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SAMUEL GROVES  1752 – 8th October 1829

Samuel Groves was baptised 27th June 1752 and these details can be found in the Worthen Parish Records and Family Search index.  He is my great grandfather x 5.  Marriage details read: Samuel Groves of Shelve, County of Salop bachelor married Margaret Bady (also spelt Badey and Beady) spinster by Licence on 28th April 1776, witnesses William Groves and Mary Bright.  Margaret Bady was baptised 15th July 1752 at Worthen and Margaret Bady was the daughter of Edward and Rebecca Bady. (See right hand column)

Rebecca Bady (nee Chidley) died 19th June 1809 aged 85 at Bromlow.  Edward Bady died 14th October 1810 aged 89 also at Bromlow.  Looking at various Parish Records in the South Shropshire area there were Bady’s around as far back as 1545.  At this time, I am not going to investigate this further.

In documents held at Shropshire Archives Samuel Groves of Priest Weston is described as a farmer, and the eldest son and heir of William Groves, late of Shelve, yeoman, deceased.  Source: File ref: 2873/10 date 1st June 1815.

Also, in the A2A archives several other children of Samuel and Margaret (Bady) are mentioned, also all their children were baptised at Chirbury, baptism dates are shown.

1.   William Groves was the eldest son of Samuel and Margaret Groves (nee Bady) and is my great grandfather x 4 if you scroll down you will find his birth, marriage, children, and details of his death.

2.   Margaret the eldest daughter of Samuel and Margaret was baptised 18th October 1778 at Chirbury.  She married George Harris 22nd April 1816.  Margaret is also referred to on the A2A catalogue reference 2873/ 16-20. 

George and Margaret Harris were still living on 27th August 1841.  They had two surviving children at that time, John Harris c1818 and Margaret c1819 who was the wife of Edward Weaver, both were over 21.  Both John and Margaret were born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire.

July 2008 through www.genesreunited.co.uk I have come into contact with Rick.  Margaret was his great grandmother x 3 as she married George Harris.  Rick was able to tell me that Margaret and George had another son Daniel born 1816 at Middleton, Chirbury.  Daniel died 1817.

The Harris family were also tenant farmers their Landlord being the Earl of Powis and farmed several farms two of which were in Wales.  George Harris was a Church warden at St. Michael’s, Chirbury and interestingly became Chief Constable of Chirbury in 1836 this was a year after his brother-in-law William Groves held the same post. 

Many thanks to Rick on the insight to this part of the family it is greatly appreciated.  I also have a photograph of George and Margaret’s grave and in due course will add it to this page.

I am now in possession of a copy of the M.I. for St. Michaels, Chirbury and here are the inscription’s for George and Margaret Harris:

“In Memory of George Harris (late of the Moat in the Parish) who died April 21st, 1844 Aged 52 years.  Praises on stone are trifles vainly spent A man’s good name the lasting monument.”

“In Memory of Margaret widow of the late George Harris who died February 19th, 1848 Aged 54 years.” Source M.I. St Michael’s Church Chirbury, Shropshire 1727-2003 produced by S.F.H.S.

3.   Mary, Samuel, and Margaret’s third child were baptised 25th September 1780 at Chirbury.   Baptisms prior to 1794 are not shown on the IGI so baptism dates would have come from the parish registers.  There is quite a lot of easy to access information around on Mary’s life.

Mary first married Edward Wynne Williams by licence on 28th April 1807 at Chirbury.  Mary and Edward had two children daughter Mary died as an infant on 19th December 1809 and is buried at Chirbury with her father.  They then had a son Thomas who was baptised 25th 

May 1811.  Sadly, Thomas died aged 24 on the 29th February 1836 and he is also buried at Chirbury.  Source: Chirbury Parish records.

Edward, Mary’s first husband and was buried 17th February 1812 at Chirbury the M.I. reads:

“Sacred to the memory of Edward Williams (late of Heightley) who departed this life February 15th, 1812 / Aged 25 years.”  In the same grave is his daughter and the inscription read: “Mary daughter of Edward and Mary Williams who died in infancy.”

Mary Williams (nee Groves) continued to live at Heightley and married Samuel Groves on 30th December 1813 at Chirbury. 

The 1841 census shows Samuel and Mary were at Heightley with their children.  Mary’s aged was shown as 55 and Samuel’s 50, there two sons Robert and Samuel both aged 20.  There was also a child named William aged 7 and another child Samuel Pearce aged 11.  Samuel was their grandson.  Source: HO 107 /909/22 and Keyword Graves.  This means that the census document has been transcribed as Graves and not Groves.

The 1851 census the family were also at Heightley and Samuel, Mary’s second husband was shown as born at Ratlinghope he was then aged 65 and Mary then aged 69.  Their son Robert then aged 30, unmarried and described as farmer’s son.  Heightley at that time had 330 acres and four labourers were employed, two waggoners, cowkeeper and dairymaid.  The family also employed a housemaid.

I initially was led to believe that Mary and Samuel had no children on their own and as we can see from the census of 1841 and 1851, they had sons.  However, from the information in the M.I., they also had at least two daughters.  The M.I reads:

In memory of Samuel Groves (of High Hay) who departed this life Dec. 1, 1852, Aged 65 years.  Also, Mary wife of Samuel Groves who departed this life Sept. 29th, 1874 Aged 73 years.  The inscription then reads:

“To the memory of Harriet daughter of Samuel and Mary Groves (of High Hay) who departed this life Nov. 4th, 1851, Aged 1… years.  Also, Ann their daughter [remainder illegible].” Source:  M.I. St. Michael’s Church, Chirbury 1727-2003 and produced by S.F.H.S.

So at this time we do not how old Harriet and Ann were when they died.  The family were described as late of High Hay is this a transcription error or did the family move from Heightley?

Samuel is the “relation” referred to in William Groves will dated 20th July 1938. 

4.   The fourth son of Samuel and Margaret was named after his father.  Samuel baptised 28th July 1782 at Chirbury and he married Hannah Williams on the 3rd February 1806 by Licence.  The children of Hannah and Samuel are well documented and normally as this is not a direct line, I would not cover the family however, there are quite a few people researching this line and this enables us to help one another.  In addition, Thomas was a Grocer in Churchstoke, his son also named Thomas appears in several trade directories and is found in 1841 living next door to my great grandmother x 4.

Thomas baptised 2nd December 1806

Robert baptised 20th September 1808

Edward baptised 20th November

Mary baptised 23rd December 1812

The above children were all baptised at Chirbury.

It would appear from the M.I.’s of St Michaels that Robert born 1808 died in 1814 and is buried at Chirbury, inscription reads:

“To / the memory of Robert son of Samuel and Hannah Groves who died September 16th, 1814 Aged 6 years.”  Source: M.I St Michaels produced by S.F.H.S.

Samuel was buried on the 8th September 1849 and died aged 43, leaving an incredibly young family.  As far as I am aware Samuel is buried at Chirbury however, as far as I can tell he is not in the M. I. for St Michael’s at Chirbury.  The family’s residence at the time of Samuel’s death was at Wortherton.

5.   Sarah no baptism found but married Thomas Gough and is also referred to on the A2A site catalogue reference number 2783 14/15 Extract from register of marriages at Church Stoke that Sarah Groves married Thomas Gough 4th February 1803.  Source: A2A ref: 2873/25

Sarah died 1861 and Thomas died before her and I believe at the time of their deaths they lived in Montgomeryshire.  In 1861 Sarah was survived by the following children.

Mary, widow of Williams Taylor, living Manchester, and Eleanor wife of John Clayton of Castle Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, Ann wife of John Chamberlain of Chelsea and Margaret wife of Richard Laurence of Upper Hem, Forden, Montgomeryshire.  Source: A2A Ref: 2873/35-39 date 14th September 1861.

 

6.   Robert as far as I am aware was Samuel and Margaret’s youngest son and he was baptised 26th December 1789 and married Harriot in 1818 and is the Robert referred to as of Rockley in William’s will.  Robert Groves of Rockley and his wife Harriot are on both the 1841 and 1851 census details to follow:  Key word Grover

Robert and Harriot are buried at St Michael’s Chirbury with two of their daughter’s inscription reads as follows:

“In memory of Ann daughter of / Robert and Harriot GROVES / (of Rockley) who departed this life / July 31st, 1828 Aged 7 years / Also Harriot their daughter / who departed this life / September 30th, 1840 Aged 12 years.”

“… … … given that the Lord hath taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.  In memory of Robert GROVES / Dudston late of Rockley / who departed this life January 25th, 1853 / Aged 63 years /Also of Harriot wife of Robert GROVES / who died February 23rd, 1878 / Aged 84 years.” Source:  Monumental Inscriptions at St. Michael’s Church Chirbury Shropshire 1727 – 2003 Transcribed by Pauline Hawkes and produced by Shropshire Family History Society.

As you can see most of this inscription is in good condition, unfortunately a lot of the Groves family graves at St. Michael’s are illegible.

7.  Mary baptised at Chirbury on 2nd March 1794.

Continuation of Samuel Groves c1752

It would appear from the Chirbury Parish records that Samuel was one of their Church Wardens and I have him listed on at least three dates, 3rd December 1784, 24th December 1800 and 26th December 1810.

Samuel Groves made his will on the 21st November 1828 and died on the 8th October 1829.  His house, farm and lands at Weston passed to his son William, his daughter Margaret who was the wife of George Harris.  Interest was to be paid to Margaret of £150.00 on Lady Day and Michaelmas Day for her life and after Margaret’s death £150.00 to her children.  The remainder to the surviving children, to be paid 7 years after the death of his Wife Margaret.  His wife Margaret (nee Bady) died on 15th February 1831.  There is a discrepancy on the date of death of Margaret. Source: A2A catalogue Ref 2873/14 puts the year of Margaret’s death as 1821 and A2A catalogue Ref 2873/16-20 puts the year of death as 1831.

Edward Bady married Rebecca Chidley on 6th October 1745 at Meole Brace, Shropshire both at the time of their marriage were living in the Parish of Worthen.  There were at least six children born to Edward and Rebecca, details as follows:

Margaret baptised 15th July 1752 at Worthen

Sarah baptised 10th May 1754  and died 14th February 1780 aged 26

John baptised 19th May 1756  and died 28th January 1761 aged 5

Elizabeth baptised 22nd October 1758

Edward baptised 3rd October 1760

Thomas baptised 1st June 1764

All baptisms recorded at Worthen including John and Sarah’s death.