As far as most of us can remember, we are descended from Joseph and Louisa Severn, or James and Martha Severn or George and Martha Severn. They are the patriarchs of this great family.
But of course, they were kids too, once upon a time, as were their fathers and mothers before them.
The Severn clans haven't moved far from the Severn valley and by far the greatest Severn population is contained in Nottinghamshire and Devonshire. In fact the IGI lists very few Severn families outside of these 2 counties before 1800 - in fact none at all in Yorkshire.
However, there have been a few dedicated Severn researchers who have done lots of work to uncover their roots. Thanks must go to Duncan Hudson who produced a huge family tree linking thousands of Severns, of which ours is a tiny part. I have copies of that tree – or find it in my family tree on ancestry.com.
The names in the early days were often mispelled in the records. I have put these in. The names in bold are our direct ancestors.
The earliest known of our ancestors is James SEVERN/CEFERN born circa 1696 and buried 24 Feb 1774 in Heanor. See Gen 1.
Generation 1 James Severn/Cefern 1696 - 1774
The earliest known of our ancestors is James Severn/Cefern born circa 1696 and buried 24 Feb 1774 in Heanor. About 1715 he married Ann Cooper at St. Werburgh's, Derby, Derbyshire,. Ann was born about 1696. She was buried 13 Jan 1772 at Shipley Wood Heanor. We don’t know how many children they had… but we know of:
-
John Severns baptised 12 Feb 1716;
-
James Severns/Seaverns baptised 12 Oct 1718 d 1795 See Generation 2
-
Phillip Severns baptised 3 June 1721 in Heanor.
About this time we believe that the men started leaving the land and and going to work in coal mines. The industry was beginning to develop as the industrial revolution started. There is a good article on coal mining in Nottinghamshire here.
Generation 2 James Severns/Seaverns/Cefern 1718 - 1795
James was born circa 1765. We think he married Catherine Rowbottom on 4 Oct 1754 in St Mary’s church, Nottingham. He married again to Catherine Catorn or Catron, born 1725 and was buried 2 Apr 1795 aged 70 years in Shipley Wood. James was buried at Shipley Wood in 1795
James and Catherine had the following children:
-
Elizabeth Severns bap 21 Aug 1757 Heanor
-
John Severns bapt 25 Dec 1758 bur 20 May 1759
-
Mary Severns bap 11 May 1760 Heanor
-
Hannah Severns bap 31 Mar 1762 bur 4 Dec 1763
-
Hannah Marrina Severns bap 22 Apr 1764 Heanor
-
James Severns bap 21 Dec 1765 Heanor. See Generation 3
Generation 3 James Severns 1765 - 1846
James Severns married Catherine Clay born circa 1767 in Heanor, the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Clay. She died before 1841. James and Catherine had a large family, many of who have given birth to numerous clans. Their children were:
-
Bessey Severns bap 7 Feb 1786 Heanor
-
Sharlot (Charlotte) Severns bap 26 Feb 1788 Heanor, married 20 Jul 1807 Ilkeston to Thomas Cope (b 1789 Derby). She died 1841-1851
-
Anne Severns bap 17 Mar 1790 and bd 16 Feb 1792 Heanor
-
Samuel Severns bap 8 May 1792 Heanor; married Mary Adams
-
James Severns bap 24 Nov 1794; bur 28 Jan 1796 Heanor.
-
Mary Severns bap 26 Jan 1797 Heanor
-
John Severns bap 2 May 1799 Heanor
-
Thomas Severns bap 25 Sep 1800 d 1886; married Grace Durow 27 Aug 1822. Grace born 16 Jan 1803 Ilkeston; bap 20 Mar 1809 Independent Ilkeston
-
Hannah Severn bap 18 Jan 1803 Heanor
-
Joseph Severn b 13 Jun 1805 marr Jane
-
James Severn 1808 - 1884 See Generation 4
-
George Severn baptised 9 Jan 1809 Heanor. In 1851 he was a miner living in Shipley Common. In 1827 he married Rebecca Hart (she was born 1810 in Ilkeston)
-
Ruth Severns bap 29 Sep 1812; married John Henshaw (he b 1810 Cotmanhay)
Generation 4 James Severn 1808 - 1884
James Severn c1806-1808 . We believe he was married firstly to Mira Sisson who was the daughter of James and Mary Sisson and was born 13 Dec 1808, baptised Apr 13 1812. She died aged 23 and was buried 7 Jun 1831 in Ilkeston. James and Myra had twins:
-
James Severn b 20 Oct 1828 Cotmanhay; bap 18 Nov 1828 Primitive Methodist Slade chapel Ilkeston - See Generation 5
-
George Severn b 20 Oct 1828 Cotmanhay; bap 18 Nov 1828 Primitive Methodist Slade chapel Ilkeston. He was buried 21 Nov 1838 aged 10.
James then married Hannah Beardsley born 4 Aug 1805 dt of William Beardsley & Elizabeth. They were married before 1841. She died in 1872 aged 67. Their children were:
-
Joseph Severn b 1832; married 1854 Elizabeth Walters - they moved to the Doncaster area see this link for more details http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/21266472/family?cfpid=1056721554
-
Sarah Severn bc 1835 died bef 1871; married Samuel Cook
-
William Severn b 1836 d 1891 Doncaster married Lucy Barber. He also moved to the Doncaster area
-
Elizabeth Severn b 1839 married Enoch Beardsley
-
Catherine Severn b 1841 d 1874; married William Rowe
Generation 5 James Severn 1828 - 1898
James Severn the surviving twin was b 20 Oct 1828 Cotmanhay; bap 18 Nov 1828 Shipleywood & Beverley & Slade Ilkeston Primitive Methodist chapel. He married Mary Sanders (also in some records Sanderson). She was bc 1828. In 1861 they were living at Wheaton Terrace, Cotmanhay. Their children were:
-
George Severn 1852-1934 married Martha Jane Hill - see below Gen 6.1
-
Martha/Moira Severn bc 1854; bap 11 Sep 1859 Cotmanhay - then disappears
-
James Severn 1856 -1924 married Martha Burkinshaw Hill
-
William Severn or William Henry Severn. Not sure if this person was christened twice or the first William died. No further information. Possibly b 1860
-
Joseph Severn 1863 – 1942 married Louisa Goddard.
A Methodist minister said about the people of Ilkeston:
“The condition of the people as to roughness and rudeness is like that of the natives of Mow Cop in 1800 before the first Revival.”The Mow Cap comment was: “There was not in England a neighbourhood that was more ungodly and profane. A stranger could hardly go over Harris Head without insult and sometimes not without injury.”
Cotmanhay Primitive Methodist Chapel
The chapel building is situated on the east side of Cotmanhay road, opposite its junction with Wesley Street. It was built in 1853, and had a Sunday-school building in Wesley Street. It is now closed and the building has been converted into residential use.
Our Severn ancestors would have had a hand in raising the finds and helping to build it. For many years they had worshiped at the old chapel - long since destroyed.
The Old Ilkeston website says that In the early 1820’s regular services were held in the houses of Job Fretwell at Cotmanhay and Hannah Wheatley at Shipley. Probably because these premises were proving too small, services moved to a barn belonging to the Ancient Druids Inn, a forerunner of the Methodist Chapel, at the corner of Bridge Street and Cotmanhay Road where there is now a roundabout.
Good story about Methodists in Ilkeston here
Thise of us descended from the Mexborough Severns can trace our roots through to three brothers who relocated to Mexborough from Ilkeston. Click on the faces for a link to their pages.
James Severn
Joseph Severn
