No Stone Unturned - My Ancestors were Monmouth Rebels

Last year Martin Stone, a Bridgwater, Somerset resident approached me asking about family history research as he knew virtually nothing about his father's side of the family.

I very quickly located his father's birth entry, Francis G(eorge) Stone, born 1927 in Bridgwater, mothers maiden name Peadon. That was simple enough. 

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So I went on the search for a marriage of Stone to a female Peadon. Easily found, Francis J(ohn) Stone married Mabel E(dith) Peadon 1921 in Taunton, Somerset.

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This marriage confirmed that Francis John Stone married Mabel Edith Peadon. So I went on the search for Francis' senior birth entry. This should take me back to the 1911 census and following the trail back 'should' be relatively easy.

Francis senior was married in 1921, so in theory if he married about about the age of 20, he would have been born about 1901. None of the entries pulled up for that time fitted the criteria, either they were much too old or too young.

After cross-checking, I came to the conclusion that there were no Francis (John) Stone's born around that time in this area.

I decided to check the 1911 census and pulled up a Francis Stone living as a single man with Maria Orchard, his housekeeper. Children listed were Francis John Orchard and Lilly Stone Orchard. Both these children were listed as son and daughter. 

1911 Census - Bridgwater, Somerset.  Courtesy of Ancestry.com

A search confirmed that a Francis John Orchard was born in Bridgwater in 1903. It would seem his parents Francis Stone and Maria Orchard were never married and the name Stone was taken on later in life. 

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Once this small hurdle was overcome, the Stone side of the family was researched back to the mid 1700s.

Martin was so thrilled with the research it was decided to follow four Surnames, Stone (paternal grandfather), Peadon (paternal grandmother), Kelly (maternal grandfather) and Hill (maternal grandmother). The Stone's and Hill's originated in Devon. The Kelly's were originally from the Isle of Man. All these families were wonderful to research and we both loved watching the family tree grow. Then it was time for the Peadon's, and boy what a surprise we were in for!

The Peadon family had at least nine consecutive generations in Chard, Somerset going back to the mid 1600s. Now, I've done some research into the Monmouth Rebellion and already knew 160 men from Chard joined the forces of the Duke of Monmouth in 1865 and of which 12 were hung in the town following the Bloody Assizes. The subsequent hangings took place on Snowden Hill to the west of the town.

To my astonishment, not one, but two of Martin's ancestors were involved in the rebellion!

Joseph Peadon, the son of Humprey and Joane was baptised on 23^rd February 1666 in Chard, Somerset. 

Joseph Peadon Baptism, Chard, Somerset 1666.  Courtesy  of Ancestry.com

I could not find a baptism for Humprey Peadon in the parish records for Chard but they start in 1649 so its possible he wouldn't appear if he was born before then.

In 'The Monmouth Rebels 1685 (Somerset Record Society Vol. 79)' shows us that a “Humphrey Peadon, of Chard, 'absent and believed', tried at Wells; hanged at Bruton”. Also a 'Joseph Peadon, of Chard, 'absent, believed', was tried. 

'The Monmouth Rebels 1685.  Published by the Somerset Record Society Volume 79.

Of course, this doesn't conclusively 'prove' anything but I believe these to be father and son and ancestors of Martin Stone. What became of Joseph, we may never know, but its comforting that a burial in Chard is not listed, nor does it seem he was executed.  I'm hoping he escaped and lived a full life.

The Peadon Rebels as they appear on the Family Tree

On the revelations of his family history, Martin commissioned a booklet and family tree chart from Somerset Genealogy.

Stone, Kelly, Peadon and Hill Family History Booklet.  Somerset Genealogy 2017

 

Stone, Kelly, Peadon and Hill Family Tree Chart.  Somerset Genealogy 2017

The Family Tree stands at over 1.5 meters tall and is embellished with four coats of arms, each representing (but not necessarily belonging to) Martin's paternal and maternal ancestor's surnames.

Martin also legally changed his name to Martin Orpheus Stone in honour of his ancestors.

Thank you to Martin for allowing me to published his family history.

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