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I would dearly love to find out what became of my ancestor whose embroidered sampler is still in the family today. She was born Elizabeth Meddoms Corrall in Lutterworth, Leicestershire in 1777 and I have quite a bit of info about her early life as her grandfather, father and brother were clockmakers and are quite well documented. Unfortunately in 1798, she married a John Bower Smith, corkcutter of Uttoxeter: John & Elizabeth Smith must be about the worst names for any family historian to track down, hence my appeal here!

I know she was still alive but in very poor health on April 11th 1843 due to a letter I have, sent from Nottingham to their granddaughter in Hinckley, Leics. The address on a earlier letter (Sept 1842) is 18 Bromley Place, Nottingham - a thoroughfare which still exists in Nottingham city centre - it appears that at this time they may have been lodging with a Mr Holt.

If anyone could find them on the 1841 census or locate her death / burial record I would be overjoyed. They were very literate and for this reason I would be surprised if they failed to register. Her husband John died in Congleton in 1847 (I think) and I suspect she predeceased him, but just don't know.

They had four children that I know of - eldest daughter Rosamond Wilson Smith (born in Leicester in 1799) who married Leicestershire schoolmaster Francis Oliver; a son William Powers Smith (b.1800) who was the editor of the Caernarvon & Denbigh Herald for 28 years and two unmarried daughters Eliza (b.1802) and Mary Bower Smith. Can anyone find record of any others?

Any info you can supply me with would be of great interest. Thank you in advance!

Who registered her husband's death?

Have you looked on freebmd for a death for her?

Reggie: Husbands death in 1847 was registered by a Francis Alfred Smith - no idea who he was, and I don't know why JBS was in Congleton either. But the name, age and occupation match my John Bower Smith, so can only assume I have the right certificate. No obvious freeBMD record for Elizabeth, or at least not one with a middle name.

View the original image
Forenames:John Borels
Surname:Smith
Marital Status:
Burial Date:14 Nov 1847
Burial Year:1847Age:77y
Residence:St. Peter, Congleton
Parish:St. Peter
City or Town:Congleton
County:Cheshire
Burial Place:St Peter, Congleton
Residence:Record source:Diocese of Chester parish registers of burials c1538-1910 Data provider:Cheshire Archives and Local Studies Transcriptions © Family Search

Image is Bower..have submitted correction

Not resident in Bromley Place when the 1841 census was taken

Yes, that's the husband I think. Wonder where they were in 1841 then? Thank you Reggie.

Leicestershire Mercury
Publication date:Saturday 17 February 1849

On the 9th inst., at Daventry, aged 73, Mrs Smith, relict of the late Mr. John Bower Smith, formerly of this town.


Deaths Mar 1849 (>99%)
-----------------------------------------------
Smith Elizabeth Daventry 15 193

Chris :)

Burial
County Northamptonshire
Place Daventry
Church Holy Cross
RegisterNumber 1067
BurialDate 13 Feb 1849
Forename Elizabeth
Relationship
Rel1MaleForename
Rel1FemaleForename
Rel1Surname
Surname SMITH
Age 72y
Abode Daventry

(if her, from below)

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/Search.pl

This doesn't answer anything, but may be of interest

England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
about John Bower Smith
Name:
John Bower Smith
Gender:
Male
Birth Date:
15 Oct 1849
Christening Date:
11 Nov 1849
Christening Place:
Congleton, Cheshire, England
Age at Christening:
0
Father's Name:
Francis Alfred Smith
Mother's Name:
Ann Smith

There's also this one:

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about John Bower Smith

Name: John Bower Smith
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1847
Registration District: Daventry
Inferred County: Northamptonshire
Volume: 15
Page: 210
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1915
about John Bower Smith

Death Index:
Name: John Bower Smith
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1847
Registration District: Congleton
Inferred County: Cheshire
Volume: 19
Page: 53

This is from familysearch:

Francis Alfred Smith

christening: 19 September 1812
St. Martin,Leicester,Leicester,England

John Bower Smith
Elizth Medoms

The Daventry death record looks worth investigating - though if I want to crack this (it has bothered me for 20 years!), I might have to accept spending ££ on incorrect death certificates. Unless the death is reported by a known family member I'll never be certain I've got the right one.

It seems that John Bower Smith might have been a more common name combination than we would think today. If only she had made more use of her unusual middle name of Meddoms.

I have record of four children, Rosamond, William, Eliza and Mary as above, born in Leicester but baptised at the family church in Lutterworth - can anyone with access to baptismal records locate any more? Francis Alfred is new to me (thanks Christina!) but appears a cert. There are suggestions online of another John Bower, a Harriet Corrall.....

Oh and I've just realised that Francis Alfred Smith registered the death of his father in Congleton in 1847 - so that's tied that up which is great! :-D

It's all coming together - the JBSmith born in Congleton is the child of Francis Alfred Smith and named after his late grandfather. The fact that there's another JBSmith born in Daventry in 1847 does suggest that perhaps another child of the original JBSmith and EMSmith was living in Daventry - so the Elizabeth Corrall Daventry death could well be the one. Have ordered the death certificate - fingers crossed!

Can anyone with access to Parish records see the baptism and therefore parents of the JBSmith born in Daventry in 1847?

So grateful to you all for these valuable pointers.

1841 Goodwin Green Prestbury Macclesfield
Ann Dean born not in county 33
Elizabeth Dean 11 (She is with Francis and Ann in 1851.61)
Ann 9
Next door Francis Smith carpenter age 25 not born in county.

Marriage J/A/S 1844 Macclesfield
V19 page 114
Ann Dean to Francis Alfred Smith.

Maryb.

1851 Census

This looks like the John Bower Smith born Daventry 1847

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
SMITH, John B Head Married M 42 1809 Cabinet Maker (Master Employing 1 Man And 1 Apprentice)
St Martin's Parish, Leicestershire
SMITH, Sarah Wife Married F 42 1809
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
SMITH, Clara E Daughter F 12 1839 Scholar At Home
Daventry, Northamptonshire
SMITH, Charles L Son M 8 1843 Scholar At Home
Daventry, Northamptonshire
SMITH, Francis B Son M 5 1846 Scholar At Home
Daventry, Northamptonshire
SMITH, John B Son M 3 1848 Scholar At Home
Daventry, Northamptonshire

Taken from familysearch

John Bower Smith

birth: 18 December 1808
Jno. Bower Smith
Elizth Maddoons

It also says (but won't print off)

Chr. 25th January 1809 - St.Martin, Leicester

That looks as if it's the final piece in the jigsaw then, doesn't it? A son, born in Leicester and living with his family in Daventry around the middle of the century would explain why his old mother went to die there.

Very excited to see the certificate when it arrives - fingers crossed it's the one as this has puzzled me since I was a teenager and first became aware of the sampler and interested in family history. Will let you all know.

John "Bower" Smith may be more common than I anticipated, but it seems I'm related to most of them!

Well the certificate has arrived and it does seem that it is likely to be her - the right spouse names and correct age for her birthdate. But just a Jane Collier registering the death, not apparently family - census index suggests this Jane was probably a girl of only about 17 so perhaps a maid, nurse or something?

Would now love to track down Elizabeth's will if there is one, which seems quite possible as they were educated people, but as it's pre1858 I am so not sure how I go about finding it? .....

Not sure that they have it, but I would try the Northamptonshire Archives for the will.

Good luck.

If a Will was made and it went to Probate................

http://www.theprobatedepartment.co.uk/how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-will/