Thomas Devis & Eleanor Mattocks - Orton, Selside, Kendal Westmorland

[Jules1066]

I believe my 3rd great grandfather is Thomas Devis (or Devio) who married Eleanor Mattocks at St Thomas Church in Selside, Kendall, Westmorland on 2 May 1803. Thomas Devis and Eleanor Mattocks were born around 1780 and I'd love to trace both family lines further back!  Unfortunately, I'm based in Sussex and cannot visit the Kendal Record Centre in person.

Can anyone please look-up the marriage banns for Thomas Devis and Eleanor Mattocks (1803)..print copy/take photo, and/or find Thomas and Eleanor's baptism records, and any other PR for their families. My assumption is that they are both from the Kendal, Westmorland area, or from just across the county border in Yorkshire. (Sedbergh side)

They had at least 4 children William b. 1803, John b. 1805, Alice b. 1810 and Robert b. 1817. Perhaps there were more children given the gaps in the dates...? Maybe some children were born in a different parish?

William & John were baptised in Selside, Kendal (born Forest Hall?), whilst Alice and Robert Devis were baptised in Orton, Westmorland. Although the children's baptisms took place in different locations, I've always assumed this is the same family as my 2nd great-grandfather Robert Devis (Davis) named his children Eleanor, Alice, Robert, Thomas, William..

Thomas Devis (born c. 1780) was a farmer/Ag Lab.  His youngest son, my ancestor, Robert Devis married Ann Mason from Dent (Sedbergh) in Charlton on Medlock in Manchester in 1850 and they had 6 children, including twins. The name appears to change from Devis to Davis.  Ann Mason is still a bit of a mystery as I cannot find her on the 1841 census (nor Robert !). She's listed as working as 'house servant' on her marriage certificate, and Robert is a 'labourer/carter' (for brewery in Newton Heath).

Thank you 


Jules

[JeanGris]

They seem to have had one more child:
Name:   Thomas Devis
Gender:   Male
Christening Date:   03 Jan 1808
Christening Place:   Selside, Westmoreland, England
Birth Date:   26 Dec 1807
Father's Name:   Thomas Devis
Father's Birthplace:   Of High House In The Parish Of Shap
Mother's Name:   Eleanor
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C39201-5 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1471811 , Reference ID: item 13

Could this be the baptism of Thomas (Snr)
Name:   Thomas Devis

Gender:   Male
Christening Date:   08 Jun 1770
Christening Place:   KIRKBY STEPHEN,WESTMORLAND,ENGLAND
Father's Name:   Hugh Devis
Mother's Name:   Alice
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C06707-1 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 97389, 97390, 97391, 97392

Alice, one of Thomas and Eleanor's children could have been named after his mother, but I don't see any children named after his father Hugh (first son named William - the usual pattern is first son named after father's father).

I don't think a parish register record will give any more information than that on the IGI with regards to Thomas and Eleanor's marriage - records say he was single on marriage on the IGI. With Pre 1837 records of marriages on the parish registers these do not name the father - they give very little detail except for names of the bride and groom, whether spinster, bachelor, sometimes but not always 'of this parish', which just means they were living in the parish at that the time of marriage.

One option for you is to visit your nearest Latter Day Saints Library and order the relevant films for a small fee, and I believe you have about 3 months to look at these.

It might also be worth looking at some of the Wills from Devis surname - there seem to be quite a lot of this family living in the Kirkby Stephen area - I'll type these up and post later - There is a Thomas yeo Kirkby Stephen (Stainmore, Forest, Wrenside) who died 1673 - could this land of his have been handed down the family over the years?  It might also be worth looking on CASCAT to see if there are any papers relating to the Devis family in the Kirkby Stephen area which might give clues.

Hope this helps, Jean

[JeanGris]

I see you are online - here is a little more:

1829
DEVIS Adam manor bailiff Brough (1829)
DEVIS Ann milliner &c Brough (1829)
DEVIS Chas tallow chandler Brough (1829)
DEVIS Hannah Brough (1829)
DEVIS John yeoman Augill Head Stainmore (1829)
DEVIS Richard baker/flour dealer Brough (1829)
DEVIS Thos farmer Dummah Hill North Stainmore (1829)
DEVIS Wm farmer Ellergill (1829)

WILLS
Devis (Deaves) And, ye, Bromfield, (Crookdale) 1665 AI [135]
Jas, Brough (Stainmore) WE 1670 WI
John, yeo, Brough (Stainmore, High Ewbank), WE, 1700 W
Jos, yeo, Holm Cultram (Blackdyke), 1742 WI 579 [111r]
Margt, wid, Brough (Forest of Stainmore, High Ewbank) WE 1683 WI
Mary, spin, Kirkby Stephen (Rookby, Scarth) WE 1731 WI 581 [86]
Matthew, KirkbyStephen, (Stainmore Forest, Wrenside) WE dated 1657, 1662 W [23]
Matthew, yeo, Kirkby Stephen (Stainmore Forest, Wrenside) WE 1735 W 41 [195]
Rob, yeo, Kirkby Stephen (How Gill Foot) WE 1682 WI
Rob, yeo, Brough (Churchtown) WE 1686 WI
Rob, Brough (Stainmore, High Ewbank) WE 1691 W
Thos, yeo Kirkby Stephen (Stainmore Forest, Wrenside) WE 1673 WI
Thos, yeo, Kikby Stephen (Kaber, Rookby) WE 1750 WI 195 [22r]

WE = Westmorland
W = Will
I = Inventory
A = Administration of goods - Admon

PS It might be worth looking at the bap of Thomas to Hugh and Alice in the Parish Registers, to see if there is mention of where Hugh was living at the time -sometimes an address is added.

[Jules1066]

Hi JeanGris

This has been really very helpful, thank you. Your suggestion has thrown up records for the other children.

The names, twins etc all seem to fit with my Davis line. There are so many of them, a true surprise.

I've now found:

Marriage for Hugh Devis and Alice Rudd 5.7.1769, in K.S

Baptisms for children of Hugh Devis and Alice:

Thomas Devis, bapt 8.6.1770 in K.S (my line potentially)
Philip Devis, bapt 13.3.1772 in K.S
Betty Devis, bapt 8.4.1774 in K.S
Nancy Devis, bapt 8.4.1774 in K.S
Hugh Devis, bapt 26.12.1778, Orton
Robert Devis, bapt 17.9.1781 Orton
Ann Devis, bapt 6.7.1783 in K.S
Alice Devis, bapt 28.5.1786
John Devis, bapt 26.4.1789 in K.S


Jules

[Jules1066]

Added bonus today

Found in the Kirby Stephen baptism records 1741-1750 (on Ancestry Rootsweb):

Hugh, son of Thomas Devis of Wrenset 1740/41

And Alice Rudd, daughter of John, Brough, 1733

All makes sense now, as Hugh and Alice Devis christen their first son 'Thomas', who is therefore named after his father's father. (assuming it's all the same family)

[JeanGris]

It is looking a lot more positive about this family.  As Thomas was probably the first born of Hugh and Alice he would inherit any land/property (if there was any) from his father.

It looks as though some property might have been handed down as with the Wills I mentioned:

Thos, yeo Kirkby Stephen (Stainmore Forest, Wrenside) WE 1673 WI.
There are also two Matthews in the Wills list who were also from Wrenside. They could be relatives.

I would have thought Wrenset and Wrenside were one and the same.

The Wills are held at Carlisle Archives, and I believe you can now request Wills from them for a small fee, so it might be worth emailing them.

[Westmoreland]

Hi
I've been thro the Davis's in my database for Appleby and as you see there are differant spellings
1751   Davies   Devis   Robert   Appleby      INVENT
1628   Davis   Devis   John   Bongate Bp   Son of John   St Michaels BMD
1628   Davis   Devis   John   Bongate Bp   Father of John   St Michaels BMD
1632   Davis   Devis   John   Bongate Bp   Father of Thomas   St Michaels BMD
1787   Davis   Devis   Nelly   Galabar bp   Mother of Richard   St Michaels BMD
1787   Davis   Devis   Richard   Galabar bp   Son of Rich & Nelly   St Michaels BMD
1787   Davis   Devis   Richard   Galabar bp   Father of Richard   St Michaels BMD
1787   Davis   Devis   Richard   Galabar bp   Carpenter   St Michaels BMD
Hope theres some help in this
regards
Westmorland

[sillgen]

Those farms on Stainmore are still there so you should be able to find them on a modern map.

[Jules1066]

Thank you. I'm going to try piece together some of the family groups with the info I've found and provided by all you wonderful roots chat contributors. Then I'll check this against the wills.

Does anyone know where I can get an hold of an old O.S. Map of this area to see if I can locate farms and villages. 

Is wrenset or wrensit a farm? Or place?

Jules