50-Day Family History Blogging Challenge - Day 26
Fragments of Family History – The Family of William Stephens & Mary Newman Buckman – John Xavier Stephens
Jennifer Jones from TRACKING DOWN THE FAMILY has initiated a 50-Day Family History Blogging Challenge. This is a big writing commitment, but I have decided to participate. I have decided my topic will be “Fragments of Family History”. I will write short posts of newspaper items or single stories connected to my family history. This may expand over the 50 days.
John Xavier Stephens
John Xavier Stephens was born on 14 August 1839 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England to William Stephens and Mary Newman Buckman.1 He was their fourth child and first son. The Xavier for his second name suggests he was baptised Catholic. He was baptised on 26 August 1839 at St Michael & the Holy Angels Catholic Church, West Bromwich by Reverend George Bent.2
According to the English naming pattern, he should be named after his paternal grandfather, John, which he is. He is their fourth child to be named in this pattern.
John Xavier died before his parents and sister Mary Emma, sailed to Australia on 5 July 1840. I have been unable to identify his death. He may have died anywhere from Staffordshire, where they were living, to London where they embarked on the ship.
When I was looking at John Xavier’s baptism, I searched and found baptisms for his older sisters Mary Emma and Mary Theresa. They were both baptised at St Michael & the Holy Angels Catholic Church, West Bromwich by Reverend George Spencer, Mary Emma (born 27 December 1836) on 2 April 1837 and Mary Theresa (born 29 April 1838) on 6 May 1838. I can now update their stories!
FindMyPast, England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms, Birmingham Archdiocesan Archives, P304/1/1,1832-1855, p32.
Ibid