62. Ancestor William Atterbury, in Newgate Prison, and indentured servant.
First -- it is interesting to know about how surnames started -------
Prior to the dark ages, the Roman civilization identified people with only one name. By 1100 A.D., the European population had increased so that many villages found that many of their male population had the same name, John, William, etc. To distinguish one John from another, a second name was needed. As people started using a second name they came from four sources:
Occupation: Names such as Carpenter, Cook, Miller, Taylor.
Location: The John who lived over the hill became John Overhill, or near a stream could be Brook, or Atbrook.
Patronymical: such as Williamson, Jackson, etc.
Characteristics: A small person may be Small, Short, Little, or Lytle. Large may be Longfellow, Large, Lang, or Long. Persons with animal characteristics could be Fox, Fish, Dove, etc. It is thought the name Atterbury evolved from atte Borough -- which would indicate someone living at a "borough".
"Atterbury' --, Arterbury, Attebury, Atterberry, etc. etc. is spelled about 10 ways, but they are all related. In those days people mostly didn't know how to read, and when their names needed to be recorded for births, marriages, etc. they spoke their name, and the person recording spelled it how they thought it sounded.
Northamptonshire, England has been identified as the location of the earliest known Atterbury family. Folkestonoe Williams, an English author wrote: "The Atterburys flourished for many years at Great Houghton in Northamptonshire and were an eminently religious race." Sir Francis Atterbury was quite an educated and controversial figure in England, born on March 6, 1662, and died in Paris in exile on February 22, 1731. He was out of favor with the ruling house in England at the time we hear about our direct ancestor, William Atterbury. That may be the reason William received quite a harsh sentence.
Sir Francis Atterbury undoubtedly was a relative of our William.
My ancestor, William Atterbury was born in 1710. He was committed for stealing five yards of Linsey Woolsey cloth, worth about 3 shillings out of the shop of George Cole. Linsey-Woolsey was an 18th century fabric that was a strong, coarse loosely woven flannel with a linen or cotton warp, and a woolen weft, usually homespun, hand-woven, and a bit scratchy. The parish where William was tried and sentenced, St. James Liberty, Westminster, Middlesex, is now a part of the city of London, and he was sentenced to the Newgate Prison..
Newgate Prison was a dismal, unhealthy place. Approximately thirty people died there every year. Physicians often refused to enter the prison and people passing by held their noses. It is the oldest, most famous, and one of the most important prisons in eighteenth century England. Though it was technically a local prison under the control of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, it held a special position because it was not only the place of detention for all those awaiting trial at the neighboring court, but also a sort of holding pen for those awaiting execution. It also doubled as a debtors' prison.
Newgate was notorious for its overcrowding, unhealthy environment (lack of air and water, and epidemics). Prisons, Newgate included, did not supply their prisoners with bedding and clothing. These things had to be purchased from the keepers. In addition to this cost, prisoners were also expected to pay a fee upon admission. They also needed to continue to pay money if they wanted any of the ordinary comforts of life. Then, when released, they were expected to pay yet another fee before they were allowed to leave.
England tended to deport the youngest, healthiest and most able to work prisoners. At this time it cost a year's wages to pay your own passage, and it is assumed he may have planned his 'crime' hoping to get deported to New England, where he would have to work 5 to 7 years as an indentured servant.
He was sentenced to the Newgate Prison and deported to America, via the ship "Patapscoe Merchant" which was boarded on 17 April 1733 by 77 persons. The captain was Darby Lux, and the destination was probably Maryland, since that was the most common port of entry at the time, and he first settled in Maryland. At that time one-third of the people in England were paupers, and punishments would tend to be severe. After serving his sentence he was granted 50 acres identified as "Prince Spring Plantation". William Atterbury did that, and then married Sarah Mitchell, and had 9 sons, and many descendants. No daughters are recorded, so we don't know if he had any daughters.
His son John Atterbury had 11 children. John’s youngest child, Elias Arterbury, was born in 1800 in Chester County, South Carolina. He and his wife, Matilda Wallace, born 1805, and his oldest child, Sarah Ann Arterbury were all converted to the "Mormon" Church, in Alabama, and baptized in about 1843. Some of the other children joined the Church. He and his wife died before coming west.
Haden Wells Church met the relatives in Alabama while on his mission, and after he came home, he returned and married Sarah Ann. Haden Wells Church's biography is in blog # 23. "How Did They do it? Pioneer stories", early in December. He and his wife Sarah Ann Arterbury were original pioneers to St. George, and very stalwart and good people.
Prior to the dark ages, the Roman civilization identified people with only one name. By 1100 A.D., the European population had increased so that many villages found that many of their male population had the same name, John, William, etc. To distinguish one John from another, a second name was needed. As people started using a second name they came from four sources:
Occupation: Names such as Carpenter, Cook, Miller, Taylor.
Location: The John who lived over the hill became John Overhill, or near a stream could be Brook, or Atbrook.
Patronymical: such as Williamson, Jackson, etc.
Characteristics: A small person may be Small, Short, Little, or Lytle. Large may be Longfellow, Large, Lang, or Long. Persons with animal characteristics could be Fox, Fish, Dove, etc. It is thought the name Atterbury evolved from atte Borough -- which would indicate someone living at a "borough".
A "borough" is a town that sends a representative to Parliament.
A medieval group of fortified houses that formed a town having special privileges and rights.
"Atterbury' --, Arterbury, Attebury, Atterberry, etc. etc. is spelled about 10 ways, but they are all related. In those days people mostly didn't know how to read, and when their names needed to be recorded for births, marriages, etc. they spoke their name, and the person recording spelled it how they thought it sounded.
Northamptonshire, England has been identified as the location of the earliest known Atterbury family. Folkestonoe Williams, an English author wrote: "The Atterburys flourished for many years at Great Houghton in Northamptonshire and were an eminently religious race." Sir Francis Atterbury was quite an educated and controversial figure in England, born on March 6, 1662, and died in Paris in exile on February 22, 1731. He was out of favor with the ruling house in England at the time we hear about our direct ancestor, William Atterbury. That may be the reason William received quite a harsh sentence.
My ancestor, William Atterbury was born in 1710. He was committed for stealing five yards of Linsey Woolsey cloth, worth about 3 shillings out of the shop of George Cole. Linsey-Woolsey was an 18th century fabric that was a strong, coarse loosely woven flannel with a linen or cotton warp, and a woolen weft, usually homespun, hand-woven, and a bit scratchy. The parish where William was tried and sentenced, St. James Liberty, Westminster, Middlesex, is now a part of the city of London, and he was sentenced to the Newgate Prison..
Newgate Prison was a dismal, unhealthy place. Approximately thirty people died there every year. Physicians often refused to enter the prison and people passing by held their noses. It is the oldest, most famous, and one of the most important prisons in eighteenth century England. Though it was technically a local prison under the control of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, it held a special position because it was not only the place of detention for all those awaiting trial at the neighboring court, but also a sort of holding pen for those awaiting execution. It also doubled as a debtors' prison.
Newgate was notorious for its overcrowding, unhealthy environment (lack of air and water, and epidemics). Prisons, Newgate included, did not supply their prisoners with bedding and clothing. These things had to be purchased from the keepers. In addition to this cost, prisoners were also expected to pay a fee upon admission. They also needed to continue to pay money if they wanted any of the ordinary comforts of life. Then, when released, they were expected to pay yet another fee before they were allowed to leave.
England tended to deport the youngest, healthiest and most able to work prisoners. At this time it cost a year's wages to pay your own passage, and it is assumed he may have planned his 'crime' hoping to get deported to New England, where he would have to work 5 to 7 years as an indentured servant.
He was sentenced to the Newgate Prison and deported to America, via the ship "Patapscoe Merchant" which was boarded on 17 April 1733 by 77 persons. The captain was Darby Lux, and the destination was probably Maryland, since that was the most common port of entry at the time, and he first settled in Maryland. At that time one-third of the people in England were paupers, and punishments would tend to be severe. After serving his sentence he was granted 50 acres identified as "Prince Spring Plantation". William Atterbury did that, and then married Sarah Mitchell, and had 9 sons, and many descendants. No daughters are recorded, so we don't know if he had any daughters.
His son John Atterbury had 11 children. John’s youngest child, Elias Arterbury, was born in 1800 in Chester County, South Carolina. He and his wife, Matilda Wallace, born 1805, and his oldest child, Sarah Ann Arterbury were all converted to the "Mormon" Church, in Alabama, and baptized in about 1843. Some of the other children joined the Church. He and his wife died before coming west.
Haden Wells Church met the relatives in Alabama while on his mission, and after he came home, he returned and married Sarah Ann. Haden Wells Church's biography is in blog # 23. "How Did They do it? Pioneer stories", early in December. He and his wife Sarah Ann Arterbury were original pioneers to St. George, and very stalwart and good people.
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