Shepstone, Shepston, Shepson

I've been 'collecting' Shesptones for over 30 years.  My Ancestry.co.uk tree now has all the data and most of the source references from my research.  I'd love to hear from any members who would like to exchange info.

John Thompson

Hi John. I think we might have been in touch in the distant past. I have Betsy SHEPSTON in my tree - christened at Rowberrow on 8 September 1818. She married James KEEDWELL (eventually), a brother of John Walker KEEDWELL, my 3xGGF.

Dave Erasmus

Hello Dave,

All the sources I have on James and Betsy Keedwell are on my Ancestry.co.uk tree.  James appears to have married two Betsy Shepstones.  One, a spinster and his father's servant by licence in 1841 and the other (widow of Beacham) in Bristol in 1848.  

I supposed that the first Betsy died and he married her widowed relative (perhaps a cousin), but have no evidence other than what is on the tree.  At the second wedding, James is recorded as single, but this may be an error by the celebrant.  

I'd be interested to know if you find anything more about them.

Best Wishes,

John

Hello John,

Betsy Shepston(e) married James Keedwell twice, in 1841 at Barrow Gurney, and then in 1848 at Clifton. James tried to conceal his first marriage from his uncle (also James) from whom James hoped to inherit and who disapproved of the relationship. As part of the deception James and Betsy invented a fictitious husband for her named John Beacham. Their daughter, Rachel, was registered as Rachel Beacham but baptised as Rachel Keedwell. There is a great deal of evidence to support this odd but true story.

Best wishes, John Osmond

Apologies for not responding before now, but I think I might have finally broken down a brick wall in my tree after c10 years and I've been focussing on that.

The only thing I would add to John's account is that there was a marriage in Bristol on 17 April 1837 of Elizabeth SHEPSTONE to John BEACHAM.

Dave Erasmus

Hi John, I have a Phil(l)ip Shepstone (1806 or 1811-1878) married Ann Stock 1829 at Rowberrow. Trade:Limeburner originally at Shipham, later at Sandford Hill Winscombe.  One child, Eliza, married John Chappell, Q4/1864, at Winscombe.  Does this tie in with your Shepstones?

Raysboy.

Hi,

I have quite a lot of data about Philip and his descendants, including his will and outlines of a few court cases.  He may have been a son of John Shepstone and Sophia (nee Stowell), who emigrated to New England before 1841, However, I have found no proof of this.  All the data is on my Ancestry.co.uk tree.  I'd be interested in anything new.

Regards

John Thompson