page 1.
11 March 1977
Somerset House
London, England
Dear Sirs,
I am interest in the complete genealogy of this Doswell family in England and would appreciate
a copy if available:
Ambrose Doswell w. Katherine
father of John Hawkins 1827-1900
John Hawkins Doswell became superintendent and landscape architect at Lindenwold cemetery
in 1859. He was educated at Southampton. He learned his profession at Royal Botanical
Gardens at Kew. He became a citizen of the United States 3 July 1854, state of Wisconsin,
County of Font du Lac, and immigrated to Cincinnati, OH, and then to Fort Wayne, IN where
for forty years he developed on of the most attractive cemeteries in the region.
Enclosed is a return postage and possible costs for said material. Also a post card for
immediate reply so I will know you have received the request.
Any further charges will be promptly sent.
Sincerely,
Mrs. John E. Hurt
910 West Harrison Street
Martinsville, IN 46151
page 2
Dear Virginia,
I doubt that there is much in these papers that you don't already know. I was rather
disappointed considering the cost. Don't believe I'll pursue further. Am enclosing this
in the event you should be interested.
Love
Mary
If you have the record of the more modern Doswells I'd appreciate it. I'm ready now to pursue
the Taylor Suddery Line with Nancy Kover Blackburn McKays help. She is now Mrs. George McKay
and living in Ft. Wayne.
page 3
Debrett Ancestry Research
78 Parchment Street
Winchester
SO23 8AT
Telephone 0962-61518
W/0899
26 March 1980
Dear Mrs Hurt,
Despite Ambrose Dozwell being born in Hertfordshire, we believe that his father probably came
from Hampshire. All the clues we have so far point to this, but we could not carry out an
in-depth study of Hampshire as the funds you so kindly supplied have now been exhausted. Our
report is enclosed and we trust you will find it of interest.
Clearly the family were very mobile and this, added to our problems, of course. However, we
do think further progress is possible and welcome the opportunity of continuing on receipt of
your cheque for $285.
I look forward to your comments and hopefully renewed instructions.
Yours sincerely
(signed) R.S. Powell
R.S. Powell
Genealogist
Mrs. John E. Hurt,
910 East Harrison Street,
Martinsville,
Indiana 46151,
U.S.A.
The Doswell Family
of
London, Wheathampstead
Co., Hertford, Mottisfont,
Hampshire and later of the USA
Research for Mrs. J. Hurt
March 1980
The Doswell Family
of
London, Wheathampstead
Co., Hertford, Mottisfont,
Hampshire and later of the USA
The object of the research was threefold:
- To trace the ancestry of John Hawkins (Hawkings) Doswell, son of Ambrose Doswell, born
3 November 1827 in London.
- To discover the maiden name and parentage of Katherine, wife of Ambrose Doswell, senior.
- To find the date and place of birth of Caroline, wife of John Hawkins Doswell, and to trace
her ancestry.
Our first step was to establish the exact date and place of birth of John Hawkins Doswell by
examining the Mormon Computer File Index for London. this revealed that he was born 3 November
1827, the son of Ambrose Doswell, nurseryman of Hoxton, and Katherine his wife, and he was
baptised at St. Leonard's, Shoreditch 10 February 1828. There was also mention of another son
of Ambrose and Katherine: Thomas David Doswell, born 7 December 1825 and christened with his
brother John at St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, 10 February 1828. There was no entry for John's brother
Ambrose, nor for any Doswells at an earlier date than 1828.
Acting on the information on the marriage certificate of John Hawkins Doswell, which describes
his place of residence in 1852 as Mottisfont, Hants, a search was made of the 1851 Census Retuns
for the village of Mottisfont and the following facts emerged: At the time of the census, April
1851, Ambrose Doswell senior, aged 56, was living in the village with his wife Katherine, aged 58
and three sons, Ambrose aged 20, Arthur aged 19, and Alfred whose age was given as 4, but from
later information we know that this should have read 16. John Hawkins was not mentioned, but we
know that in April 1851 he was still working as a gardner at the Botanical Gardens, Kew. At
the time of the census Ambrose Doswell senior was employed as a gardner to Sir J.B. Mills, Baronet
of Mottisfont. (Sir J.B. Mills was, more accurately, the Reverend Sir John barker Mill, Baronet).
Ambrose senior gave his place of birth as Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire; his wife Catharine and
the three sons were all born in West Hackney, London. (West Hackney is a district in London in
which both Hoxton and Shoreditch are situate; these two places were once adjoining villages
but by 1828 were part of London).
The Mottisfont Census Returns for 1841 and 1861 gave us more information about the Doswell family.
Ambrose senior had moved to Mottisfont before 1841 and in the Census Return for that year
he is described as a gardener. At that time his son, John then aged 12, was living with
his parents and three brothers, Ambrose, Arthur, and Alfred. By 1861, Ambrose senior had died
and Catherine, described as 'gardner's widow', born Ware, Hertforshire (not West Hackney), was
living with her youngest son Alfred, then aged 26. We know from our own research that by
this time John Hawkins was living in the U.S. and that his brother Ambrose, was dead.
John Hawkins Doswell was married 29 July 1852 at Boddington, Gloucestershire to Caroline Jane
Humphries, daughter of Charles Humphries, miller, of Boddington. At the time of the 1851 Census
there were two families called Humphries living in Boddington, on of which consisted of Mary Humphries,
miller's wife, aged 47, two daughters, Ann aged 17 and Emma aged 14 and William Dyer aged 73,
the father of Mary Humphries. It was stated that they were all born at Bourton-on-the-Water,
Gloucestershire. This was almost certainly, the family of Caroline Jane Humphries although
there is no mention of her or her other sisters, Rose, Hannah, and Charlotte or their father,
Charles Humphries.
Our research into the ancestry of John Hawkins Doswell now moved to Hertfordshire where the
following entry was found in the parish register of Wheathampstead:
18 March 1795 Ambrose Dozwell, son of John and Susanna, was baptised, born 19 February.
A search through the Bishop's Transcript (contemporary copies made of the registers held by
order of the Bishop) for the years 1825-1770 produced no more Doswell/Dozwell entries, nor
did the name appear at all in the Mormon Computer File Index for Hertfordshire. It seemed clear
that Doswell was not a Hertfordshire name, and that John Dozwell and Susanna had lived in Wheathampstead
for only a short period of time.
To find any further mention of Doswells in Hertfordshire, including marriage if John and Susanna,
searches were made through a variety of documents, including a Personal name index for the county,
two Marriage Indexes and the Index to Wills, Inventories and Administrations in the Archdeaconries
of St. Albans and Huntingon. There were no entries at all for Doswell, but the names Dodwell,
Dowdeswell, Dozel and Dowsell were found and considered as possible variants of Doswell.
The most hopeful entry was from the Marriage Register of St. Andrews Church, Hertford:
4 November 1745: Edward Dodwell, married Mary Rigg.
Working on the supposition that Edward Dodwell could be the father of John Dozwell, we checked
the registers of St. Andrews for the baptisms of the children of Edward and Mary Dodwell. there
were no such entries, but there were a number of baptismal entries for the children of Edward
and Mary Odell. Odell, which is a very common name in Hertfordshire, did not seem a very probable
variant of Doswell and this line of research was therefore, discontinued for the time being.
A search of the Non-Parochial (Non-conformist) Registers for Hertfordshire showed no entries for Doswell
and a further search through the Computer File Index for London, together with the neighboring counties
of Essex and Surry, produced on two Doswell entries, both in London:
John Doswell, baptised 1733 and
John Doswell baptised 1837,
and neither of these could refer to john Dozwell, father of Ambrose, (if he had been born in
1733, he would have been 62 when his son was born, which seems rather unlikely.
We now turned to Estate Duty Wills and made a search, covering the years 1796-1858, for
any Doswell Wills proved in the Consistory, Archdeaconry and Peculiar Courts of St. Albans
and Winchester, or in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury; this would include all Wills proved
in London, if the testator had left effects to the value of more than 5 pounds in two
different dioceses. There were no entries for Doswells in St. Albans, but the
indexes to Winchester Wills produced some interesting and encouraging results. there
were five Doswell entries as follows:
- 1796-1799 Richard Doswell senior of Mottisfont, Hants.
- 1805-1820 John Doswell of Broughton, Hants
- 1830 William Joseph Doswell of Broughton, Hants
- 1848 George Doswell of Greenford, Essex (a native of Michelmersh, Hampshire).
- John Doswell of Southampton (Administration)
Further details of the contents of these wills are on the enclosed typed sheet, and from an
examination of them it becomes clear that there were several families of Doswells in Hampshire,
not only during the first half of the nineteenth century but well before that if we consider the
first two wills on our list. The villages mentioned, Mottisfont, Michelmersh, and Broughton,
are all in the same part of Hampshire lying between the towns of Romsey and Stockbridge;
a check on the 1841 Census Returns for Broughton showed three Doswell families lived there
and another in Michelmersh (see enclosure).
In the light of this new evidence it does seem very probable that your branch of the Doswell
family came originally from Hampshire; Ambrose Sr may well have taken a post as a gardener
in Mottisfont because he had family connections with the area. Further research into Parish
registers and other Hampshire records will certainly produce more information about the Doswell
family as a whole and may provide us with the baptism and/or marriage of John Dozwell, father
of Ambrose Sr.
Extracts from the Computer File Index of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
County or Counties: London
Object of Search: Baptism of John Hawkins Doswell
| Year Month Day |
Surname |
Forename |
Relationship |
Father |
Mother |
Parish |
|
|
|
|
(Spouse in the case of marriages |
|
10 February 1828
born 7 December 1825 |
Doswell |
Thomas David |
son |
Ambrose Doswell
Nurseryman of Hoxton |
Catherine |
St. Leonard's, Shoreditch |
10 February 1828
born 3 November 1827 |
Doswell |
John Hawkings |
son |
Ambrose Doswell
Nurseryman of Hoxton |
Catherine |
St. Leonards, Shoreditch |
Estate Duty Wills (1796-1850)
| 1796-1799 |
Richard Doswell the Elder of Mottisfont (Hants), yeoman...
to his wife Elizabeth all
his stock and possessions for her sole use and for her to dispose of to their 5 children
as she thinks fit. Will proved in the Archdeaconry Court, Winchester 4 January 1800.
Estate valued at 600 pounds. |
| 1805-1820 |
John Doswell of Broughton (Hants), Yeoman...
to his son George Doswell the Corner House
freehold, which after his decease is to go to his son, John Doswell.
...to the sons
of George Doswell, John, Richard and James, the sum of 15 pounds to be apportioned
equally between them.
...to his son Richard Doswell Tatt Pool Farmhouse, and after his decease to go to his
son Richard Doswell.
...to the sons of Richard Doswell, Richard, Charles, and John the sume of 15 pounds.
Executors: George Doswell and Richard Doswell
Estate valued at 200 pounds |
| 1830 |
William Doswell of Broughton (Hants), Yeoman...
to his sister Mary Ulsdell (?) 30 pounds
to his sister Mary A. Holdaway 30 pounds
to his sister Ann D. Langwell (?) 30 pounds
...to James Doswell, his nephew, the residue of his estate.
Executors: James Doswell of Broughton, Yeoman
Michael Foord of Broughton, Yeoman
Will dated 15 July 1830 in Consistory Court, Winchester. |
| 1848 |
George Doswell, Blacksmith. Native of Michelmersh Hants. Now resident of Greenford,
Essex. Wished to be buried in Perivale Churchyard.
...to his mother, Miriam Doswell all his money deposited in the Brentford and Ealing
Savings Bank with 9 pounds in cash which is in Sarah Hinge's hand at Greenford. She
is also to dispose of his wearing apparel and his silver watch to his brother as she thinks
fit.
...to Warwick Stevens his fellow workman his gun
...to his young Master Joseph Hinge, his few tools
...to his young Mistress Sarah Martha hinge, his
gold ring and seal.
Executor: His father, Edward Doswell the Elder
Will dated 13 March 1848
Will proved 17 April 1848 by oath of father
(See 1841 Michelmersh census enclosure for family of George Doswell). |
| 1850 |
John Doswell late of Southampton.
Administration granted in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury to his widow Ann Doswell.
(John Doswell died intestate). |
| 1836 |
Charles Doswell of Crosby Row, King St. Southwark (London)
...to his mother Mary Doswell 100 pounds and the works of Reverend Hawkes.
reside of his estate to Sarah Doswell, his wife
Executors: Charles Miller, stationer of Church Street, Stoke Newtington, Middlesex.
Sarah Doswell of 1-1/2 Crosby Row aforesaid, Relict.
Will made 22 December 1835, the day of his death.
Will proved 21 January 1836.
Estate valued at 450 pounds. |
Parish Register Searches
County or Counties: Hertforshire
Period of Search: 1825-1775 (Less 1783)
| Year Month Day |
Surname |
Forename |
Relationship |
Father |
Mother |
Parish |
|
|
|
|
(Spouse in the case of marriages |
|
18 March 1795
born: 19 February 1795 |
Doswell |
Ambrose |
son |
John Doswell |
Susanna |
Wheathampstead |
No further items in this name for this period.
1841 Census (taken 8 June 1841)
Public Record Office: HO 107-399
Little London
Broughton
Hants
| Birth |
Name |
Sex |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of Birth |
| 1776 |
Charles Doswell |
M |
65 |
Agricultural Laborer |
Hants |
| 1796 |
George Stoleard |
M |
12 |
|
Hants |
| 1793 |
James Doswell |
M |
45 |
Carrier |
Hants |
| 1793 |
Ann Doswell |
F |
48 |
|
Hants |
| 1828 |
James Doswell |
M |
13 |
|
Hants |
| 1833 |
Fanny Doswell |
F |
8 |
|
Hants |
| 1836 |
William Doswell |
M |
5 |
|
Hants |
| 1760 |
Richard Doswell |
M |
80 |
|
Hants |
| 1764 |
Mary Doswell |
F |
77 |
|
Hants |
| 1831 |
William Doswell |
M |
10 |
|
Hants |
Public Record Office: HO 107-400
Mottisfont
Hampshire
| Name |
Sex |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of Birth |
| Ambrose Doswell |
M |
45 |
Gardner |
|
| Catherine Doswell |
F |
45 |
|
|
| John Doswell |
M |
12 |
|
|
| Ambrose Doswell |
M |
10 |
|
|
| Alfred Doswell |
M |
8 |
|
|
| Arthur Doswell |
M |
6 |
|
|
Public Record Office: HO 107-400
Michelmersh
Hants
| Birth |
Name |
Sex |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of Birth |
| 1776 |
Edward Doswell |
M |
65 |
Farmer |
Hants |
| 1786 |
Miriam Doswell |
F |
55 |
|
Hants |
| 1811 |
Edward Doswell |
M |
30 |
Agriculteral Laborer |
Hants |
| 1821 |
William Doswell |
M |
20 |
Agriculteral Laborer |
Hants |
1851 Census (taken 30 March 1851)
Public Record Office: HO 107-1671
Folio No. 278v
Mottisfont Street
Mottisfont
Hampshire
| Name |
Relationship |
Sex |
Condition |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of Birth |
| Sophia Doswell |
Head |
F |
Widow |
25 |
Laundress |
Hants, Minstead |
| Marianne Doswell |
daughter |
F |
|
2 |
|
Hants, Michelmersh |
| Ambrose Doswell |
Head |
M |
married |
56 |
Gardner to Sir J.B. Mills, Bt. |
Herts, Wheathampstead |
| Catherine Doswell |
Wife |
F |
married |
58 |
|
Middx., West Hackney |
| Ambrose Doswell |
Son |
M |
unmarried |
20 |
|
Middx., West Hackney |
| Arthur Doswell |
Son |
M |
unmarried |
19 |
|
Middx., West Hackney |
| Arthur Doswell |
Son |
M |
unmarried |
14 |
|
Middx., West Hackney |
|
