Ansell of Graveley

[KelvinR]

One of my ancestors if James Ansell, born about 1818 in Graveley.
He married twicw. Firstly to Sarah Alridge and later to Elizabeth Maynard.
Is anyone related to them or have any details of ancestors?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Jan1954]

The IGI (http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=search_all1.asp&clear_form=true) has a christening for a James ANSELL on 3 December 1817 at St Mary's, Hitchin to parents John and Elizabeth.

Batch No.: C072481
Dates: 1813 to 1851
Source Call No.: 0991315

Hitchin is just a stone's throw from Graveley.

[Vance Mead]

There are 75 or 80 wills of people named Ansell/Aunsell in Wills at Hertford. This covers most of the county, exluding some 35 parishes along the Essex border.

These are the wills of people after 1740:

1769 Grance Ancell, widow, Stevanage
1850 James Ancell, labourer, Trowley Bottom Flamstead
1825 Jane Ancell, widow, Baldock
1745 John Aunsell, victualler, Watton at Stone
1751 John Aunsell, currier, Hitchin
1825 John Aunsell, farmer, Stevenage
1844, Joseph Henry Aunsell, grocer, Stevenage
1842, Mary Auncell, widow, Hatfield
1810, Michael Auncell, bricklayer, Baldock
1846, Susannah Auncell, widow, Stevenage
1801, Thomas Ancell, sawyer, Hatfield
1825, William Auncell, blacksmith, Hertford

Many of these places, such as Stevenage and Hitchin, are very close to Gravely. If you are interested in any of these, I can post the register numbers so you can order copies from the Hertford RO.
Vance

[Vance Mead]

I missed a few the first time. This should be the lot, post-1740.
Vance


1769 Grace Ancell, widow, Stevanage
1850 James Ancell, labourer, Trowley Bottom Flamstead
1825 Jane Ancell, widow, Baldock
1745 John Aunsell, victualler, Watton at Stone
1751 John Aunsell, currier, Hitchin
1825 John Aunsell, farmer, Stevenage
1770 Joseph Aunsell, husbandman, Hatfield
1844 Joseph Henry Aunsell, grocer, Stevenage
1842 Mary Auncell, widow, Hatfield
1810 Michael Auncell, bricklayer, Baldock
1759 Philip Auncell, farmer, Newgate Street, Hatfield
1764 Rebecca Auncell, Hatfield
1786 Tichard Auncell, labourer/husbandman, Wooler Green, Welwyn
1766 Robert Auncell, victualler, Stevenage
1766 Saraha Auncell, widow, Hitchin
1846 Susannah Auncell, widow, Stevenage
1801 Thomas Ancell, sawyer, Hatfield
1825 William Auncell, blacksmith, Hertford

[KelvinR]

Thanks Vance
I note that as usual the surname spelling varies greatly.

[Vance Mead]

There certainly were a lot of them. It looks like they had been living in that area for a long time. The earliest Ansell/Auncell wills are from the 1400s in St Pauls Walden, also quite nearby. You'll have quite a job sorting them all out. There were half a dozen James Ansells born 1815-20 in Hertfordshire, all within a few miles.

[Vance Mead]

In the IGI for both of James' marriages, to Sarah Alridge 1843 in Stevenage and to Elizabeth Maynard 1851 in Stevenage, it says that he is the son of Richard.

Apparently he is the one born in Graveley in 1818, the son of Richard Ansell and Elizabeth Conder?

[Vance Mead]

Here are a few wills of Ansells proved in the PCC at Documents online. This doesn't always mean that they were posh - Robert Ansell of Ware was a servant. It might mean that someone also had property in, say, Ware, which waas in the diocese of London.

Will of Grace Ansell of Little Amwell , Hertfordshire 26 September 1805 PROB 11/1430
Will of Joseph Ansell, Yeoman of Kings Walden , Hertfordshire 09 August 1803 PROB 11/1397
Will of Judith Ansell, Widow of Ickleford , Hertfordshire 10 June 1795 PROB 11/1261
Will of William Ansell, Yeoman of Chipping Barnet , Hertfordshire 03 December 1794 PROB 11/1252
Will of Richard Ansell of Stansted Abbotts , Hertfordshire 28 May 1774 PROB 11/997
Will of Robert Ansell, Servant of Ware , Hertfordshire 13 December 1771 PROB 11/973
Will of William Ansell, Victualler of Harpenden , Hertfordshire 21 March 1770 PROB 11/955
Will of William Ansell, Malster of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire 06 November 1766 PROB 11/923
Will of John Ansell, Gentleman of Ickleford , Hertfordshire 09 July 1759 PROB 11/847