The last 20 years of George Robert Hewlings life are well documented. George Robert Hewlings was a congregational minister from England who died in 1877 when his family was living in Salt Lake City. I first find him in the United States in 1859 performing baptisms at the Ephrata Dutch Reform Church, in Fulton County, New York.3 He continued to return and perform baptisms at that Church through 1876. By 1862 he was seeking ordination in the Episcopal Protestant Church in Western New York.4 He then moved to the midwest to head a Congregational Church and meets the divorced/widowed Lucy Granger. They marry in Porter County, Indiana in 1867.5 He is a minister in various parts of the midwest until the family moves to Salt Lake City sometime between 1870 and 1877 where Rev. Hewlings died. We know Lucy's son, Louis, is mining in Utah by 1872.6 Reverend Hewlings in listed as the head of the Congregational Church in the 1874 Salt Lake City Directory.7 Lucy's grandson Leslie Scott Snyder is born in Utah in 1875.8 So, I speculate the family had set up at least partial residence by the early 1870s, with somewhat regular trips to other parts of the country. By 1880, Lucy is living with her daughter's family in Kansas.9 The Snyder's younger son, Corydon Granger, was born in Atchison County, Kansas in 1879.10
Finding George Robert Hewlings prior to 1859 is a trick. There is a George Robert Hewlings who appears in non conformist records as the husband of Martha Freeman and the father of three children:
- George Freeman Hewlings born in 1826 in England and who may have settled in New Zealand.11
- Martha Freeman Hewlings born in 1831 in England. She married Peter Barr and died in 1882.12
- Henry Freeman Hewlings born in 1833 in England.13
I believe this is the person who emigrated to the United States. George is living with the family in the 1851 Census14, but is absent in the 1861 census15. There is a G. R. or G. K. Hewlings who entered the United States at Castle garden in September 1859, prior to the baptisms at Ephrata Reformed Dutch.16 There is a mention in the June 1967 Daffodil Journal that G. R. Hewlings is the father of Martha Barr and died in Salt Lake City.17 What I would really like to confirm this speculation is some record of Reverend Hewlings leaving the United Kingdom. I'm hoping some descendent in the UK or New Zealand sees this and has these records.
Notes:1"United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZH2-CD2 : accessed 16 Aug 2014), , Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 108, household ID 880, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803533.
2"United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M825-4X1 : accessed 16 Aug 2014), , Lyons Township, Clinton, Iowa, United States; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 140, household ID 1064, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803316.
3"Ephratah Dutch Reformed Church, Baptisms." Ephratah Dutch Reformed Church, Baptisms. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May. 2014.
4Journal of the Proceedings of the Annual Convention, Diocese of Western New York - Protestant Episcopal Church. Diocese of Western New York, Held in St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, on Wednesday, August 20, and Thursday, August 21st, A. D. 1862. p. 28, 29, 31, 151
5"Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KDH3-TSC : accessed 16 Aug 2014),<unknown>, 17 Oct 1867; citing Porter County; FHL microfilm 001686156.
6I speculate the family moved to the Utah Territory to be close to family - Lucy's four younger sisters were Mormon - her sister Emmaline was quite prominent in the Church. It is possible they were also moving to join her son Louis, since it is not clear from the records who arrived first - Louis from Louisiana or New York, or the Hewlings/Snyders from the midwest.
L. E. Granger is a name listed in newspaper articles about meetings taking place in the Ophir Mining District, starting with December 7, 1871. see "Mining Intelligence." Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette, Tuesday, December 12, 1871, p. 2 (http://newspaperarchive.com/us/utah/salt-lake-city/salt-lake-daily-tribune-and-utah-mining-gazette/1871/12-12/page-2 : accessed April 27, 2014) and "Miners Meeting." Tuesday, December 12, 1871, p. 2
7Sloan, Edward L., Gazetteer of Utah and Salt Lake City directory, p.228 Salt Lake Herald: Salt Lake City, 1874. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. (http://Ancestry.com : accessed August 20, 2014)
8"Scott Leslie Snyder." US Sons of the American Revolution Applications 1889-1970 (http://Ancestry.com : accessed April 20, 2014)
9"United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFPN-F6W : accessed 16 Aug 2014), , Atchison City, Atchison, Kansas, United States; citing sheet 239D, NARA microfilm publication T9.
10"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V1K2-N9C : accessed 16 Aug 2014), <unknown>, 1942.
11"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J38B-W5J : accessed 29 Aug 2014), George Robert Hewlings in entry for George Freeman Hewlings, ; citing St Mary Islington, Middlesex, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 838728.
12"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J38R-XB6 : accessed 29 Aug 2014), George Robert Hewlings in entry for Martha Freeman Hewlings, ; citing DR WILLIAMS LIBRARY, LONDON, LONDON, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 815947.
13"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JMLF-M9J : accessed 29 Aug 2014), George Robert Hewlings in entry for Henry Freeman Hewlings, ; citing DR WILLIAMS LIBRARY, LONDON, LONDON, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 815947.
14"1851 England Census - Ancestry.com." 1851 England Census - Ancestry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May. 2014.
15"1861 England Census - Ancestry.com." 1861 England Census - Ancestry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May. 2014.
16"G. K. Hewlings - Castlegarden.org"(http://www.castlegarden.org/quick_search_detail.php?p_id=626900), retrieved 29 Aug 2014) Hewlings is a 54 year old gentleman who arrived on the Hamburg and South Hampton line on 1 September 1859.
17THE REV. JOHN J. BROADHURST, Callington, Cornwell, England; THE VICAR AND HIS DAFFODILS LOOM LARGE IN HISTORY; The Daffodil Journal, Volume 3 No. 4, June 1967, p. 159, http://dafflibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/1967_June_ADS_Journal.pdf, retrieved 18 May 2014
Dear Dave
ReplyDeleteI was interested to see your record about George Robert Hewlings. His son, George Freeman Hewlings, was my g-g-grandmother's stepfather (or, to put it another way, my g-g-g-grandmother's second husband). I have information about him (ie George Freeman) in New Zealand. I have a bit of information about George Robert himself. He was a 'dissenting minister' in the church known as Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, a calvinist methodist sect. In 1851 he was attached to the church in London Street, Worcester. I was interested to see the US connnection.
I had at times found information about him being in the US but could not work out if this was the same person and, if so, why he went to the US. But if there is a record of him being the father of Martha Barr, then this is certainly the same person so you have filled in some gaps for me.
I was interested also to see that he married Lucy in 1867 but your record seems to suggest that he was in the US as early as 1862? Certainly Martha, his first wife, was still alive in 1861 (she appears in the England census). Information suggests that she did not die until 1868.
Lorraine
Dear Lorraine,
DeleteI'm glad I filled in some gaps. Of course the evidence is very circumstantial. Congregational Minister from England in the US with the same name, about the same age, and a 1867 passing comment in a Daffodil journal.
My sources and research is on FamilySearch. George Robert is person MSLX-X2P.
I don't know how George Robert or Lucy felt about their previous spouses. Each separated from their spouse. They may have left as a deliberate plant to move the family or they may have moved to get away from the spouse. I have know way of knowing.
From what she wrote at the time of his death, it is clear Lucy loved George very much and was devastated.
The next research project with the Hewlings is to connect Samuel Hewlings of New Zealand with Samuel Hewlings the younger brother of George Robert. I can't prove it, but it would make the migration of George Freeman more logical.
Dave
Dave, I have a feeling that I didn't reply to this comment from October last year. I have been looking for some time to see if there is a connection between the Freeman Hewlings and Samuel Hewlings who was the surveyor in New Zealand. As with you, I am sure that there must be some connection as the name is not a common one. But I don't have any information about George Robert ... though you suggest that he had a brother called Samuel. Information online suggests that the NZ surveyor Samuel Hewlings was born in Wallingford in Berkshire in 1819/1820.
DeleteBest
Lorraine
Hi Lorraine,
DeleteI am looking over my highly speculative Hewlings Family tree. I have William born in 1815 in Middlesex and Samuel born in Middlesex in 1819, based on non-conformist records. However the father, Hugh Hewlings, in born in Berkshire - he was baptized in a parish in Reading.
David
Hello again David
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to work backwards and forwards, following this latest information. George Robert Hewlings was born to Hugh Hewlings and Maria Haynes in 1801 (Hugh and Maria were married in 1799). William (born 1815) and Samuel (born 1919) were the sons of Hugh Hewlings and Sarah Piper. Although I have not been able to find a death record for Maria Haynes Hewlings, I have found a marriage record for Hugh Hewlings (widower) and Sarah Piper for 1814. To complicate matters further, I have also found a marriage record for a Hugh Hewlings, widower, and Ann Hockley for 1808. Nothing to say that this is the same Hugh, but there are records of children born to Hugh and Ann in the nonconformist records as well. So perhaps he was just unlucky in losing wives (possibly to childbirth?). Do these names and timeline fit with the information you have?
So if the Hugh Hewlings who was married to Maria Haynes, and the Hugh Hewlings that was married to Sarah Piper are the same person, then it seems that George Robert Hewlings and Samuel Hewlings born in 1919 were half-brothers. But is this Samuel Hewlings the Canterbury, NZ, surveyor?
I have found a NZ newspaper obit for a Walter Kitson who is reported as having married, in 1865, 'Mary Hewlings, niece of Samuel Hewlings ... Chief Surveyor in Canterbury'. The obit says that Mary died quite young and I have been able to find a death index record for 1872 when she was 27 ... so therefore born in about 1845. Not in NZ - there is no record.
If she was a direct niece (ie if he was her uncle rather than, say, great-uncle) then she would have to have been the daughter of one of Samuel's brothers. George Robert didn't have a daughter called Mary. Did William? Did Hugh have any other sons?
I found a Mary Hewlings, born in Leicestershire, aged 6 in the 1851 census, living with her mother Sarah (a widow) and older siblings Sarah Jane (aged 12) and Alice (aged 8). In the 1841 census (before Mary was born) I found Sarah Jane (aged 3) living with her parents Sarah ... and William. I then found a record of a marriage between a William Hewlings and Sarah Hill in 1837 ... and William is shown as the son of Hugh Hewlings and Sarah Piper. So this seems to confirm a connection. It would seems that Mary (who married William Kitson) could very well be the daughter of William Hewlings, brother to a Samuel Hewlings who we think is the Canterbury Surveyor (other information seems to confirm this), and probably half-brother to George Robert Hewlings, father of George Freeman Hewlings.
And then having done all of that, I found this - http://person.ancestry.com.au/tree/25451135/person/12557208990/facts (but I think this Dave is not the same person as you?).
So apologies for the long email ... but I think we have the link! It would be interesting to know why Mary travelled all the way to New Zealand, and when, given that she married there at quite a young age. I am now quite curious about her.
Lorraine
Thank you for the long email.
DeleteThe timeline fits mine - I'm working with the same documents. I think Hugh Hewlings married three times. His will lists the sons, William and George Roberts and his last wife Sarah. I don't know if you can get access to is through Ancestry's Australian version - it's in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills.
I only have five possible children for Hugh - the three sons and two daughters, Mary Ann and Elizabeth. I don't know anything about William and Samuel. Sounds like I should go back the Trove and look at the newspapers again. I thought I saw a William Hewlings arriving in New Zealand, but it's been awhile since I looked.
Not the right Dave - my Hewlings tree is private.
Hi Dave, thought I'd leave my comments here, although we have been messaging on FamilySearch! My computer needs a serious upgrade and can only access FamilySearch messages on my phone and tablet.
ReplyDeleteSo, Mary HEWLINGS is my 3 x great grandmother (Mary => Winifred Mary KITSON => Margaret (Meg) ELLIS => Margaret June TUCKER => my mother (still living)). Mary's parents were William HEWLINGS and Sarah HILL. William died, aged 32, 18 Jul 1847 in Leicester (from the Leicestershire Mercury). Sarah remarried to Frederick GILL, 22 Dec 1860, Leicester (Leicestershire Mercury). In Samuel HEWLINGS' will (see FamilySearch) he mentions "Sarah GILL of Princess St, Leicester, wife of my late brother William HEWLINGS".
Mary was baptised at St Luke the Evangelist Church (Anglican) here in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Name: Hewlings, Mary Kitson
Born: 4 Nov 1844
Baptised: 25 Jul 1870
Daughter of William & Sarah
Residence: Fendaltown, Christchurch
Sponsers: Walter Kitson, Mary Bruce Harrison, Emma Ratcliffe Davie
E.A. LINGARD (officiating minister)
An interesting piece in the Leicestershire Mercury has William admitting to being a dissenter, which fits nicely with him being the William on the Non-Conformist register 1815.
ReplyDeleteChurch-Rate Protest.-The Journal having, with its usual mendacity, falsely stated the course pursued by Mr. Baines, we give the following protest delivered to the magistrates on behalf of seven of the parties summoned for Church-rates yesterday week, in order that, if it should intend similarly to misrepresent their cases, the antidote may appear as early as the poison:- “To the Magistrates,-Gentlemen,-Having been summoned before you to show cause why we refuse to pay a Church-Rate, at the instance of Messrs. Moxon and Eames, Churchwardens of St. Martin’s parish, we hereby inform you that as Dissenters from the Law-established Church, we conscientionsly object to the imposition of Church-rates; and further dispute the validity of the said rate on the following amongst other legal grounds, viz: That former rates have not been collected nor legal proceedings taken against defaulters-that the whole of the property in the parish is not rated-and that the rate in question is retrospective, part of the proceeds being applied to defray legal expenses incurred by the Churchwardens two years back. And we require you to withhold judgement in our respective cases.-Thos. and Wm. Stevenson, Wm. Hewlings, John Manning, James Shardlow, Charles and John Billson.”
I haven't done much research in the past 10 years as I have a 10 year old daughter and 7 year old son, so it's only been this time round that the Non-Conformist records have appeared on FamilySearch (11 Dec 2014 appears to be the upload date and 2018 for the burial records that to me are good evidence).
ReplyDeleteReferences to Samuel HEWLINGS in New Zealand mostly appear to refer back to information from:
https://www.surveyspatialnz.org/Article?Action=View&Article_id=25
And also from here:
https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects?query=Hewlings&limit=25
So, definite links to Berkshire, but Hewlings was not a Wallingford name. I had someone search the Wallingford Parish Records in 2003, she looked at the baptism registers for St Leonard, St Mary the More, St Peter and the non-conformist records for Wallingford (1812-1822). She found no Hewlings at all!
But, the FamilySearch burial record for Sarah Hewlings (hopefully nee Piper, the age/dates agree) has a residence of Wallingford. This is the only Hewlings in Wallingford that I have come across, so I am fairly sure that Samuel and William are the two baptised in London. Hugh, their probably father, was buried in Reading (St Giles) in 1823, so Samuel would have been 3 or 4 years old. To him Wallingford would have been home and it would have made sense for him to call a place in NZ that, rather than St Pancras or similar.
It would be good to find evidence of Samuel and William living there in Wallingford, maybe some other parish records or school records, will have to think about that.
Unfortunately Samuel's death certificate states parents as unknown.
I'm in the process of trying to sort out the children of Samuel Hewlings and Nga Hei. So far I have:
ReplyDelete1) Ann (from the book Caught Mapping by Janet Holm) or Jane (there's a death record for a Jane Hewlings, aged 12 years, GRO Reference: 1862 S Quarter in ISLINGTON Volume 01B Page 185) or maybe a girl beginning with L (though the L is more likely for Lizzie, short for Elizabeth), probably born around 1849-1851, probably died in England
2) Charlotte died 1862 aged 11 years, so born around 1851, possibly buried at Timaru with Samuel, but the date on the burial record has buried 1872
3) Elizabeth died 1872 aged 19 years, so born around 1853, buried 23 Dec 1872 at St Peter's Riccarton, aged 19 years
4) Fanny born 1855 (name not recorded on birth registration), buried 19 Feb 1875 at St Peter's Riccarton, aged 20 years
5) Sara b. 1860, d. 1872
6) Hugh Frederick b. 1862, d. unsure - maybe mid 1880s (in boating incident? - Caught Mapping book)
7) Catherine b. 1863, d. 1944
Church Records in Christchurch include:
1) Burial of Henrietta HEWLINGS, wife of George HEWLINGS, 19 Sep 1881, residence Kaiapoi, age 59
2) Marriage of Nelly Allies HEWLINGS to Robert Cooper ROSE, accountant, 1 Aug 1868 in Kaiapoi. Witnesses: G. Hewlings, William Gilkison
I hope this is of some interest. I will track down Hugh's will - that seems to be the evidence of a link between my William and Samuel and your George Robert.