1610 John’s Brothers-in-Law

So now we’ve seen 1610 John WILCOCKSON’s Will and his Surrender of Biggin copyholds to son and heir George. But these do not tell us about John’s own origins. So let’s start to examine the clues we can see in these key documents and how they might help demolish the brick wall.

As mentioned in a previous post, George SOMERS and Lawrence MORE are named in 1610 John’s Will as his brothers-in-law. Normally, any mention in an early Will of relations beyond spouse or children means punch-the-air time but in this case, not.

The term “Brother-in-law” in 1610 could mean:

  • Brother of spouse
  • Husband of sister
  • Husband of spouse’s sister
  • Half-brother (sharing only one parent with the testator)
  • Related via marriages of their children to each other
  • or almost any other kind of relationship that they lacked a term for then.

So let’s try unpacking the possibilities.

Brothers of spouse/s

How could George SOMERS and Lawrence MORE both be (full) brothers of 1610 John’s spouse? Taken literally, that’s not possible. So we have to dig and speculate further.

  • Perhaps 1610 John married more than once, to a SOMERS then a MORE (or vice versa) and perhaps a third time to Ann-Amy. This is possible.
  • Or perhaps Ann-Amy was a SOMERS by birth (with a brother George) but married a MORE (whose brother was Lawrence) then was widowed before marrying 1610 John (or vice versa). It feels far-fetched.
  • Perhaps Ann-Amy had been married and widowed twice before 1610 John, to a SOMERS and a MORE. Since we have evidence she married one or two more men after 1610 John died, that would be a challenging 4-5 marriages for her.

Husbands of sisters / husbands of spouse’s sisters

This does seem a more likely scenario, that either 1610 John or wife Ann-Amy had two sisters (or one each) who married George SOMERS and Lawrence MORE. Sadly we have no marriages to help with this, no knowledge of Ann-Amy’s surname or family, and no explicit helpfulness in the Wills of George SOMERS and Lawrence MORE (see Abstracts). However, it looks likely that George SOMERS married Elizabeth THACKER on 16 May 1585 at Ashbourne – he names a wife Elizabeth in his Will, and a Ralph THACKER was an Inventory appraiser. From Lawrence MORE’s Will, it seems likely his wife Jane was a WHITEHALL. So it’s hard to make husbands-of-sisters or husbands-of-spouse’s sisters work as explanations of the term ‘brothers-in-law’.

Half-brothers

In an age when early deaths (and spousal remarriages) were common, not only for women in and after childbirth but for men as well, complicated families could result equal to those we have nowadays in our age of divorces.

Evidence shows that testators in this period did sometimes refer to half-sibs as ‘in-laws’. If 1610 John had just one brother-in-law, this notion would seem perfectly possible, but two is pushing the chances, ie. three marriages for the shared parent/s. Unless perhaps George and Lawrence weren’t blood related, ie. they were children already born to two spouses of the shared parent. Sorry – this can get brain-cracking so I won’t even try to describe the various scenarios a multi-marrying parent might have produced. But I have seen examples of families like this before, so this explanation can’t be ruled out.

Related by marriages of children

This option seems unlikely because we know from his Will that all of 1610 John’s children were minors except (1) Elizabeth aged between 21 and 25 but she didn’t have a married name; (2) eldest son George whose first wife was Catherine BONSOL (widow of Thomas BONSOL who died in 1604 leaving Catherine with 5 BONSOL children). George and Catherine married in Wirksworth in 1608. So, for this option to work, Catherine would have to be a daughter of George SOMERS or Lawrence MORE. But both men’s Wills lack any mention of a daughter Catherine or grandchildren named WILCOCKSON or BONSALL, and neither mention each other’s surname of SOMERS and MORE.

Conclusion: The statement in 1610 John’s Will that George SOMERS and Lawrence MORE are his brothers-in-law leads us (on present evidence) precisely nowhere. All possible (even seemingly impossible) explanations are possible. However, it’s clear that the men were important to John, so we’ll take a closer look at them next.

1610 John – Boonie Brickwall

There are so many Johns in the Boonie Wilcockson direct line, we’ve had to give them nicknames. Furthest back is the solid brickwall of “1610 John”, so-called because he died in 1610 (between 1st and 7th February 1609/10). That approximate death date, the approximate name of his wife when he died (it’s Ann or Amy or both), a list of 9 children in his Will (for whom we have no other info) and a few manorial records = the sum total of what we definitely know about him. We have no birth or baptism, no marriage/s, not even a burial for 1610 John.

So how do we know he is the Boonie brickwall?

We have John’s Will written on 1 Feb 1609/10. His Inventory was taken on 7 Feb 1609/10, that’s how we know when he died, even though we have no burial record in any of the nearby parishes. We also have some important manor court records.

So let’s start this consideration of 1610 John with a verbatim transcript of his Will:

Will of John WILCOCKSON yeoman of Biggin in parish of Wirksworth, Derbys

Written: 1 Feb 1609/10
Proved: At Derby, 24 May 1611
Repository: Staffs RO, ref: B/C/11
Verbatim transcript by Celia Renshaw from images of original probate documents on file (also downloadable from Findmypast)

Note: there is a large ink blot in the centre of lines 9-14 and a seam-tear in the middle of the top half of the page.

The first day of Februarie 1609 In the seaventh yeare of the Raigne of (our) Sovrgne Lord King James of England etc.

In the name of god Amen I John WILCOCKSON of Byggen in the county of Darby yeoman being at this present sick & weak in body but of good & perfect remembrance I thank god do hereby ordaine constitute & make this my last will & testament. Concerneing my goods & chattels, payement of my debts & dischargeing of such legacies as I hereafter [faded word] do set downe & despose & for some provisione for porcions for my children in manner & forme followeinge. First I give & bequeath to Thomas WILCOCKSON my sonne foure pounds to be paid him when he shall accomplishe the age of xxi years. I do likewise give & bequeath to my sonne John xxs to be payd him when he shall likewise accomplishe the age of xxi years & further will that he shall be kept to learning in such [gap] as my Executors shalbe able. Itm I do give to William my fourth sonne iiid to be payde him [gap] (child)ren: viz: Joseph, Ellen & Sara every one of them vis viiiid (6s 4d) when they shall accomplishe [gap] years. And as touching & concerneing the residue of my goods moveable & immoveable I [gap] funeral charges being payd & discharged that the third part of the same [tear] & remayne to [gap] wiffe & the other towe parts to Dorrathy & Elizabeth my towe eldest daughters equallie to be devided amongst them. Dorrothy my eldest daughter to have the part payd her when she shall accomplishe the age of xxv (25) years. And I also will that Elizabeth my second daughter have her parte when she shall come to or accomplishe the age of xxi (21) years. Itm I give to my eldest sonne George to whom I have surrendered my Coppiehold lands iiis iiiid (6s 4d). And principallie & lastlie I give & commend my soule to almighty god the Creator & redeemer & my body to the earth from whence it came & to be buried in the Church or churchyard where I am Parishener. Itm ?smallie & lastlie I do ordaine constitute & make the sayd Anne [looks like Amy] my wiffe my sole Executor of this my last will & testament. And do commit trust & appoint George WILCOCKSON my sonne & Georg SOMERS & Lawrence MORE my brothers in lawe to be overseeers of the same & give ——-ance? to the perf(romance) of the same. In wittnes thereof I the sayd John WILCOCKSON have putt my hand & seale the day & yeare above written.

Sealed Subscribed & delivered as the last will of the testator in the presence of Alkman LEES, Georg SOMERS.

Inventory
One Inventorie of the goods & chattels of John WILCOXON of Bigginge in the County of Darby and parishe of Wirkesworth yeoman diceased the vii th daye of Februarie 1609.

In primis the Testator his Apparell …………………………………………… 20s
Itm one Cupbord with bordes frames coffers lowmes peales ……..]
one chorne chears & stooles dishes trenchers and all ……………….] £10 3s 4d
other his wooden stuffe exept the bed …………………………………….]
vi bedsteedds ……………………………………………………………………….. 20s
Itm ii potts ii pannes & ii kettles …………………………………………….. 33s 4d
Itm a dussen puter dishes a sault & a candelsticke a dusse nof puter –rs?… 10s
Itm ii featherbeds ii matarysses ii pillows iiii bolsters ………………… £3 6s 8d
Itm vi coverlids & iiii blanketts ……………………………………………….. 30s
Itm iiii payre of flaxen sheets & vi payre of canvas shetts …………. 33s 7d
Itm a paynted cloth ………………………………………………………………. 3d
Itm ii broches one payre of coberts one landforme racks
potthocks tongys …………………………………………………………………… 6s 9d
Itm ii hattchetts & a bill …………………………………………………………. 20s
Itm one ould wayne ii yolks one farm leame? One plough
ii horse harrowes …………………………………………………………………… 30s
Itm iiii keyne & ii wayning caulfes …………………………………………… £9
Itm iiii three year old heifers & ii stirks ……………………………………. £10
Itm xvi shepe ……………………………………………………………………….. 3 4s
Itm one horse ………………………………………………………………………. 33s 4d
Itm one boar & viii piggs ……………………………………………………….. 13s 4d
Itm corne & haye ………………………………………………………………….. ? 50s
                                                                                Some is £41 15s 11d

Praysde the vii th daye of februarie
By Alkman LEES, William WILCOXON, Anthony BLACKWALL, Robert HUTCHINSON

Act Book entry (SRO ref. Act Books, 1591-1612, v.9-11), p155b
In Latin: Testamentus Johannis WILCOXSON dum vixit de Biggen parochia Wirkesworth defuncti per Annam (looks like Amiam) eius Relictam executrixis in forma inius jurat &c.
Translation: Will of John WILCOXSON who lived in Biggin in the parish of Wirksworth deceased by Ann (or is it Amy?) his relict, the executrix, according to her oath &c.

Probate (in Latin) awarded to the Executrix named in the Will. Richard SPICER stands surety, Minister of Kirk Ireton. Ann to have responsibility for minor children Thomas, John, Dorothy, Elizabeth, Joseph, Ellena and Sara [the name of William, after Dorothy,  may be lost beneath the Surrogate’s signature, which is illegible]

Duffield Fee Manor Records

There are a lot of clues to pick up from that Will, but first let’s check out the “Copiehold lands” that John says he’s already arranged for son George to inherit.

The hamlet and manor of Biggin lay within a part of the world called Duffield Fee, which was a collection of manors all owned by the monarch and managed together on his or her behalf by a Steward and Deputy Steward. Extensive, detailed records exist for the Fee and those who lived in its manors, including over 60 Court Books at Derbyshire Record Office and many more at the National Archives in Kew. Duffield Fee Manor Records are a gift beyond gratitude for what they tell us about Wilcocksons over the centuries. A great deal more manor information will be posted here in the future.

For now, here is the ‘Surrender’ by 1610 John and his wife Amy/Anne which conveyed the family ‘copyholds’ in Biggin to his son George – first my verbatim transcript (ie. attempted translation from Latin), then a summary:

DUFFIELD FEE Small Court held on 22 Oct 1608, pp243-4: Holland and Biggin – To this court came John WILCOCKSON and Ann his wife in their own persons (Ann being interviewed separately etc) and as for and in part fulfilling and performing that agreement contained and specified in a certain Indenture [herein otherwise shown] had and made between the said John and Ann on the one part and George WILCOCKSON the son and heir apparent of John on the other part [two lines I can’t make out] surrendered into the hands of the Lord King of the said manor by the rod according to the custom of the said manor all that messuage and tenement in Bigging aforesaid in which James STORER late lived and two crofts and curtilages of John in Bigging aforesaid, one called Le Dockeyard and the other called Le Litleyard, and one orchard there and one divided toft and [something?] above… messuage lately appertaining all which premises were lately occupied by the said James and one other close or parcel of land called Marlowfield and one other parcel of land or close called Marlowfield Knoll and one other close or parcel of land called Hitchfield meadow and one other parcel of land called Hitchfield Knoll and one piece lately called or known by the name of Willshawe Piece and one other land of the said John in the Netherfield or Dronfield in Bigging aforesaid lately in tenure or occupation of the said John WILCOCKSON or his assigns with all ways, commodities, easements, profits and appurtenances to the said premises belonging or appertaining and the dwellinghouse of the said John with the Orchard garden and curtilage to the same belonging and one close called Nether Furlong in Biging one close there called the Over Furlong one parcel of land called Greenewaiehead and one called the Rushbed and one other called the Marloefield Knoll one close called the Hitchfield Meadowe one close called Hitchfield Knoll one close or parcel called Willshawe piece and the mediety of one close of pasture called Roughe Marlowfield with all ways commodities ways easements profits and appurtenances and one close in Holland aforesaid called the Nyne Acres one close in Bigginge aforesaid called Loucher field and one close called Windells and one piece of one close called Ryddings lying in Bigging aforesaid one close called Le ?Neerer Marloefield and another mediety (in) Le roughe Marloefield and one land of the said John in Bigging in the Tannefield? there and a house with orchard & ….? curtilage belonging or appertaining [a section I can’t make out] with all ways commodities ways easements profits and appurtenances to the same appertaining… all and singular the other said messuage cottage toft land tenement and hereditaments by customary … under the Manor aforesaid and …. Ways, commodities, easements, profits and appurtenances to the said premises belonging and appertaining To the Use and Behoof of the said John, Anne and … To the uses intentions ….? conditions provisions and effects in the said Indenture declared, expressed and recounted… and after the performance (of the Indenture?) to the use of the heirs of the said John for ever… premises in Holland aforesaid containing … one Reeving Thing and the aforesaid premises in Bigging aforesaid containing by estimation also one Reeving Thing and (thereupon) at the instance of the said John the first proclamation was made of the said premises without reclaim, And at the small court of the Lord King held for the manor aforesaid at Chevinsyde aforesaid the 10th? day of December in the said year the second proclamation was made without reclaim, And at the small court of the Lord King held for the manor aforesaid at Chevinsyde aforesaid on the 7th day of January in the said year the third proclamation was made without reclaim and thereupon the said Lord King of the said manor by the said Deputy Steward of the said manor granted all and singular the said premises [as set out above?] to the said John WILCOCKSON and Anne and George WILCOCKSON the son and heir apparent of the said John and seisin of the same to the said George to the use of the said John, Anne and George by the rod delivered, To hold the same to the uses, intentions, limitations, conditions, provisions and effects in the said Indenture declared, specified and recounted [a scribbled section I can’t make out] in the form aforesaid by the rents, customs and services therefore to become due and by right accustomed according to the customs of the said manor, and the said John, Ann and George for their estate and entry thereinto gave the Lord King for a fine 23s 4d made their fealties and so were admitted tenants thereinto.

[From D1404/4 Duffield Fee Court Book (Jul 1605-Mar 1608) held at Derbys Record Office, Matlock]

And now, to turn that formulaic, antique language into modern sense:

Abstract: Holland and Biggin – John and Ann WILCOCKSON have made an Indenture with their son and heir George WILCOCKSON arranging his inheritance of their holdings in Biggin and Hulland. They now surrender for these purposes: In Biggin – the messuage where James STORER lived, 2 crofts called Le Dockeyard and Le Litleyard, one orchard, one divided toft, all lately occupied by James STORER, closes or lands called Marlowfield, Marlowfield Knoll, Hitchfield Meadow, Hitchfield Knoll, Willshawe Piece, and another in the Netherfield or Dronfield, all in the tenure of the said John WILCOCKSON, also John’s dwelling-house with orchard, garden & curtilage and closes called Nether Furlong, Over Furlong, Greenewaiehead, Rushbed, Marloefield Knoll, Hitchfield Meadow, Hitchfield Knoll, Willshawe Piece [repetition of field names in original surrender], parts of Roughe Marlowfield, Nyne Acres, Loucher Field, Windells, Ryddings, Le Neerer Marlowfield, land in the Tannefield, and a house with orchard &c and in Hulland: A close called Nyne Acres. After the usual 3 proclamations, John, Ann and George were all admitted to these holdings for these purposes.

Anyone impatient to understand more about manors can check out an excellent guide by the University of Nottingham Manuscripts & Special Collections Library: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/manorial/introduction.aspx

For now, let’s focus in on the field names in the Surrender that I have emboldened. Those fields were transmitted down the generations of 1610 John’s descendants, via Wills and Manor Surrenders, first to John’s son George, then to Ould John, to Cossall John, to Biggin John (Quaker George’s brother), to Young John, then to Young John’s daughter Mary and her daughter Susannah Wilcockson James before finally getting sold off by  Susannah’s husband, Rev William Rylance Melville, in 1887. And we can still trace those same fields and dwellings to the present day.

This is how we know that 1610 John is the Boonie brickwall ancestor – the lineage back to him is written in the very soil and fields of Biggin by Hulland in Derbyshire.

Crich and Hathersage Wills

Fresh Wilcockson Wills are coming in thick and fast.

Alan Wilcockson, researcher for many years of his Notts Wilcocksons, with earlier origins in the Crich area, has sent through his collection from Derbyshire, adding some for the Hope/Hathersage branch as well.

Click on the newly-updated Abstracts of Wilcockson Wills & Administrations, and you’ll find Alan’s abstracts for:

1553 Joan WYLCOKSON of Wheatcroft, Crich
1554 John WYLCOKSON of Over Holloway, Crich
1564 Robert WYLCOKSON of Over Holloway, Crich
1575 Ranf WYLCOKSON of Wheatcroft, Crich
1591 Anthony WILCOCKSON of Hathersage
1619 Richard WILCOCKSON husbandman of Hathersage
1625 Richard WILCOCKSON husbandman of Over Holloway, Crich
1636 Francis WILCOCKSON the elder of Hathersage
1649 Robert WILLCOCKSON of Over Holloway, Crich
1708 George WILCOCKSON husbandman of Holloway, Ashover
1709 Robert WILCOCKSON husbandman of Wheatcroft, Crich
1725 Zacheus WILCOXON of Wheatcroft, Crich
1731 Francis WILCOCKSON husbandman of Hathersage
1744 John WILCOCKSON husbandman of Toothill, Hathersage
1751 William WILCOXSON of Nether Holloway, Crich

With present knowledge of Y-DNA testing, Alan’s Crich crew appear to be unrelated to the Wilcocksons of Biggin. The Hope/Hathersage lot also seem different (many of them were Catholic, unlike Biggin’s Puritans and Quakers) but living male Wilcocksons of the Hope/Hathersage line are still sought for Y-DNA testing, as also for the Brampton and Cheshire branches, so we can see what’s what.

Sarah Pearson, who descends from Quaker George’s brother Biggin John and has numerous family lines in the Biggin/Heage/Cromford & Bolehill areas, has also sent through her first Will (so far), for Isaac SHORE of South Wingfield, the most recent Will in the Abstracts collection.

Contacting us

We welcome all and any comments, contributions and queries – from Wilcockson researchers or anyone else with interest in their stamping grounds and related families.

The easiest way to contact us is by clicking on the ‘Leave a Comment’ link at the bottom of each post, or by sending a message via the ‘Contact’ link in the top menu. If you provide an email address there, one of us can get back to you easily.

New Wills = New light

In the last post on 5 June, I offered up a first selection of Wilcockson Wills abstracts including some of their married-ins or FANs (Friends, Neighbours, Associates).

More additions have now been made to the Abstracts of Wilcockson Wills document, so click on the link to discover:

1549 Robert MADDOCK yeoman of Kirk Ireton
1556 Thomas WYLCOXSON yeoman of Biggin, Wirksworth
1560 James WYLCOXSON of Heage, Duffield
1560 Margery WYLCOXSON widow of Biggin
1562 Thomas DAYE of Windley, Duffield
1567 Ellis POTTER of Elvaston, Derbys
1575 Agnes DAKYN widow of Wirksworth or Atlow, Derbys
1588 Robert HICHENSON miller of Biggin, Kirk Ireton
1591 Robert WILCOCKSON of Egginton, Derbys
1597 Robert WHITHALL of Sturston, Ashbourne
1600 Thomas WILCOCKSON husbandman of Horsley Woodhouse, Derbys
1600 Robert BEARDSLEY husbandman of Belper, Derbys
1601 Edmund BEARDSLEY of Belper
1610 Jane WILCOCKSON of Alfreton, Derbys
1610 George SOMERS of Ashbourne
1615 John STAINE apothecary of Derby
1623 Laurence MORE tanner/farmer of Ashbourne

Plenty more will be added as we travel along the Wilcockson trail – more married-ins and FANs as well as Wilcocksons – so if you’re not already a follower, click on the “Follow Us!” button to get news of fresh posts and data.

New light on the Boonie brickwall

The Lineage for Quaker migrant George shows that the long-standing brickwall for Boonie descendants is John Wilcockson of Biggin who died in 1610 (which is why we call him ‘1610 John’). We would quite like to know:

  • where he came from
  • who his wife or wives were
  • what happened to the rest of his children (eldest son George inherited everything that mattered, his 8 younger sibs seem to have disappeared)

Fresh light on these unknowns has been cast by abstracting Wills. In 1610 John’s Will, he names George Somers and Lawrence More as his brothers-in-law and I have now found and summarised their Wills too, as you can see in the Abstracts document. Key points to note:

  • In George Somers’ Will of 1610, John Whithall (a variant of Whitehall) is a witness and also an inventory appraiser.
  • In Lawrence More’s Will of 1623, he names James Whytehall (ie. Whitehall) gent of Whythalghe in Staffordshire (ie. Whitehough in Ipstones parish, Whitehough being another variant of the Whitehall name). He also tells us his son-in-law is John Rowlandson.

Cossall John the Quaker (great-grandson of 1610 John and father of migrant Quaker George) had close associations with Whitehough in Staffs in the last decades of the 17th century, which we’ll tell you more about later. From at least 1660, Whitehough was occupied by leading Quaker Robert Mellor, replacing the Whitehall family who had lived there and given Whitehough their name since the 13th century.

The 1597 Will of Robert Whithall of Sturston in Ashbourne (see Abstracts) tells us he was related to the Whithalls of Whitehough in Staffs.

So now we have strong suggestions that 1610 John was part of a kinship network which included Whitehough in Staffs, not just in the Quaker period but half a century earlier – in the Puritan, rather than Quaker times.

Indications that this kinship network had Puritan leanings come from Lawrence More’s Will. His son-in-law Rev John Rowlandson was one of the most eminent Puritan clergymen in Derbyshire, minister at Bakewell in the Peak. And Ashbourne church had a Puritan preaching lectureship, in 1623 occupied by William Hill, who was asked to preach Lawrence’s funeral sermon.

All of these threads and much more about 1610 John will be examined fully in the next blog posts, so stay tuned!

Key Source 1 : Wilcockson Wills

It’s been a stroke of luck for Biggin Wilcockson researchers that the families always held land and property and, therefore, usually left Wills.

I have begun a collection of Abstracts of Wilcockson Wills and Administrations, including their married-ins and FANs who mention them (Friends, Neighbours, Associates). It is a work in progress and many more will be added in future.

The entries for Quaker George’s direct ancestors are highlighted in pale yellow boxes. Verbatim transcriptions of these Wills will be posted soon, along with commentaries on their contents.

Wilcockson branches

You will see that each entry has a term in brackets after the name. This is to indicate, where we know it, which branch or line of Wilcocksons the person belongs to. I’ll provide a more detailed explanation later but at present we view the various groups as follows:

In Biggin three branches (who we believe to be DNA related):

  • Billies (a branch with many Williams in it, and Peters)
  • Boonies (Quaker George’s lot)
  • Edward/Brampton (probable Billies who moved to Brampton near Chesterfield in the early 17th century, and proliferated there)

Outside Biggin (who we believe not to be DNA related to Biggin branches):

  • Crich Wilcocksons (Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire)
  • Hope & Hathersage Wilcocksons (Derbyshire)
  • Cheshire Wilcocksons
  • and Others.

For a more detailed guide to Wills and Probate Courts, click HERE.

On the Wilcockson trail

After eight years, on and off, researching Wilcocksons, it’s still hard to believe that so many Americans and Brits owe their existence to two Quakers (Cossall John and his son George) whose roots lie in the remote soil of Biggin by Hulland in Derbyshire.

Blog-readers new to the Boonie Wilcockson story undoubtedly want solid proof that 1720 John who married Sarah Boone was born to Quaker George from Biggin (and not Wales, or any other location that’s been proposed over decades of speculation).

So it seems logical to open the data-store here on this blog with the tale of how we discovered the proof of 1720 John’s origins.

In February 2017, I wrote a Case Study for Chesterfield & District Family History Society setting out the Boonie Wilcockson research strategy and the findings made, alongside results of Y-DNA testing. This included an appendix supplying the direct lineage of Quaker George back to his brickwall ancestors, John Wilcockson (who died in 1610, so is known as ‘1610 John’) and his wife Ann.

More research has been done in 2019 so I have updated the Case Study and compiled transcripts of the key sources that it mentions (marked in red). You can find these documents here:

Wilcockson Case Study

Sources for Wilcockson Case Study

Leave a Reply in the box below if you have any trouble accessing these documents. Any other comments always welcome too.

Wilcockson Cradle

Frontiersman Daniel Boone in furskin jacket with long rifle and iconic furry hat in hand

In or about 1740, in the American colonies, a John Wilcockson joined in marriage with Sarah Boone, sister of the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone. Over decades, that glamorous connection inspired hundreds of American descendants to wonder who their “1720 John Wilcockson” was and where he came from.

The trail ultimately led across the Atlantic, back to a tiny hamlet in Derbyshire, England called Biggin by Hulland. Its 17th century homesteads and surrounding fields – almost unchanged since Medieval times – can truly be called a cradle of Wilcocksons worldwide.

Sharing our knowledge

Decades of research on both sides of the Atlantic have created a mountain of information begging to be shared with “Boonie” Wilcockson researchers.

So press the Button marked “Follow Us!!” and you can partake of all the data, articles and discussions that will be posted here… soon!