| I have traced my
(mother’s) WONSON line to Exeter, Bradninch,
Burlescombe and Uffculme (all in Devon). My
earliest confirmed Wonson ancestor is my 4th
great grandfather, William WONSON (born estimated
1749), a yeoman of Bradninch. I am descended from
his second son James WONSON (born 1778/9 at
Exeter) who was a yeoman of Houndaller Farm,
Burlescombe. James' son William (my 2nd great
grandfather) was, in 1851, Inn Keeper of the Lamb
Inn, Uffculme. In the late 1800s the family moved
to Cheltenham, Bristol and Bath. I believe that the
WONSON family originated from the hamlet of
Wonson, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, where
they were landowners. The IGI has WONSON recorded
in South Tawton, Devon (only 5 miles from the
hamlet of Wonson) from the early 1500s. The
present hamlet of Wonson has only two buildings,
Wonson Manor, which dates back to the 12th
century, and the "Northmore Arms"
public house.
WONSON is
now a very rare name in Britain, although there
are more significant numbers of WONSON in the
United States (mainly Massachusetts) and in
Australia.
The American
WONSON are all descended from a John WONSON
(origin unknown) who arrived at Sandy Bay (now
Rockport), Massachusetts in 1716. He is believed
to be about the sixth settler of Sandy Bay. In
the mid 1900s, members of the American WONSON
family owned the largest fishing fleet in
America.
The
Australian WONSON are all descended from William
WONSON (born 1809, Bickleigh, Nr. Tiverton,
Devon), the son of Joseph WONSON (born about 1783
at Exeter, third son of William WONSON of
Bradninch). William arrived at Sydney, NSW with
his wife Elizabeth (DAVIS) and four children in
1840.
Spelling
variations:
WANSON,
WOINESSON, WOINSSON, WONNSTON, WONSONE, WONSTON,
WONSTONE,
Some
related Devon families:
BAILY,
BERRY, BOALCH, CARTER, CHUBB, CLEGG, GREEN,
NICHOLS, PADY, PAIN, WEBBER
|
|
| During the
Civil War, the bloody battle of Chagford
was waged … to the very edge of the
Wonson estate … many of the dead
were hastily buried in shallow caves in
the banks below the Wonson fields" A
Walkabout Guide to Throwleigh by C.A.
Howis Croxford, 1988
|
Do you
have any WONSON in your family?
I would be very interested to hear from
you.
Email
|
|
