Addendum 1b. Antecedents of Priscilla Clark / Cox

The Ancestral Cox Family of Evercreech Parish, Somerset, England

Richard L. Tolman, Ph. D.

Priscilla Clark’s maternal grandmother was Mary Cox (1765-1845) of Evercreech parish in Somerset, England. She was married to Richard Hurle; (Cf. other Priscilla Clark-related essays on www.29deadpeople.com.) Examination of the at-DNA matches of 3 different Cox descendants was not useful. There were plenty of Cox matches to individuals who were born within 10 miles of Evercreech in the mid-18th century, but none that could be connected by paper sources to Mary Cox or her ancestors. The surviving records are simply too poor considering the repetitive name usage.

Figure 1. Somerset, England (orange); Evercreech parish (pink)—3.5 miles SE of Shepton Mallet, the Wells-Forum hundred (source:FamilySearch wiki).

The most useful type of source for this early time period is the parish registers. FamilySearch has a few parish register records (early 18th century) and the Bishop’s Transcripts for Evercreech (1621-1831, Film 1470972 i2-4; they are not online, but some data are indexed). The years 1679 to 1753 are missing.

FindMyPast has England Births and Baptisms, the Somerset Marriage Index, and the National Burial Index for England and Wales/Somerset Burial Index. Much of this data from a collaboration with the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society, which has perhaps the best handle on Evercreech parish data. The earliest Cox baptisms, deaths and marriages from Evercreech are from 1769.

Ancestry has two great parish register image collections online: Evercreech 1708-1758 (116pp) and Evercreech 1759-1789 (118pp), imperfectly indexed.

From the Phillimore Marriage Registers 1531-1812 (FindMyPast only) a possible sister to James Cox (1683-1762) may be identified. Elizabeth Cox of East Pennard, Somerset (located within a couple miles of Evercreech also in the sphere of Shepton-Mallet), born 20 Oct 1686, died 25 Oct 1772, married 1705 William Lane (FindMyPast); there are at-DNA matches to this Elizabeth (6 cM). Her parents were Joseph and Mary Cox.

GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY

Generation One

1. James Cox was born 1683 of Evercreech parish, Somerset and died/was buried¹ 3 Jul 1762 (age 79) at Evercreech, Somerset. His mother may have been Margaret Cox (buried² 16 Mar 1718 at Evercreech, Somerset, no age given). He married³ 15 May 1712 at Evercreech parish, Somerset Elinor Dolling. She was born 1693 and died 1782 (age 89); buried⁴ at St. Peter’s, Evercreech, Somerset.

James and Elinor (Dolling) Cox had ten children born in the Evercreech, Somerset parish.

2. i. WILLIAM COX was christened⁵ 15 May 1713 at Evercreech parish, Somerset and may have died young.

3. ii. GILES COX was christened⁶ 19 Feb 1714 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

+ 4. iii. JAMES COX was christened 10 Dec 1716 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

5. iv. ROBERT COX was christened⁷ 7 Jun 1720 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

6. v. ELINOR COX was christened⁸ 21 Aug 1718 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

7. vi. MARY COX was christened⁹ Sep 1722 at Evercreech parish, Somerset. She married¹⁰,¹¹ 4 Feb 1743 Giles Chambers of Batcombe parish, Somerset.

8. vii. JOHN COX was christened¹² 31 Aug 1724 at Evercreech parish, Somerset and died/was buried¹³ 28 Dec 1737 at Evercreech, Somerset.¹⁴ Never married.

9. viii. REBECCA COX was christened¹⁵ 17 Sep 1726 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

10. ix. ELIZABETH COX was christened¹⁶ 23 Apr 1728 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

11. x. WILLIAM COX was christened¹⁷ 26 May 1732 at Evercreech parish, Somerset and died/was buried¹⁸ 20 May 1781 (age 49) at Evercreech, Somerset. He married¹⁹ 1 Oct 1770 at Evercreech, Somerset Elizabeth Webb They had at least two children: Ambrose chr. 30 Jan 1771 and Ann chr. 15 Jul 1781 at Evercreech, Somerset.

Generation Two

4. James Cox was christened²⁰ 10 Dec 1716 at Evercreech Parish, Somerset, the son of James and Elinor Cox. He married abt 1730 Mary/Elinor____.²¹

James and Mary/Elinor Cox had six children born in the Evercreech, Somerset parish.

12. i. ANNE/AN COX was christened²² 18 May 1730 at Evercreech, Somerset and died/was buried²³ 4 Mar 1731 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Evercreech, Somerset.

13. ii. JAMES COX was christened²⁴ 26 May 1732 at Evercreech, Somerset.

+ 14. iii. ABRAHAM COX was christened 14 Jul 1736 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

15. iv. JANE COX was christened²⁵ 12 Dec 1737 at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

16. v. HANNAH COX born abt 1737; buried²⁶ 14 May 1768 (age 31) at Evercreech parish, Somerset. Her dau Hannah buried 14 jun 1768 age 3mos.

17. vi. MARY COX/COCKS christened; buried²⁷ 15 Mar 1739 at Evercreech, Somerset.

Generation Three

14. Abraham Cox was christened²⁸ 14 Jul 1736 at Evercreech Parish, Somersetshire, England and buried²⁹ 10 Aug 1808 in Evercreech, Somerset, England. He was the son of James and Elinor/ Mary Cox of Evercreech. He married³⁰ (1) 11 Apr 1763 at West Cranmore, Somerset, Mary Bown. She was born 1741 at West Cranmore, Somerset and died³¹ 1771 at Evercreech, Somserset, England. Abraham married³² (2) 8 Jul 1771 Betty Hiscock dau of William Hiscock. She died³³ 15 May 1809 (age 68) at Evercreech parish, Somerset.

Abraham and Mary (Bown) Cox had seven children born in the Evercreech, Somerset parish.³⁴

18. i. JAMES COX christened³⁵ 26 Feb 1764; buried 1834 at Evercreech, Somerset. He married³⁶ 17 Nov 1799 at Evercreech, Somerset Mary Roseter/Rossiter.

19. ii. WILLIAM COX born Oct 1764 and died/was buried³⁷ 6 Mar 1765 (age 8 mos.).

20. iii. MARY COX born 2 Feb 1765 and christened³⁸ 6 Apr 1765 at Evercreech, Somerset and died³⁹ 1845 at Shepton Mallet, Somerset. She married⁴⁰ 3 Oct 1791 at Evercreech, Somerset Richard Hurle.⁴¹

See the wife of no 9. in ‘The Ancestral Hurle/Hurl Family of Somerset/Wiltshire’, at www.29deadpeople.com).

21. iv. SARAH COX born 1766 and died/was buried⁴² 16 Nov 1769 (age 3).

22. v. WILLIAM COX christened⁴³ 11 Jan 1767 and died⁴⁴ 23 Jan 1840 (age 74) at Stony Stratton, Evercreech, Somerset. He married⁴⁵ 25 Apr 1791 at Evercreech, Somerset Ann Board. At least two children: Ann chr. 21 Jul 1793 and Wm chr. 10 Aug 1794.

23. vi. SARAH COX christened⁴⁶ 26 Sep 1769 at Evercreech, Somerset.

24. vii. BETSY COX christened⁴⁷ 18 Feb 1771 at Evercreech, Somerset.⁴⁸

Abraham and Betty (Hiscock) Cox had three children born in the Evercreech, Somerset parish.

25. i. ANN COX christened⁴⁹ 28 Sep 1772 at Evercreech parish, Somerset and died/was buried⁵⁰ 21 Dec 1818 at High Ham, Somerset. She married⁵¹ (1) 3 May 1791 at Evercreech, Somerset Alexander Clarke. He was christened 1756 and died/was buried⁵² 7 Oct 1793 all at Evercreech, Somerset. She married⁵³ (2) 2 Oct 1792 at Evercreech, Somerset William Roles.

26. ii. SARAH COX born 16 Jul 1774 and christened⁵⁴ 15 Aug 1774 and died⁵⁵ 28 May 1857 (age 82) of Wells at Evercreech parish, Somerset.⁵⁶ She married⁵⁷ 11 Jul 1799 at Evercreech parish, Somerset William Fry.⁵⁸

27. iii. GILES COXchristened⁵⁹ 25 Dec 1775 at Evercreech parish, Somerset and died⁶⁰ 22 Feb 1846 at Evercreech, Somerset. He married⁶¹ 25 Jan 1798 at Evercreech, Somerset Jane Augusta Ann Penny dau of Robert and Sarah Penny of Evercreech. She was born 1779 and died⁶² 22 Sep 1831 (age 52) at Evercreech, Somerset.

NOTES

1. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 15/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

2. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 28/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

3. Cox/Dolling marriage: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 21/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

4. National Burial Index for England and Wales, Parish Burials (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

5. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 23/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

6. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 24/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

7. England Births and Baptisms, Evercreech parish, Somerset (FamilySearch); online atFindMyPast (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

8. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 28/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

9. England Births and Baptisms, Evercreech parish, Somerset (FamilySearch); online atFindMyPast (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

10. Chambers/Cox marriage: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 69/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

11. Chambers/Cox marriage: Somerset Archives, Batcombe Parish records BAT2/1/2, Page 43 , bride of Evercreech; online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

12. England Births and Baptisms 1538-1975 (FamilySearch); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

13. National Burial Index for England and Wales, Parish Burials (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

14. Note that there is another John Cox b. abt 1705 having children christened in Evercreech, possibly a brother/1st cousin of James b. 1683; he md. 1730 Ann Swain (of Maperton, living in Evercreech,FindMyPast). John and Ann’s son John Cox was chr. 1730 in Evercreech. John Cox1724 (son of James) or John Cox1730 (son of John) died in 1737 and the other one m. 1753 Betty Phelps (FindMyPast, Britain Marriage Licenses, groom residence Evercreech).

15. England Births and Christenings, Evercreech parish, Somerset ; online atFamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKXX-LTL.

16. England Births and Christenings, Evercreech parish, Somerset ; online atFamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQXN-HR7.

17. England Births and Christenings, Evercreech parish, Somerset ; online atFamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N158-HMT.

18. National Burial Index for England and Wales, Parish Burials (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

19. Cox/Webb marriage: Somerset Marriage Index (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online at FindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

20. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 26/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

21. ‘Elizabeth Cox’ burial (age 67, b. 1700) 31 Dec 1767; Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 33/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

22. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 49/116, ‘wife Elinor’; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

23. National Burial Index for England and Wales, Parish Burials (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

24. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 52/116, ‘wife Elinor’; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

25. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 60/116, ‘wife Mary’; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

26. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1531-1812, (age 31) Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 35/118, burials of both Hannahs recorded this page; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

27. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 61/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

28. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 56/116 (record reads ‘wife Elinor’); online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

29. England Deaths and Burials, Evercreech, Somerset; online atFamilySearch FHL Film 7566572 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JH1L-K53.

30. Cox/Bown marriage: Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations 1754-1914, West Cranmore, Somerset parish, Abraham of Evercreech parish, Mary of West Cranmore parish, Wm Bown witness (parishes are adjacent near Shepton Mallet, Somerset); online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

31. Mary Cox death: Church of England, Evercreech parish, FHL British Film 1440,950 Parish Register transcription.

32. Cox/Hiscock marriage: Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations 1754-1914, Stone Easton, Somerset parish, Abraham (widower) of Evercreech parish, Betty of Stone Easton parish; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

33. Elizabeth Cox death: Wiltshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Christian Malford parish, wife of Abraham Cox; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

34. Christenings of the five children of Abraham and Mary (Bown) Cox: Church of England, Evercreech parish, FHL British Film 1440,950 Parish Register transcription.

35. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 22/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

36. Cox/Roseter marriage: Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

37. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 27/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

38. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 26/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

39. Mary Hurle death: England and Wales Deaths 1837-2007, Vol. 10, Page 362; online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

40. Hurle/Cox marriage: Church of England, Evercreech, Somerset parish, FHL British Film 1440,950 item 4.

41. 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census of Fonthill, West Cranmore, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, HO107, Book 2, Folio 7, Page 9, she is living with a Bown family (mother’s family); online atFindMyPast (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

42. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 114/116; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

43. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, image 30/118; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

44. Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, Evercreech parish; online atAncestry (accessed 8 Aug 2020).

45. Cox/Board marriage: Somerset Marriage Index (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

46. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

47. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

48. 1851 England Census of Wells St. Cuthbert In and Out, Somerset, Piece 962, Folio 8, Page 8, , Sarah (age 70) single; online atAncestry (accessed 8 Aug 2020)

49. England Births and Christenings, Evercreech, Somerset; online atFamilySearch FHL Film 7566572 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N6RB-G9Z.

50. Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, High Ham, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

51. Clarke/Cox marriage: England, Select Marriages 1538-1973, Evercreech, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

52. National Burial Index for England and Wales, Parish Burials (Somerset and Dorset Family History Society); online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

53. Roles/Cox marriage: , Somerset Marriage Index (Somerset and Dorset Family History Sociey) bride’s marital status: widow; online atFindMyPast (accessed 30 Jul 2020).

54. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

55. Somerset, England, Church of England Burials, Evercreech parish, abode Wells; online atAncestry (accessed 8 Aug 2020).

56. 1851 England Census of Wells St. Cuthbert Out, Somerset, Piece 1934, Folio 225, Page 17, Household 61, Sarah (age 75) with 2 children; online atAncestry (accessed 8 Aug 2020).

57. Fry/Cox marriage: England, Select Marriages 1538-1973, Evercreech, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

58. Note that there are two Sarah Coxes born in Evercreech, one in 1769 and one in 1774; it is likely that the Sarah b. 1774 was the one who married Wm Fry as the 1851 census reports that Sarah Fry was 75 yrs.

59. Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

60. England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index 1837-1915, Vol 10, Page 313 and Somerset, England Church of England Burials 1813-1914; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

61. Cox/Penny marriage: England, Select Marriages 1538-1973, Evercreech, Somerset; online atAncestry (accessed 27 Jul 2020).

62. England Deaths and Burials, Evercreech parish, Somerset, online atFamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JH1G-MYW.