Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Family History is my hobby - I am not a professional genealogist.

Thank you for taking the time to view my humble effort.  Also, a very BIG THANK YOU to all those who have kindly contributed information.

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Many thanks to John Silverson for providing the majority of the details on the this page.

Also thanks to Roger Whitmarsh for details of William Mastus and Mary Durrant's marriage.

 

William MASTERS (1773-1802)

and Elizabeth SIMMONS (c1775-?)

 

William Masters and Elizabeth Simmons married by banns on 8 July 1794 in Udimore, Sussex.  He was then of Icklesham and she of Udimore.

William Masters was baptised on 14 March 1773 in Icklesham, Sussex.  He was the third son of Robert Masters (1747-1819) and Mary Hicks (c1741-1819).  William may have been buried on 25 June 1802 in Icklesham, at which time he was said to be of Guestling.

Elizabeth Simmons date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  After William's death, did Elizabeth Masters marry Samuel Peckham on 25 February 1805 in Beckley, Sussex?

 

William Masters and Elizabeth Simmons had 4 known children:

  1. Mary Mastus was baptised on 21 June 1795 in Icklesham.  She was baptised on the same day as her cousin Sarah Mastus, daughter of Robert and Keziah.  Mary had a cousin Mary Masters born in 1797,  who married William Carey on 9 January 1819 in Ewhurst.

  2. William Mastus was baptised on Sunday 21 May 1797 in Icklesham.  He died on 5 December 1868 in Mitchells Island, New South Wales.

    William married Mary Durrant by banns on 8 May 1820 in Newenden, Kent.  They were both then of Newenden and both made their marks.  The witnesses to their marriage Samuel Peckham and Elizabeth Peckham, who also both made their marks.  (Please note, the spelling of Samuel's surname in the original register is unclear and it could have been Beckham.)

    Mary Ann Durrant was baptised on 14 February 1792 in Benenden, Kent and was the daughter of Daniel Durrant and Susannah Winder.  Before her marriage she had an illegitimate daughter:

    1. Maria Durrant was baptised on 4 February 1810 in Benenden, Kent  She married Benjamin Masters in 1831.  (They have their own page.)

    The couple and their 6 children emigrated to Australia aboard the "Maitland", departing from Gravesend, Essex on 24 June 1838 and arriving in Sydney on 6 November 1838.  (Please see Bruce Fairhall's webpage: "Maitland - The Voyage of 1838".)  William was then 40 years old and Mary was said to be 45 and gave her place of birth as Udimore.  They were both farm servants.

    William and Mary had 7 known children:

    1. William Masters was baptised on Saturday 4 November 1820 in Beckley and buried there on Sunday 4 March 1821.

    2. George Masters was born in Beckley in 1822.  He died on Thursday 13 August 1885.  He was a 16 year old farm servant when he emigrated.

    3. Mary Ann Masters was baptised on Thursday 3 June 1824 in Beckley.  She died on Saturday 28 September 1901.  She was a 13 year old farm servant when the family emigrated.

    4. Samuel Masters was born in 1827 in Beckley.  He died on Saturday 24 June 1905.  He was 11 years old when he left England.

    5. Elizabeth Masters was born in 1829 Beckley.  She died at sea on Saturday 20 October 1838.  The Maitland passenger list records that she was 9 year old Eliza Masters.

    6. David William Masters was baptised in November 1831 in Beckley.  He died on Wednesday 28 January 1903.  In 1838 he was 7 year old David Masters.

    7. Stephen Masters was born about 1833.  He died on Wednesday 24 May 1893.  He was 5 years old when the family left England.

  3. John Mastus was baptised on 26 May 1799 in Icklesham and buried there on 30 April 1801.

    Was there also a daughter Philadelphia Masters born about 1800?  See below.

  4. Elizabeth Mastus was baptised on 3 October 1801 in Icklesham.

 

 

Philadelphia Masters was the daughter of William Masters, but which William?  Presumably the William, above, who married Elizabeth Simmons in 1794.  Philadelphia was said to 39 years old in 1839, therefore, she was born about 1800.  But, as can been seen from above, William and Elizabeth had children baptised in May 1799 and October 1801 - was Philadelphia born in the gap and if so why was she not baptised in Icklesham like the others?  I have checked the East Sussex Record Office Baptism Index and could not find her baptism.

She had an illegitimate daughter:

  1. Harriott Freeland Mastus was baptised on 17 September 1826 in Icklesham.

Philadelphia married twice, firstly to Robert Chester by banns on 18 November 1827 in Icklesham.  She was a spinster and he a bachelor and they were both of Icklesham.  They both made their X marks in the marriage register.  The witnesses to their marriage were Thomas Masters and Marianne Masters who both made their marks (ref.1).

Robert was baptised on 13 March 1796 in Northiam and was the son of Robert Chester and Kezia Ranger (they married on 19 July 1793 in Beckley).  He was buried on 20 August 1838 in Brede.

Robert and Philadelphia had 4 known children:

  1. Philadelphia Chester was baptised on 20 June 1830 in Brede, Sussex.

  2. Rufus Chester was baptised on 24 March 1833 in Westfield, Sussex and buried on 13 February 1838 in Brede.

  3. Robert Chester was born about 1835 and buried on 17 February 1838 in Brede.

  4. Kezia Chester was baptised on 16 February 1838 in Brede and buried there on 1 March 1838.

Philadelphia next married John Fairhall in the fourth quarter of 1838 in the Hastings registration district. 

The family emigrated to Australia on board the Prince Regent in 1839.

 

 

Ref. 1 - ESRO XA 30/78, PAR 401/1/3/1

 

 

MASTERS          SIMMONS

Page Revised 16 March 2008