Category: Leicestershire

I’ve been trying to determine Ellen Clarke Hill Measom’s birth name, and finally found references in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 England Censuses. I also found a Birth Registration for Ellen Clarke Hill in 1848 in Billesdon (FreeBDM).  

In 1841, the Hills had returned to England from India, after James Bird (Hill) had died when the 2nd Foot (Queen’s Royal) fought at the Battle of Ghazni on 31 Jul 1839, either from wounds or illness. Ann nee Jarvis, widow of James Bird (Hill) is shown as the head of the house in Burton Overy with her two sons John and James, and two daughters, Sarah and Esther.  

Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Ann Hill	F	35
John Hill	M	15
James Hill	M	14
Sarah Hill	F	12
Esther Hill	F	10

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In 1851, some of the children have married and have families of their own in Burton Overy:

• Ann nee Jarvis is the head of her house with her daughter Ester and granddaughter Ann, daughter of Ester.
• She has a Lodger, William Berd, most probably a relation of the Birds (James Bird Hill’s mother’s family)
• Son James has married Jane nee Smalley and his sister Sarah is living in the same house with her daughter shown as Sarah, but is most probably Ellen, as she has the same birth year (1848) as Ellen, and is shown as James’ niece.  
• There is no sign of son John Hill in Burton Overy.

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Ann Hill	Head		F	49		Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Ester Hill	Daughter		F	20		East Indies British Subject
Ann Hill	Granddaughter		F	3		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
William Berd	Lodger		M	50		Kings Norton, Leicestershire, England

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
James Hill	Head		M	25		India
Jane Hill	Wife		F	22		Frowlesworth, Leicestershire, England
Sarah Hill	Sister		F	21		India
Sarah Hill	Niece		F	1		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

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In 1861, Ann nee Jarvis is shown in her house alone in Burton Overy.  

Daughter Sarah has married Thomas Measom and has her daughter Ellen Hill living with her in the Measom household.

This fact implies that Ellen is not Thomas Measom’s biological daughter. Of interest is that the 4 Measom children – Job, Charles, Pheobe, and Agnes – are all shown as MEASON.  

Son James is living with his wife Jane nee Smalley and his three children.   1861 Census of England: Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Ann Hill	Head		F	61		Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

 

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Thomas Measom	Head		M	33		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Sarah Measom	Wife		F	31		Coonah East Indies Brit Subject [Poona]
Ellen Hill	Daughter		F	12		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Job Meason	Son		M	8		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Charles Meason	Son		M	6		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Phoebe Meason	Daughter		F	4		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Agnes Meason	Daughter		F	2		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

 

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
James Hill	Head		M	33		East Indies British Subject
Jane Hill	Wife		F	34		Celton Basset, Northamptonshire, England [Sutton Bassett]
James Hill	Son		M	9		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Esther Hill	Daughter		F	5		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Tom Hill	Son		M	2		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

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    In 1871, Ann is still living alone in her house in Burton Overy.  

Son James and his wife Jane nee Smalley have added three more children to their household.  

Ellen and her step-brother Job had emigrated to Utah in 1869.  

Daughter Sarah and her husband Thomas Measom and their children had left Burton Overy on 7 September 1870 for Utah, thus missing both the 1871 England Census (02 Apr 1871) and the 1870 US Federal Census (01 Jun 1870).  

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Ann Hill	Head		F	71		Birmingham

 

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
James Hill	Head		M	43		IndiaLoona [British East India, Poona]
Jane Hill	Wife		F	44		Lutton Balset, Northamptonshire, England [Sutton Bassett]
Esther Hill	Daughter		F	15		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Tom Hill	Son		M	12		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Esson Hill	Son		M	9		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Percey Hill	Son		M	6		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
George Hill	Son		M	2		Leicestershire England

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    While the only reference to Ellen Clarke Hill is in her Birth Registration, the social norms of the day meant that often an illegitimate child often carried the name of the father in the baptismal name, so Ellen Clarke Hill may indicate that her father is a “Clark/e”. Of interest is the Daniel Clarke family of Burton Overy whose son Thomas is of an age as Sarah Hill, mother of Ellen.  

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Daniel Clark	Head		M	52		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Bel Clark	Wife		F	50		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Thomas Clark	Son		M	21		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

 

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Daniel Clarke	Head		M	62		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Jemimah Clarke	Wife		F	60		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England
Thomas Clarke	Son		M	32		Burton Overy, Leicestershire, England

    The difference in the mother’s name is unusual, and may just be a misunderstanding by the enumerator.