Genealogy Chat

Hi All, I'll try and look for the will of Thomas. Also I'll ask Kendal Recs office about other parish settlement papers as well. Thanks for your help, Gillian

Did Thomas the mason leave a will? We have seen wills which give names, relationship and present occupation and location. ie. .. to my son William, a dairyman now residing in...... (wherever) You might just be lucky.

It may be worth looking a Parish chest papers for Hilton in case he was given a parish apprenticeship. It's also possible he was born before his parents married. Have you found the birth of a 'base' child with his Christian name? Gwynne

I have looked at surrounding parishes. I found the 1787 census of Westmorland more helpful. My Richard was one year old in 1787. I found a Johnson family Thomas & Mary living in Hilton which a son Richard, 'a child'. I cannot find his baptism but have found those of some of his siblings. The father Thomas a mason & originally came from Dufton. Richard's eldest son is called Thomas which fits the naming pattern. This looks like the most likely fit. However, I have nothing to link the two. Gillian

Hi, The only other thing I can think of is to search the surrounding parishes in ever increasing circles until you find a baptism or a reference to an apprenticeship. Have you found any others with the same surname a generation earlier? It is possible that he had a settlement because his father was of the parish. Gwynne

Unfortunately there is no parish chest for Crosby Ravensworth. I spoke to Kendal Records office & they couldn't suggest where I might find any info. Gillian

Hi, You could try the Parish chest papers which included details of legal settlements. Those that survive are held at the County record Office. Gwynne

Can no one help me? I've totally run out of ideas & I think that I will never be able to find Richard's place of birth! Getting desperate, Gillian!

Hi Gwyneth, Richard Johnson did not move to Crosby Ravensworth until after 1814 (his marriage in Shap) and before 1817, birth in CR of his first child. The 1811 census of CR is just a list of heads of household, no addresses, no places of birth. Gillian

Have you found these people in the 1811 census? I know nothing about the area but mention of the census showed up, when I did a Google search for Crosby Ravensworth and included the word blacksmith.

Hi Brian, Richard & his bride were both of this parish! However I cannot find his baptism in Shap PRs. This is why I think he moved to Shap maybe to serve his apprenticeship? His wife was also born outside Shap. She is from Warcop. Gillian

Have a look at the Banns for his marriage in Shap. If the bride was from Shap and he was from another parish, it will give his parish, probably where he was born/baptised.

Hello All, My brick wall at the moment is trying to find out where my ggg grandfather Richard Johnson was born. He died before 1841, so have no census help. There's nothing on the IGI for him except his marriage in Shap in 1814. I've searched the Shap PRs for his baptism & couldn't find him. I have found other possiblities in other parishes but have nothing to link the entry to my Richard Johnson. I cannot be sure that I have found the correct one. I have his burial record from the Crosby Ravensworth PRs: 23 MAY 1836 aged 50. I asked our profesional genealogist, Anthony, the question. He suggested looking at documents in the parish chest of Crosby Ravensworth where he worked as a blacksmith. Unfortunately, so such parish chest exists so am back to square one! Since my last posting, I have contacted Kendal Records office to see if there exists any apprenticeship records for blacksmiths in Shap & Crosby Ravensworth, but unfortunately there is nothing!!! I have also looked at the witnesses of his marriage to see if they were possibly his siblings but the entry was most unhelpful: Witnesses:- John Mounsey, James Farrer. James Farrer is the Parish Clerk and witnesses most of the weddings at that time. John Mounsey appears to be his understudy, as he becomes clerk in a year or so. I had thought of the naming pattern. A Richard Johnson I have found in the 1787 census of Westmorland living in Hilton, who I believe is the most likely candidate, has a father called Thomas. My Richard named his eldest son Thomas that fits the pattern. He also has a son Ralph and my possible Richard's grandfather was Ralph Johnson. I haven't looked into wills, maybe I should investigate. Do any of you experts have any more ideas??? In hope, Gillian