Pierce Family Research

Pierce Family

I have been trying to understand my Pierce family, their movements and so on, so I may be able to trace them back.

‘Uncle’ John Pierce

My direct ancestor is Joseph Pierce born 1730’s or 40s, don’t know where

He married Hester Bisley on 3.4.1764 St Gregory by St Paul Parish, London (Service held at St Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street). The marriage and Licence states him to be of Colnbrook, Bucks, and her of St Gregory (Though she was born in, and died in Warfield, Berks, and was buried in Colnbrook).

The next clue came from Hester’s will, where she mentioned a brother in law, John Pierce.

I found John Pierce’s Will, he is John Pierce of Colnbrook, and buried in Langley Marish. He mentions in his will that his father is buried in Langley Marish (but no name). There is a note with a second administration to the will, which states he was John Pierce of Colnbrook, formerly of Princes Street, Hanover Square. John also mentions his regard for his late wife and makes a bequest to her grandson, John Pierce Goodwin. I have now found that the National Archives may have more information on this administration.

I got John Pierce’s marriage licence, and he married Mary Goodwin, a widow, and he was also a widower. Marriage took place on 27th Jun 1776 at Saint James, Westminster, and the licence states them to be both of this parish (St James). John’s will has no mention of children of his own. He is clearly wealthy and makes numerous bequests, and requests black silk hats and gloves and scarves for the pall bearers.

Additional info is that John was buried in Langley, burial on 3^rd Feb 1813 gives his age as 78, so he is born approx 1745. I don’t have Mary (Goodwin) Pierce’s burial, and I don’t have Joseph’s burial. I have some possible names for John’s father buried in Langley Marish, particularly a Jos[eph] J[oh]n buried in 10/12/1778

Executor of Hester’s and John’s Wills was Joseph Lamoureux of Green Street Grosvenor Square Gentleman, another connection back to London.

Was it common for a son to take on his step-father’s surname as a middle name? I don’t know anything about John Pierce Goodwin’s father, but he may have taken Pierce as a middle name too.

Hester Pierce (née Bisley)’s burial in Langley Marish in 1819 shows she had moved back to Warfield, so I am convinced she is from the Warfield Bisley family of John Bisley and Elizabeth Greener, as I first thought. She was still in Colnbrook in 1805 in writing her will. The house she was living in was bequeathed by her brother in law to Mary Dolby, one of her granddaughters. It may be more that she returned to lived in Warfield with some of her Bisley family with increasing age, she died at 78.

Hester Bisley timeline/locations

1740 Bap Warfield, Berks (Brother John bap 1743 also Warfield)

1764 Living in St Gregory by St Paul’s parish, London at time of marriage to Joseph Pierce of Colnbrook, Bucks

1765-1769 Children baptised at St Mary's, Langley Marish, Bucks - the church for Colnbrook at that time.

1808 Hester wrote will in Colnbrook, Bucks

1811 John Pierce in his will refers to Hester in Colnbrook

1819 Hester died in Warfield, buried in Langley, per Langley Parish Records

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