Thread: Stephenson at Doncaster

I have 3 sons all born Doncaster .. Robert in 1780 / William 1783 and John in 1799. Their Dad another William, had ran a coachmaking buisness in Doncaster (he died at 50 in 1806 .. leaving a will .. and leaving the business to son William). It would seem to me that the two older brothers .. took the business over .. but they died very young .. Robert in 1820 .. with the Doncaster Gazette stating ... Fr Feb 4 1820 .. " On Friday last after a long illness, aged 39 Mr Robert Stevenson of this place, coachmaker. He left a widow and seven children to lament their loss." Brother William had died at 36 on Jan 21 also 1820.
This is a family of Stephensons that were at Doncaster .. late 1700's to early 1800's and I would like to find out more about them.

Trade directories for Doncaster area .. do not help me, as 1800 - 1820 seem to be a missing time period. A researcher in the Doncaster area did fid this for me ..... "Mr Stephenson of St Sepulchre: Water Rate 1789 .. (and) William Stephenson of St Sepulchre, Doncaster: Water Rate 1797" This very well could be Wm the father & his coachmaker shop.
As both Robert & brother William died so young .. they are not found in the early census's .. but I believe this is likely their younger brother John ...
1851 ... Doncaster / Factory Lane John John Stevenson head Married 51 Coach Smith born: Doncaster
Jane " wife " 52 Coach Smith Wife Rossington Yorks
John " son 10 Errand Boy Woodhouse Hansworth

The marriages I have are .. Robert Stevenson married Ann Moody 18 Nov 1802 Cathedral Manchester Lancs
William Stevenson " Alice Carter 21 Jan 1811 Cantley Parish W Yorkshire
John Stevenson " Jane Hague 14 Apr 1822 Doncaster W Yorks
**** I think there was also lots of sisters to these three
*** I live in Ontario Canada .. so anything I have found .. has been from afar

It looks as though there might be three families here plus one marriage, which do you think is yours?


IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
ROBERT STEPHENSON Male Christening: 12 NOV 1780 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
JOHN STEPHENSON Male Christening: 15 AUG 1784 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
WILLIAM STEPHENSON Male Christening: 18 SEP 1782 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

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IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
ANN STEPHENSON Female Christening: 28 MAR 1762 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WM. STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
SAMUEL STEPHENSON Male Christening: 05 APR 1763 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
EDWARD STEPHENSON Male Christening: 29 OCT 1761 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
THOMAS STEVENSON Male Christening: 21 NOV 1769 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEVENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
SARAH STEPHENSON Female Christening: 08 APR 1765 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
WILLIAM STEVENSON Male Christening: 14 OCT 1764 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEVENSON
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IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
JOHN STEVENSON Male Birth: 26 MAY 1799
Christening: 23 JUN 1799 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEVENSON Mother: SUSANNAH LORANCE

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
ANN STEPHENSON Female Christening: 25 DEC 1785 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON Mother: SUSANNA

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
NANCY STEPHENSON Female Christening: 10 DEC 1788 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON Mother: SUSANNA

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
NANCY STEVENSON Female Christening: 03 MAY 1795 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEVENSON Mother: SUSANNAH

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
ELIZABETH STEPHENSON Christening: 27 MAR 1791 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON Mother: SUSANNAH

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
MARY ANN STEPHENSON Female Christening: 26 MAY 1793 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON Mother: SUSANNAH

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
HARIOTT STEVENSON Female Birth: 17 JUN 1797 Christening: 30 JUL 1797 Doncaster, Yorkshire, Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEVENSON Mother: SUSANNA LORANCE
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IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0 British Isles
WILLIAM STEPHENSON Male Marriages: Spouse: SUSANNAH LAURENCE
Marriage: 26 NOV 1779 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England


How did to get back to Robert in 1780, William 1783 and John in 1799 ?

'' they died very young .. Robert in 1820 aged 39 (c 1781) and brother William 1820 aged 36 (c 1784).'' Nearest to this would be the brothers in the first family of the last posting.

If you can find a death for JOHN STEPHENSON Male Christening: 15 AUG 1784 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England Parents: Father: WILLIAM STEPHENSON before 1799 the first and second families may be the same.

John - son of William Stephenson (wheelwright) baptised Aug 15 1784 (Doncaster)
buried Jan 22 1785 son of William Stephenson wheelwright.
*** a rellie of mine (who helped me with research) found this by ordering in the Parish records (through a Mormon library) 20 yrs ago.

from notes my friend made (Mormon micro-film) Doncaster W Yorks

marriage 26 Nov 1779 William Stephenson & Susannah Laurance
Burial Jan 22 1785 John son of William Stephenson blacksmith
Burial Oct 7 1787 Elizabeth dau of William Stephenson wheelwright
Burial May 15 1792 Ann dau of William & Susannah Stephenson coachmaker
Burial May 3 1795 Nancy dau of William & Susannah Stephenson wheelwright
Burial Oct 17 1798 Mary dau of Wm & Susanna Stevenson coachmaker 5 yrs smallpox
Burial Aug 18 1805 Ann dau of Wm Stevenson coachmaker age: 10 yrs decline
Burial Dec 22 1818 Harriet (spinster) aged 21 yrs

with all these girls .. I think one made it an older age .. ELIZABETH .. and I think this is likely her ...
Elizabeth Stephenson married at Doncaster .. to William Addingley Sep 26 1815 .. and I have a possible date of death for her ..in 1865.
As you can see I have some of this already .. BUT I still thank you for the I.G. Index records .. I am just trying to put this family all together,

You might find more family members on this site under Doncaster:

IGI Batch Numbers for Yorkshire (A-D), England

*** how did I get back to Robert Stephenson born Doncaster 1780 / William born 1783 & John 1799? Good question.
Years ago I gathered up what was known ... & what I could find, here in Ontario Canada.
The first thing was some earlier family work that was done this side of the ocean .. stating: that my William Stephenson had lived in and near Cottingham (N of Hull) in East riding Yorks .. and had some 5 children all raised there .. and that they came to Canada in 1854 ... and that William had left a brother in Eng ... "Henry Stephenson who died Dec 22 1882 .. buried Cantley Church, Branton"
Both William and his wife Mary .. are buried in Strathroy Cemetery, Ontario Canada .. and by getting Mary's burial date .. I got her obits from the Strathroy Newspapers. Armed with this info .. I wrote to UK .. and got their 1851 census info (stoneferry, Sutton Parish .. just E of Cottingham) and Wm was down as a wheelwright .. born Doncaster. Then I wrote for the marriage info .. and found what I think for sure is them .. at Cottingham Feb 16 1838 .. William Stevenson age 23 Wheelwright .. father: William Stevenson coachmaker. Then I went looking for brother Henry in the UK census .. and did indeed find him at Branton Cantley parish (Doncaster W Yorks) in 1861 .. married and living with and working for his Uncle Wm Carter. Then I searched the Doncaster parish records .. and found both Henry (1812) and William (1814) born to parents William and Alice (Carter) Stevenson.
Then me and my rellie friend got the Doncaster parish records (through Mormon Lib.) and it seemed to fit (as miuch as one can prove it!) that my Wm that married Alice Carter in Cantley W Yorks (1811) was likely the son of William Stephenson that married a Susannah Laurence in 1779 .. and followed all the births for that couple on through.
Does this make genealogical sense? .. as you well know, from 1841 on .. you have the census to check .. and civil reg .. but going back into the very early 1800's and 1700's you loss all that .. so how do you prove relationships FOR SURE!! ! Mary Stephenson (nee Scott) obit in 1897 Strathroy Ontario Newspaper**** BUT I believe she married at Cottingham E Yorks in 1838 (as I have that record)
My most senior Wm (who married S Laurence) died with a will in 1806 (Doncaster) and he mentioned (in the will) both sons William and younger son John.

At one point I wrote to a Doncaster area newspaper .. and had them print a 'Stephenson in Canada .. looking for present day Stephensons in Doncaster area from same family' type of request. But all that wrote to me seemed to say that their Stephensons had moved to Doncaster .. late 1800's etc .. from another area. From this I gather that my family may have died out .. or moved away from Donny.
The Robert Stephenson that married an Ann Moody (same Robert that died at Doncaster 1820) had children Mary Ann 1803 / George 1805 (died 1807) / William 1807 (died 1825) / Harriott 1813 / Henry 1815 (died 1817) / Susannah 1817 / Robert 1819. All Doncaster.
By searching the UK census's and entering only Stephenson and born Doncaster .... I find ...................
1861 Sheffield .. Robert Stephensn Married 42 Coach Trimmer born: Doncaster
Jane " wife 41 born: Sheffield
Ann 15
Mary 14
Robert 11
Sarah 9
William H 6
Thomas 4
Bettsy J 10 m

So Sheffield may well be where some of them went. (42 in 1861 .. would make this Robt born at Doncaster in 1819)