Ezekiel Herd Easterbrook was born on 19th July 1839 in Exbourne, Devon to Walter Easterbrook (about 50), an agricultural labourer and thatcher, and Dinah Herd (nee Bennett) (about 34), a servant and housekeeper.
Notably Ezekiel's parents were not married, but would live together for many years. Dinah was a married woman, whose husband William Herd, according to Ezekiel's baptism record, at the time of his Ezekiel's conception and birth in 1839, was absent and had been in America above three years.
Ezekiel had four older half siblings. Three were the legitimate children of his father Walter and his wife Ann Ballamy:
- Ann 1810 -
- Thomas 1810 - 1811 (0 years old)
- Patience 1811 - 1811 (0 years old)
And another legitimate one from his mother Dinah's marriage to William Herd:
- Eliza Susan 1827 -
Did Ezekiel know of his older half siblings?
Ezekiel was baptised on 25th August 1839 in Exbourne, Devon.
Ezekiel was baptised with his mother's married name Herd, and when a baby on the 1841 Census he was again listed with Herd as his surname; however, importantly, on Ezekiel's birth certificate, Walter Easterbrook is acknowledged to be his father. On all later records, Ezekiel would be listed with Herd as his middle name, Easterbrook as his surname, and Walter as his father.
Ezekiel grew up in Exbourne.
1841 Census:
1851 Census:
On 7th March 1859, Ezekiel (19), a blacksmith, married Mary Saunders (22), a glover, in her native Highampton, Devon. At the time of their marriage, both were living in Highampton. It seems Mary could not write, as she left only her mark on her marriage certificate; however, Ezekiel could and did sign his name:
 |
| Ezekiel's Signature as a Young Man (aged 19), from 1859 Marriage Certificate |
 |
| Ezekiel's Signature as an Old Man (aged 71), from 1911 Census |
Mary moved in with Ezekiel and his parents. Two years later, in 1861, the family could be found living in Brooks Cottage, Towns End, Okehampton.
1861 Census:
In January 1862, when Ezekiel was twenty-two, his father Walter passed aged, aged seventy-two, in Exbourne.
In July 1869, as Ezekiel was just turning thirty, his mother Dinah passed away, aged sixty-four, in Exbourne.
Come the early 1870s, Ezekiel had taken on an apprentice blacksmith.
1871 Census:
Sometime in the 1870s, Ezekiel and Mary moved back to his native Exbourne.
1881 Census:
Around 1881, as well as working a blacksmith, it seems Ezekiel was also an innkeeper for a while.
From the North Devon Journal on 12th May 1881:
In the 1880s, Ezekiel and Mary moved again from Exbourne to Thornbury.
1891 Census:
In January 1901, when Ezekiel was sixty-one, his wife Mary passed away, aged sixty-four, in Thornbury.
1901 Census:
Ezekiel soon remarried. Some six to eight months after his first wife's death, in Jul/Aug/Sep 1901, Ezekiel (62) married Alice Brownscombe Fisher (32), a housekeeper, in the district of Holsworthy. Ezekiel was thirty years older than Alice!
On 21st July 1902, Ezekiel became a father for the first time, two days after his sixty-three birthday!
Ezekiel and Alice had two daughters:
- Dinah Bessie 1902 - 1976
- Alice Brownscombe 1904 - 1981
They would name their first daughter, Dinah Bessie, after her grandmothers, each of their mothers: Ezekiel's mother Dinah Herd (nee Bennett) and Alice's mother Elizabeth 'Bessie/Betsy' Fisher (nee Brownscombe). They would name their second daughter after her mother, Alice Brownscombe.
Both Dinah and Alice junior were born in Black Torrington, implying the family lived there in the early 1900s.
By 1907, Ezekiel and his young family had moved to Henwood Cottage in Broadwoodkelly.
By 1909, they had moved to Park View, also in Broadwoodkelly.
1911 Census:
In Apr/May/Jun 1920, Ezekiel passed away, aged eighty, in the district of Okehampton. At the time of his death, his unmarried seventeen year old daughter Dinah was between three and five months pregnant with her first child. Sadly family legend states Dinah was kicked out by her parents for falling pregnant before marriage.
No comments:
Post a Comment