Thanks Michael, John Dobson (bc1721) died at Newbiggin in 1777 at which time he was tenant of Newbiggin Hall. Twenty years later the farm house at Williamsgill, Newbiggin was built (1797 is on the date stone above the door) so that I imagine that his son, John (b1755), was then the tenant. The tenancy then appears to have passed through various family members; sons, brothers, cousins. All the children of John (bc1721) were baptised at Newbiggin. All the children of John (b1755) were born at Holme but baptised at Newbiggin. I have the history of the DOBSON link to Williamsgill Farm from the 1841 to 1901 census and from church records. I am now trying to find information post 1901. In 1901 Anthony DOBSON, born 1839, was the tenant. He died in 1914. Sometime after 1901 the SOULSBY family took over the tenancy. David -----Original Message----- From: eng-westmorland-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:eng-westmorland-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Michael Lightfoot Sent: 20 January 2009 20:49 To: eng-westmorland@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ENG-WESTMORLAND] DOBON + SOULSBY - Williamsgill, Newbiggin On Wednesday 21 January 2009 07:02:04 David Railton wrote: > My DOBSON ancestors farmed at Williamsgill Farm, Newbiggin near Appleby. I > can locate them there until 1901. Sometime later the SOULSBY family took > over the farm. > > Does anyone know anything of the history of this farm or from when the > SOULSBY family lived there? Can anyone also tell me if the SOULSBY and > DOBSON families were linked by marriage? > Here is some info from the 1861 Census that I have just completed checking: Piece RG09/3957, ED 11, Newbiggin, Folio 53, Page 4 20, Williamsgill, George DOBSON, Head, Marr, Male, 52, Farmer of 570 Ac empl. 6 lab & 1 boy, WES, Cliburn , ,Mary DOBSON, Wife, Marr, Female, 45, , CUL, Greystoke , , John DOBSON, Father, Wid, Male, 45, Retired Farmer, WES, Newbiggin Six servants are then listed, but no children. Two assumptions may be made from the above. John Dobson previously lived at Cliburn (when George was born) and it may be assumed that they didn't farm Williamsgill until after 1809 or so. Secondly, George and Mary were either childless or they had no children born after 1848 or so, or less likely they were rich enough to have sent their children to a boarding school. The form I received the piece for checking is such that searching for the name SOULSBY is not possible so I didn't look for that name in the area. This piece is now being validated and will appear on FreeCen in due course. -- ==== Michael Lightfoot Canberra, Australia OPC Merther & St Breock, Cornwall see http://www.cornwall-opc.org michael.lightfoot@pcug.org.au ==== ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-WESTMORLAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message