WOOD - Key Persons
A Peter Trail enlisted in Company E of the 23rd Virginia Battn Infantry Regiment on May 1, 1862. He became a prisoner of war and had his arm amputated on May 31 1864 at Cold Harbor, Va. He was a prisoner at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington DC on June 1, 1864. On October 24, 1864 he was a POW in Elmira, NY. He died of disease, while still a POW on December 8, 1864. Kenneth L. Sturgill, in his book, "Smyth Count y and the Civil War" discusses three Companies of the 23rd Virginia Battn, which were made up at the same time in July 1861 in Smyth County . Although he does not mention Company E, he does mention that a Company of replacement troops of the 23rd Virginia Battn was made up in 1864 from the area. Company E was apparently also formed in the County to provide replacement troops. "The Virginia Home Guards" by Jeffrey C. Weaver, H. E. Howard (1996) confirms that Company E was formed in Smyth County. This fact supports the Peter Trail listed for Company E being the son of James Trail from the Seven Mile Ford region of Smyth County.
Anna Mabel Hart was born Warsaw, Benton Co. MO 17 Jun 1901. Anna died 2 Aug 1989 in Kansas City, KS, at 88 years of age. She married Ervin E. Malott 20 Aug 1923. After graduating from Warsaw H.S. in 1920 Anna taught school in Lincoln, Warrensburg and Henstonia MO. She also coached the girl's basketball team. After marrying, she and Ervin lived in Greater Kansas City. In 1940 they built a home in Johnson Co. KS and a summer place at Grand View Beach near Warsaw. They had no children of their own so they adopted a 5 week old baby Ervin Eugene Malott who was an owner-editor of a newspaper in CA as of 1970.
Bernice Alverda Hart was born 20 Sept 1903. She married John Major Laird (Sr) 17 Jun 1932. Patricia BreseeGilbert remembers Aunt Bernice had red hair (auburn or red hair must have run in the family). Uncle John owned the Warsaw Barber Shop. They loved to garden and their backyard was a floral masterpiece. I understand Bernice used to sell tomatoes off her back porch for 10 cents a pound. Cousin David Laird (their grandson) said her sales were especially good on Sundays after the services let out from the Catholic Church across from their house.
According to "Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales" by Thomas Nicholas, written in 1872, the Gwernyfed Williams family maintained detailed family trees tracing their ancestry from David Williams back to Bleddyn ap Maenarch, an 11th century Celtic ruler of Brecknock, and from there back to Caradog Freich-Fras, a purported 6th Century Knight of King Arthur's Round Table. Bleddyn ap Maenarch was real enough. His castle, Tal-y-llyn, was at Llanfihangel Talyllyn. He was married to Elinor, a daughter of Tewdrw Mawr, Prince of South Wales. Thus, he was allied with Rhys ap Tewdrw, his wife's brother, who had been in Britainy, but had returned to Wales to battlle for control of South Wales after Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was murdered in about 1073. One of Rhys ap Tewdrw's adversaries fled to William Rufus, King of England, who seized upon this as an excuse to invade Wales in about 1087. The combined armies of Rhys ap Tewdrw and Bleddyn ap Maenarch were defeated by a Norman army under the command of Bernard Newmarch near the town of Brecon in the forest of Cwmgwingad in about 1092 and both Welsh Princes were killed. Newarch built a stronghold at Brecon, married a daughter of Welsh royal blood, and, also, seized Tal-y-llyn. However, Bleddyn ap Maenarch's oldest son, Gwagan , retained part of Llanfihangel Talyllyn. Gwagan married Gwenllian, daughter of Philip Gwys, Lord of Wiston, Pemb. His grandson, Trahaern Vychan, Lord of Llangors, maried Joan , daughter of Bleddyn, Lord of Cilsant, sister's daughter to Rhys ap Gruffydd, Prince of South Wales. Trahaern was murdered by William de Breos in 1197, but not before he had children. His grandson, Rhys ap Howel (i.e. his father's name was Howel) lived at Aberllyfni. Rhys ap Howel conspired with the Norman Lords of the March against Edward II . He was instrumental in taking Edward II prisoner at the castle of Llantrisant, Glamorganshire on November 16, 1326. His third son, Einion Sais, served Edward III in the battle of Cressy in 1346 and Poitier s in 1356. Einion Sais' first wife was Joan, daughter of Howel, Lord of Miscin. Einion Sais' son, Rhys, had a son, Adam, whose wife was Elinor, daughter and co-heiress of Llewelyn ap Howel Hen. Adam's son, Rhys, married Goleubryd, daughter of David ap Owen. From there the line "zig zags through several alterations of names" not mentioned by Nicholas (although he mentions the Awbrey and Hopkins (of Llysnewydd) families) until we reach David Williams. According to the finding aid for the Gwernyfed Estate Records held by the National Library of Wales (GB 0210 GWEFED), parcel #76 contains pedigrees for the Williams of Gwernyfed and Eltham.
Edward Webb was a measurer of lumber and afterwards kept a shoe store in Carmine St., New York, where he died.
Gedney Davis Hart (John Jay Elijah Gedney Hart, John Hart, Monmouth, Joseph, Monmouth, Hannah Budd, John Budd (Jr.), John Budd (Sr.)) was born Nebraska City, Otoe Co. NE 24 Dec 1868. Gedney died 8 Aug 1956 Camp Ground Cem.Winthrop, AR, at 87 years of age. He married Minnie Daisy Eoff Fairfield, Benton Co. MO, 30 Sep 1897. Minnie was born St. Louis Co., MO 21 Nov 1879. Minnie was the daughter of John Turner Eoff and Anna Maria Thomas. Minnie died 1 Jun 1971 Riverside Cemetary, Warsaw, MO, at 91 years of age. According to her obituary Minnie was born in St. Louis Co. but other notes found at Edith Bresee's home showed St. Charles Co. There is an LDS ancestry chart showing Wentzville as birthplace which is St. Charles Co. MO. Minnie died in the Fairview Nursing Home in Sedalia, MO but was brought back to Warsaw for burial. She was raised in Fairfield, MO but moved to Warsaw after marrying Gedney. According to her obit "She loved nature in its fullest , enjoyed going fishing and being in the great outdoors. She was also a lover of good music and spent many hours playing the piano..even during her later years." Marriage data supported by certified copy of Benton Co. marriage license. Minnie was only 17 when married so her father John T.Eoff had to give his written assent to the marriage. Gedney was a Postmaster at Warsaw for several years. When he left Minnie Eoff in 1922-23 he moved to Winthrop, Ark. where his siblings and parents were. Gedney and Minnie were later divorced. According to his obituary (De Queen, Ark.) he was a resident of Little River County for a number of years. It also stated he died in a Texarkana hospital. Gedney was well read and loved books. Gedney is listed as age 2 in the Richardson Co. NE 1870 census pg 114. According to Edith Bresee, one of Gedney's daughters Gedney left Minnie and the younger children about 1923 and moved to AR. ------------------ According to the published Little River County, AR cemetery book, Campground Cemetery is "approximately 1 miles west of Winthrop". p. 55 John J. Hart 1841 - 1925 , Alvidra V. Hart 1844 - 1934 and Gidney D. Hart, 1868 - 1956. You can order copies of these folks death certificates from the Arkansas Hea lth Department in Little Rock, 501-661-2336. _____________________ certified copies of death certificates from Arkansas for Alverda and her son Gedney. Here is a recap (using spelling as the certificate has it): Gedney D. Hart, Place of death- Miller Co. Texarkana, St. Michael's Hospital. Usual Residence: Arkansas, Little River Co. Winthrop, Street Address-General Delivery. Date of death- August 9, 1956, age 87 y 7 m 15 d days. Married block says "Widowed". Father's name- John J. Hart. Mother's maiden name-Unk. Ever in Armed Forces- "No". SS # 431-32-8220 . Birthplace- Nebraska City, Nebraska. Died of congestive heart failure, senility, and urinary tract infection. Buried Camp Ground Cemetery , Winthrop, Arkansas. Funeral Director- Fred Wilkerson, DeQueen, Ark . Informant- Mon Hart, Lockesburg, Arkansas. 1) Gedney shows widowed yet his ex-wife Minnie was still alive. Possibly he remarried and was widowed or could be an error. 2) his death Aug 9 3) Alverda's mother's name given as Virginia Kinnison- her obit says mother's name was Mary. 4) Interesting that Gedney did not complete Alverda's father's name Davis, since this was Gedney's middle name. 5) Alverda's birthplace shows Wheeling, V A but obit has Wheeling, WV (She always showed VA in census records- may be that was considered VA when she was born.)
Gedney Davis Hart married Minnie Daisy Eoff Fairfield, Benton Co. MO, 30 Sep 1897. Minnie was born St. Louis Co., MO 21 Nov 1879. Minnie was the daughter of John Turner Eoff and Anna Maria Thomas. Minnie died 1 Jun 1971 Riverside Cemetary, Warsaw, MO, at 91 years of age. According to her obituary Minnie was born in St. Louis Co. but other notes found at Edith Bresee's home showed St. Charles Co. There is an LDS ancestry chart showing Wentzville as birthplace which is St. Charles Co. MO. Minnie died in the Fairview Nursing Home in Sedalia, MO but was brought back to Warsaw for burial. She was raised in Fairfield , MO but moved to Warsaw after marrying Gedney. According to her obit "She loved nature in its fullest, enjoyed going fishing and being in the great outdoors. She was also a lover of good music and spent many hours playing the piano..even during her later years." Marriage data supported by certified copy of Benton Co. marriage license. Minnie was only 17 when married so her father John T.Eoff had to give his wr itten consent to the marriage.
George U. Sands' father, Hart Sands, was a lighterman in NYC. Lighters were, generally, small schooner class sailing ships used to transport freight to and from ocean going vessels and (in the case of Manhattan , since it was an island) from shore to shore. By 1830 there were 86 steamers plying the Hudson and LI Sound, one of the most developed commercial steamship manufacturing sites in the world. Although I get the impression that sailing lighters were still in common use at the time of Hart's death in 1847, I have confirmed that steam tow-boats were moving freight in barges in NYC harbor at least as early as the mid 1840's.
When Hart died, his son, George Underhill Sands, took over his lighterman business, which was located at the South St. Seaport in Manhattan . I am guessing that he obtained experience with steam engines during this period because, by 1850, he had secured a position as seaman on the ocean going Steamship "Empire City".
James Hart was born in NY Abt 1740. From "Wills of Early Residents of Weschester Co. NY" pg 356- " # 668 James Hart, Rye Neck- Leaves to daughters Lavinia, Charity, Elizabeth, Jean and Hester, 1/3 of estate, and to sons James, Elisha and Jacob the other 2/3. Mentions "brother in law John Guion. Dated May 1, 1781, Proved May 20, 1783" Ref . "Early Wills of Westchester County, New York, from 1664 to 1784" by William S. Pelletreau, A.M. publisher is Francis P. Harper, NY 189 8 ___________________ Abstracts of Wills, Vol XII, 1782-1784 From The New York Historical Society Collections, this 1903 volume featrues abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogates Office, City of New York, from 6/17/1782 to 9/11/1784. Bibliographic Information: Abstracts of Wills Volume XII 1782-1784, The New York Historical Society, 1903. Pag e 86.--In the name of God, Amen. I, JAMES HART, yeoman, of Rye Neck, Westchester County, being very sick and weak in body. I leave to Liveniah, Charity, Elizabeth, Jean and Hester, each, one bed with the bedding; likewise, a third part of my estate equally divided amongst the above five girls. Unto my sons, James, Elisha and Jacob, the two thirds of my estate in like manner. The stock and all the utensils to be kept till Jacob is of age for the children's use. The house, barn and fences to be kept in good repair until that time; then all the chattels and utensils to be sold, and divided among the above named eight children. I make my brother-in-law, John Guion; James, my oldest son ; and Charity, my daughter, executors. Dated May 1, 1781. Witnesses, David Bloomer, of Westchester County; Abraham Guion; and Benjamin McConnell, of Westchester County. Proved, May 20, 1783. James Hart will
John Lowell Hart was born Warsaw, Mo 4 July, 1898. John died Aug 1981 Spencer, IA, at 83 years of age. He married Marie McKinstry 3 Mar 1925. John took the civil service exam in his junior year, received an appointment and stayed out of school for a year delivering mail ( His father was Postmaster) . He then graduated from Warsaw H.S. the same year (1920) with sisters Edith and Anna. John signed a professional baseball contract as a player and playing manager for 9 years. He quit baseball 1928 to start the H & N Chevrolet business operating the dealership for 10 years in Spencer, IA (added Ford, Lincoln, Mercury franchise). His brother Frank joined him in the business. In 1949 he was able to get Babe Ruth (a baseball acquaintance) to come to Spencer, IA spending a week with them-Babe Ruth died eighteen weeks later. A Babe Ruth autographed baseball is now held (Oct 1999) by John David Laird grandson of John Laird and Bernice Hart (John Lowell Hart's sister). John Hart continued "playing" in baseball by organizing an all salaried team made up of college players. At the end of the season there was a John Hart Day and the Spencer citizens presented him with an oil painting of him and Babe Ruth. John had other business ventures including golf courses and residential/commercial developer . In retirement he enjoyed golf, hunting. attending ballgames, etc. spending part of their winter in the South and enjoying their English Setters, Rebel and Lefty.
Joseph Coleman Hart 1828-1862. JCH was an architect who wrote a book called Hart's Design of Parish Churches (1857) and designed St . Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro, Vermont, built in 1857 and St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Ashland, New Hampshire, built in 1859. He was an ardent advocate of the Gothic revival style which became popular during the 19th century. If mentioned at all in architectural history it is usually a footnote. The 1850 Federal Census for Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey shows the Monmouth B. Hart household as including Joseph Hart, age 22, architect. He was only 29 when his substantial book Designs of Parish Churches was published in 1857 and 31 when he delivered a paper to a meeting of the newly formed American Institute of Architects in NewYork in 1859. The group he was addressing included some of the most prestigious architects in America at that time, and several of them were very critical of Hart's rather rigid position about Gothic being the only proper style for Christian churches. JCH was only 32 when he died and this may explain in part why there may be no more examples of his work than the two which I have found.
Mary Fern Hart was born 16 Nov 1907. Mary died 26 May 2000 Naples, FL , at 92 years of age. She married William Brent Matthews (Sr). William died Salem, IL. Per a Warsaw paper Mary Fern Matthews died in Naples, FL at Moorings Park, an extended care facility. Memorial Services were to be held later in Salem, IL where they had lived.
Michael Ketron (or Kettering), the progenitor of this branch of the Ketron
family, came to America in 1765 from Hess-Dounstadt, Germany. He married
Patricia Bresee Gilbert remembers; Edith worked in the post office right after her 1920 high school graduation. Her father Gedney Hart was the Postmaster. Edith delayed graduating a year or two because she stayed home and helped raise the younger children. She later taught in country schools including Fredonia and Elder Ridge near Sweet Springs, MO. July 1943 she assumed the duties of Cashier for United Telephone Co.and continued there until retirement January 1, 1965. Loyd and Edith were past Patron and Matron of Osage Valley Chapter 502 Order of Eastern Star (1950-51). Edith had auburn hair and some of her sisters were red headed as well.. She was a spunky, intelligent and a bit assertive woman who almost lived to be age 100. Edith loved to garden , play cards (especially Canasta) and to go fishing. My memories of " Grandma" include what a fantastic cook she was, especially baking-I was never able to master her delicious biscuits and fruit cobbler. She was always talkative and said what she thought. (Perhaps that was one reason that Grandpa was always so quiet.) When I last saw Grandma (in her younger 90's) she was still quite spunky and quite a sharp mind. I remember the sparkle in her eyes when we visited the Truman Dam where she delighted in seeing hundreds of Gar fish playing in the water. Edith liked keeping up with the family members and always had family pictures all over her dining and living room furniture.She could tell you all their names and what they had been doing. When she died 1999, her daughter Ruth Ann ( my Mom) found many handwritten notes of family names/dates and her scrapbook(s) which formed the basis of much of my Bresee, Hart and Eoff family tree documentation. Mom and I believe Grandma would be pleased that we both now are carrying on her love for documenting and remembering the "family" through our genealogy hobby.
Rebecca Ann Taft was the mother of 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls, who all grew up, were all married, and all had children. When she moved to New York City with her husband they lived first in Pearl St. near Oak St. then in Division St. near Eldredge St., then in Broome St. near Orchard St. In 1833 they bought the house at 101 Stanton St. and moved into it. Their youngest child was born and married in this house . After all her children were married, her husband having died in 1851 , she made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Hatfield. Mrs. Taft made several trips to Chicago. In the summer of 1864 she went there and visited the grave of her daughter at Rose Hill Cemetery. She returned from Chicago in October, 1864, without company by Michigan Central, Hudson River R. Roads. She was then nearly 68 years old. In October 1866 she went to Chicago where she remained until the spring or summer of 1867, when she went to Glenwood, Iowa to visit her son William. In the fall of 1867 she returned to the east and lived with her daughter Amanda in Brooklyn where she died of dysentery 11 July 1868. She was buried in the cemetery at White Plains
Sir ROGER VAUGHAN, third son of ROGER VAUGHAN of Bredwardine (see Vaughan family of Bredwardine) by Gwladys, daughter of Dafydd Gam, was the first of the Vaughans to reside at Tretower. It is said that the residence was a gift to him from his half-brother William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, to whom the castle and manor of Tretower had descended by the marriage of his father, Sir William ap Thomas, to the widow of Sir James Berkeley, heiress of Tretower. Roger Vaughan enlarged and remodelled the house by the addition of a western range of buildings with a hall. Like all his kindred, Roger Vaughan is found on the Yorkist side in the divisions of his time, but he also was granted a pardon by the Coventry Parliament of 1457. The Privy Council ordered him, with Sir William Herbert and Walter Devereux, to prevent assemblies and the victualling of castles in Wales, 17 August 1460. He was with Edward's forces at Mortimer's Cross, 1461, and it is said that it was he who led Owain Tudor to his execution at Hereford after the battle. He was granted the offices of porter of the castle of Bronllys, forester of Cantrecelly, steward and receiver of the lordships of Cantrecelly, Penkelly, Alexanders-ton, and Llangoed, 15 November 1461, and lands in south-west England, 11 July 1462. He took a prominent part in quelling a rising in Carmarthenshire in 1465, and received grants of the insurgents' manors and estates in Gower and Kidwelly. By 23 March 1465 he was a knight, though the investiture is not recorded by Shaw. He was on commissions of 'oyer et terminer' in Wales and the Marches in 1467 and 1468. In the earl of Warwick's charter to Neath abbey, 24 June 1468, Vaughan as the earl's chancellor at Cardiff is the first witness, and Thomas ap Roger, possibly his son, is described as coroner of Cardiff. The common belief that he fell with his brothers at the battle of Banbury is incorrect. Lewis Glyn Cothi called upon him to avenge that battle, and on 16 February 1470 he was appointed constable of Cardigan castle. After the battle of Tewkesbury, 1471, it is said that Edward IV ordered him to pursue and capture Jasper Tudor, earl of Pembroke, but it was Vaughan himself who fell into the earl's hands, to be summarily beheaded at Chepstow. His elegies were sung by Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal or Huw Cae Llwyd, and Llywelyn Goch y Dant, who accused Jasper Tudor of treachery and guile. Guto'r Glyn also called on his family to avenge his death. He is described in the pedigree books as lord of Cantrecelly and Penkelly, owner of Merthyr Tydfil and Llandimore, and various lands in Glamorgan, and it is said that he built the 'royal palace' at Cardiff. He was twice married. The first wife was Denise, daughter of Thomas ap Philip Vaughan of Talgarth, and she was the mother of the heir (Sir) THOMAS VAUGHAN, Roger Vaughan (see Vaughan family of Porthaml) and four daughters who married into prominent families, the wives of Robert Raglan, Henry Donne, Morgan Gamage, and Morgan ap Thomas ap Gruffudd ap Nicolas. His second wife was Margaret, lady Powis, daughter of James, lord Audley, by his second wife, Eleanor, illegitimate daughter of Edmund, earl of Kent. (Her first husband, Sir Richard Grey, lord Powis, died 17 December 1466. The order of the marriages is incorrect in G. E. Cokayne under 'Grey of Powis.' She was lady Powis before her marriage to Sir Roger Vaughan. She was dead before 2 February 1480/1.) She had one daughter by Sir Roger, the wife of Humphrey Kynaston. A large number of illegitimate children are ascribed to Sir Roger Vaughan. Vaughan families are derived from some of the others: the Vaughans of Gelli-gaer from Lewis, the Vaughans of Cathedine from Roger, the Vaughans of Merthyr Tydfil from William, and the Vaughans of Coedkernew from John. One of the illegitimate children, Thomas, was long a prisoner in France; 'Sir' Philip Emlyn wrote a cywydd on his imprisonment, and Edward IV granted £40 from the customs of the port of Bristol towards his ransom, 28 September 1477. One of the earliest records of the heir, (Sir) THOMAS VAUGHAN, is that he was a trustee for the king's debt to his uncle, William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, 6 December 1468. He was on commissions of 'oyer et terminer,' etc., in South Wales in 1471/2. He was granted appointments in the lordship of Gower during the minority of Anne, heiress of John, duke of Norfolk, 7 October 1480. He gave Richard III strong support against the rebellion of the duke of Buckingham in October 1483. Henceforward, he is styled knight in the records, and he was granted the stewardship of the lordship of Brecknock, 4 March 1484. He seems to have acted cautiously during the months preceding the battle of Bosworth, and he obtained a general pardon from Henry VII, 2 April 1486. He built the gateway in the eastern wall of Tretower Court, and he maintained his family's traditional patronage of Welsh bards. He was unstintingly eulogised by Lewis Glyn Cothi, Dafydd Epynt, Ieuan ap Huw Cae Llwyd, Huw Dafi, and others. His first wife was Cissil, daughter of Morgan ap Jenkin 'ap Philip' of Gwent; the second was Jane, lady Ferrers. Lewis Glyn Cothi addressed an awdl to his three sons, Roger, Watkin, and Henry, but the family soon ceased to play a prominent part in Welsh life. The inheritance passed to HENRY VAUGHAN, the third son. CHRISTOPHER VAUGHAN, son of Henry Vaughan, was sheriff of Brecknock in 1548-9, and his son, WILLIAM VAUGHAN, held the same office in 1591-2. He died 1613, leaving WILLIAM VAUGHAN, who died 1617. In addition to the heir, CHARLES VAUGHAN (died 1636) of Tretower, William Vaughan's children included THOMAS VAUGHAN (died 1658), who married the heiress of Newton in Llansantffraed; Henry Vaughan the Silurist and Thomas Vaughan were their sons. CHARLES VAUGHAN was sheriff of Brecknock in 1622-3 and 1636. He died 1654. His son, EDWARD VAUGHAN, dying without issue, the estate passed to the daughter, MARGARET, wife of Thomas Morgan, Maes-gwartha. Her heir, VAUGHAN MORGAN, died 1684, and his son, CHARLES, assumed the surname of VAUGHAN. He died 1704, and was succeeded at Tretower by his son CHARLES VAUGHAN. The latter married the heiress of Hugh Powell of Scethrog, and took up residence there, where he was followed by his son and grandson (both named CHARLES VAUGHAN).
Tretower Court was sold about 1783, and the long association of the Vaughan family with that place was broken.
STEPHEN HART AND HIS DESCENDANTS By Alfred Andrews, 1874, page 16 Monmouth Bloomer Hart was high sheriff at Bloomingdale, N.Y.
STEPHEN HART AND HIS DESCENDANTS By Alfred Andrews, 1874, page 22 ROBERT STEWART HART, Esq., Bedford, N. Y., an attorney and son of Nathaniel Coleman Hart, Port Chester, N.Y., and his first wife, Susannah Stewart
William H. Taft was a bookkeeper of rht dry goods house of Wells, Spring Co., 52 Pine St., New York. At the age of 21 years he left for the West, and settled first in Kenosha, Wisconsin, then at Maryville, Dodge, Co., Wisc. A few years later he moved to Glenwood, Mills Co., Iowa where he married Miss Elizabeth Ann Hamaker.
William Rea is confirmed to be the father of John Rea from the records of the Holy Trinity Church in Hull, reflecting the baptism of William's kids, as they coincide with the 1841 and 1851 census, which lists his wife, Jane, and the kids and indicates that her husband is an absent Humber Pilot. The 1861 Census shows him in residence with his family in Hull, gives his approximate birth year as 1805 and gives his birth place as "Aldbro". His Mate's Certificate dated 1857 confirms his birth place as Aldbrough, Yorkshire and gives a birth date of December 17, 1804. Based upon the parish records for Aldbrough, I believe the birth date to be wrong. He was baptised on April 22, 1804, the son of Thomas and Anne Rea. Thomas and Ann (Longhorn) Rea were married in Aldbrough on November 28, 1791 and had seven children there between 1792 and 1810. They, then, moved to Hull where they had an additional son, George, who was baptised at Holy Trinity Church in 1813. I know this to be the same couple, because the 1861 census lists a nephew, Edward Rea, as living in William's household. Edward's marriage record lists his father as George Rea. According to Marjorie D. Wood, this family has Scottish origins.