Sturges, William

William STURGES (1799 - 1855) and Elizabeth MARTIN (1803 - 1855)

my 3g-grandparents

William STURGES, father of Emanuel STURGES, was baptized on 6 Jul 1799 in Horbling, Lincolnshire, England. He married Elizabeth MARTIN on 30 Dec 1822, in Haccoby, Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. Elizabeth MARTIN was christened on 31 Aug 1803 in Haccoby, the daughter of John MARTIN and Esther LANE.

The death of William STURGESS, recorded in Bourne District in Mar 1855, is probably our William, although another death of a William STURGES is recorded in Apr-May-Jun 1857, in Spalding, about 10 miles west of Hacconby. There was also an Elizabeth STURGESS who died in Jan-Feb-Mar 1855, in the Bourne District. So it seems likely that William and Elizabeth both died in early 1855. At least we can be sure they were still living in 1851, since they appear in the census, below. There is some suggestion that he was the William STURGES who emigrated to America in 1859. (see below)

English Census Data

The 1841 England Census has the STURGESS family in Hacconby (also called Haconby). They had 5 children. In the 1851 England Census they are still in Hacconby, with only 3 children. William Jr (22) and John (16) have left home. James is 11 but should be 21, and Jane is 5 but should be 13.

Hacconby and Horbling

Descendants

William and Elizabeth had about 8 children, in Hacconby. Most of them immigrated to America. Several settled in northeastern IL, one went to NY, and another ended up in NE.

1 William STURGIS b: 06 Jul 1799 in Horbling, Lincolnshire, England, d: Mar 1855 in Lincolnshire
... + Elizabeth MARTIN b: 31 Aug 1803 in Hacconby, m: 30 Dec 1822 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England
......2 Ann STURGES b: 25 Jan 1824 in Hacconby, d: 1894
......2 Emanuel STURGES b: 19 Sep 1825 in Hacconby, d: 20 Sep 1902 in Lily Lake, Kane, IL
...... + Margaret SHARKEY b: Jan 1837 in Northern Ireland, m: 24 Apr 1860 in Sycamore, DeKalb, IL, d: 27 Sep 1909 in Lily Lake, Kane, IL
......2 William STURGES b: 01 Aug 1828 in Hacconby, d: 09 Dec 1892 in Batavia, Kane, IL
...... + Susan E. MOULDS m: 28 Apr 1851 in England, d: Jul 1854 in Batavia, IL
...... + Isabella PERRY m: 21 Jul 1861 in Kane, IL, d: Oct 1863 in DeKalb, IL
...... + Ann WELCHBORN b: 25 Mar 1830 in County Wicklow, Ireland, m: 04 Jul 1865 in Kane, IL
......2 Jane STURGES b: 19 Sep 1830 in Hacconby, d: Dec 1891 in Victor, DeKalb, IL
...... + Lewis BEND b: 05 Jan 1831 in Lincolnshire, England, m: 01 Sep 1852 in OH, d: 1910
......2 John STURGES b: 28 Apr 1833 in Hacconby, d: bef. 09 Aug 1835 in Hacconby
......2 John STURGES b: 9 Aug 1835 in Hacconby, d: 17 Apr 1909 in Romulus, Seneca, NY
...... + Bridget ROONEY b: Mar 1837 in Ireland, m: 1864, d: 1909
......2 James STURGES b: 03 Jun 1838 in Hacconby, d: 17 May 1895 in Hacconby
......2 Robert STURGES b: 26 Apr 1840 in Hacconby, d: 11 Jun 1901 in Franklin, Franklin, NE
...... + Sarah A. BIRD b: 25 Dec 1856 in Canada, m: 25 Dec 1875 in Batavia, Kane, IL, d: 04 Apr 1924 in Franklin, NE

DNA Data

AncestryDNA tells me that several of my close matches (distant cousins) independently trace their ancestry to William and Elizabeth, through children other than Emanuel. There are 2 descendants of William Jr, with 14 and 22 cM in common with me, and 6 descendants of Jane, with 10, 14, 14, 16, 18, and 43 cM, and 3 descendants of Robert, with 10, 14 and 24 cM. This provides good evidence that William Sr and Elizabeth are my ancestors.

Immigration

A single man of 25, Emanuel STURGES of Lincolnshire, England, emigrated to America, departing from Liverpool and arriving in NY on 3 Mar 1851. He traveled on the ship Princeton, with "a party of friends." See the Emanuel STURGES page. Just 3 months later, William STURGIS, age 22, and his wife Susan, age 20, also arrived in NY.

On 7 Nov 1859, William STURGES Sr arrived in New York, along with 2 teenagers, Robert and Jane. Then in 1861, John M. STURGES arrived.

In the following sections, I will try to follow each of the children of William STURGES Sr and Elizabeth MARTIN.

Families of the 8 Children

1. Ann STURGES was christened on 25 Jan 1824 in Hacconby, and lived in Hacconby all her life. She was still living in 1891, as shown in the census, below.

Ann's daughter, Jane STURGES, was christened on 2 Nov 1845, in Hacconby. The father is not known, and Ann does not seem to have been married at the time. Jane STURGES later emigrated to America, with her grandfather and uncle. (Thanks to Martha El-Maguid for figuring this out!)

Another child, William STIRGUES, was born to Ann STIRGUES, and christened on 13 Aug 1854, in Hacconby. The birth of a William STURGESS was registered in Bourne District, Jul-Aug-Sep 1852. Also recorded is the death of a William STURGES in Apr-May-Jun 1857, in Spalding, about 10 miles west of Hacconby.

In 1861, Ann was still single, a housekeeper for a carpenter, Joseph PALE or PELL and his 2 sons. In Oct 1862, at age 38, Ann married Joseph L. PELL. Joseph was born about 1826-9, possibly in Essendine, Stamford, about 9 miles southwest of Hacconby.

In 1881 they lived on Hanthorpe Road, Hacconby, with Ann's brother, James.

Joseph's son Johnson L. PELL, who was 34 in 1891, is probably the L. PALE who was 7 in 1861. So it doesn't look like Ann and Joseph had any children together, but they had each had 2 children before they married.

1 Ann STURGES chr: 25 Jan 1824 in Lincolnshire, England, d: 1894, age 70+

+ unknown

......2 Jane STURGES chr: 02 Nov 1845 in Hacconby, Lincolnshire, England

......2 William STURGES chr: 13 Aug 1854 in Hacconby, Lincolnshire, England, d: Bet. Apr–Jun 1857 in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, age 2+

+ Joseph L. PELL b: Bet. 1826–1829 in Essendine, Rutland, England, m: Oct 1862

2. Emanuel STURGES was born 19 Sep 1825 in Hacconby, and died 20 Sep 1902 in Lily Lake, Kane, IL. He married Margaret SHARKEY on 24 April 1860 in Sycamore, De Kalb, IL. Margaret SHARKEY was born in Jan 1837 in Ireland.

Emanuel and Margaret were my gg-grandparents. See the Emanuel STURGES page.

3. William STURGES Jr was born 1 Aug 1828 in Hacconby. He married (1) Susan E. MOULDS, and (2) Isabella PERRY, and (3) Ann DUSOLD. He only had 2 children: Robert STURGES, probably named after William's brother, 10 years younger, was the son of William and Susan; Esther STURGES was the daughter of William and Ann.

William married Susan E. MOULDS on 28 Apr 1851 in England. William was 22 and Susan was 20. Soon after they were married, William and Susan left England on the ship Meridian, arriving in New York on 17 Jun 1851. They made their way to Illinois, where their son Robert was born in 1852. They settled in Virgil Township, Kane County, Illinois, where William's brother Emanuel STURGES had also settled.

Susan (MOULDS) STURGES died in Jul 1854 in Batavia, Kane, IL, aged 23.

Also in the household in 1860 is a widow, Susanna WOOSTER. She is not William's or Susan's mother, since she was born in Vermont.

William married again in Kane County, 21 Jul 1861, to Isabella PERRY.

William STURGIS registered for the draft in the Civil War. This was dated Jun 1863, and it says he was married at that time. However, her gravestone indicates that Isabella died in 1863.

William married for the 3rd time on 4 Jul 1865, in Kane County, Illinois, to Ann DUSOLD/DEAUSOLD.

In 1870, William has moved to Ford County, IL. Robert is now 18, and this census says he was born in NY, not IL. Emma and Lewis are Ann's children from a previous marriage, perhaps adopted by William. They went by the name DRISKL in 1880. Esther is the child of William and Ann. William can't read or write, Ann can read but can't write. The 2nd William's age is hard to read. The transcriber at Ancestry has 70, and the one at Familysearch has 0. But he was born in England, so it seems doubtful that he was an infant. If he was 70, he must be William STURGES Sr. This is more evidence that William Sr immigrated, although I don't know where he was in 1860, or when or where he died. The last one listed is the 2nd Robert, William's brother.

In 1880 William and Ann have moved to Kane County, in the same township as Emanuel STURGES. This census says they are both unable to read or write. This census gives relationships, and we find that Amelia and Louis are stepchildren of William, so they are Ann's children from a previous marriage. Amelia in 1880 must be Emma in 1870, and Louis in 1880 is Lewis in 1870. Only Ester/Esther is the child of William and Ann.

The 1880 Census has Robert STURGES, the son of William Jr, in Campton Township, with a wife and 4 small children. The youngest child was born in Kansas, so the family must have been there in Dec 1879.

William STURGES Jr shares a modern gravestone with his 3 wives, in East Batavia Cemetery, Batavia, Kane, IL. The inscriptions:

Esther STURGES, daughter of William STURGES Jr and Ann DUSOLD, married Albert OTTO on 16 Dec 1891, according to DeKalb County Marriage Records.

In the 1900 Census, Albert and Esther have 2 children. The census says they have been married 9 years, consistent with the marriage record. Esther has had 2 children, both still living, and they are Mabell and Minnie. Albert is a Farmer, with a mortgaged farm. Living with the family is Ann STURGES, Esther's mother. She is a widow, as her husband William died in 1892. Her occupation is Landlord, but it is not clear what property she owned. Presumably the farm inherited from William.

1 William STURGES b: 01 Aug 1828 in Hacconby, d: 09 Dec 1892 in Batavia, Kane, IL

... + Susan E. MOULDS m: 28 Apr 1851 in England, d: Jul 1854 in Batavia, IL

......2 Robert STURGES b: 1852 in IL

...... + Barbara Ellen b: 1856 in IN

... + Isabella PERRY m: 21 Jul 1861 in Kane, IL, d: Oct 1863 in De Kalb, IL

... + Ann WELCHBORN b: 25 Mar 1830 in County Wicklow, Ireland, m: 04 Jul 1865 in Kane, IL

......2 Esther M. STURGES b: 1867 in IL

...... + Albert OTTO m: 16 Dec 1891 in DeKalb, IL

4. Jane STURGES was christened 19 Sep 1830 in Hacconby. She immigrated to America before 1 Sep 1852, when she married Lewis BEND. They settled in Illinois by 1853, settled in Victor Township, DeKalb County, Illinois, near where Jane's brother William STURGES Jr lived.

The census taker in 1860 was a little sloppy. Lewiz BOND is Lewis BEND, and Jarn is Jane. The family has apparently been in Illinois since about 1853. Lewis is a Farmer, with no real estate, and $300 personal estate.

In 1870 the BEND family is still in Victor. Lewis BEND is a Farmer, with real estate valued at $8,000 and personal estate $1,400. The eldest child, Mary, was born in England. She was called Margaret in the 1860 census, and her birthplace was Illinois.

The 1880 census has the BEND family still in Victor, with 7 children at home. This census says that Jane cannot read or write.

In 1900 Lewis BEND is a widower, with 3 grown children and one grandson at home. He owns his farm, free of mortgage. Lewis immigrated to the US in 1852, and has been in the US 48 years.

1 Jane STURGES b: 19 Sep 1830 in Lincolnshire, England, d: Dec 1891 in Victor, De Kalb, IL, age 61

+ Lewis BEND b: 05 Jan 1831 in Edenham, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England, m: 01 Sep 1852 in OH, d: 05 Jun 1910 in DeKalb, IL, age 79

......2 Mary Margaret Ann BEND b: 03 Feb 1853 in Haconby, Lincolnshire, England, d: 20 Oct 1909 in Victor, DeKalb, IL, age 56

...... + Thomas Thornhill WILLSON b: 08 Mar 1834 in Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire, England, m: 03 May 1877, d: 12 Jan 1911 in Victor, DeKalb, IL, age 74

......2 Lewis W. BEND b: 1856, d: 1887 in IL, age 31

...... + Ida WIGTON b: 25 May 1859 in Shabbona Grove, DeKalb, IL, d: 09 Sep 1924 in Saline, KS, age 65

......2 John Thomas BEND b: 1862 in DeKalb, IL, d: 04 Aug 1939 in NE, age 77

...... + Esther A. CLAPSADDLE b: Mar 1864 in DeKalb, IL, d: 11 Dec 1904 in Dawson, NE, age 40

......2 Emma Louise BEND b: 13 Jul 1864 in DeKalb, IL, d: 08 Aug 1922 in Leland, La Salle, IL, age 58

...... + Christian W. VONOHLEN b: 12 Nov 1862 in DeKalb, IL, d: 26 Aug 1926 in Sandwich, Dekalb, IL, age 63

......2 Esther Emily BEND b: 04 Feb 1866 in Kane, IL, d: 23 Jan 1942 in WA, age 75

...... + Franklin David "Frank" WELLS b: 05 Apr 1869 in Sandwich, Dekalb, IL, m: 08 Mar 1892 in Victor, DeKalb, IL, d: 11 May 1940 in Marysville, Snohomish, WA, age 71

......2 Rosella Lillie "Rose" BEND b: Jan 1868 in IL

......2 Joseph J. BEND b: 20 Mar 1870 in DeKalb, IL, d: 24 Jan 1957 in DeKalb, IL, age 86

...... + Eliza Loretta ARNOLD b: 19 Jan 1878 in IA, d: 12 Mar 1937 in IL, age 59

......2 Metta J. BEND b: 1872 in IL, d: 1885, age 13

......2 Lucy Ella BEND b: 08 Oct 1873 in DeKalb, IL, d: 18 Feb 1959 in Waterman, DeKalb, IL, age 85

...... + Arthur Lemuel PARKS b: 03 Apr 1869 in DeKalb, IL, d: 06 Aug 1934 in Brewton, Escambia, AL, age 65

Lucy Ella (BEND) PARKS (1873 - 1959)

The article is from the DeKalb County Express (Shabbona, IL) Thursday, 26 Feb 1959

5. John STURGES was christened 28 Apr 1833 in Hacconby, and died before 9 Aug 1835 in Hacconby.

6. John STURGES was christened 9 Aug 1835 in Hacconby. I believe he is the same John M. STURGES who arrived in New York in 1861. John married Bridget ROONEY about 1864.

There were several John STURGESes in New York who fought in the Civil War. One John S. STURGES was born in England, 1835, enlisted in 1861, deserted rejoined several times.

The 1870 US Census finds John STURGES in Romulus, NY. He has a wife, Bridget, and 3 children, all born in New York. John is the owner of real estate valued at $1425 and personal estate $430.

The 1900 US Census has John and Mary with 3 of their single, grown children. John is a Farmer, with a mortgaged farm, and his son Thomas is a Farm Laborer. Bridget has had 3 children, all still living. This must be a mistake, as there were 5 children in 1880. John and Bridget have been married 36 years, so they were married about 1864. John immigrated in 1850, and Bridget in 1860. The record further states that John has been in the US 49 years, and Bridget 40 years. If all this is accurate, John immigrated in the latter part of 1850, after 8 Jun, when he was 14 or 15.

The birthdate of Feb 1874 for Thomas STURGES that appears in the 1900 Census, 1873 calculated from the 1880 Census, and 1875 from the 1905 Census, conflict with the date 19 Feb 1877 in the Social Security Application he made in Jun 1942.

John and Bridget STURGES share a gravestone in Holy Cross Cemetery, Ovid, Seneca, NY. The inscription:

1 John STURGES b: 09 Aug 1835 in Hacconby, d: 17 Apr 1909 in Romulus, Seneca, NY

... + Bridget ROONEY b: Mar 1837 in Ireland, m: 1864, d: 1909

......2 Mary STURGES b: Feb 1866 in NY

......2 Helen STURGES b: 1867 in NY

......2 Elizabeth STURGES b: Feb 1870 in NY

......2 Thomas STURGES b: 19 Feb 1877 in Romulus Tuce, NY

......2 Jennie STURGES b: Feb 1878 in NY

7. James STURGES was christened on 3 Jun 1838 in Hacconby. He served as a Private in the British military for almost 20 years, in various far-flung parts of the British Empire.

I received electronic copies of 7 pages of records on James' from Martha El-Maguid. Too much to post here, but email me if you would like to see them. I will give my brief and imperfect interpretation, below.

Records have James STURGES or STURGESS, born in Parish of Hackenby, near the town of Burn, in the county of Lincoln. That's close enough to Hacconby, near Bourne.

James first enlisted as No. 2153 in Royal North Lincoln Regiment of Militia on 1 Aug 1857. He was released on 30 Aug 1858, having served 328 days after age 18, on the condition that he was to enlist in the 13th Foot Regiment.

He enlisted as No. 2039 in the 2nd Battalion, 13th Foot, on 31 Aug 1858. He was tried and imprisoned for "Loosing Appointments" from 7 May 1860 to 9 Jun 1860. He also seems to have received several commendations for good behavior, and lost a few days' pay for misbehavior.

He was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope for 4 years and 1 month - I think this corresponds to the period from 10 Jun 1860 to 19 Aug 1864, a total of 4 years and 41 days, overlapping the period of the American Civil War. The Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Colony, at the southern tip of Africa, was a British Colony from 1806 to 1910, but became self-governing in 1872.

James served another 4 years and 4 months in Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, a British Colony from 1810 to 1968.

He was transferred to the 44th Regiment on 31 Aug 1871, and served until discharged on 17 Jun 1878. This seems to correspond roughly to the 6 years and 4 months that he served in the East Indies (probably referring to the British East Indies, now called Malaysia).

James suffered many illnesses in his military service, including dysentery, jaundice and ague, probably caused by malaria. At his discharge in 1878, he had severe problems with his eyesight in both eyes. In the space for intended residence, Hackenbery was crossed out, replaced by Stainfield near Bourne. Stainfield is a village, about 1 mile west of Hacconby.

In 1881 and 1891, James was living with his sister Ann, and her husband, in Hacconby, as shown above.

8. Robert STURGES was christened on 28 Apr 1840 in Hacconby. He immigrated at age 19, arriving in New York in the ship James Foster Jr, along with William and Jane STURGES, on 7 Nov 1859.

The 1860 Census has Robert in Romulus, NY, where his brother John also settled. He was a Farm Laborer, living with the family of Augustus KINNAN, a Carpenter.

In 1870 Robert was living with his brother William and family. In 1873 he bought some land.

Robert STURGES married Sarah/Sara BIRD in Kane County, IL, 1875. He was about 35 and she was about 19.

At some point, Robert STURGES moved his family to Nebraska.

This may not be the right Robert STURGES. The wife and children don't match other records. If it's not the right family, then I don't know where our Robert STURGES was between 1875 and 1900.

By 1900 Robert and Sarah had moved to Nebraska. They had been married 24 years. Sarah had 6 children, with 5 still living. Sarah was born in (Eng) Canada, which I think is the English part of Canada, or Upper Canada, which became Ontario. Robert had been in the US 41 years, so he immigrated about 1859, consistent with the passenger list, at the top of this page. Sarah cannot read or write. Robert is a Farmer, with a rented farm.

Robert STURGES shares a gravestone with his wife, Sarah BIRD, in Greenwood Cemetery, Franklin County, NE. The inscription:

William STURGES (1877 - 1944): left, with his wife Goldie, middle, in a saloon, and right, with two of his sisters.

1 Robert STURGES b: 26 Apr 1840 in Hacconby, d: 11 Jun 1901 in Franklin, Franklin, NE

... + Sarah A. BIRD b: 25 Dec 1856 in Canada, m: 25 Dec 1875 in Batavia, Kane, IL, d: 04 Apr 1924 in Franklin, NE

......2 William STURGES b: 20 Jan 1877 in Leland, La Salle, IL, d: 19 Dec 1944 in Omaha, Douglas, NE

...... + Goldie Mae JONES m: 1906

......2 Eliza Jane STURGES b: 29 Dec 1884 in Franklin, NE, d: 14 Jan 1971 in Franklin, NE

...... + Charles BOYCE m: 09 Sep 1904 in Hiawatha, Brown, KS, d: Bef. 14 Jan 1971

......2 Mary STURGES b: Nov 1891 in NE, d: Aft. 19 Dec 1944

...... + Fred HUDSON

...... + EVANS

......2 Robert STURGES b: Oct 1897 in NE, d: Aft. 14 Jan 1971

......2 Unknown STURGES

...... + Nels C. JENSEN

Sources

[BWS] Brudenell Web Site

[BRK] The Biographical record of Kane County, Illinois, 1898

[CBH] Commemorative Biographical and Historical Record of Kane County, Illinois, 1888, by Legget Beers

[CM] The History of Haconby, in The Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 40 (1879) pp. 707-721

[DKI] Atlas and plat book of De Kalb County, Illinois (1929)

[HDI] History of DeKalb County, Illinois, 1868, by Henry L. Boies

[KCI] History of Kane County, Ill. (1908) Vol 1 Vol 2

[LBW] Lewis Bend's will (117 images)

[PBA] Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois, 1885

[PPD] Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, 1907, by Lewis M. Gross

[S70] 1856 Map of Britain, Sheet 70

[SCM] Maps of Seneca County, NY

[SFW] The Sturges Family website

[SLR] Digital Archives of the Shabbona-Lee-Rollo Historical Museum

[VBTT] A Vision of Britain Through Time

Updated 16 Mar 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.