Joseph Pierce - missing birth record

[Megan Roberts]

First let me start out with an apology. My conclusion in my last post last night (#8) was wrong, so I am sorry.

After posting that there was something that was nagging at me and so I had to go back and take another look this morning. I had made the basic mistake of not looking at the complete data. In this case PIERCE and PEERS are the same family.

1841 Census: Leadbrook Major, Northop, Piece 1407, Book 16, Folio 2, Page 1
Joseph and Ann PIERCE are living with Ann’s parents, Thomas and Mary Hughes, and have 6 children, two of whom were born after 1837 (civil registration) and neither of whom have a birth registration). The five eldest children are all baptised at Northop, four of them by the same vicar, the family was living at the same address as the 1841 census, and yet two of the children are baptised as PEERS.

I haven’t tried to track which children may have died or married between the censuses. If you don’t have details of those baptisms let me know and I’ll give them to you.

1851 Census: Golftyn, Northop and Golftyn, Holywell, Piece 2501, Folio 211, Page 1
Joseph and Ann PEERS are living with 8 of their children and Ann’s father. Joseph says he was born in Halkin and everyone else in Northop. Of the children born after 1838 (5 in number) there is only 1 birth registration, and that is for Thomas PIERCE (Holywell Jan 1843 Vol 27 Page 232 Mother's Maiden Name Hughes). Indeed he seems to be the only one of their children every registered. Bear in mind that it did not become illegal to fail to do so until around 1870 (someone who knows exactly will correct me). This census includes a son, JOSEPH PEERS age 1, i.e. born about 1850. There is no birth registration for him that fits. The only Joseph PIERCE birth registration in 1850 in Holywell does not have a mother’s maiden name, suggesting that the child was illegitimate, although it is possible, but unlikely, that the registrar made a mistake and left the mother’s name off.

1861 Census: Plasbellin Farm, Plasbellin Road, Leadbrook & C, Holywell, Piece 4272 , Folio 87, Page 24
Joseph and Ann PEERS are living with 6 of their children. Joseph says he was born in Northop together with everyone else. The youngest child, born 1858, has no birth registration. Given that the mother would have been late 40s when she was born, it’s possible that she was in reality a granddaughter.

1871 Census: River View, Golftyn, Holywell, Piece 5644, Folio 15, Page 21
Ann PIERCE, now a widow, living with 3 unmarried children and 2 grandchildren.

Additionally because I thought that it might be possible that the James mention on the birth certificate that you bought might actually be the uncle of your Joseph I tracked James born 1839 son of Joseph and Ann, to the 1871 Census and found him living near Holywell (Piece 5643. Folio 76, Page 22) married to Mary Roberts (married 1860 Great Boughton, Cheshire), and he died in 1924, Hawarden. He did have a son called Joseph, but he was not born until 1866.

1881 Census: Golftyn Lane, Northop, Holywell, Piece 5505, Folio 98, Page 2
Ann PIERCE, a widow, living with 1 unmarried daughter.

1891 Census: Golftyn Lane, Northop, Holywell, Piece 4607, Folio 99, Page 34
Ann PIERCE, a widow, living with 1 married daughter and 4 grandchildren

1901 Census: Golftyn Cottage, Golftyn Lane, Connah's Quay. Piece 5212, Folio 64, Page 54
Ann PIERCE, a widow, living with 1 married daughter and 3 grandchildren

Ann PIERCE was buried 1 Jan 1904 Connah’s Quay.

To summarise, I believe that your Joseph PIERCE, was born in 1850. His birth was not registered. If he was baptised it was not in the Church of Wales (those are the baptisms on Findmypast). It’s possible that his parents switched to a non-conformist chapel /church. I believe that you have enough evidence to show that Joseph was the son of Joseph and Ann PIERCE.

The muddling up of the PIERCE and PEERS names is probably / possibly down to a combination of accents and the literacy or otherwise of the transcribed of the official documents of the times.

[pennyd]

Hi Megan, Thanks for your very detailed reply
After your message last night, I revisited all the information I held and noticed the HUGHES connection so came to the same conclusion, that the PEERS and PIERCE families are the same. So I'm really glad to see that you think the same! And it means that I can give up searching for Joseph Pierce's (non-existent) birth certificate.
Thanks for your interest and your advice

[pennyd]

Following on from my last reply, I don't have the baptism information you refer to for the 5 children who were baptised at Northop, so if you are able to let me have that it would be great. Many thanks

[pennyd]

he was a mariner

[Megan Roberts]

Following on from my last reply, I don't have the baptism information you refer to for the 5 children who were baptised at Northop, so if you are able to let me have that it would be great. Many thanks

William Pierce Born 6 Jan 1830 Bapt 3 Mar Northop as PEERS
Elisabeth Pierce Born 19 Sept 1831 Bapt 22 Sept Northop
Mary Pierce Born 25 Dec 1833 Bapt 8 Jan 1834 Northop
Catherine Pierce Born 1 Dec 1835 Bapt 1836 Northop as PEERS
James Pierce Born 30 May 1838 Bapt 4 Jun Northop


Joseph Pierce born 19 May 1808 Bapt 22 May Halkyn: parents William & Catherine. His sibling all baptised in Halkyn:
Anne 1802 – bapt 11 Aug
Barberah 1798 – bapt 11 Feb
James 20 Dec 1810 bapt 30 Dec
Mary 1799 bapt 17 Dec
Susannah 7 Jan 1806 bap 19 Jan
William 6 Dec 1803 bapt same day

William Pierce of Halkyn married Catherine Harrison of Mold 6 Nov 1797 at Mold Parish Church, both single and unable to sign their names

There are 3 possible baptisms in Halkyn for William:
1772 to Peter and Mary
1777 to William and Margaret
1779 to William and Margaret

I don’t think its the first because of the name of the father which does not feature in the name of William’s sons, and as for the 1777 child, I think he died in Aug 1779, so I think its probably the one born in Nov 1779.

[pennyd]

Thank you so much for all of this. Amazing!

[Megan Roberts]

Thank you so much for all of this. Amazing!

You're welcome.

I think with a bit more time using the Flintshire Parish Records that Findmypast have you may be able to even further back. If you don't have a subscription to Findmypast your local library probably does.