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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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.