MEENs of Yaxley - a quandary

[Dissman]

I am in something of a quandary over the MEEN branch of my family tree. I have gone back as far as the baptism of Daniel MEEN, recorded as being in Yaxley, in August 1793. His mother’s name was Margaret MEEN – he was base born.

The Yaxley PRs show that Daniel MEEN married Mary JACOB, in May 1812.

A daughter, Harriet MEEN, was born in 1818, This has been deduced from her certificate of marriage to Edward BATLEY and the census records. The certificate also shows Daniel MEEN to be Harriet’s father

Following this marriage the recorded baptism of a son, Edward BATLEY, in 1838 shows Harriet MEEN as being the mother.

The reason for my showing the above is to illustrate the consistent use of the name MEEN for all of the major events in the above part of the MEEN line. Why then does the name appear to peter out to be, seemingly, replaced by the name PORCHER. There are several children attributable to Daniel and Mary PORCHER, all baptised in Yaxley as follows.

   Charlotte PORCHER – March 1816

   Harriett PORCHER – September 1818 ( Could THIS be my Harriet MEEN?)

Elizabeth PORCHER – May 1825 ( She seems to have married under the
 name of MEEN in Hartismere in 1844)

   Maria MEEN – May 1825

Could the above be Harriet MEEN and her siblings ?

The question that arises from the above is Was there a change of name ? If so, then for what reason. It has been suggested that Daniel could have inherited and as a result decided to change his name. There’s a saying where I come from – Thes nowt so strange as folk.

Any views or opinions on the above would be appreciated.


Dissman

[Keziah2]

Suffolk Burial Index notes the following Porcher-Mean burials between 1862-1898 Mellis ST Mary. 

Daniel 6 July 1862 5months
William 7 Dec 1862 2yrs
Daniel 23 Sep 1863 73yrs
Mary 2 Jul 1864 80yrs
Ellen 12 Jun 1877 11yrs
Rose 20 Jan 1884 12yrs
Esther 27 Apr 84 41yrs
Richard 2 Mar 1898 62yrs

There is also quite a long list Porcher burials in Yaxley that might also be of interest from 1742 - 1873.  Inc children of William & Jane/William & Diana/Robert & Mary/Daniel & Mary.

K2

 

[Dissman]

Hey K2

Many thanks for your prompt response.

I suspect that the Daniel buried in Sep 1863, at 73 yrs, was the Daniel born, in Mellis, c1791 whereas Daniel MEEN, referred to above, was born in Yaxley in 1793.

I have a record of the burial of a Margaret MEEN, in Hartismere, in 1837. This could well be Daniel's mother, Where abouts in Hartismere was she buried ? Was it Yaxley ? Would this show up in the burial index ?

One thing that might have some bearing on this whole topic is that I have been informed that the baptism of Harriet MEEN can not be found in Mellis or Yaxley. However, I have found the baptism of a Harriet PORCHER, in Yaxley, in 1818. This would match Harriet MEEN's birth year. Could these ladies be one and the same ?

It would also be very constructive to know Mary PORCHER's maiden name. Was it JACOB ?

Incidentally, I may take up, at a later date, your offer of Yaxley burials which may help in my further research.

Once again, thank you so much.


Dissman.

[Dissman]

To readers of this topic.

Can anybody confirm, or otherwise, the existence of any Porcher-Mean/Meen familys in Mellis or Yaxley before 1790.


Dissman.

[Keziah2]

These are the only PORCHER-MEAN's listed on the SBI. 

Interestingly, apart from Daniel P-M  age 5 months there is no sign of another Daniel  MEEN/MEAN/MEANE etc etc on the SBI.

Daniel Porcher MEEN's death was registered SepQ 1863 Hartismere Dist Ref: 4a/369 (FreeBMD) & Daniel MEAN death is reg SepQ1862 Hartismere Ref: 4a/295 (FreeBMD) presumably Daniel jnr. 

I have found Daniel (c1791) & Mary PORCHER (c1786) living in Mellis in 1841/1851/1861 he gives his pob as Yaxley & she Leiston.  Didn't manage to find another Daniel Meen or Porcher?

There was a Margaret MEAN buried in Yaxley, ST Mary 17 Sep 1837 age 77.

K

[Keziah2]

I am in something of a quandary over the MEEN branch of my family tree. I have gone back as far as the baptism of Daniel MEEN, recorded as being in Yaxley, in August 1793. His mother’s name was Margaret MEEN – he was base born.

The Yaxley PRs show that Daniel MEEN married Mary JACOB, in May 1812.

A daughter, Harriet MEEN, was born in 1818, This has been deduced from her certificate of marriage to Edward BATLEY and the census records. The certificate also shows Daniel MEEN to be Harriet’s father

Following this marriage the recorded baptism of a son, Edward BATLEY, in 1838 shows Harriet MEEN as being the mother.

The reason for my showing the above is to illustrate the consistent use of the name MEEN for all of the major events in the above part of the MEEN line. Why then does the name appear to peter out to be, seemingly, replaced by the name PORCHER. There are several children attributable to Daniel and Mary PORCHER, all baptised in Yaxley as follows.

   Charlotte PORCHER – March 1816

   Harriett PORCHER – September 1818 ( Could THIS be my Harriet MEEN?)

Elizabeth PORCHER – May 1825 ( She seems to have married under the
 name of MEEN in Hartismere in 1844)

   Maria MEEN – May 1825

Could the above be Harriet MEEN and her siblings ?

The question that arises from the above is Was there a change of name ? If so, then for what reason. It has been suggested that Daniel could have inherited and as a result decided to change his name. There’s a saying where I come from – Thes nowt so strange as folk.

Any views or opinions on the above would be appreciated.


Dissman

You say in your post March 2011 that you have  from the Yaxley PRs that Daniel Meen married Mary JACOB  in Yaxley 1812 so howcome you are now looking for their marriage in Leiston

[Phil Javens]

I hit the same brick wall when researching back to my great great grandparents Edward Batley and Harriet Meen.  Edward died in February 1856 just before my Great Grandfather William Edward Batley was born.  Harriet later re-married in 1863 to Horace Collins in Mellis.
I hadn't picked up on the fact that Daniel Meen was 'baseborn' to Margaret Meen.  Nor had I come across a Mary Jacob.

[Dissman]

Phil

I found the marriage of Daniel Mann (should be Meen) on Familysearch. His bride was a Mary JACOB of Leiston. I have not been able to get a search done of the Leiston PRs (births)

Quite a brick wall isn't it.

Please keep me posted.

[Phil Javens]

Hi Dissman,
First of all are we related?  Are you a descendant of Harriet Meen and Edward Batley?
As for Mary Jacob there was a family of Peter Jacob and his wife Sarah Marjoram (married 13 October 1789 in Finningham, Suffolk) not a million miles away from Yaxley which included a Mary.  According to the IGI there were three possible christenings - 2 July 1797 in Finningham, 5 April 1800 in Cotton, and 30 January 1797 - location unknown.  The earliest would have put her at about 16 at the time of her marriage to Daniel Meen.  I appreciate that this is highly speculative but could this be the same Mary Jacob.