This is the seventh installment of our two-generation study. This is the final installment of the first generation of our two-generation study, the family of Charles Hall Shearn. The previous installments can be viewed as follows:
- Two Generations Son / Father
- Short Marriage Short Life
- Building a Life Together
- Long and Prosperous Marriage
- Career and Will
- Children of Charles Hall Shearn
We have reached the end of our exploration of generation one of our two-generation study. Charles Hall Shearn lived a long life. He worked for some very wealthy and famous people. He outlived three wives and two children. His wives and children worked hard to make the family boarding houses work. In retirement, they enjoyed a bit of leisure supporting their own in-house staff. The deaths of his wives and children notwithstanding, even with the good life, not everything was wonderful and rosy all the time. One son, Robert Austin Shearn, made some bad decisions. Records indicate that he spent time in prison in Australia. He also married and built a family there, even after his father struck him from his will. There is a lot more to explore of this family, just like there is with your family!
Here are the conclusion and just a few of the recommendations for future research into the family of Charles Hall Shearn.
Conclusion of Generation One
Each of the research objectives was completed. Charles Hall Shearn, son of Mark Hall Shearn and Sarah Parfitt, was born in Woodborough, Somerset in 1830. He lived in many places in England during his lifetime. He married three times outliving all three of his wives. He had five children. He lived a life in service primarily as a butler and house steward. His wives helped earn money by running lodging houses while Charles was living in the homes where he was employed. He employed several others within his home. He lived in his retirement by his own means, died and left a somewhat substantial sum including real estate and investments to his sons. Two of his children died in childhood. Two of his other sons lived to marry, though more remains to be researched. A third son’s path was unknown and also remains to be further researched.
Recommendations for Future Research – Generation One
- During research many records about a Robert Austin Shearn or Robert Austin McFarlane/Shearn were found suggesting Charles’ son may have moved or been moved to Australia or New Zealand. Considering his father’s will was changed to remove any gift to Robert Austin Shearn, examine the date of the codicil against the date of the original will verses the records that show Robert Austin as a criminal or otherwise afflicted in order to determine if the New Zealand/Australia man was Charles’ son.
- Further research needs to be completed into Charles James Hall Shearn’s life including census records, marriage records, and death records. He married, but his will only mentioned his widow, not any children. Did they not have children? Did they have children who died?
- What was Roderic House, who lived there and employed Charles Hall Shearn, and what did he do there?
- Where was Charles Hall Shearn in 1871? Was he with the Marquess of Lansdowne in some other country?
- Further research needs to be completed into Albert Henry Shearn’s life including death records. When and where did he die? Did he leave a will?
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