George /Grant/

2 DATE 1753Chitterne?

2 DATE 1840Winterbourne Stoke, Wiltshire

"Prominent farmer and Baptist who set up several meeting houses in the area" (presumably the Chitterne area, possibly Winterbourne Stoke)From Roy Grant, there's a possible link back to John Grant, married To Alice, who wrote a will in 1773 and died in 1777:From Roy Grant, other possible ancestors of George:2 CONT The Grant Family LineInitially based on informed supposition,before adding the actual evidence of proven lineage2 CONT The Supposition2 CONT John Grant b ? m ? dwife Alice b ? will 1773 died 1777‎(there is a very remote possibility that this Alice could have also been known as Betty)‎childrenJohn b ?William b ?Thomas ‎(perhaps)‎George b ?2 CONT I believe that the George above was the same George who married in Salisbury in 1739 and died pre 1773wife Hester ‎(aka Esther)‎ Notton b 1718 Market Lavington d ?children1.John b c1739-40 b 1740 Market Lavington1.William b c17431.George b ? ‎(perhaps 1753)‎As can be seen with exception of the inclusion of George, this grouping of first names is by no means unusual, but the combination certainly matches the children/grandchildren listed in Alice Grant’s Will.Moving temporarily into the realms of speculation rather than proven fact, it is my firm belief that my own Grant line comes from a George Grant, and Hester (aka Esther) Notten who had both initially come from the Wiltshire town of Market Lavington, a few miles from Chitterne village. This couple married in Salisbury in 1739 and may have then tried to settle amongst other Grant relatives living in Chitterne or on its outskirts. As they were apparently financially insecure at that stage and relied on the parish relief fund for support, an eviction order was raised in 1745 to compulsorily remove them and their surviving 2 year old son William from that parish and the entire family were returned to Market Lavington. No further information on George and Hester has been found after that date, but it is thought that during their married life together they produced at least 3 sons. John, who was conceived illegitimately and baptised Jan 1740 Market Lavington, William born circa 1743 & George born circa 1753. A similar pattern of Grant first names appears in 1773 as part of the will of Alice, the widow of John Grant of Chitterne. In her will, Alice lets it be known that her son George was deceased and that his son George’s inheritance would be a single shilling. It is this George Grant junior who I am reasonably sure was my ancestor, but without evidence of his baptism, I cannot be certain. All I do know is that my George grew up in Chitterne as a Baptist and subsequently became a reasonably prosperous leasehold farmer. It was there that he married and set up several local Baptist meeting-houses. However, after his children had reached maturity, he widened the gospel net by decamping the entire familyfrom the village of Chitterne and moving on to nearby Winterbourne Stoke.

More Grant genealogy / Grant family tree info at Clarkeology.com.