Reverend Dr. David Francis and Eliza Sockett

[jknancy09]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can help me track an ancestor of mine. I'm looking for information on a Reverend Dr. David Francis who was born 1770-1778 in Ludlow, Shropshire, England and married an Eliza or Elizabeth SOCKETT in Eccleshall, Stafford, England where she was born 1776-1780. They had a daughter Harriet Sockett Francis who married a Reverend John WILKINS 6 Feb 1823 in Yarpole, Hereford, England. Their daughter Mary Elizabeth married John Robinson around 1845 in England or possibly Canada. Mary Elizabeth's sister was Harriet Annie Wilkins who was a poet and author as well as a music teacher in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. You can find information on her just by googling her name, but that's where the information on David Francis stops. Harriet Sockett Francis was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, and her daughter, my ancestor Mary Elizabeth (Wilkins) Robinson was also born there 19 Feb 1824, she died in Hamilton Ontario Canada 10 Feb 1879.

Any information or resources anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated as this is my brick wall. I live in the US so don't have access to a lot of UK resources.

Thanks in advance,

Jackie Fry

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[GrahamSimons]

Unhelpfully I have drawn three blanks for you.

1. Cambridge alumni - no David Francis
2. Oxford alumni - no David Francis
This is a bit of a surprise as most clergy would have graduated from one or other of the ancient universities; could be he attended Trinity Dublin or a Scottish university

3. Clergy of the Church of England Database - there is one David Francis but he doesn't fit your criteria, being much older.

Have you located him in the 1841 Census - he'd be fairly elderly by then - if so, there might be a way to catch up with him via his then parish, assuming he was still working?

[jknancy09]

Thank you for trying unfortunately, I don't know when David Francis died, he and Eliza did have a SON named David born 1807. My ancestor, Harriet Sockett Francis was born 24 Jan 1802. Here is what I found on his granddaughter Harriet Annie Wilkins, in a brief biography online:

Harriet (or Harriett, or Harriette) Annie Wilkins was born in Bath, England, in 1829, the second of four children. Her maternal grandfather was the Rev. Dr. David Francis, an eminent classical scholar, and her father, the Reverend John Wilkins, was a Congregationalist minister and a Mason. The family emigrated to North America when she was a young girl, first to Ohio, and later, when she was about 18, to Hamilton, Ontario, where she spent the remainder of her life. When her father died only a little more than a year after taking his post as pastor of the First Congregational Church of Hamilton, he left her as the sole support for two younger siblings and her invalid mother. To do this, she operated a private school for girls, gave music lessons, and wrote poetry. She was a contributor to some of the principal Canadian magazines of the day, usually under the pen name of "Harriett Annie." Although not wealthy enough to travel, she wrote of far-off places and times; a civilian, she was noted for her poems of the devastations of war and battle; a woman, she wrote with surprising knowledge and understanding of the rites of Freemasonry; a spinster, maternal and romantic love were often her subject. A remarkable woman, she passed away at age 58 on January 7, 1888.


I don't know what county Bath would be in but I'm assuming that its close to where John Wilkins was born and/or married.

[jknancy09]

Okay, I found one in the 1841 England census that is a possible match, he's 65 making his birth about 1776, and he's located in the St. James parish and sub-district and in the district of Bristol in the county of Gloucestershire. Bristol is where I'm assuming his daughter and son-in-law left England for the US first and then Canada, as seen in Harriet Annie Wilkin's bio.

Jackie

[jrc11]

The 1851 census has David Francis, age 78 of St James Bristol. He is a retired seaman, born in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire so not the right one I'm afraid.

[jknancy09]

What about broadening the year of birth for him based on the year he was married, which could also be off, or looking for Eliza in the census. And since I don't know his exact year of birth, nor Eliza's. I only know that he was possibly born in Bridgworth or Ludlow, Shropshire, England and she was born possibly in Eccleshall, Stafford, England and that is based on the possibly marriage date of 10 Jan 1799. Ludlow, Shropshire is based on where their children were born as they were all christened in the Corve and Old Street Independent Chapel-NC in Ludlow, Shropshire, England.

[Dave Jones]

Jackie.
You say your ancestor married in Yarpole, Herefordshire in 1823. It seems reasonable to assume this was her “home” parish, and as Yarpole parish consists of the villages of Bircher and Yarpole, that the following advert (sadly) related to her father Rev David Francis.

Hereford Journal 18th August 1824
Herefordshire – To be sold by auction, by Mr T Griffiths, on the premises, under a deed of assignment for the benefit of creditors, on Tuesday the 24th of August, 1824, and following days.
All the live stock of cattle, sheep, horses and pigs, implements in husbandry, cider, casks, brewing and dairy utensils, a quantity of cheese, together with all the household goods and furniture, china, glass, bed and table linen, books, and other effects, of the Rev David Francis, late of Prospect House, in the village of Bircher, and county of Hereford.
All persons who have any demand upon the estate and effects of the Rev David Francis, late of Bircher, in the county of Hereford, are requested to send the same immediately to Mr Norrege Thompson, miller, and Mr Thomas Griffiths, bookseller, both of Ludlow, and all persons who stand indebted to the said Rev David Francis, are desired to pay the same to Mr Norrege Thompson and Mr Thos Griffiths, aforesaid, in order that the business may be settled as soon as possible.
Aug 11, 1824.

[jknancy09]

Thank you for finding this tidbit, it at least gives me a clue. I did assume that they married near the bride's home moreso than the groom's home. I would then assume that David Francis died in 1824, about a year or so after Harriet Sockett Francis married John Wilkins. Any clue is a good clue in my book. Thank you again. If you find any other tidbits please let me know.

Jackie

[Dave Jones]

I do not think you can assume that David Francis died circa 1824. The advert merely shows that was when he lost all his assets.

You do not say if you have traced all of his children. Did he have a daughter named Eliza?

If so this may help:

Hereford Times 23rd November 1833
Marriages
On Saturday the 16th instant, at Henbury Church, Gloucestershire, Mr A.T Willmott, surgeon, Ross, in this county, to Jane, daughter of N.N Wade Esq, of the former place

Abraham Taylor Wilmott of Ross, Herefordshire qualified as an apothecary in 1841

1841 Census
Broad Street, Ross, Herefordshire
Abraham Wilmot   30 Surgeon
Jane Wilmot   30
William Wilmot     6
Walter Wilmot     5
Arthur Wilmot     4
Jane Wilmot     2

Hereford Journal 19th November 1845
Died
Nov 11, at Ross, aged 38, Jane, the beloved wife of Mr A.S Willmott, surgeon, leaving a family of five small children to deplore their loss.

Hereford Times 15th August 1846
Married
August 8, at Ross, Mr A T Wilmot, surgeon, to Eliza, fourth daughter of the late Rev. David Francis, D.D., of Wheathampstead, Herts.

Marriage of Abraham Taylor Wilmott & Eliza Francis registered Ross, Herefordshire September 1846

1851 Census
Ross, Herefordshire
Abraham Taylor Willmott   Head   43 General Practitioner   b Ross, Hfds
Eliza Willmott      Wife   35         b Ludlow, Shrops
William Willmott      Son   17 Scholar at Home      b Ross, Hfds
Arthur Willmott      Son   13   “”      b Ross, Hfds
Jane Willmott      Dau   12   “”      b Ross, Hfds
Nathaniel Willmott      Son     8   “”      b Ross, Hfds
Abraham Willmott      Son     2   “”      b Ross, Hfds
Harriett Willmott      Dau     1   “”      b Ross, Hfds

1861 Census
New Street, Ross, Herefordshire
Abraham T Willmott      Head   53 Practitioner Gerneral   b Ross, Hfds
Eliza Willmott      Wife   43 School Mistress      b Ludlow, Shrops
Abraham D Willmott      Son   12         b Ross, Hfds
Harriett Ell Willmott      Dau   11         b Ross, Hfds
Catharine L D Willmott   Dau     9         b Ross, Hfds

1871 Census
Alton Street, Ross, Herefordshire
Abraham Taylor Wilmott   Father   63 Reg Gen Practitioner   b Ross, Hfds
Eliza Wilmott      Wife   55         b Ludlow, Shrops
Cath Lydia C Wilmott   Dau   19         b Ludlow, Shrops

Death of Eliza Willmott aged 64 registered Ross, Herefordshire March 1878

1881 Census
Alton Street, Ross, Herfordshire
Abraham Willmot Father in Law W   73 General Practitioner   b Ross, Hfds

Death of Abraham Taylor Willmott aged 81 registered Ross, Herefordshire March 1890