Appendix A
The Children of William Cox and Sarah Ponting
Sarah Ponting was baptised on 17 September 1766 at Berkeley, daughter of Wm Ponting of Berkeley (Chapter 2).
She married William Cox on 5 November 1789 at Berkeley. The marriage was witnessed by Martha Ponting and John Hale.
William and Sarah had eight children:
- William Cox. Baptised 7 March 1790 at Berkley
- Henry Cox. Baptised 6 October 1791 at Hill. Henry Cox, son of William and Sarah Cox was buried on 31 January 1792 at Rockhampton. How does this tie in with memorial inscriptions below?
- Unnamed male child. Baptised 6 October 1792 at Hill
- Sarah Cox. Born 22 February 1794. Baptised 23 March 1794 at Hill
- Elizabeth Cox. Born 18 January 1796. Baptised 14 February 1796 at Hill.
- Mary Cox. Born 18 June 1801. Baptised 28 January 1803 at Stone
- John Cox. Baptised 28 January 1803 at Stone.
- Katherine Cox. Born 1812. Katherine died aged 14 days and was buried on 5 July 1812 in Rockhampton
William Cox of Worldsend, in the parish of Berkeley died aged 57 and was buried at Rockhampton on 6 July 1820. This would seem to be Sarah's husband. Memorial Inscriptions on the Aisle of Rockhampton Church include:
So Sarah had been widowed by 1841. She was living at White House Farm, Stinchcombe with her son John and although 75 years old it was she that was described as a farmer. Sarah died in December 1850 and was buried on 9 December 1850 at Rockhampton, Gloucestershire.
Of their surviving children :
William Cox and Mary Long
William Cox was baptised on 7 March 1790 at Berkeley, son of William Cox, yeoman of Hill.
On 10 November 1814 he married Mary Long at Berkeley. The witnesses were Hesther Cox, William Baker and Henry Clarke. Mary Long had been baptised at Stone on 13 March 1785. She was the daughter of Daniel Long and Ann Leonard who had married on 16 May 1781 at Frocester.
Later records suggest that Mary Long may have already had a son born out of wedlock, Robert Long
William and Mary had four daughters:
- Mary Cox. Baptised 1 September 1815 at Berkeley, daughter of William Cox, yeoman and Mary Cox of Clapton.
- Sarah Cox. Baptised 9 July 1816 at Berkeley, daughter of William Cox, yeoman and Mary Cox of Clapton. Sarah died on 11 October 1816 aged 15 weeks (see memorial inscriptions above) and was buried on 14 October 1816 at Rockhampton.
- Catherine Cox. Baptised 15 November 1818 at Berkeley, daughter of William Cox, yeoman and Mary Cox of Clapton,
- Ann Cox. Baptised 8 September 1819 at Berkeley daughter of William Cox, yeoman and Mary Cox of Clapton,
In 1841 the family was living at Clapton, Berkeley. Staying with them was 30 year old Daniel Long, farmer who I take to be a relative of Mary. Was this Daniel Long, the same one who in 1850 married Elizabeth Ponting, the daughter of William Ponting and Fanny Jones (Appendix C). By 1851 daughter Mary Cox, aged 35, unmarried is shown as the head of the household and living with her are her sisters Catherine, aged 32 and Ann aged 31. Catherine is shown as a farmer of 110 acres employing 3 labourers.
William Cox of Clapton, Berkeley, died aged 57 years old and was buried on 20 May 1847 at Berkeley. Mary Cox of Clapton died on 4 August 1850 aged 64 and was buried at Rockhampton on 9 August 1850.
Nothing more is known about Mary's son Robert Long, save for the fact he was executor of his half-sister's will in 1889 (see below).
In 1861 William and Mary's daughters Mary, Catherine and Ann are still at Clapton Farm, Berkeley, but now all three are shown as farming 112 acres employing 3 men and 1 boy.
William and Mary's daughter Mary Cox of Clapton in the parish of Berkeley died aged 53 and was buried on 31 March 1869 in Rockhampton.
By 1871 Catherine and Ann, now aged 51 and 50, had retired to Stinchcombe. In 1881 they were living at Newton, Rockhampton, next door to William Adams and his wife Mary. Mary Adams was the daughter of George Ponting, son of William Ponting and Mary Pearce so they were second cousins (Appendix H).
William and Mary's daughter Ann Cox of Newton died on 19 April 1886 and was buried on 23 April 1886 at Rockhampton. The will of Ann Cox late of Newton, Rockhmpton, spinster was proved to Catherine Cox, of Newton, spinster, the sister and sole executrix of the deceased. Her estate, which she left entirely to her sister Catherine, was valued at £839. 14s. 3d.
Finally William and Mary's daughter Catherine Cox died on 16 September 1889 and was buried on 20 September 1889 in Rockhampton. She was 72 years old. Administration (with will) of the personal estate of Catherine Cox of Newton in the parish of Rockhampton , spinster was granted to Robert Long, of Tutbury, Burton-on Trent, retired policeman and the brother by half-blood and only next of kin! Her estate was valued at £1,625. 4s. 4d.
Sarah Merrett nee Cox
Sarah Cox was born on 22 February 1794 and baptised 23 March 1794 at Hill. She was the daughter of William and Sarah Cox.
On 29 March 1817 Sarah married Thomas Merrett of Berkeley at Berkeley. Both signed the marriage register. The witnesses were Hesther Cox, Thomas Clarke and Henry Clarke.
Thomas Merrett may have been baptised on 27 May 1796 in Berkeley, the son of Thomas Merrett and Hester. It is not clear at present how (or if) Thomas is connected to James Merrett (born 1767) who married Sarah's aunt Martha Ponting in 1798 (Appendix D).
Thomas and Sarah had eight children
- Thomas Merrett. Baptised 19 October 1817 at Berkeley, son of Thomas and Sarah Merrett, yeoman of Clapton.
- Mary Merrett. Baptised 13 December 1818 at Berkeley, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Merrett, farmer of Clapton. Mary Merrett of Shepperdine, Thornbury died aged 29 and was buried on 2 February 1848 at Rockhampton.
- William Merrett. Baptised 11 June 1820 at Berkeley, son of Thomas and Sarah Merrett, farmer of Clapton.
- Sarah Merrett. Baptised 30 September 1821 at Berkeley, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Merrett, farmer of Clapton. Sarah Merrett of Shipperdine, Thornbury died aged 21 and was buried at Rockhampton on 4 September 1843.
- Ann Merrett. Baptised 21 February 1828 at Berkeley, son of Thomas and Sarah Merrett, farmer of Clapton. Ann Merrett of Shipperdine died aged 17 years and was buried on 30 March 1846 at Rockhampton.
- Henry Merrett. Baptised 10 November 1830 at Berkeley, son of Thomas, farmer, and Sarah Merrett of Woodford.
- Annis Merrett. Born 1833. Baptised 5 April 1835 at Berkeley, daughter of Thomas, farmer, and Sarah Merrett of Woodford. Annis Merrett may have married Charles Bishop on 30 October 1873 at St Mary de Lode, Gloucester.
- Eliza Merrett. Baptised 5 April 1835 at Berkeley, daughter of Thomas, farmer, and Sarah Merrett of Woodford. Eliza remained unmarried. In 1851 she was a servant to Robert Cox, aged 56 and his wife Elizabeth at Nupdown. In 1891 she was living in Eldersfield, Worcestershire, but by 1901 she had returned to Gloucester where she was living on her own means.
In 1851 Thomas and Sarah were living at Shipperdine, Thornbury, Thomas was an agricultural labourer. The only "children" remaining at home were Henry, now an agricultural labourer and Annis, a dressmaker. There is no trace of the family in the 1861 census but by 1871, 74-year-old Thomas and 76-year-old Sarah were living at Oldbury Naite, Gloucestershire. Thomas is still described as an agricultural labourer.
Sarah Merrett died in 1875 aged 80 (Reg Gen Sept Qtr 1875 Thornbury 6a 142).
Thomas Merrett died on 9 June 1881 at Shepperdine, Thornbury. He was aged 85 years old and a retired farmer. He died from "injuries received in an accidental fall from a window. He lived for four hours" (Reg Gen June Qtr 1881 Thornbury 6a 126).
Thomas Merrett of Oldbury was buried at Rockhampton on 13 June 1881.
Except for what is indicated above nothing is known with any certainty about their children.
Elizabeth Harding nee Cox
Elizabeth Cox was born on 18 January 1796. She was baptised 14 February 1796 at Hill, the daughter of William and Sarah Cox.
Elizabeth Cox married Daniel Harding of Stonehouse on 22 May 1824 at Berkeley. The witnesses were Susannah Cox, Wm Wetmore and Henry Clarke.
Later censuses suggest Daniel was born in 1801 in Dursley. The birth of a Daniel Harding on 12 January 1801 who was baptised in the following April is recorded in Dursley Parish records. He was the son of William Harding and Mary. This was possibly William and Mary Jackson who married on 4 July 1798 in Dursley, although other researchers show their son marrying someone other than Elizabeth Cox.
Daniel and Elizabeth had a son Daniel Cox Harding who was baptised on 3 September 1826 in Stonehouse.
In 1841 the family were living in Woolthrop, Arlingham where Daniel was a farmer.
By 1851 Daniel and Elizabeth, now 50 and 56 years old, were living with Elizabeth's brother John Cox at Stinchcombe (see below). Daniel is now a farm bailiff but "out of employ". Also at the address is their 24-year-old son Daniel who is employed as a draper.
In 1861 Elizabeth Harding was visiting her son Daniel in Tattenhall, Derbyshire. She is described as a "retired farmer" and is shown as "unmarried". It seems likely that Daniel Harding Senior had died in 1854 (Reg Gen March 1854 Thornbury 6 125).
I can find no trace of Elizabeth in the 1871 census.
Elizabeth Harding died in 1874 (Reg Gen March Qtr 1874 Dursley 6a 158) and was buried on 14 March 1874 at St Mary's, Wooton Under Edge.
Daniel and Elizabeth's son Daniel Cox Harding married Emma Hester Parslow on 17 May 1852 in Slymbridge. Daniel was a 25-year-old assistant postmaster resident in Wolverhampton. His father was Daniel Harding, yeoman. Emma was a 32-year-old spinster from Slymbridge, daughter of William Lawrence Parslow, farmer (Reg Gen June Qtr 1852 Dursley 6a 317). The certificate below is from Slymbridge Parish Records so includes the groom and bride's original signatures.
In 1861 Daniel and Emma were living in Tattenhall, Staffordshire. Daniel now aged 31 was a licensed victualler. Daniel's mother Elizabeth Harding, aged 65, a retired farmer was visiting them. Daniel and Emma had five children.
- Annie Elizabeth Harding. Baptised 30 August 1854 in Berkeley, daughter of Daniel Cox Harding and Emma Hester Harding of Tattenhall, Staffordshire. Daniel was a clerk in the post office.
- William Parslow Harding. Born 7 May 1856. Baptised 4 January 1857 at St Mary's, Wolverhampton. He emigrated to the USA in about 1881. William married Lucy Lord on 5 March 1884 in McClean County, Illinois. They had two children. Lucy died on 19 July 1919. William died on 10 October 1936 in Shenandoah,
Grant, Page, Iowa. He was a retired farmer who had been in the USA for 55 years and Shenandoah for 13 years. He was buried with his wife in Lorimer, Union, Iowa.
- Henry Cox Harding. Born 1858 in Wolverhampton. Henry Cox Harding of Wolverhampton died aged 1 year 9 months and was buried at Slymbridge on 30 December 1859.
- Emma Jane Harding, born 1860 in Wolverhampton. Emma Jane Harding died on 28 November 1876 aged about 16 and was buried on 2 December 1876 at Slimbridge
- Clara Harding. Born 1862 in Wolverhampton. Clara married Alfred Douglas Cowley on 21 November 1885 in Norton, Gloucestershire. They were both 23 years old. Alfred was a commercial traveller from Liverpool, son of Alfred Joseph Cowley, master mariner (deceased). Clara's father was Daniel Harding, spirit merchant (deceased). The witnesses were James Parslow and Annie Harding. From 1891 to at least 1911 they were living at Prenton Rod, Tranmere. Clara Cowley died in 1926 in Birkenhead.
It is not clear where Daniel Cox Harding was in 1871 or 1881. In 1871 his wife Emma was visiting her brothers Cornelius and Decimus at Slimbridge Farm, Slimbridge. Children Annie, aged 17 and William, aged 15 are assisting in the house and on the farm. Daughters Emma and Clara, aged 11 and 9, were scholars, living with John Nicholls, farmer and his wife, Eliza, the school mistress at Cam. In 1881 she was living with her brother Decimus Parslow at Moorend Farm, Slimbridge. Emma aged 60 is shown as married. Son William and daughter Clara are living with her. Emma Hester Harding died on 8 September 1886 in Slimbridge (Reg Gen Sept 1886 Dursley 6a 136) and was buried on 13 September 1886 at Slimbridge. Whilst daughter Clara's marriage certificate suggests Daniel Cox Harding had died by 1885 it is just possible that he emigrated to Australia. A Daniel Cox Harding of Fern Hill, near Grantville died on 28 August 1897 aged 70 and was buried at Grantville, Bass Coast Shire, Victoria, Australia
Mary Cox
Mary Cox was born on 18 June 1801 daughter of William and Sarah Cox and was baptised 28 January 1803 at Stone. Nothing further is known about her.
It is possible that she died in infancy. Other researchers have attributed the burial of a Mary Ann Cox on 14 September 1804 to "our" Mary, but this Mary was the daughter of "William Cox of Berkeley, a soldier" so I'm not sure that this is correct.
John Cox and Hannah Shatford
John Cox was baptised 28 January 1803 at Stone, son of William and Sarah Cox.
At the time of the 1851 census John was unmarried, aged 44 and a farmer of 110 acres. Living with him was his sister Elizabeth (see above) and her husband Daniel Harding.
Later that year, on 14 June 1851 John married Hannah Shatford at Stinchcombe. Both were of full age (John would have been around 48 years old). Hannah was the daughter of John Shatford, farmer. The witnesses were John and Ann Shatford.
Hannah Shatford may have been baptised on 7 February 1818 at Henbury, the daughter of John Shatford and Hannah Randall who married on 1 October 1810 in North Nibley. John Shatford was a yeoman of Compton. This would have made her around 33 years old when she got married. In 1851 Hannah, aged 33, was living with her widowed mother who farming 230 acres employing 6 labourers at Stinchcombe.
In 1861 John and Hannah may have been living in Alkington where John was farming 10 acres of land with one man. However, if this is the case John, born Berkeley, understated his age as 50 years old whereas he would have again understated his age and he would have been closer to 58. Hannah, at 41, born Henbury, also understates her age. Their niece Elizabeth Cox aged 20, born Berkeley is also listed. It is not clear how she fits in.
In 1871, John, now aged 69, and his 54-year-old wife Hannah (more the correct ages) were living at Road Green, Berkeley. John is a retired farmer.
Hannah Cox of Road End Green, Berkeley died aged 55 and was buried on 31 March 1873 in Stinchcombe. John Cox of Road End Green died aged 71 and was buried on 22 April 1873 in Stinchcombe.
