STRANGER OF HOLNE

Jane Stranger, wife of Henry Daniels, is shown by the 1851 census returns to have been born about 1817 at Bovey Tracey, Devon. The entry for her marriage in 1841 in the Christow parish registers shows that she was a daughter of Richard Stranger and was living at Shutamor. The census returns for that year show the Stranger family at Shutamor with Richard and his apparent children Jane, George, Sarah and Jabez. The baptism record of Jabez in the Bovey Tracey Methodist registers gives his father as Richard Stranger and his mother as Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth Sercombe.

The will and grant of probate of Richard Stranger (father of Jane, wife of Henry Daniels), shows that by 1856 he had married a woman named Sally. A search for the marriage reveals that Richard Stranger, widower, married Sally Taylor, widow, in 1849 at the register office in the district of St. Thomas, Devon. The certificate gives Richard’s residence as Shutamore, Christow, providing further confirmation of the identity. His father is named as Elias Stranger, yeoman. The 1861 census returns show that Richard was born at Holne about 1787 and the Holne parish registers record the baptism of Richard, son of Elias and Joan Stranger, on 18 September 1787. Elias Stranger of Holne and Joan Winsor of Staverton were married at Staverton in 1773.

Elias Stranger is recorded as aged seventy-nine at his burial in August 1828 and the baptism of Elias, son of Richard and Joan Stranger, is recorded at Holne in late 1748.

The Richard Stranger who married Joan Ford in 1731 may have been the Richard, son of Richard and Mary Stranger, who was baptised at Holne in 1712. He may also have been the Richard Stranger buried at Holne in 1749, or the one buried there in 1792.

Some years ago I spent a considerable amount of time compiling a more extensive account of various lines of descendants of Richard and Joan (Ford) Stranger. I have not worked on it recently and the account does not include documentation but as it may still be of some use, it is available here.

I welcome comments on this page. My e-mail address is on my home page.

STRANGER

1 RICHARD STRANGER married on 2 September 1731 at Holne, Devon, JOAN FORD,[1] daughter of Richard and Joan Ford. Joan was baptised on 20 April 1707 at Holne[2] and buried on 2 May 1772 at Holne.[3]

Children of Richard and Joan (Ford) Stranger:

i JOAN STRANGER, b 13 Jan 1731/32, bap 2 Feb 1731/32, Holne,[4] bur 26 Jan 1732/33, Holne.[5]

ii JOAN STRANGER, b 26 Mar 1734, bap 23 Apr 1734, Holne.[6]

iii RICHARD STRANGER, b 13 Feb 1735/36, bap 2 Mar 1735/36, Holne.[7]

iv RICHARD FORD STRANGER of South Brent, yeoman, b 8 Jan 1737/38, bap 31 Jan 1737/38, Holne,[8] d 2 Apr 1812, bur 6 Apr 1812, South Brent;[9] m 8 May 1757, Holne, MARY MICHELMORE.[10]

v MARY STRANGER, b 6 May 1740, bap 22 May 1740, Holne.[11]

vi JOHN STRANGER, b 7 Apr 1743, bap 25 Apr 1743, Holne.[12]

vii EDWARD STRANGER of Holne, yeoman, b 12 Oct 1745, bap 4 Nov 1745, Holne,[13] bur 1 Apr 1819, Holne;[14] m 2 Nov 1770, Widecombe in the Moor, ELIZABETH HANNAFORD.[15]

2 viii ELIAS STRANGER (1748-1828); m(1) JOAN WINSOR; m(2) MARY (FORD) WAYCOTT.

2 ELIAS STRANGER of Holne, farmer, was born on 28 November 1748, baptised on 14 December 1748 at Holne,[16] died on 15 August 1828[17] and was buried on 18 August 1828 at Holne.[18] He married first, on 22 February 1773 at Staverton, JOAN WINSOR,[19] daughter of George and Mary (Ford) Winsor (see here). Joan was baptised on 6 July 1752 at Staverton and buried on 22 September 1800 at Holne. Elias married second, on 6 May 1804 at Holne, MARY (FORD) WAYCOTT, widow of Edward Waycott.[20]

Children of Elias and Joan (Winsor) Stranger:[21]

i JOHN STRANGER of Staverton, yeoman, bap 22 Jun 1773, Holne,[22] d 8 Jun 1845, Totnes;[23] m 25 May 1813, Staverton, ELEANOR WILLS.[24]

ii THOMAS STRANGER, bap 3 Feb 1775, Holne,[25] bur 15 Nov 1800, Holne.[26]

ii MARY STRANGER, bap 7 Oct 1777, Holne;[27] m 21 Apr 1802, Buckfastleigh, CHRISTOPHER FURNEAUX.[28]

iv ELIAS STRANGER of Buckfastleigh and Ridgeway, gentleman, b Holne, bap 11 Feb 1779, Holne,[29] d 20 Mar 1858, Ridgeway;[30] m(1) 8 May 1804, Holne, MARY HAMLYN;[31] m(2) 22 Sep 1814, Tormoham, SARAH (VAGE) FRANCIS;[32] m(3) 27 Jul 1837, Southwark, SARAH (OWEN) SHACKELL.[33]

v JOAN STRANGER, bap 31 May 1781, Holne,[34] d 7 Nov 1861;[35] m 21 Feb 1805, Holne, ELIAS EASTERBROOK.[36]

vi RICHARD STRANGER, bap 27 Jan 1784, Holne,[37] bur 5 Mar 1784, Holne.[38]

vii ANN STRANGER, bap 24 Feb 1785, Holne,[39] bur 11 Jan 1850, Holne;[40] m 3 Mar 1807, Holne, JAMES HAMLYN.[41]

3 viii RICHARD STRANGER (1787-1863); m(1) ELIZABETH SERCOMBE; m(2) SALLY (ROLSTONE) TAYLOR.

ix MARGARET STRANGER, bap 24 May 1790, Holne;[42] m 6 Oct 1813, Holne, ELIAS STRANGER.[43]

x ELIZABETH STRANGER, bap 16 Jan 1793, Holne,[44] d 6 Oct 1844, Buckfastleigh;[45] m 3 Apr 1827, East Stonehouse, WILLIAM STANCOMBE.[46]

xi EDWARD STRANGER, bap 10 May 1795, Holne.[47]

xii GEORGE STRANGER of Holne, yeoman, b Holne, bap 26 Feb 1798, Holne,[48] d 27 Nov 1860, Holne;[49] m 15 May 1827, St. Andrew, Plymouth, SARAH BROWNE.[50]

Children of Elias and Mary (Ford) (Waycott) Stranger:[51]

xiii THOMAS STRANGER of Dodbrooke, wheelwright, b Holne, bap 8 Apr 1806, Holne,[52] bur 26 Dec 1884, Dodbrooke;[53] m JANE.[54]

xiv JOSEPH STRANGER, bap 19 Aug 1810, Holne.[55]

3 RICHARD STRANGER of Christow, farmer, was born at Holne, baptised on 18 September 1787 at Holne,[56] and died on 4 June 1863 at Kenton.[57] He married first, on 11 August 1814 at Bovey Tracey, ELIZABETH SERCOMBE,[58] daughter of John and Elizabeth (Clampitt) (Bastard) Sercombe (see here). Elizabeth was born on 3 December 1790, baptised on 6 January 1791 at Bovey Tracey, and died on 27 February 1847 at Christow. Richard married second, on 26 February 1849 at St. Thomas, Devon, SALLY (ROLSTONE) TAYLOR,[59] widow of Thomas Taylor and daughter of William and Mary (Sercombe) Rolstone. Sally was born at Bridford, baptised on 30 October 1791 at Bridford,[60] and died on 27 July 1877 at Kenton.[61]

Children of Richard and Elizabeth (Sercombe) Stranger:[62]

i JOHN SERCOMBE STRANGER of Holsworthy, seed merchant and draper, b Woodland, Devon, bap 4 Jul 1815, Woodland,[63] d 8 Sep 1882, Holsworthy;[64] m 7 Mar 1850, Holsworthy, MARY NORTHCOTT.[65]

ii JANE STRANGER, b 17 May 1817, Bovey Tracey,[66] d 1 Dec 1896, Tywardreath;[67] m 26 Aug 1841, Christow, HENRY DANIELS[68] (see here).

iii ELIAS STRANGER, b 5 Nov 1819, bap 5 Dec 1819, Ashburton Wesleyan circuit,[69] bur 7 Oct 1823, Bovey Tracey.[70]

iv GEORGE STRANGER of Nassagaweya, Ontario, farmer, b 1 Feb 1823, Bovey Tracey,[71] d 3 Jun 1909;[72] m 20 Jan 1863, Halton County, Ontario, ANN (EASTERBROOK) YOUART.[73]

v ELIZABETH STRANGER, b 9 May 1825, Bovey Tracey,[74] d 24 Mar 1888;[75] m(1) 7 Feb 1853, St. Thomas, Devon, CHARLES BRAY;[76] m(2) 2 Sep 1866, Calstock, THOMAS HAWKING.[77]

vi ELEANOR WILLS STRANGER, b 13 Nov 1827,[78] bur 26 Sep 1833, Bovey Tracey.[79]

vii SARAH ANN STRANGER, b 1 Mar 1830, Christow,[80] d 14 Mar 1907, Bigpatch, Wisconsin;[81] m THOMAS BICKLE.[82]

viii JABEZ STRANGER, b 5 Feb 1834,[83] d 30 Jan 1846.[84]

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[1] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[2] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk). There was also a Joan, daughter of William Ford, baptised at Holne on 1 Nov 1715, but that Joan would probably be rather young to marry in Sep 1731, and the name of Richard and Joan (Ford) Stranger’s son Richard Ford Stranger is suggestive that Joan was a daughter of Richard Ford. Furthermore, the marriage of Margery Ford and William Heyward at Holne on 4 Jan 1762 was witnessed by a Richard Stranger, and Margery appears to have been a younger daughter of Richard Ford.

[3] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[4] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[5] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[6] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[7] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[8] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk). The middle name Ford only occurs in his baptism entry as far as I have seen.

[9] Mike Brown, ed., Dartmoor Region Monumental Inscriptions Indexes, vol. 16, South Brent, 15; South Brent parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[10] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[11] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[12] Holne bishop’s transcripts.

[13] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[14] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); will and grant of probate (estate duty copy, Devon Record Office, S1598).

[15] Widecombe in the Moor parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[16] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[17] Death duty registers (National Archives).

[18] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[19] Staverton parish registers (Society of Genealogists, DE/REG/117501).

[20] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk). Edward Waycott and Mary Ford were married at Holne in 1787. Edward Wycott was buried there in 1802.

[21] Elias Stranger’s will, dated 8 Feb 1823 and proved 14 Feb 1829 (estate duty copy, Devon Record Office, S1599) mentions his son John Stranger, daughters Mary wife of Christopher Furneaux, Ann wife of James Hamlyn and Margaret wife of Elias Stranger, sons Elias Stranger, Richard Stranger and Edward Stranger, daughter Elizabeth Stranger, the marriage portion of Joan the wife of Elias Easterbrook, son Thomas Stranger (under 21), son Joseph Stranger (under 21), wife Mary Stranger, and son George Stranger. A transcription of a letter from James Stancombe (son of William Stancombe and Elizabeth Stranger) to his daughter also confirms many of these details, including that Elias’s daughter Joan married an Easterbrook (transcription courtesy of David Hannaford).

[22] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[23] The Western Times, 14 Jun 1845; National Archives, PROB 11/2022/14.

[24] Staverton parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk). The 1849 will of Elias Stranger mentions “my Nephew Henry Wills Stranger (the only Son of my Brother John Stranger)”.

[25] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[26] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[27] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[28] Buckfastleigh parish registers (Society of Genealogists, DE/REG/107058).

[29] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1851 census returns, Rickmansworth (National Archives, HO 107/1714, fol. 513).

[30] National probate calendars. Will dated 25 Oct 1849, proved 25 Jun 1859.

[31] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[32] Tormoham parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); War Office records (National Archives, WO 42/17).

[33] St George, Southwark, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[34] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[35] Monumental inscription at Ebenezer Cemetery, Halton County, Ontario. There is a monumental inscription to Joan’s nephew George Stranger at the same cemetery.

[36] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[37] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[38] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[39] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[40] J.L. Vivian, The Visitations of the County of Devon (Exeter, 1895), 483.

[41] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[42] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[43] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[44] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[45] Death certificate. In addition, a transcription of a letter from James Stancombe (son of William Stancombe and Elizabeth Stranger) to his daughter states that James’s mother died on 6 Oct 1844 (transcription courtesy of David Hannaford).

[46] East Stonehouse Marriages, 1824-1830, Devon Family History Society (2000), 18.

[47] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[48] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1851 census returns, Holne (National Archives, HO 107/1874, fol. 374).

[49] Grant of probate.

[50] Plymouth St Andrew Marriages, 1825-1830, Devon Family History Society (2000), 15.

[51] They may also have had a daughter Margery Ford Stranger, baptised on 16 Jan 1805 at Holne, though she may instead have been a daughter of Elias and Mary (Hamlyn) Stranger.

[52] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1851 census returns, Dodbrooke (National Archives, HO 107/1876, fol. 74).

[53] Dodbrooke parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[54] 1851 census returns, Dodbrooke (National Archives, HO 107/1876, fol. 74).

[55] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[56] Holne parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1861 census returns, Kenton (National Archives, RG 9/1392, fol. 94).

[57] Grant of probate (will dated 8 Jul 1856, proved 30 Jun 1863).

[58] Bovey Tracey parish registers (Society of Genealogists, DE/REG/57871).

[59] Marriage certificate.

[60] 1851 census returns, Ashton (National Archives, HO 107/1867, fol. 465); Daniel Morgan, “A Compilation of Sercombe Families” (www.mit.edu/~dfm/genealogy/sercombe.html).

[61] Grant of probate.

[62] The will and grant of probate of Richard Stranger (will dated 8 Jul 1856, proved 30 Jun 1863) mention his son John “Seccombe” Stranger, son George Stranger, wife Sally Stranger, and daughters Jane, wife of Henry Daniels, Elizabeth Bray, widow, and Sarah Ann, wife of Thomas Bickle.

[63] Woodland parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1851 census returns, Holsworthy (National Archives, HO 107/1896, fol. 130).

[64] Grant of probate.

[65] Marriage certificate.

[66] Ashburton Wesleyan circuit registers (National Archives, RG 4/1763); 1851 census returns, Ashburton (National Archives, HO 107/1871, fol. 289).

[67] Death certificate. Will dated 27 Jul 1892, proved 14 Jan 1897.

[68] Christow parish registers (Devon Record Office).

[69] Ashburton Wesleyan circuit registers (National Archives, RG 4/1763).

[70] Bovey Tracey parish registers (Society of Genealogists).

[71] Ashburton Wesleyan circuit registers (National Archives, RG 4/840); 1851 census returns, Christow (National Archives, HO 107/1867, fol. 420). The 1901 census returns for Nassagaweya, 8, show George Stranger there being born in England on 1 Feb 1823, exactly matching the date of birth given for George in the Ashburton Wesleyan circuit registers. The household of Henry Daniels, George’s nephew, was enumerated adjacently to that of George in 1901, with the date of birth for Henry exactly matching that given in English records for the son of Henry and Jane (Stranger) Daniels.

[72] Monumental inscription at Ebenezer Cemetery, Halton County, Ontario.

[73] Ontario Marriage Index, 1858-1869 (online at www.ancestry.com); 1901 census returns for Nassagaweya, 8. The marriage record confirms that George’s parents were called Richard and Betsy. The Ontario marriage records (Archives of Ontario, Series MS248, Reel 1) show the marriage of John Youart and Ann Easterbrook of Nassagaweya in 1846. The 1901 census returns give the date of birth of George Stranger’s wife as 4 Nov 1826 and their 1863 marriage record names her parents as Elias and Joan. The Holne parish registers show the baptism on 30 Nov 1826 of Ann, daughter of Elias and Joan Easterbrook.

[74] Ashburton Wesleyan circuit registers (National Archives, RG 4/840); 1851 census returns, Christow (National Archives, HO 107/1867, fol. 420).

[75] Platteville Journal, 8 Dec 1909.

[76] Marriage certificate.

[77] Calstock parish registers.

[78] Devon Baptisms (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[79] Bovey Tracey parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[80] 1851 census returns, Christow (National Archives, HO 107/1867, fol. 420); Wisconsin Deaths and Burials index (online at www.familysearch.org).

[81] Wisconsin Deaths and Burials index (online at www.familysearch.org).

[82] Will of Richard Stranger.

[83] Devon Baptisms (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[84] Dwelly parish records, vol. 6 (Society of Genealogists, DE/M3).