William Tooze and Sophia Disney

St Andrew's Church, Halberton, Devon
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Wayland Smith - geograph.org.uk/p/6557083

William Tooze (bap. 3 Apr 1809) son of Thomas Tooze and Joan Potter, married Sophia Disney at St Andrew's Church, Halberton, Devon, on 8 Sep 1831. Sophia was most likely born around 1805 - census records place her birth anywhere between 1803 and 1808 - and she is consistently listed as being born in Thorne St Margaret, Somerset, as was Eliza Disney (b. 1807), wife of William's elder brother, Richard Tooze. Baptisms for that parish are not freely available online, so I haven't seen baptism records for either, but I imagine there's a good chance that the two could have been sisters.

William and Sophia had three children:

1. Thomas Tooze bap. 10 Feb 1833 in Holcombe Rogus
2. Edward Tooze bap. 29 Nov 1835 in Holcombe Rogus. Died 1843.
3. Eliza Tooze bap. 20 Jun 1838 in Burlescombe. Died 1842.

William's occupation listed on all the baptisms was Thatcher. 

Both infants were buried in Holcombe Rogus.

In 1841, William Tooze (30), Sophia Tooze (35), Thomas (8), Edward (5) and Eliza (3) were living at Ridgeway Gate, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1851, William Tooze (40) Thatcher; Sophia Tooze (43) and Thomas Tooze (18) Thatcher were again living at Ridgeway, Pound Hill, Holcombe Rogus.

In 1861, William Tooze (59) Thatcher; Sophia Tooze (58) and Sophia Tooze (7) Granddaughter, were again listed at Ridgeway Gate, Holcombe Rogus.

William Tooze died, at 60, in 1869 M Quarter in WELLINGTON-SOMERSET AND DEVON Volume 05C Page 297.

In 1871, Sophia Tooze (67) Widow, Gardenwoman, and granddaughter, Sophia Tooze (17) Fancy Worker, were still at Ridgeway Gate.

Sophia Tooze died in 1875 J Quarter in WELLINGTON Volume 05C Page 274, with age as 70. She was buried in Holcombe Rogus on 4 Jun 1875.

Richard Tooze and Eliza Disney

Sampford Peverell: Grand Western Canal and church
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Martin Bodman - geograph.org.uk/p/68659

Richard Tooze (bap. 24 Jul 1803), son of Thomas Tooze and Joan Potter, married Eliza Disney, at St John the Baptist Church, Sampford Peverell, on 22 Jan 1827. The marriage record suggests that Richard, who would only have been 24 at the time of this marriage, was widowed previously. Not impossible, of course, but I've not found any evidence of a previous marriage.

Unfortunately, I've not been able to find a baptism or identify the parents of Eliza Disney either, which is a shame, as I was hoping to establish if there was a familial link to the Mariah Disney, allegedly ravished by John Stone. Mariah Disney (b. 1859), was daughter of John Disney (b. 1827), who in turn was the son of John Disney (b. anywhere from 1802 to 1806). This older John Disney said he was from Stawley, Somerset. Eliza Disney (b. 1807) who married Richard Tooze, was likewise from the Somerset border. They could have been siblings, or cousins, but, frustratingly, I've been unable to prove it.

Whoever she was, records suggest that Richard and Eliza had at least nine children, who were all baptised at All Saints' Church in Holcombe Rogus: 

1. Caroline Tooze bap. 22 Feb 1829
2. Samuel Tooze bap. 17 Feb 1831 
3. James Tooze bap. 2 Feb 1834 (Died and was buried on 22 Nov 1835)
4. Richard Tooze bap. 10 Jul 1836
5. James Tooze born 1839, bap. 5 Dec 1841
6. Emma Tooze born 1841, bap. 5 Dec 1841
7. Ann Tooze born 1844, bap. 21 Mar 1844
8. George Tooze bap 22 Aug 1847 (Died and was buried 30 Sep 1848)
9. Elizabeth Tooze born 1851, bap. 25 Mar 1853

Richard Tooze' trade is listed on all the baptisms as Chairmaker.

In 1841, at Tinckham, Holcombe Rogus, are Richard Tooze (35) Chairmaker, Eliza Tooze (30), Caroline (12), Samuel (9), Richard (5) and James (2).

Cottages, at Twitchen
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Roger Cornfoot - geograph.org.uk/p/1268080

In 1851, at Twitchen, Holcombe Rogus, we find Richard Tooze (47) Chairmaker, Eliza Tooze (44), Samuel Tooze (19) Chairmaker, Richard Tooze (14) Chairmaker, James Tooze (10) Errand boy, Emma Tooze (9) and Ann Tooze (7). Caroline Tooze (22), in 1851, was working as a General servant to Sarah Shackell (67) Widow, Butcher in Lower Town, Sampford Peverell.

No.46 Timewells, Holcombe Rogus
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Andrew Riley - geograph.org.uk/p/5833994

In 1861, Richard Tooze (56) Chairmaker, Eliza Tooze (54) Lace Mender, and Elizabeth Tooze (9), were living at Timewells Cottage, Holcombe Rogus.

Still at Timewells Cottage, Holcombe Rogus, in 1871, are Richard Tooze (67) Chairmaker and Eliza Tooze (64). 

Eliza Tooze died, aged 72, and was buried on 18 May 1879, in Holcombe Rogus. Richard Tooze died the following year, aged 77, and was buried, on 2 May 1880, also in All Saints Churchyard, Holcombe Rogus.