Thomas Morris 1804 Stoke St Milborough

[NicholasJB]

Hi

I am looking to see if there are any records or a Thomas Morris bc 1804 in Stoke St Milborough between birth/christening and when he apparently appears in the 1841 census in Kingswinford as a coal miner and later forge labourer (so between 1804 and 1840).

Christening  28 February 1804
Stoke Saint Milborough, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom
Parents Benjamin Morris, Ann (Briscoe)

He married a Mary of Worcestershire (Mambles?) at some point.

My main interest is whether or not he could be the father of Hannah Bridgwaters’ two illegitimate children, Thomas and William Bridgwaters. I note that Thomas Morris had a brother called William Morris and also had legitimate sons named Thomas and William. Quite a few Morrises there had these names though.

I am considering him as a candidate due to age, name and the fact I’ve had DNA matches to people with Morris ancestors from Ditton Priors, Stokesay and Clungunford/Clun. I’ve managed to connect some of these lines together and can see Thomas could be descended from the Stokesay/Clungundord Morrises through one of his potential lines. He could also have Wright ancestors, which would explain another one of my DNA matches who have Wright ancestors from Stoke St Milborough area. Also interesting that he moved to Kingswinford/Brierley Hill, which is where Hannah’s son, Thomas Bridgewater (bc 1823), ended up.

I don’t need any census info on Hannah, her Lloyd marriage, Thomas Bridgwater or William Bridgewater, as I’ve previously exhausted all of that side of things. I’m just looking into this Thomas Morris and his whereabouts or potential connections to Hannah and her illegitimate kids.

Nicholas

[..claire..]

Hi Nicholas,

There is a possibility that you may have the wrong baptism for Thomas Morris bpt Feb 1804 son of Benjamin & Ann.

On May 4th 1804 there is a burial of an infant Thomas Morris .

However on 19th December 1806 there is a Thomas son of Edward & Elizabeth Morris.

Both records found in the Stoke Milborough PR's.

In Mamble on the 22 January 1838 there is this record

Thomas MORRIS married Mary Ann BUTCHER
Grooms father: Edward Morris
Brides father: John Butcher.

If you check the birth indexes on the GRO website, for the children that you have in the census records for Thomas they do give mothers maiden surname as Butcher.

I'll see if I can find anything for your initial request

Claire

[NicholasJB]

Hi

Many thanks. That’s very helpful.

This takes me one step closer to identifying the father of Hannah Bridgewaters’ children. We know that she was based in Blackford/Brown Clee Hill when her illegitimate children were born.

Edward Morris is in Blackford in the 1841 census. Blackford is near Brown Clee Hill in Stoke St Milborough.

Edward Morris
(ch. 15 July 1781
Stoke St Milborough)
[1841 in Blackford with a Benj. Morris & Edward Barker]
= Elizabeth Howells
(mar. 18 July 1804 SSM)

I have a DNA match with Howell ancestors (a 3rd cousin 1x removed or 2x removed estimated, 10cM) in Stoke St Milborough, so that makes sense.

Nicholas