The Elizabeth Line

I prepared the tree above several years ago and only returned to it when Ancestry DNA threw out a Shared Ancestor Hint linking to someone in New Zealand, the common ancestors being Robert Andrews and Sarah Hotchkis, the people at the top of my tree are fourth great grandparents (though I believe my New Zealand cousin has skipped a generation). At the bottom are John and Emma, my great grandparents.

One of the Family Bibles, which belonged to Emma’s family, records in the Family Register: Richard Jones born October 7th 1817 and Elizabeth Jones born May 1st 1826. This was the sort of large Bible that I remember preachers reading from in chapel. It was published in 1872.

Elizabeth Jones died July the 13th 1873 was the first entry under Deaths. Elizabeth was descended from a long line of Andrews from Shropshire farming communities to the west of a long hill named Long Mynd. With family, and later on my own, I visited this area many times before understanding its place in Andrew’s Kindred. I even stayed at the youth hostel and supped ale in The Horseshoe Inn (I’m sure it used to be the Three Horseshoes) public house at nearby Bridges. The central place seems to have been the church at Ratlinghope.

Robert Andrews (1729-1809)

I have been able to find the baptism of Robert Andrews on 14 Sep 1729 at Ratlinghope (Findmypast image). The two sons I have discovered were both baptised at Wentnor, but I believe they lived at Adstone, a small farming community beneath the Long Mynd. There is still a farm there today. Robert was buried at Wentnor on 9 Dec 1809, abode Adstone.

But who were his parents? The Ratlinghope baptism record reads under heading: “Weddings Births & Burialls for ye year 1729” and, after a few other records, “Robert son of William & Elizabeth Andrews Baptz Sep 14”.

It seems there are only two baptisms for a father named William Andrews that could fit: 27 Jun 1694 Robert & Jane; and 5 Sep 1695 William & Elizabeth, both Ratlinghope. I have found nothing anything like conclusive to choose between them. Marginal preference would be for Robert and Jane, simply on the names, but that is much too flimsy.

Other trees on Ancestry identify Robert’s Parents as William Andrews and Elizabeth Ball, who were married on 21 June 1720 at Shrewsbury St. Chad; no abode is given (Phillimore via IARC). An Elizabeth Ball was baptised at Shrewsbury St Mary on 3 Mar 1692, but is that definitive?

Another obvious question is: what happened to the other William Andrews? Did he die young enough for father’s or mother’s name to be in the burial record? If he did, and in Ratlinghope, or nearby, the record is not available online.

Here I rest.  And here Robert rests.

St Michael and All Angels, Wentnor, Shropshire.  Geograph: copyright Richard Law reused under creative commons.