the 1841 census, so he was born about 1795? We do not know if he had any middle names, these could link him to his family.He was 12 years older than Elizabeth so it is possible he was married before(?) He married Elizabeth sometime before 1829 as she was pregnant with JAS on ship but where and when?.A marriage certificate would give a lot of information. On the census it was ticked that all family members were born in the county, presumably Yorkshire?, but this is not always reliable.
Before India we know he was well educated and a well known chemist in the Tyne Chemical industry: which one? The Tyneside Historical Society may have records?
 He was  then employed by James William Taylor according to the journal as he had to send to them for more money, no records so far found. He may have
worked for the East India Company, but we know for sure he was Superintendent for the HEIC Saltpetre factory in Tirhoot, Behar. The British Library may have
records? He wrote a Treatise on the the Manufacture of Saltpetre as practised by the Natives of Tirhoot in 1833. The Asiatic Society may have other articles?
Did he write a journal on the return journey?
What was the ship's name that brought the family home, and what was the date? Passenger lists?
He was buried in St Mary's Anglican church, Gateshead, 624837.2 and Gateshead Districr Council may have the records?
Please feel free to add to this,
Maggie

[Valda]

Hi


His marriage will be in a church register and since it will be before civil registration (1st July 1837) it will not give any details of fathers. The main information, if relevant, is likely to come from witnesses names.
He may have left a will which might mention other family members. If so the will would either be proved in a local church court (and deposited in a county record office) or have proved at the Prerogative Court of York (online indexes at British Origins) or you could ask for a check by the Borthwick Institute where PCY wills are deposited. The same may be true of his father-in-law or possibly mother-in-law if she was left a widow.


Regards

Valda

[maggie360]

Thank you for that Valda. I had forgotten!
With regard to other writings of JS, I found in the newsletter of 'Gunpowder Mills Study group' of 1996 a review of a book by J Braddock about the principles of Gunpowder Manufacture in Madras 1829. Bound at the rear of this book was a memoir by John Stephenson on the 'Manufacture of Saltpetre,Description of the operations and proper plans to be used for the manufacture of Culmee and Cooteah, Calcutta, 1835. In it he describes the government factory at Singhea, Behar,Bengal and the local native producers of the region.
I wonder if before he went to India he was knowledgeable about the production of Saltpetre and Gunpowder and this may be another avenue to explore? Local history groups might be a starting point? It also raises a point about other published articles by him...!
Regards
Maggie

[ALTZA53]

Hi Maggie,

I think if you re look at my first two posts on page 6, you will see the points you are trying to summarise, together with the other writings in the Asiatic Society Journals.

Ian

[dianecon]

hi everyone,i am posting on behalf of joy stephenson i spoke to her on the phone and she wishes to appologise for dissappearing from rootschat.as i already explained she doesnt have internet herself,she will be visiting her son this week and will login then.maggie, she asked me to tell you that she will be scanning JAS birth cert etc. she is sorry about delay.she wishes she had internet access so she could log in more often.unfortunately i have no information regarding the topic i can tell you that the weather in ireland is shocking 

[joy-d-43]

hi maggie,received copy of journal snippets and photos today via diane,it makes for fascinating reading,i would love  any more pages you could send.we have scanned the photo and pictures to the computer and will get them onto root chat asap along with the birth certificate. yours sincerely joy