A Storey Story--John Storey and Ann Robinson

The Heugh Lighthouse
The Headland
Hartlepool, England

     I recently noticed that I have nothing current written about my paternal great great great grandparents, John Storey and Ann Robinson of Hartlepool, England.  New documents are now available on line and through Ancestry giving me the knowledge to try to begin completing their story.  I have also seen several family charts on Ancestry that have been helpful.   

     

Church of Saint Mary's
Thirsk, England

     John, the son of Edward Story and Lucy Metcalfe, was baptized on January 23, 1825 in the Thirsk Parish Church, County of York, England.  This record lists Story as the spelling of the surname. Edward's occupation at this time was a weaver.  

     The family continued to grow with the birth of another son, Thomas, in 1827 and daughter, Elizabeth in 1830.  Both born in Thirsk.  The next child, William, was born in 1838 in Hartlepool, Durham County, England.

1857 Ordinance Map showing the location of Chapel Street

     On the 1841 England census, the Story Family is enumerated on Chapel Street, on the Headland, Hartlepool, Durham County, England. 

Edward Story, male, age 40, fishmonger, not born in Durham County.

Lucy Story, female, age 40, not born in Durham County

John Story, male, age 15, blacksmith apprentice, not born in Durham County.

Elizabeth Story, female, age 11, not born in Durham County.

Thos Story, male, age 13, not born in Durham County.

Edward Story, male, age 3, born in Durham County.

Ann Metcalf, female, age 2, not born in Durham County.--relation of Ann Story?

     On September 30, 1849, twenty-four year old John Storey married twenty-two year old Ann Robinson in Saint Hilda's Church on The Headland, Hartlepool.  John is now employed as a blacksmith and is literate, writing his name and this is the first time I have seen it spelled Storey.  Both father's of the newly married couple are fishermen.

     Ann Robinson, daughter of George Robinson and Elizabeth Pounder was baptized on December 30, 1827.  George Robinson's occupation was a fisherman.  I remember decades ago, when my UK friend emailed me information about this branch and mentioning that "dyed in the wool" Hartlepudlians were part of my lineage. 💖

  

1851 England Census
Hartlepool, England

1857 Ordinance map showing location 
of York Place

York Place--located on The Headland behind The Wall.

John Storey, Head, Married, age 26, Boiler Smith, Born Yorkshire, Thirsk 

Ann Storey, Wife, Married, age 26, Born Durham, Hartlepool

James Storey, Son, age 1, Born Durham, Hartlepool

1861 England Census
 St Hilda's Ecclesiastical District

Hartlepool, England

1857 Ordinance map showing location 
of Burdon's Passage

A passage in Old Hartlepool

Burdon's Passage--an narrow opening between buildings next to the Town Wall, allowing passage.  Many were named for shopkeepers at the opening of the passage.

John Storey, Head, Married, age 36, engine smith, York, Thirsk

Ann Storey, Wife, Married, age 34, charwoman, Durham, Hartlepool

Mary Ann Storey, Daughter, age 8, Durham, Hartlepool--my paternal great great Grandmother

Edward Storey, Son, 2 months, Durham, Hartlepool

Elizabeth Storey, Daughter, age 2, Durham, Hartlepool

Ann works as a charwoman.  She would work part time cleaning homes or places of work and return home afterwards.

Son, James Storey is absent from the report.  Is he deceased or apprenticed out?  

Two sons did die during the 1860's.    William Storey died May 13, 1866 at age 15 months.  Edward Storey died July 7, 1867 at age 6 years.  Both are buried at Hartlepool Old Cemetery

Of Interest:  Enumerated above John and Ann Storey is Ann's mother who remarried and her two half sisters.

1871 England Census
Hartlepool, England

 7 Burdon's Passage

Elizabeth Pounder, Head, Widow, age 65, born Durham, Hartlepool.

John Storey, Head, Male, Married, age 46, Engine Smith at Works, born York, Thirsk.

Ann Storey, Wife, Married, age 44, born Durham, Hartlepool.

Elizabeth Storey, Daughter, single, age 17, born Dunham, Hartlepool.

Elizabeth Pounder is Ann's mother.  Two years after her husband's death, Elizabeth married a cousin, Matthew Pounder.  Her name changes--Elizabeth Pounder (maiden) to Elizabeth Robinson (married name) to Elizabeth Pounder (second marriage).  

1881 England Census
Hartlepool, England

7 Burdon's Passage

John Storey, Head, Married, age 54, Blacksmith, Thirsk York.

Ann Storey, Wife, Married, age 54, Hartlepool Dunham.

     On October 13, 1884, Fifty-eight year old Ann Robinson Storey died at her home, 7 Burdon's Passage, Hartlepool, Durham County, England.  Ann was buried in the Old Hartlepool Cemetery now known as Spion Kop Municipal Cemetery.

1891 England Census
Civil Parish of Seaton Carew,
Municipal Borough of West Hartlepool,
Ecclesiastical District of St Aidans
 England

67 Hill Street

West Hartlepool

James Moore, Head, married, age 33, occ. cement works labourer, b. Durham, West H Pool

Elizth Moore, Wife, married, age 33, b. Durham, West H Pool

Margt Moore, daughter, single, age 13, occ. scholar, b. Durham, West H Pool

Thomas Moore, son, single, age 8, b. Durham, West H Pool 

John Moore, son, single, age 6,  b. Durham, West H Pool    

John Storey, lodger, widower, age 66, occupation blacksmith, b. York Thirsk   

John is living with his married daughter Elizabeth Storey Moore.  His other daughter and my paternal great great grandmother, Mary Ann Storey Hughes is living several houses away at 61 Hill Street.

     On July 30, 1897, seventy-two year old John Storey died at the Workhouse at Throston of paralysis.  The Workhouse was a hospital.  His daughter, Elizabeth Storey Moore, was present at her father's death.  John was buried in the Old Hartlepool Cemetery now known as Spion Kop Municipal Cemetery.

     

Known Children of John Storey and Ann Robinson:

1. James Storey.  Born 1850 Hartlepool, England.
2. Mary Ann Storey.  Born May 18, 1852 Hartlepool, England; Died March 14, 1935 West Hartlepool, England; Married George Henry Hughes. (my paternal great great grandparents)
3. Elizabeth Storey.  Born 1856 Hartlepool; Died 1858 Hartlepool.
4. Elizabeth Storey.  Born January 1859 Hartlepool; Died July 1916 West Hartlepool; Married James Moore.
5. Edward Storey.  Born 1861 Hartlepool; Died 1867 Hartlepool.
6. William Storey.  Born 1865 Hartlepool; Died 1866 Hartlepool.

                                                                                      

 The Family of John Storey and Ann Robinson--The Linda Hughes Hiser Homepage, 2003

Old Hartlepool Burial Records compiled by Bill Cox

Research done by my Middlesbrough, England friend Heather, 2002

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Robert Hill and Rebecca Caldwell of Monongalia County, (Wet) Virginia

     Robert Hill and Rebecca Caldwell Hill are my paternal great great great great grandparents.  I wrote a biography and posted it on my outdated genealogy website years ago and it was copied from a GeoCities genealogy page I wrote even earlier.  I have copied and pasted it to by blog with added information.

     Robert Hill, son of William Hill and Elizabeth Johnson, was born in King William County, Virginia on February 5, 1758. 

     Robert served in the Continental Line for Virginia during the Revolutionary War. Virginia military records indicate that he was drafted on February 28, 1778 as a private in Captain Benjamin Casey’s Company, the 12th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel James Wood. In June 1778 he was transferred to Captain Michael Boyer’s Company in the 4th, 8th and 12th Virginia Regiments. Finally, about October, 1778, Robert was transferred to Captain Benjamin Casey’s 8th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel James Wood and was discharged on February 16, 1779.

     Following his service, Robert and his brother, William removed to Frederick County, Virginia. There on June 7, 1787 he married Rebecca Caldwell, daughter of John and Mary Caldwell, born on June 7, 1765 in Charlotte County, Virginia. 

     The Hill family removed to Monongalia County, (West) Virginia and made their home on a large tract of land, called Hill Farm, located one mile north of Morgantown along the Chestnut Ridge Road. All, or a portion, of the land was given to Robert Hill for his service during the American Revolution.

     Due to the fact that Robert Hill is a common name, it becomes difficult to determine which early Monongalia County records belong to our ancestor. In James Moreland’s book, The First Presbyterian Church of Morgantown, West Virginia,” the author discussed the early origins of the church and lists Robert Hill as one of the first elders dating back to 1788. Samuel T. Wiley, in his book, “History of Monongalia County, West Virginia,” lists on page 529 that Robert Hill was a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church in Morgantown in 1790 and that later, his son, George D. Hill became a ruling elder.

     By 1800, our ancestor was the only Robert Hill in Monongalia County which makes searching for his records somewhat less complicated. He is listed in numerous early personal property tax records in the county from 1801-1805 and had a census enumeration for 1810 and 1820. 

     Robert Hill’s farm, Hill Farm, was located on the road from Morgantown to Uniontown, Pennsylvania and it is mentioned in a number of early court documents. 

     At the June 1800 court Robert Hill was asked to work on a road “from Morgantown by Robert Hill’s into the Uniontown Road.” The surveyor on this road project was Jacob VanGilder. Little did the two men know that on June 14, 1853 descendants from their two families would marry. In 1806 Robert was appointed by the court to survey a road outside of Morgantown and presented a bill to the court for $8.25 for a team, cart and two indexes one at the end of each road leading from Morgantown to Beeson Town on June 1807. This bill was paid out of the county levy of 1807.

     Robert Hill died, at age sixty two, in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia on January 15, 1822. There is a court record of his personal inventory dated February 7, 1822 and another dated March 1, 1822. 

     Rebecca continued to live on the farm until her death, at age seventy eight, on October 20, 1843. 

     

     Rebecca Hill's will was filed on September 29, 1832 and probated during the November, 1843 term. In her will, Rebecca named her youngest child, Robert Johnson Hill as executor and bequeathed the whole of her estate to him as her other children had already received their portion from their father’s will or it was given to them during her lifetime. The will goes on to state that all of her children, except Robert Johnson Hill are married.

     Robert and Rebecca were originally buried in a family plot in Morgantown, but were removed in the Spring of 1928 to Mount Union Cemetery, north of town. Both tombstones are in good condition. 

     The inscription on Robert Hills tombstone reads:

“Here lies the body of Robert Hill

Who departed this life Jan 15, 1822

Age 62.

Hark upon the tombs a doleful sound

My ears attend the cry

The living may come view the ground

Where they must shortly lie.”  

     The inscription reads:

In Memory of

Rebecca Hill. Wife 

of Robert Hill.  Was bo

rn June 7th AD 1765 depa-

rted this life Oct 20

1843 Aged 78 years 

4 mo. & 13 Dys

    

     On June 6, 1971 the DAR met at Mount Union Cemetery and dedicated a marker for Robert Hill, a Revolutionary soldier.

Children of Robert Hill and Rebecca Caldwell:

1.     Jonathan Hill born February 11, 1789 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died July 30, 1855 in Henry County, Indiana married Esther Davis on October 1, 1818.

2.     Margaret Hill born December 14, 1790 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died July 11, 1832 married Porter Johnson. Also listed as having married Jonathan Davis.

3.      JOSEPH DAVIDSON HILL born September 4, 1793 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died August 24, 1859 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married SARAH HOUSTON. My paternal great great great grandparents

4.     William J. Hill born December 25, 1795 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died November 14, 1858 in Taylor County, (West) Virginia married April 13, 1815 in Monongalia County, (West Virginia) Rhoda Houston.

5.     James Hill born July 10, 1796 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married Unknown Leasure.

6.     Sarah Johnston Hill born May 18, 1800 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died March 20, 1867 in Springhill Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania married February 20, 1823 Warwick Ross.

7.     George D. Hill born July 1, 1802 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia died about 1848 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married on November 29, 1836 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia Julia Davis also listed as Julia Henderson. Also listed as having married Unknown Caldwell.

8.     Elizabeth Hill born October 20, 1804 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married George B. Rogers May 26, 1827 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.

9.     Robert Johnson Hill born April 30, 1808 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia married Jane Porter.

 

Hill Bible

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Artistic--Helena Mae Smith Hiser

Helena's symbol I stitched on
a gift given to her

     

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

    The prompt for week # 24 is Artistic.

     There is a genetic artistic gene floating around in the Smith/Hiser gene pool.  I have blogged about my two sons, Aric and Garrett, paternal grandsons, of Helena and one of her Tate/Hess cousins, Harold Hess Tate.  Helena's brother, Gilbert Smith, was also an artist and brother,      Howard Smith, was artistically creative, crafting all the set pieces around his magnificent train display.  A nephew, Fred Bowman, was employed as an illustrator-designer for screen printer sportswear. He has always painted and sketched.  Even her son and my husband, Ted Hiser, does very creative doodles on any available piece of paper that happens to be in front of him while he is on the phone or thinking about a project.  

     Helena Mae Smith, the daughter of Grover Cleveland Smith and Mildred Claudene Tate, was born on March 12, 1922 in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio.  On November 9, 1942, she married her high school sweetheart, Clarence Harold Hiser, in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin where he was stationed with the United States Army before being shipped overseas.

     I am certain that Helena's artistic activity did not begin with her marriage to Clarence; however, when cleaning out her final residence in Tiffin, Ohio, I did not find any art from a previous time.  There was plenty from about the 1950's and forward.  Plus I saved numerous pieces she crafted for my sons when they were young.

Sketch of Clarence a year after his death

     Helena's talents were varied.  She was a sketch artist and often finished her pieces with oils or acrylics.  

Circa 1950-51
My husband's outfit

Cape for moi 1972

     Her seamstress abilities were legendary.  She made clothes for all of us.  Dresses, skirts, men's suits, pants, cute outfits for all of her grandchildren.  I was especially appreciative of the clothes she sent to  me when Ted and I were "poor graduate students" in Boston in the early 1970's. 😊

Note her HH in a heart symbol

     Her handiwork ranged from quilting, crocheting and applique.  There were new baby bibs for every occasion. 

     Halloween costumes.  The Native American costume even had embroidery on it.  Luke Skywalker's name embroidered on the cape and matching fabric finishing on the inside top.

     Often Helena would use plain paper to wrap a gift and hand draw a decoration on top.  I am happy I saved one of them. 💖

Cousin Roberta shared this picture

Clarence made these as gifts.
A poinsettia plant fits nicely inside

I guess I could have found a better display place. 😉
This was an afternoon project
Clarence did with his grandsons. 

     Later, with Clarence, they handcrafted wooden pieces.  Helena would make the pattern and Clarence would cut and saw the wood and piece it all together.  Helena would finish each piece with hand painted decorations.  We were not the only recipients of these treasures. Helena's niece sent me a photo of a stool she received as a gift.

      This has been a fun blog, looking back over fifty six years of being a Hiser and honoring the extraordinary artistic work of my in-laws.  I may be considered a "pack rat"; but it comes in handy when blogging.  😁    

  

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser