Our family knowledge
There is a surviving school essay written in the 1920s by one of Matthew’s descendants stating that his parents were John Anderson and Margaret Hall
Page on the Hall Family. Henry Hall was Ephraim’s executor, see following paragraphs and maybe a relation on Matthew’s mother’s side of the family.
KEY research document The 1867 will of Matthew’s brother Ephraim
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There were many Andersons living in the Alwinton – Eldson area of Northumberland and it is only with the help of the will of Ephraim Anderson that we have been able to identify Ephraim and Matthew’s siblings and their families.
Ephraim 1780-1867 was baptised in Harbottle non-conformist chapel and married in 1807 Isabel(la) Richardson born 1777 who died before the 1861 census, no offspring are mentioned in their census records or in Ephraim’s will. Ephraim farmed 3,000 acres at Silloans now in the Otterburn Army training area.
In 1867 Ephraim left Silloans and the bulk of his estate to John Richardson Bolam and £250 to his brother James. This is understandable as Ephraim’s interest in Silloans started on his marriage to Isabel Richardson whose brother James Richardson 1799- lived with them and was described as ‘proprietor of lands’ in the census returns.When bachelor James Richardson died the probate record shows that his executors were his nephews John Richardson Bolam and James Bolam. See the Bolam family page.
Ephraim made the following monetary gifts, all benefactors were described as either ‘nephew’ or ‘niece’. With the exception of one niece further research in ancestry website identified the offspring of Matthew and Ephraim’s siblings:
- Elizabeth c1777-
- Children of the late Elizabeth Brewis £30
- John Pittoli £40
- Margaret Pittoli £40
- Jane Pittoli £30
- Gideon Pittoli £30
- Isabella Beautiment £30
- John Anderson c1780-
- Elizabeth wife of William Clark £40
- Ellen wife of Edward Fletcher £40
- John Anderson of Blakehopeburn haugh Hillhead – Stock on their land
- Percival Hindmarsh Anderson of Blakehopeburn haugh – Stock on their land
- Jane Anderson, sister of John and Percival £60 from her brothers re. stock
- Matthew‘s offspring Ephraim £200, John £200, George £40, Margaret £40 and Jane Cowans £40 but Archibald not mentioned! Ten years later Archibald was declared bankrupt, perhaps Ephraim had already helped him.
One beneficiary not placed in family tree
- Ann wife of John Carr Patterson £40
- There were a number of Patterson families in Elsdon including Christopher who witnessed Ephraim’s will.
- ?Ann Anderson bapt Allenton [Alwinton] 1816, do John Anderson and Elizabeth
- ?Ann Anderson 1816- born in Warkworth [1861 census], daughter of Richard Anderson, married in 1854 in Newcastle-u-T John Patterson 1820- ‘Ag Lab’ born Bambrough [1861 census] [Could be birthplace error in census]
- Found John Carr Patterson found born 1894 Gosforth with mother Margaret Carr and another born 1885 in Walker. Both too late for Ephraim’s will.
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