Genealogy is a practice of patience that may never pay off. Chasing the high of the last breakthrough while secretly wondering if you’ve already turned over every possible stone.
In 2017, I put together a possible tree of John’s ancestry based on DNA connections that lead to a particular John Elston, and it remains my strongest lead to his parentage:
This John Elston was baptized on July 9, 1927, in East Halton, Lincolnshire, to Susannah Elston:
In 1841, he was living with John and Elizabeth Jackson (née Elston) in East Halton:
While I believe (due to these DNA connections as well as a few more recent ones) that Susannah and Elizabeth are sisters (both daughters of Robert Elston and Johanah Robinson), I have not been able to find birth or other records to prove these relationships so far. Frustratingly, the East Halton parish records are absent for a few years around 1800.
This John Elston does not appear on any further records in the UK as far as I have been able to find (neither with John Jackson and family nor any other East Halton Elston connections, nor with his future wife’s family, nor as a lodger nearby). This could potentially support his move to Canada in 1851/52.
John’s parents: Susannah Elston and… ?
John is noted as having been born illegitimate (so glad we no longer use that term) to Susannah Elston in 1827. I have found no instance of request for support from Susannah Elston or any other key person so far that seems a possible father to John, but it remains a top research goal. Y-DNA is leading me to the surname “Brooks”, but that’s material for another post.
In 1829, Susannah married Robert Stephenson of Barton upon Humber:
They went on to have a daughter, Mary, born in 1832 in Barton-upon-Humber. Mary went on to marry John Judd in 1852, and eventually moved to Doncaster, Yorkshire.
Susannah appears on the censuses from 1841 to 1881 in Barton upon Humber. In 1871 and 1881 her birthplace is noted as East Halton.
Susannah died March 3, 1883, in Doncaster, Yorkshire.
John’s grandparents: Robert Elston and Johanah (Joney) Robinson
Robert Elston married Johanah (spelling varies–Joney? Joan? Joannah?) Robinson in East Halton on May 21, 1793.
Robert was born in about 1766. I believe he was born in East Halton to William Elston and Mary Dannat, who were married in East Halton on September 22, 1761.
Johanah was born in East Halton in 1769 to Francis Robinson (1769 – 1819) and Faith Malkinson or Maukinson (1738 – 1782).
Together, they appear to have had 5 children:
- Mary Robinson, born 1792
- Elizabeth Elston, born 1798*
- Susannah Elston, born 1802*
- Dinah Elston, born 1806
- Sarah Elston, born 1812
*–no birth records are available to confirm these parent-child relationships
Johanah appears to have died before 1822, when a widowed Robert married Hannah Peck.
In 1841, John’s (likely) grandfather was also living on King Street in East Halton, with his second wife Hannah. Robert is listed as 75 years old, Hannah as 55. Their son Robert, 15, is listed as a labourer with farmer John Smithson at Marsh House in East Halton.
Robert Elston (Sr.) died in 1847 in East Halton:
Related:
- Descendants of John Elston and Mary Martin
- John Elston in Oxford/Brant (ca. 1851 – 1861)
- Who was John Elston?
- Who wasn’t John Elston?
Elstonology 