HEBBORN FAMILY HISTORY & NEWS -  January 2002.

20TH JANUARY 1793

On this day Elizabeth Heborn [F010] daughter of William and Mary was baptised in the Oxfordshire parish of Garsington. What little we know of this lady came to light almost by chance, and involved a joint effort of Hebborn enthusiasts.

Back in 1997, Jenny Hebborn was researching her husband Barry’s ancestors. She contacted Sharon Hebborn, who referred her on to me. Jenny was trying to find Barry’s great grandfather’s marriage entry. She knew him as Charles Hebborn [G015] married to Harriet. I had a copy of the marriage certificate of Charles Heborn and Harriott Holland, which I had bought on spec in 1963. I had given up on this line as no father’s names were shown for Charles or Harriott. Jenny and I were convinced we had come to the end of the line.

A further look at the certificate revealed the witnesses as Henry and Maria Banting. The name Banting rang a bell. My hunch proved right, I found the reference in a transcript of the register of St. Aldate, Oxford. Marriage 1820 between Henry Banting, bachelor of St Ebbe and Maria Hebborn [F012], spinster of this parish. Could Charles Heborn be the illegitimate son of Maria? Jenny went to work searching the parish records of the City in the hope of finding the baptism of a Charles Heborn born to Maria before 1823. Then came the breakthrough. In the baptism register of St Ebbe: “19th May 1822 Charles William Heborn  illegit son of Elizabeth Heborn. JR.”
 
The pieces were beginning to fit together. Elizabeth was the elder sister of Maria, who was baptised in Garsington in 1799. At the 1851 Census Charles and Harriett are shown as living at 69 Blackfriars Road, Oxford. His age is given as 29 years, which fits in perfectly with the baptism in 1822. His occupation is shown as cordwainer, which agrees with the marriage entry. Two of Elizabeth’s brothers, William Heborn [F007] (1784-1858) and Giles Heborn [F013] (1802-1873) had been boot and shoemakers at some time. It seems to have been a skill passed down to Charles.

We know that Elizabeth eventually married at the age of 49 years. The wedding took place at St Ebbe, Oxford on 2nd January 1842. The bridegroom was Joseph Townsend a widower, the son of Parson Townsend, a labourer. Now that’s a name worth following up!  Elizabeth’s father is shown as William. All fits nicely, and the final touch the witnesses Henry Banting and Eliza Banting!

Hebborn families now living in Exeter, Oxford and Leicester can all trace their ancestry back to Elizabeth.

For years I had assumed that Joseph Heborne [G007] (1820-1881) was the son of Elizabeth’s brother William Hebborn [F007] (1784-1858). Then after I had written last month’s article Jo(an) Williams dropped the bombshell. Joseph Heborn [G007] who was baptised on 8th Oct 1820 at St Peter le Bailey, Oxford as Joseph Heborne son of William, a shoemaker and his wife Elizabeth, had died in infancy. He was buried on 23 December 1820 at St Peter le Bailey as Joseph Eburn, age 4 months, son of William a cordwainer. I had obviously not checked the letter E in the index! Full marks to the eagle eyed Jo!

So who is the other Joseph born about the same year who survived to marry Sarah Darling? A lot more research will have to take place before we can come up with an answer, or have to retire with an unsolved case.                                                                                                                                                       

John Hebborn.

See Family Tree Charts F007, F010 and H040.