This is the fourth installment of Generation Two of our two-generation study and our eleventh installment overall. This generation is concerned with Mark Hall Shearn born 1800 in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England and his family. The first generation was concerned with Mark’s son Charles Hall Shearn born 1830 in Radstock, Somerset, England. If you like, you can also read the previous installments:
- Two Generations Son / Father
- Short Marriage Short Life
- Building a Life Together
- Long and Prosperous Marriage
- Career and Will
- Children of Charles Hall Shearn
- Charles Hall Shearn Conclusion and Recommendations
- Mark Hall Shearn - Father of Charles Hall Shearn
- Children of Mark Hall Shearn and Sarah Ann Parfitt Part 1
- Children of Mark Hall Shearn and Sarah Ann Parfitt Part 2
Mark Hall Shearn married Sarah Ann Parfitt in 1823. The couple had five children between 1827 and 1833. In 1833, when the youngest child, Mary Parfitt Shearn, was baptized, three of the children, each of whom had already been baptized Wesleyan, were also baptized into the Church of England. Phebe, Charles, and Elizabeth were all baptized again, along with Mary, on 29 December 1833. The record indicated the names of the children and parents, and the occupation of the father. Mark Hall and Sarah Shearn were the parents, and Mark Hall was a farmer. They were all from Wellow. The baptisms took place in the parish of Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England. Phebe, Charles, and Elizabeth were either re-baptized, or perhaps this was a different Phebe, Charles, and Elizabeth with parents Mark Hall and Sarah Shearn. That was not likely, in fact the very names were what helped provide proper identification in various records. Elizabeth, Charles, and Phebe were first baptized Wesleyan. Samuel George Shearn was first baptized Church of England. Why were four children of varying ages, from the same parents, who had each been baptized before then baptized again on the same day? The following records may help make further sense of this.
As noted with each of the children except Phebe, 41-year-old Sarah Shearn was located living with James and Mary Parfitt in the 1841 census in Midsomer Norton, Somerset.[1] The Wesleyan christening records said that the children’s mother’s name was Sarah daughter of James and Mary Parfitt. In 1841 Sarah lived with her parents, two young boys, and two girls. It is certain that these are Sarah’s children. “Chas” is Charles Hall Shearn who was 11 years old in 1841 as was the Chas here in the census. Considering the census date and the age of the person, as noted Samuel was born about 1828, Elizabeth was born about 1831, Mary Shearn was born about 1833, Sarah was born about 1800, James was born about 1775, and Mary Parfitt was born about 1878. Charles, Elizabeth, and Mary were three of the four baptized in 1833. The fourth, Phoebe, was not in the household with the others at the time of the 1841 census. She was in the home of John Parfitt, perhaps her uncle, in Chewton Mendip, Somerset on census day in 1841.[2] She was 12 years old, born about 1829. Samuel was a son of Mark Hall and Sarah Shearn.[3] He was baptized Church of England in Chewton Mendip, Somerset on 30 September 1827. At the time of Samuel’s baptism, Mark Hall Shearn was listed as a yeoman which is a free farmer. The 1841 census showed facing pages. Sarah Shearn, Mark’s wife, and children were in Sarah’s parents’ home, on the right hand page. On the left hand page was Mark’s mother and siblings. So they were very nearby. It is likely that with Mark gone Sarah Hall Shearn, Mark’s mother, and her children helped Sarah, Mark’s wife, with her children.
| 1841 Census | ||||
| Name | Sex | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Parfitt | M | 66 | ||
| Mary Parfitt | F | 63 | ||
| Sarah Shearn | F | 41 | ||
| Samuel Shearn | M | 13 | ||
| Chas Shearn | M | 11 | ||
| Elizabeth Shearn | F | 10 | ||
| Mary Shearn | F | 8 | ||
The fact that Mark, Charles’ father, was not present in 1841 supports the idea that he left or died before then. The baptisms of the four children all at once in 1833 suggests that perhaps Mark Hall Shearn was gone and Sarah wanted the children to be Anglican, meaning Church of England, instead of Wesleyan. Death record searches turned up no record for Mark Hall Shearn. He did not appear in any England census. Again, ten years later in 1851, the children are with their mother. By then they have moved to Bristol where Sarah ran a lodging house at 8 Victoria Street. Charles is not present as he was in Wales working as a groom for the Cordes family. Phebe was off visiting another uncle, Jonah. Sarah claimed to be a widow lending support to the notion that Mark Hall Shearn died. There was no divorce record found. No new marriage was found for Mark Hall Shearn or for Sarah Shearn. No death record was found in England for Mark Hall Shearn.
| 1851 Census | ||||
| Name | Sex | Age | Relationship | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Shearn | F | 66 | Head | Lodging house keeper |
| Samuel Geo Shearn | M | 23 | Son | Merchant Clerk |
| Elizabeth Shearn | F | 19 | Daughter | Milliner |
| Mary Shearn | F | 18 | Daughter | |
| Arthur L Holmes | M | 22 | Visitor | Land & House Proprietor |
| Emily Gould | F | 22 | Visitor | Annuitant |
| John McKenzie Bruce | M | 25 | Visitor | Silversmith |
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Sources
[1] 1841 census of England, Somersetshire, Midsomer Norton, Enumeration District 1, folio 11, page 14, line 14, Sarah Parfitt, Elizabeth Parfitt Shearn, Charles Hall Shearn, Samuel George Shearn, Mary Shearn, James Parfitt, Mary Parfitt; imaged, “1841 England Census,” database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2020); 1841 Census Returns of England and Wales, The National Archives of England, Kew, document 80.[2] 1841 census of England, Somersetshire, Chewton Mendip, Enumeration District 3, folio 12, page 1, line 19, Phoebe Shearn; imaged, “1841 England Census,” database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2020); 1841 Census Returns of England and Wales, The National Archives of England, Kew, document 56.
[3] "Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914," database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2020), Samuel George Shearn, baptism, document 55.
