navigator1952

hi gill
i too have a distant relative called arscott.Do you know of him???
I wrote to the OPC at colebrookeas follows.

There was some uncertainty about the father of John Conibeer's wife, so I sent for the marriage certificate, and was surprised to find that John Conibeer, b.1815 Colebrooke , base son of Elizabeth (Betsy) Conibeer
>>>> has named William Arscott, shoemaker, as his father on the certificate.
>>>> I have found two shoemaker William Arscotts born about 1785-1790 in >>>> Colebrooke, in the 1841 census - one with wife Elizabeth at Coleford,
>>>> and one with wife Sarah at Colebrooke
>>>> I have spotted the possible marriages - on 9 May 1831 to Elizabeth
>>>> Medland, who may be one candidate for the wife in Coleford - with the
>>>> age difference though that looks like it might be a second marriage
and an earlier Wm Arscott marriage - to Sarah Smith in Colebrooke on 28
>>>> Feb 1809. Was really just wondering if you have any knowledge of the
>>>> families?

the OPC repiled
I think either one would fit the bill.
>>> William Arscott 1779-1843 who married Sarah Smith,was the son of
>>> William the miller at Ford Mills, Colebrooke. For some reason he never
>>> followed his father into the milling business but became a shoemaker.
>>> His younger brother Hannanias and his family carried on the business
>>> after the old man died rather tragically. William snr had been the
>>> parish clerk for many years and despite failing eyesight went to church
>>> every Sunday. He was returning from church one dark October evening in
>>> 1828 when he apparently lost his way and walked into the mill leat at
>>> Ford and was drowned. he was 79. His position as parish clerk was taken
>>> on by his nephew, the other William Arscott who I believe had probably
>>> been assisting the old man as his sight deteriorated.
>>> This William 1784-1858, son of Richard, was very religiously inclined
>>> and married Elizabeth Medland, over 20yrs his junior in 1831. As far as
>>> I know this was his only marriage. He and Elizabeth had at least eight
>>> children including twins, of which only the first three were baptised C
>>> of E. Around 1840 William became interested in the work of a travelling
>>> evangelist from Barnstaple, Robert Gribble. Gribble, closely aligned to
>>> the newly formed Plymouth Brethren had made his way from Barnstaple
>>> during the previous few years setting up meeting places as he went, some
>>> of which still survive. With Arscotts help he began the little chapel in
>>> Coleford which is still going today.
>>> Unfortunately this apparently did not meet with the approval of the
>>> vestry committee and he had to resign as parish clerk. his position
>>> being taken by yet another Arscott, his younger brother Richard. also a
>>> shoemaker.
>>> When he died William was buried at another little chapel which
>>> he and Gribble had set up. Coombehead Chapel halfway between Colebrooke
>>> and Spreyton now sadly closed and used as a builders store. The
>>> graveyard contains two other headstones besides Williams and probably
>>> about twenty five unmarked graves. Sadly no records exist of who was
>>> buried there.

i hope you can help shed some light on this
regards garahm