Jacob Dewhirst (ca 1790-1881) was my son's 4th great-grandfather.Jacob lived in Heptonstall Yorkshire and in 1816 he married Sally Sutcliffe. Both were of the parish of Wadsworth and Jacob was recorded as being a weaver. Neither could read or write.
Not much is known of Jacob but he is listed as a weaver living at Smallshaw, Wadsworth at the 1818 baptism of his son William, a weaver living in Ebenezer, Wadsworth in 1821 at baptism of his daughter MaryAnn, a weaver at the 1840 marriage of his daughter MaryAnn and a woolworker at the 1844 marriage of his daughter Sarah
Family legend has it that the family is related to the Dewhurst Cotton family. Prior to joining The English Sewing Cotton Co., Ltd, in 1897 Dewhurst Cotton was known as Messers John Dewhurst & Sons, Limited.
I found it interesting that his son Jacob Jr. (my son's 3rd great-grandfather) started life as a wool-comber but ended up as a "beer seller". His death notice in a Halifax Yorkshire newspaper dated December 27, 1877 calls him a beer house keeper at Hope Inn.
The Dewhurst/Dewhirst family fascinates me and I'm hoping to learn more about them and about Yorkshire weavers in particular. And now I want to know more about Hope Inn!
Just a small correction. The name should be Heptonstall, not Heponstall. It is on the outskirts of Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteI have Dewhurst members in my family tree. I shall look at the tree tomorrow and will also see if I can find an old photo I have that dates from around 1900 of the Dewhurst family.
ReplyDeleteStewart - I'll look forward to that. My son's Dewhurst daughters out with Harriet Dewhurst b 1887 in Halifax YKS who married Otto Oscar Schulze
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