Identifying my Dickinson ancestors in England has been extremely challenging for a few reasons, the main one being the naming patterns which caused there to be many people in the same areas with the same names and many were even born, married or died in the same years and in the same places or nearby. The past several weeks, I buckled down and made another attempt to sort it all out and, as usual, I'm sharing my finds to shine some light on the foggy past, for those who, like me, are researching Dickinsons in the Sheffield area. Most importantly, my goal is to help restore and preserve what I can of the history, while it still can be found. Many of the connections made so far couldn't have been made without the assistance of old family photos and information preserved and shared by other kin. Had those photos and information been lost, we and future generations might never have been able to trace our Dickinson ancestry.
From the census, we know William Dickinson was born about 1790/91, and that his wife, Ann, was born in 1806, so we know they weren't married before 1822. Their daughter, Ann, who was living in their home in 1841 was born about 1826, therefore, we know that William and Ann were probably married between 1822 and 1825. Finding the record within such a narrow timeframe shouldn't be hard, but a search for William Dickinsons who were married in Yorkshire between 1822 and 1825, a short span of four years, yields over 60 results. After merging the duplicates, I narrowed it down to 24, but it just goes to show the challenges associated with naming patterns. Of these 24 William Dickinson grooms, there were four whose brides were named Ann. Of course there were! (Sigh) But after several weeks of research and contemplating, I believe I have gathered enough evidence to determine which "Ann" was my 4th great-grandmother.
These are the four Ann's who married "William Dickinson" between 1822-1825, found in Yorkshire's parish registers:
Ann Loy of Ecclesfield, married William Dickinson 11/29/1824 at Sheffield, St Mary, Ecclesfield, a village and parish in the City of Sheffield, Yorkshire (West Riding). Children baptized at Sheffield Cathedral: Ann 1825, John 1831, and William 1835. Children baptized at Rotherham: Elizabeth 1843, Joseph 1843. Baptized at Stannington Chapel: Martha 1828.
Ann Wardman of Catton, married William Dickinson 3/15/1825 at Catton, Yorkshire (East Riding), England, 46 miles from Sheffield. He was a Laborer. Some of their children baptized at Catton were: Faith 1835, William 1831, and Elizabeth 1833.
Ann Whitaker of Campsall, married William Dickinson 11/28/1822 at Campsall, Yorkshire (West Riding), 20 miles from Sheffield. He was a Cordwainer. Some of their children baptized at Campsall were: Charles 1825, George 1835, Henry 1834, Jane 1827, John 1829, and William 1832.
Ann Hargitt of Husthwaite, married William Dickinson, "Bachelor", 3/4/1822 at Husthwaite with Carlton, Yorkshire (North Riding), 55 miles from Sheffield. No Dickinson baptisms were found at Husthwaite, so I do not know where the couple settled, but the other details don't match up either. The distance from Sheffield, where the family lived, is too far; William's vocation doesn't line up - this William was a "Bachelor" and not a "Tilter"; and Ann's age doesn't line up. She probably would have been only have only been 15 in early 1822, so although it is possible, collectively these inconsistencies, it doesn't seem likely that this is the Ann we're looking for.
Being that William, Ann and their children were in Sheffield for the better part of their lives, it seems safe to say Ann Loy was the "Ann" who married William Dickinson, the Tilter, on November 29, 1824, at Sheffield, St. Mary, Ecclesfield. What do you think? Please take a minute to share your opinion:
Do you believe it was Ann Loy who married William Dickinson, the Tilter?
- Yes
- No
If you're one of William & Ann's descendants, feel free to share and save this for your family album or scrapbook:
Enjoy a virtual visit to the glorious St Mary, Ecclesfield, on Google Maps! This is where my 4th great-grandparents were married.
Were William & Ann (Loy) Dickinson your ancestors, too? Let us know in the comments below! If you can help prove or disprove my claims, I welcome and encourage you to contact me using the comments below or send a private message using the contact form.
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