Our Kingsley ancestors came from Pirton near Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England. Ancestry DNA tests show that that we are a few of the many descendants of John Kingsley 1757-1839 and Mary Furrian 1759-1824 who were married in Pirton in 1780 and later buried in the local churchyard.
For research prior to their marriage see Kingsley page and Furrian page
Mary Furrian’s parents and siblings
Mary Furrian’s baptism was probably in Pirton on 23 May 1760, daughter of Thomas and Ruth and sister of Thomas (1755) and Fanny (1772). By then the Furrian family had lived in Pirton for a couple of generations, but no sign Thomas’ baptism in the available records.
The question is where is the baptismal record of John Kingsley? If it has survived. They were married in Mary’s home parish of Pirton. There is a gravestone in Pirton churchyard for John Kingsley
John and Mary’s family
John and Mary had thirteen offspring with twelve of them being mentioned in John’s 1837 will. The thirteenth, Jeremiah had died in infancy,
- John bapt. 29 Apr 1781 “Elder son” … “Peggy Kingsley his wife”
- Our family line
- Some remained in Pirton for next few generations, one grandson to USA
- Female Kingsleys married names include Throssell, Russell
- Male Kingsleys married into Mabbott, Hanscombe etc families
- George bapt. 8 November 1782 “…the children of my late son George”
- DNA links include
- James bapt. 13 May 1784 “my children … James”
- More information required
- Mary born 29 September 1785, bapt. 16 July 1786 “my children … Mary”
- Thomas Furian born 27 July 1787, bapt. 10 October 1789 “my children … Thomas”
- William born 7 June, bapt. 10 October 1789 “the children of my late son William”
- Sarah born 23 December 1790, bapt. 28 March 1793 “my children … Sarah”
- Frances born 25 July 1792, bapt. 28 March 1793 “my deceased children … Frances such grand children ..”
- Charles born 1 October 1793, bapt. 23 July 1795. “My son” and one of John’s executors.
- Jeremiah born 12 May 1795, bapt. 23 July 1795, buried 16 October 1796
- Charlotte born 22 December 1797, bapt. 30 July 1802. “My daughter .. wife of John Griffin”
- Jesse born 8 December 1799, bapt. 30 July 1802. “My son .. and Sarah, his wife”
- Joseph born 15 April 1802, bapt. 30 July 1802. “My son”
Also in the will: “grandson John Thrussell” and “granddaughter Peggy Kingsley now living with me”
Sources: Frances only in family search and John’s will. Others also in Pirton Local History Group website and ancestry.co.uk.