Continuing the Mt DNA Trail
Elizabeth Shepherd was born to Daniel Shepherd, but much of the evidence available of her life, does not add up, and so, as yet, it has been difficult to establish exactly who Elizabeth Shepherd was.
Perhaps she was born 19th April 1801 and baptised at St Mary, Ealing Middlesex on 18th November To Daniel Shepherd and Mary Orford. The fourth of eight children identified. This appears to be the most likely possibility. THIS WILL BE THE LINE WE WILL FOLLOW UNLESS FURTHER INFORMATION TELLS US THE CONTRARY.
Or she may have been born 22nd November 1805 and baptised 18th December, at St Paul’s, Hammersmith, Middlesex to Daniel Shepherd and Jane Brounet. (Jane appears to be of French Hugenot ancestry). Daniel and Jane had another daughter Marianne born 1798, but no further details can be found to identify her.
I have tried to follow Elizabeths brothers and sisters, parents and extended family for further clues, but cannot come to a 100% decision as to her parents. It seems most unlikely judging by the birth dates of Elizabeth’s brothers and sisters that the two Daniels are the same, but there is that possibility.
So what do we know of this lady.
Her granddaughter, Caroline Lovell was born 1852 to Joseph Lovell and Elizabeth (nee Rogers). We have established by Elizabeth (Betsy) Rogers marriage certificate in 1846, that her father was Joseph Rogers. Before this date, we do not have birth, marriage or death certificates as proof, and people and events take much more working out.
By searching suitable marriages for Joseph Rogers, we have found that he married Elizabeth Shephard (as Betsy) on 23rd July 1820 at St Mary’s Church Hanwell (Ealing) Middlesex. With witnesses James Farrington and Samuel Burton (Parish Clerk).
As said previously, we believe Elizabeth was born 1801 to Daniel Shepherd and Mary. With Daniel marrying Mary Orford at Isleworth 1792.
Children of Daniel Shepherd and Mary Orford, and whose family connections and census entries have been used to try and identify Elizabeth.
Jane 1794 (married John Cole at St Marys Hanwell 22nd May 1815). Jane Cole was present at the death of Joseph Rogers in 1845, Jane and John Cole were witnesses at Elizabeths second marriage in 1853, and Jane Cole (daughter of John and Jane Cole), present at the death of Joseph Lovell in 1857. (Sometimes families used naming patterns, but as yet, there seems to be no reason for the name ‘Jane’).
Henry 1797 (Daniel’s father was called Henry).
James 1799 could write his name, (married Susannah Childs, St Mary Ealing 1831 with Joseph Rogers and Charles Atlee witnesses)
(Then Elizabeth 1801).
Rebecca 1803 married John Ellis(on), at St Mary Hanwell 11 July 1822 witnesses Jane Farrington and Samuel Burton Parish Clerk.
Daniel 1805 married Emma Eales 22nd April 1832 St Marys Ealing witnesses Joseph Rogers and Charles Atlee.
Ann 1810 married Henry Chamberlain 17 October 1830 St Mary Ealing witnesses Elizabeth Farrington and Joseph Rogers
William 1812 married Jane Martin at Ealing, 25 December 1832 witnesses Thomas Martin and Mary Lake
Elizabeth Shepherd married Joseph Rogers, on 23rd July 1820 at St Marys (Hanwell) Ealing, with the following children born, Caroline 1821, Eliza 1824, Rebecca 1826, Mary 1828, ‘Betsy’ 1831, Sally 1833 and Joseph 1834. Another daughter Mary Ann born 1837, also discovered.
By the time Betsy was born in January 1831, her four older sisters had died. Caroline aged 3 and Eliza aged 11 months were both buried on the same day 19th December 1824 at St Mary’s Church Ealing. Just over two years later Rebecca was buried aged 15 months on 13th January 1828. Mary died in October 1829, at the age of eleven months. ‘Sally’-Sarah, died at seven months of age in 1833. This left just Elizabeth and younger brother Joseph born 1834. Another birth has been discovered at St Mary Abbots of Mary Ann on 25th June 1837 to Joseph and Elizabeth Rogers of Nottingdale.
So, did Elizabeth and Joseph just accept infant mortality as a fact of life, and carry on as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, or was the death of their young children a cloud that hung over the family. Did it make Elizabeth an over protective mother. Did she live in constant fear, if her children suffered from childhood diseases. It is unlikely that we shall ever know.
I haven’t been able to identify any of the surviving family in the 1841 census. (or indeed extended members of the family). Was this by design, or have the records been lost?
Her husband, Joseph Rogers died in August 1845 at ‘The Potteries’, an area of Kensington. There seems to be confusion as to the actual date of death, as both seventh and sixteenth are written on the death certificate. With date of registration given as fifteenth. He died from Bronchitis, generally seen as a disease of poverty, and was a labourer aged 44 years. It is strange that Elizabeth’s sister Jane Cole was ‘present at the death’, and not Elizabeth.
Elizabeth’s mother, Mary, died of old age in 1846, aged 81.
By the time of the 1851 census, Elizabeth was stated as a widow born in Brentford, aged 45 and living at (35) The Potteries / Notting Dale. She was a Pig dealer, living with son Joseph aged 14 and two lodgers Charles Webb 24 and Thomas Crook 23. This was a notorious slum area. Pig dealers would acquire scraps from local houses to feed to their pigs.
Daughter Elizabeth lived at number 10, with her husband and young family of four children. Brother in Law to daughter (William Lovell) lived at 40, Sister Jane (Cole) lived at 44, brother William Shepperd at 45.
Supposed date of birth 1806, from 1851 census.
On 17th July 1853, (aged 44) Elizabeth remarried, Thomas Harris at St Paul’s Hammersmith. Thomas was stated to be a bachelor and labourer. Elizabeth’s father was given as Daniel, and Thomas’ as Henry. Both Elizabeth and Thomas resided at Hammersmith at the time of marriage. Sister, Jane Cole and John Cole were witnesses. Banns were read 26 June, 3 July and 10 July.
Supposed date of birth 1809, from second marriage information.
On 27th October 1858, at Notting Hill and presumably at or near her home, Elizabeth died as the result of an accident. She fell from a cart, which caused ‘Extravasation of blood in the head’ and resulted in a coroners inquest on 30th October. Her age was given as 52, and she was described as the wife of a Pig Feeder.
Date of birth from death certificate, 1806.
Angela Weatherill 2021