William Harper (1802 - 1878)
Events
Date of Birth: about 1802.
Place of Birth: Whitmore, Staffordshire, England.
The place of birth is consistently given by censuses. William’s age was given as 48 in the 1851 census (taken 30 March 1851), 57 in the 1861 census (taken 7 April 1861), and 68 in the 1871 census (taken 2 April 1871). His age at death was given as 74.
Date of Baptism: 10 June 1802.
Place of Baptism: Whitmore, Staffordshire.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Burial: 14 March 1878.
Place of Burial: Fenton, Staffordshire.
The burial is recorded in the parish register (Name: William Harper; Adode: Stable Yard, Manor Street; Age: 74).
Relationships
Father: William Harper.
This relationship is recorded in the baptism record.
(probable) Mother: Sarah Peake.
The name Sarah is given in William's baptism record. I give the reasoning behind the assumption that she was Sarah Peake on Sarah's page.
Spouse: Sarah Bradshaw (1801 - 1838). Married 22 February 1829 in Fulford, Staffordshire.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Spouse: Ellen Alcock (about 1812 - before 1861). Married 1840.
The GRO index gives the marriage.
Children (by Sarah Bradshaw):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Ann Harper (born 29 December 1829; baptized 17 July 1831, Methodist New Connexion, Longton Circuit).
William Harper (born 15 July 1831; baptized 17 July 1831, Methodist New Connexion, Longton Circuit - died 1895) married (1) Rose Ann Harris 22 December 1851 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire; married (2) Jane Guest 6 August 1856 in Old Swinford, Worcestershire.
Ann Harper (born 21 April 1833; baptized 7 May 1833 in the Wesleyan Chapel of Fenton).
Charles Harper (born 8 July 1834; baptized 9 September 1834 in the Wesleyan Chapel of Fenton; died 1886) married Mary Ann Perry in 1876.
Children (by Ellen Alcock):
John Harper (baptized 8 August 1841 in Fenton, Staffordshire - Church of England) married Jane Ford in 1862.
Elizabeth Harper (baptized 11 August 1844 in Fenton).
Thomas Harper (baptized 8 March 1846 in Fenton - died 1897) married Frances Elks 6 June 1865 in Edensor, Staffordshire.
Ellen Harper (baptized 3 March 1850 in Fenton) married Robert Powell 23 December 1871 in Fenton.
Jane Harper (baptized 27 June 1852 in Fenton) married Sampson Rowley in 1875.
Edward Harper (baptized 2 July 1854 in Fenton).
Evidence
Baptism (Whitmore, Staffordshire, 1802):
William S. of William & Sarah Harper Baptized June 10th
from Marriages solemnized in the Parish of Stone & Chapel of Fulford in the County of Stafford in the Year 1829:
William Harper of this Parish Labourer & Bachelor and Sarah Bradshaw of this Parish Spinster were married in this Chapel by Banns with Consent of [blank] this Twenty Second Day of February in the Year One thousand eight hundred and Twenty nine
By me Wm Oliver Perpetl Curate
This Marriage was solemnized between us William Harper’s mark X Sarah Bradshaw’s mk +
In the Presence of Thomas Harper’s mk + Ann Harper’s mk +
See Sarah Bradshaw's page for the baptisms of the children William had with her.
Stoke at Fenton Church register:
When Baptized: 1841 Aug.st 8.th
Child’s Christian Name: John
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harpur
Abode: Pear Trees Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Labourer
By whom the Ceremony was performed: R.B. Baker
When Baptized: 1844 August 11.th
Child’s Christian Name: Elizabeth
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harpur
Abode: Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Labourer
By whom the Ceremony was performed: W Soltis
When Baptized: 1846 March 8.th
Child’s Christian Name: Thomas
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harpur
Abode: Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Labourer
By whom the Ceremony was performed: W Soltis
When Baptized: 1850 Mar: 3.rd
Child’s Christian Name: Ellen daughter of
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harper
Abode: Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Carter
By whom the Ceremony was performed: W. Murray
When Baptized: 1852 June 27.
Child’s Christian Name: Jane
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harper
Abode: Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Labourer
By whom the Ceremony was performed: Hy. J. Knight Curate
When Baptized: 1854 July 2nd
Child’s Christian Name: Edward
Parent’s Name: William & Ellen Harpur
Abode: Fenton
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Carter
By whom the Ceremony was performed: W. Soltis
1841 census of England (Fenton Vivian, Staffordshire)
Pear Trees
William Harper, 35, Labourer, Yes [“Yes” indicates born in Staffordshire]
Eleanor [Harper], 25, Yes
Anne [Harper], 11, Yes
William [Harper], 9, Yes
Chales [Harper], 6, Yes
1851 census of England (Fenton Vivian, Staffordshire)
Manor St.
William Harper, Head, Mar, 48, Labourer, [born Staffordshire] Whitmore
Ellen [Harper], Wife, 39, [born Staffordshire] Buckwall
Charles [Harper], Son, 16, Warehouseman, [born Staffordshire] Fenton
John [Harper], Son, 9, [Warehouseman], [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Elizabeth [Harper], Daur, 6, Scholar, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Thomas [Harper], Son, 5, [Scholar], [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Ellen [Harper], Daur, 1, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
1861 census of England (Fenton, Staffordshire)
6 Side of Manor Street
William Harper, Head, Widr, 57, Potters Waggoner, [born Staffordshire] Whitmore
Charles [Harper], Son, Un, 26, [Potters] Millman, [born Staffordshire] Fenton
Thomas [Harper], Son, Un, 15, [Potters] Handler App, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Ellen [Harper], Daur, 11, Scholar, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Jane [Harper], Daur, 8, Scholar, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
1871 census of England (Fenton, Staffordshire)
Manor Street
William Harper, Head, Mar, 68, Potters Labourer, [born] Staffordsh Whitmore
Charles [Harper], Son, Un, 36, [Potters Labourer], [born Staffordsh] Fenton
Ellen [Harper], dau, [un], 21, [Potters] Warehousewoman, [born Staffordshire Fenton]
Jane [Harper], Daur, 18, [Potters] Paintress, [born Staffordsh Fenton]
References
"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NKZ9-89K : accessed 12 Apr 2014), William Harper and Sarah Bradshaw, 22 Feb 1829; citing Fulford,Stafford,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 426546, 435859.
Fenton, Staffordshire, parish registers, digital images available for a fee on Findmypast.co.uk (accessed 16 January 2015).
GRO index, Marriages Mar 1840, Stoke On Trent, Volume 17, page 179. General Register Office. England and Wales. Civil Registration Certificates. (London, United Kingdom: General Register Office).
Whitmore, Staffordshire, parish registers. [Digital images on Findmypast.co.uk, accessed 7 November 2015]
William Harper household, 1841 census of England. Staffordshire, Stoke upon Trent, Fenton, Stoke upon Trent; HO107, piece 990, book 6, folio 11, page 15, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 12 April 2014).
William Harper household, 1851 census of England. Staffordshire, Stoke upon Trent, Fenton, ED 9b, piece 2006, folio 455, page 4, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 12 April 2014).
William Harper household, 1861 census of England. Staffordshire, Stoke upon Trent, Fenton, ED 4, piece 1940, folio 86, page 19, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1861; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 12 April 2014).
William Harper household, 1871 census of England. Staffordshire, Stoke upon Trent, Fenton, ED 4, piece 2872, folio 109, page 47, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1871; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 12 April 2014).
GRO index, Deaths Mar 1878, Stoke upon Trent, Volume 6b, page 167. General Register Office. England and Wales. Civil Registration Certificates. (London, United Kingdom: General Register Office).
Marriages solemnized in the Parish of Stone & Chapel of Fulford. Digital images on Findmypast.co.uk accessed 11 March 2018.