Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Monday 3 July 2023

William Stone and Mary Thorne and Elizabeth Sprague

Langford Budville : St Peter's Church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/4028563

William Stone (son of Thomas Stone and Dolly Carpenter, bap. 3 Nov 1799) married Mary Thorne on 3 Jul 1820 at St Peter's ChurchLangford Budville, Somerset. William and Mary Stone were some of my 3rd great-grandparents. Witnesses were Ann Waygood and William Bridges. The groom is described as a 'Sojourner' - temporarily residing in the parish - a blow in - which makes sense, as we know he was from Kentisbeare, over the border, in Devon. 

Records show they had three children, all baptised in Langford Budville:

  1. William Stone bap. 1 Apr 1821
  2. Thomas Stone bap. 4 Jan 1824
  3. Henry Stone bap. 26 Oct 1828 

Mary Stone (née Thorne) died - the burial record says she was aged 33 (b. 1799) - and was buried on 9 Sep 1832 at Langford Budville. Given her age and the timing, I'd imagine there's at least an evens chance that Mary died having a fourth child, although I've not found a relevant record to support this.

William Stone then remarried Elizabeth Sprague, from Ashbrittle, 10 years his junior, on 5 Feb 1834, also in Langford Budville. They had one daughter: 

  1. Mary Ann Stone, baptised 25 Dec 1834 in Langford Budville.
Court Place, Ashbrittle
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/3819462

In 1841, William (40), Elizabeth (30) - William is listed as M. S. (male servant) and Elizabeth as F. S. (female servant); William Jr (rounded down to 15) - I actually think they've confused which son was at home and this was Thomas - and Mary Anne (6) are living at Hill Cottage, Holcombe Rogus, Wellington.  William Stone (20) was living (working?) in the household of James Stephens (50) in the village of Langford Budville. While, Henry Stone, age rounded down to 10 (actually 13), was employed as a servant to the family of Richard and Martha Barton at Higher Wellesford, Langford Budville,. 

"Richard Barton was born in Churchstanton, Somerset, in about 1817. I think that he was baptised at Otterford with his brother John Barton on 16th March 1817. He married Martha Surridge in Tiverton Registration District during 1841 and they were probably living at Langford Budville, Somerset, until at least 1844. At the time of the 1841 census Richard was farming at Higher Wellesford, Langford Budville. He was described as a twenty-year-old farmer, not born in the county of Somerset, and his wife, Martha, was aged twenty and born in that county." - Pedigree of the Bartons 

In 1851, William and Elizabeth were living at Trace BridgeAshbrittle with Mary Anne (16), who has become a 'Nurse Woman' and Henry Sprague (6), lodger, born in Exeter, while Henry (21) was a servant (Farm Servant/Ag Lab) to James and Elizabeth Talbot at Appley, Stawley, Wellington, Somerset.

In 1861, William Stone (62), Agricultural Labourer, and Betsy Stone (53) are living in a Private Cottage at Court Place, Ashbrittle, "Court Place Farm has been a feature of Somerset’s Tone Valley for centuries. Some of its pastures still bear the names they were given over five hundred years ago."

William Stone was buried on 7 Feb 1869 at St John the Baptist, Ashbrittle