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How I wish I was even halfway finished researching my HOPGOOD line, but in spite of repeated efforts I still have not breached a massive “brick wall” concerning my 2 times great (2G) grandmother Mary HOPGOOD. I know she married Charles ANDREW on 26 Mar 1842 in Stratton, Cornwall in south-west England where they both resided, declaring that her father was a farmer named William HOPGOOD. Less than two weeks after their marriage they set sail for PEI Canada with their young daughter. While I know something of their later life in PEI, I have been unable to find any more concrete details about Mary's parents, siblings and earlier ancestors. Where did Mary HOPGOOD come from? All I have are some partial guesses.
Cornwall is not the only place in England where HOPGOODs lived, although it's the logical place to start my search. In fact the biggest concentration of the name in 1841 (and presumably earlier) occurred in Wiltshire and in neighboring Hampshire. Cornwall only had a small number (approx 22 individuals from freeCEN) living mostly in Kilkhampton with a few in Morwenstow, both on the north shore near the border with Devon (where 27 Hopgoods lived in 1841). So the odds are in favour of roots in other counties. But before I look farther afield, here's what I've found in this south-west corner of England.
Cornwall is not the only place in England where HOPGOODs lived, although it's the logical place to start my search. In fact the biggest concentration of the name in 1841 (and presumably earlier) occurred in Wiltshire and in neighboring Hampshire. Cornwall only had a small number (approx 22 individuals from freeCEN) living mostly in Kilkhampton with a few in Morwenstow, both on the north shore near the border with Devon (where 27 Hopgoods lived in 1841). So the odds are in favour of roots in other counties. But before I look farther afield, here's what I've found in this south-west corner of England.
St Andrews Church, Stratton, Cornwallhttps://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/File:Stratton_St_Andrew_.jpg
I have previously mentioned Mary and her elusive early history and ancestors in a story about her husband Charles ANDREW. Mary’s surname was once thought to be WOOD based on a 1906 published biography about her son William ANDREW. But Mary's marriage certificate and gravestone both say it was HOPGOOD, so that mistake has now been corrected. Family sources claim that Mary was born 25 Dec 1823 in England although I don’t have any other evidence to support this. No baptism record for her has been found, and it was too early for both civil registration (started 1837) and census records (started 1841).
No one named Mary HOPGOOOD is indexed in the Cornwall 1841 census. It had been suggested that our Mary was the daughter of John and Ann (Penwarden) HOPGOOD, one of the 3 Hopgood households listed in 1841 in Kilkhampton Cornwall where her husband Charles Andrew was born. Although this couple did have a daughter Mary Ann, baptized in Kilkhampton in 1826 and close in age to my Mary, this Mary Ann had already died as an infant in 1826.
Thinking that John might have had a brother William somewhere nearby, I searched for John’s parents: Thomas HOPGOOD and Catherine BURROW, married in 1797 in nearby Morwenstow Cornwall. Of their possible 14 children, there wasn’t a single William who could have fathered my Mary. But because of the location I continue to be hopeful that this John and his family are somehow related to my Mary. John's Hopgood line has now been traced back to the 1600s in and around Kilkhampton. I think I have found an early connection to my ADAMS line, which descends through CORNISH and GRIGG marriages to my ANDREW line. This only adds to the appeal and credence of possible linkages here.
Mary's marriage registration in 1842 was a great find, as it gave us her correct marriage date and location, plus her father's name: William. We had been put off the scent for a while by family stories claiming they married earlier on Dec 9 1840. This fabricated marriage date was a convenient nine months before their daughter Mary Ann was born on Aug 14, 1841 (birth date recorded in the 1901 Canada census). And as far as the marriage location is concerned, I think that Stratton is also a red herring and probably only a temporary residence for them both. There were no Hopgoods at all living in Stratton in the 1841 census, just the year before.
Upon learning that Mary was not yet married at the time of the 1841 England census, and not living in either Kilkhampton or Stratton, I had great hopes that I could locate her with her parents somewhere close by. But that was before I factored in the repercussions of her early pregnancy. When the census was recorded on or around June 6, 1841, Mary would have been about 7 months pregnant. So it is not surprising that I could not find her in her father William’s household. There are a couple of possible listings for Mary across the border in Devon (Barnstaple and Woolfardisworthy); both were listed as servants in other households. There are tantalizing clues of other Hopgoods and even Andrews in the neighbourhoods, but I haven't yet grasped any positive connections to either sighting. I’ve even started to doubt the validity of her father’s name considering the circumstances under which it was recorded. But I haven’t ruled out any of these guesses.
No one named Mary HOPGOOOD is indexed in the Cornwall 1841 census. It had been suggested that our Mary was the daughter of John and Ann (Penwarden) HOPGOOD, one of the 3 Hopgood households listed in 1841 in Kilkhampton Cornwall where her husband Charles Andrew was born. Although this couple did have a daughter Mary Ann, baptized in Kilkhampton in 1826 and close in age to my Mary, this Mary Ann had already died as an infant in 1826.
Thinking that John might have had a brother William somewhere nearby, I searched for John’s parents: Thomas HOPGOOD and Catherine BURROW, married in 1797 in nearby Morwenstow Cornwall. Of their possible 14 children, there wasn’t a single William who could have fathered my Mary. But because of the location I continue to be hopeful that this John and his family are somehow related to my Mary. John's Hopgood line has now been traced back to the 1600s in and around Kilkhampton. I think I have found an early connection to my ADAMS line, which descends through CORNISH and GRIGG marriages to my ANDREW line. This only adds to the appeal and credence of possible linkages here.
Mary's marriage registration in 1842 was a great find, as it gave us her correct marriage date and location, plus her father's name: William. We had been put off the scent for a while by family stories claiming they married earlier on Dec 9 1840. This fabricated marriage date was a convenient nine months before their daughter Mary Ann was born on Aug 14, 1841 (birth date recorded in the 1901 Canada census). And as far as the marriage location is concerned, I think that Stratton is also a red herring and probably only a temporary residence for them both. There were no Hopgoods at all living in Stratton in the 1841 census, just the year before.
Upon learning that Mary was not yet married at the time of the 1841 England census, and not living in either Kilkhampton or Stratton, I had great hopes that I could locate her with her parents somewhere close by. But that was before I factored in the repercussions of her early pregnancy. When the census was recorded on or around June 6, 1841, Mary would have been about 7 months pregnant. So it is not surprising that I could not find her in her father William’s household. There are a couple of possible listings for Mary across the border in Devon (Barnstaple and Woolfardisworthy); both were listed as servants in other households. There are tantalizing clues of other Hopgoods and even Andrews in the neighbourhoods, but I haven't yet grasped any positive connections to either sighting. I’ve even started to doubt the validity of her father’s name considering the circumstances under which it was recorded. But I haven’t ruled out any of these guesses.
I have also been gathering information on a fair number of other HOPGOOD families in south-west England and further afield, hoping for a break. In Mary’s parents’ generation I have found a different John Thomas* Hopgood, born 1799 in Cornwall, son of Richard and Elizabeth, who married a distant relative Mary YEO in Kilkhampton in 1821. I have located at least 6 children for this John Thomas and Mary, but no Mary among them. It is interesting that this family also emigrated to Prince County, PEI sometime between 1837 and 1839 and that John Thomas and Mary (Yeo) both died in 1882 in Cascumpeque and Port Hill PEI respectively. My Mary was still living in England until 1842, but if she had relatives already in PEI, that might be one reason she chose PEI as her emigration destination. So I’m keeping my eye on a possible connection here.
There are SO many options for Mary’s father William HOPGOOD. Could he have been the illegitimate son of a Susanna HOPGOOD, baptized in Kilkhampton in 1787? As no father was recorded, William was give his mother’s maiden name, at least at birth. He would have been about 36 in 1823 when Mary was born - a very plausible age to go along with the location. His mother Susanna was likely baptized in nearby Morwenstow in 1764, daughter of Thomas and Mary. If so then she was the sister of the Thomas Hopgood (Jr) who married Catherine Burrow (mentioned above). All these pieces seem to fit nicely together, but so far there is no real “proof” that this scenario is correct. Perhaps I need to do a one name study on this line (groan)!
In spite of her shadowy origins, Mary and her husband Charles ANDREW did immigrate to PEI Canada in 1842, apparently from Kilkhampton according to their gravestone. I have another note (unfortunately not sourced) that says they sailed on the brig "British Lady" on Apr 8, 1842 and landed at Yeo's Shipyard, Bideford River, PEI on May 20, 1842. From a booklet "Sketches of Old St Eleanor’s, Prince Edward Island", page 35:
In spite of her shadowy origins, Mary and her husband Charles ANDREW did immigrate to PEI Canada in 1842, apparently from Kilkhampton according to their gravestone. I have another note (unfortunately not sourced) that says they sailed on the brig "British Lady" on Apr 8, 1842 and landed at Yeo's Shipyard, Bideford River, PEI on May 20, 1842. From a booklet "Sketches of Old St Eleanor’s, Prince Edward Island", page 35:
“Charles Andrew emigrated from Kilkhampton County, Devon, England in 1842. He and part of his family landed at the Yeo Shipyard at Port Hill, after spending over one hundred days at sea. He left his family at Port Hill while he walked to North St Eleanors with an ox and a sack of potatoes where he started to clear his farm. He built a log house, planted his potatoes and then brought his family from Port Hill to North St. Eleanors by boat where the remainder of his family were born. One of his sons William Andrew was Sheriff of Prince County for sometime. At the present time [1973] there are seven houses that were once owned by sons of the late Charles Andrew that have been moved to the Village of St Eleanors. Benjamin Andrew, South Drive, is the only male descendant still living in PEI with the Andrew name.”
I'll note here that their great-grandson Benjamin Andrew passed away in 2005, and I don't know of any Andrew's currently living on the island. I am also intrigued by the mention of Port Hill in this article, where Mary and young Mary Ann would have stayed until Charles had made the homestead ready. Port Hill is on the north shore of PEI in Prince County, near Bideford and Tyne Valley (where descendants later settled as well). Could Port Hill also be associated with John Thomas HOPGOOD and his wife Mary YEO (mentioned above) who also immigrated about 1838. Mary (Yeo) died in Port Hill in 1882. Were they settled in Port Hill in 1842 and therefore able to take in the newly arrived Mary ANDREW and her daughter? But perhaps I'm grasping at straws here.
From newspaper accounts [1836 - 1845] as indexed on the Island Register site:
From newspaper accounts [1836 - 1845] as indexed on the Island Register site:
The ship “British Lady” arrived May 19, 1842 PEI, having departed from Bideford, G. Britain.
"Royal Gazette, 31 May, 1842: "The British Lady, Yeo, 37 days from Bideford, arrived at Port hill on the 19th inst., with goods, and a number of passengers." - also - Colonial Herald Sat., 23 May, 1842, page 3, Ship News: "The British Lady, Yeo, 37 days from Bideford arrived at Port Hill on the 19th inst. with goods and a number of passengers. [GC]"
Their journey would have been arduous enough at 37 days. Thank goodness they weren't really at sea for 100 days, a tall tale indeed!
The family prospered in PEI Canada. Charles and Mary had 9 children between 1841 and 1863 when Mary was 40: Mary Ann, John, Charles, William, Elizabeth Ann, Thomas, Flora, Albert (died age 2) and George Albert. Mary died first 7 Feb 1894 in St Eleanors PEI at the age of 70. Of her known 27 grandchildren, she would have lived to see all but four of them. Both Mary and Charles are buried in the St Johns Anglican Church Cemetery in St Eleanors PEI.
I will persevere in my quest for my HOPGOOD ancestors!
The family prospered in PEI Canada. Charles and Mary had 9 children between 1841 and 1863 when Mary was 40: Mary Ann, John, Charles, William, Elizabeth Ann, Thomas, Flora, Albert (died age 2) and George Albert. Mary died first 7 Feb 1894 in St Eleanors PEI at the age of 70. Of her known 27 grandchildren, she would have lived to see all but four of them. Both Mary and Charles are buried in the St Johns Anglican Church Cemetery in St Eleanors PEI.
I will persevere in my quest for my HOPGOOD ancestors!
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