Williams Family 
                                        of Tavistock, Devon



                        Thomas Williams                       Elizabeth Bray
                                   [1789-1843]                             [1880-post 1851]

                                                          CONTENTS

                                              The Williams Family of Tavistock
                                              The Martyn Family of Tavistock
                                              The Rowe Family of Tavistock


                                                       With Special Thanks 
                     to Linda Nelson, the Devonshire Online Parish Clerk for Tavistock.
         for her kindness and unwavering patience in searching the Tavistock Parish Records
                           Linda can be contacted through Devon OPC - Genuki 
                                      also OPC for Kilkhampton, Cornwall 

                                                             ISSUE

                              Mary Williams [1801-?]  bapt. Tavistock.
                                        Elizabeth Williams [1803-1812] bapt. Tavistock.
                              Ann Williams [185-?] bapt. Tavistock.
                              James Williams [1809-post 1851] bapt. Tavistock.
                              William Williams [1811-post 1851] bapt.Tavistock
                              Betsey Williams [1813-1872] bapt. Tavistock - BIOGRAPHY. 
                              Thomas Williams [1816-post 1841] bapt. Tavistock 
                              Hannah Williams [1818-?]
                              Grace Williams [1821-?] bapt. Tavistock 
                              Joanna Williams [1824-?] bapt.Tavistock

.

                                                                      BIOGRAPHY


Thomas Williams was baptised 2nd September 1779 at the Ancient Church at Tavistock dedicated to St Eustachius, the youngest 
child of William Williams and his wife Mary [nee Martyn]. His parents were married at the same venue 4th Nov. 1767.

His parents had five children baptised at Tavistock;
                  Elizabeth Williams baptised 7th November 1768
                  William Williams baptised 29th October 1771
                  John Williams baptised 7th June 1774 - buried 14th July 1776 'son of William' [estimated aged 2yrs]
                  John Williams baptised 22nd April 1777
                  Thomas William baptised 2nd December 1779
                                                                     Namesakes
Child 1: Elizabeth:  would be the infant's paternal grandmother. 
Child 2: William:    would be normally be the infant's paternal grandfather, in this case the
                               maternal grandfather and father.  
Child 3: John:         Parents are persistent, this would likely by a 'Williams' ancestral name. 
Child 4: Thomas:    could be either. 
                                                             Paternal Lineage
Thomas's father may be the same 'William Williams' baptised at Tavistock 12 May 1733, however
this is considered a tenuous connection.  No Marriage was found for his proposed father at Tavistock.
 
                                                              Maternal Lineage
Thomas's mother, Mary Martin was baptised 29th December 1742 the daughter of William Martyn 
and his wife Mary [nee Rowe].
    Mary's parents were married at Tavistock 2nd May 1735.   


At the age of twenty-one Thomas Williams married Elizabeth Bray at Tavistock on the 26th March 1800.
                                             Elizabeth Bray
Elizabeth states in the 1841 & 1851 Census that she was born 1801 at Tavistock, 
however her baptism has not been found.
Surrounding villages within a 5mile radius were also investigated without result.
Her parents may have been Wesleyan, for which the early records do not appear
to have survived.  
Thomas and Elizabeth seem to have settled between the small hamlets of Little & Middle Torr, the latter comprising only two houses, 
situated 2 miles SW of Tavistock, where Thomas worked as a labourer. 

They had eight children all baptised at the same venue;

                 Mary Williams baptised 17th January 1801 at Tavistock - Father 'labourer'.
                      Elizabeth Williams baptised 4th January 1803 at Tavistock - Father 'labourer'
                               - Elizabeth was buried Tavistock 7th August 1812 'daughter of William - aged 10.
                 Ann Williams baptised 1805 [no further date details] at Tavistock - Father 'Labourer'
                 James Williams baptised 28th Feb. 1809 at Tavistock - Father 'labourer'.
                 William Williams baptised 29th Sept. 1811 at Tavistock - Father 'labourer'.                                                        
                 Betsey Williams baptised 11th Dec. 1813 at Tavistock - Father - 'labourer of Middle Torr'. SEE BIOGRAPHY. 
                 Thomas Williams baptised 11th December 1816 at Tavistock - Father - 'labourer of Middle Torr'.
                 Hannah Williams baptised 7th November 1818 at Tavistock - Father - 'labourer of Middle Torr'.
                 Grace Williams baptised 28th April 1821 at Tavistock - Father - 'labourer of Little Torr'.
                 Joanna Williams baptised 24th April 1824 at Tavistock -Father - 'Labourer of  Little Tor'.
                                                    Namesakes
                              Based on loose patterns in the 18th Century
                      'A man would normally not place himself above his father' 

1st son James:             Would normally be the infant's paternal grandfather.
2nd son William:          Namesake of the infant's maternal grandfather and 
                                    in this case also his father - Consistent.  
1st Daughter Mary:      Namesake of the infant's paternal grandmother - Consistent.
2nd Dauhter Elizabeth: Namesake of the infant's mother/maternal grandmother. 
3rd Daughter Ann:       Namesake of paternal/maternal lineage. 
4th Daughter Betsey:   In this case their daughter Elizabeth had died aged 10 years,
                                    around 12 months before Betsey was born. 
                                    Normally if an 'infant' dies then a subsequent child will carry
                                    the same name, however in this case the wound would have 
                                    been too deep. 
                                    However to continue respect to ancestral ties it would be assumed
                                    that the variation 'Betsey' was chosen as a compromise.
5th Daughter Hannah: Very likely a 'Bray' Family name.
6th Daughter Grace:    Could be either.
7th Daughter Joanna:  Possibly a 'Bray' Family name.        
  Both Thomas and his wife Elizabeth were recorded in the 1841 Census living Artiscombe 2miles of Tavistock, 
  both aged 60yrs, with their son Thomas aged 25 years. 


Thomas Williams [the elder] died in the Sept. Qtr. 1842 [Reg. Tavistock].  

  His widow Elizabeth is believed to be the same recorded in the 1851 Census at Tavistock in the home of 
  James Wakin aged 42, a licensed victuller and his family, recorded 'Elizabeth Williams, 'a visitor', widow, 
  aged 70yrs [occupation illegible], born at Tavistock, Devon'.  [This may have been a Tavern or Inn].   
  Several death entries for Elizabeth could apply.
 
                                                               EPILOGUE
 
 Mary Williams baptised 17th January 1801 at Tavistock, eldest daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth;
 
                               - Mary is know to have survived however no further information found so far.
 
Elizabeth Williams [1803-1812] bapt. 4th January 1803 at Tavistock, second daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth;

                               - no further information found so far.
 
Ann Williams [1803-1812] bapt.1805 at Tavistock, third daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth;

                               - no further information found so far.
 
James Williams baptised 28th Feb. 1809 at Tavistock, eldest son of Thomas & Elizabeth;

                               - James enlisted in Military Service.  He married Irish born Isabella [nee unknown] 
                                 and had one daughter born in the East Indies. 
 
            James Williams, Head, Married, age 42, Chelsea out Pensioner, born Devon, Tavistock. 
            Isabella Williams, Wife, Married, age 29, born Youghal, Ireland. 
            Mary Williams, Daughter, age 4, born East Indies [illegible] Bombay.
William died within the next ten years. During the Victorian Era there was no provision for a Widow Pension.

        His widow and daughter were recorded on the 1861 Census living in the Medway Union 
        Workhouse, Chatham. 
             Isabella Williams, Inmate, Widow, age 45, wife of James Williams, soldier, born Ireland.
                                      Mary Williams, Inmate, Scholar, age 13, born East Indies, [Romsh? illegible].
They disappear from the English Cenus after this point. 
If she survived, their daughter Mary may have married by the next census, by then aged twenty-three.                            
William Williams baptised 29th Sept. 1811 at Tavistock, second son of Thomas & Elizabeth;
                               - married & had issue.  Details under construction. 
Betsey Williams baptised 11th Dec. 1813 at Tavistock, forth daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth;
 
                              - Betsey married John Adams in 1838 and ultimately immigrated to South Australia

                                                                        SEE BIOGRAPHY. 

Thomas Williams baptised 11th December 1816 at Tavistock - youngest son of Thomas & Elizabeth;
 
                             - Thomas was last found confidently 1851 Census living with parents

                                Further information would be gratefully accepted. 

Grace Williams baptised 28th April 1821 at Tavistock, fifth daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth;

                             - no further confident information found so far.
 
Joanna Williams baptised 24th April 1824 at Tavistock - youngest daughter and child of Thomas & Elizabeth;

                             - no further confident information found so far.

 .                                       
Main Sources:                        Tavistock Baptisms 1813-1837 CD
                                                  Linda Nelson - Tavistock Parish Clerk
                                                  Ancestry.com [UK Census]