Thomas Sandham (1799 - 1879)

Born 11 Aug 1799 in Middleton, Lancashire, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Ronson) Sandham — married 1821 in Pilling, Lancashire, England

Descendants

Died 17 Feb 1879 at age 79 in Middleton, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Donna Bonaccorso [send private message]

Biography

Thomas was baptized August 11, 1799 in Middleton, Lancashire, England., the son of William and Jane (Gerrard) Sandham.

"On July 22, 1823, Thomas Sandham of Middleton, husbandman of the parish of Lancaster aged 24 years and a bachelor and Betty Ronson of this parish (Woodplumpton) age 26 years and a spinster were married in Woodplumpton Chapel, Church of England, by banns. Witnesses: James Swarbrick and Molly Ronson."

Together Thomas and Betty had eight children: John (1821), Cicily (1823), Jane (1826), Margaret (1830), Elizabeth (1832), Thomas (1835), William (1838), and Alice (1841).

With the persuasion of Betty's older brother, James Ronson, Thomas and Betty sold their possessions and set sail with their eight children (ages one to twenty-one years) for Canada early in the spring of 1842 ready to face the hardships and difficulties of pioneer life. The voyage was rough and long (reputed to be three months owing to adverse winds carrying them back as far as the Canary Islands after they had sighted the American shore). During the voyage their oldest daughter Cicily, wife of Richard Stizacker, gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Charlotte after the ship they were sailing on.

Betty's brother James drove to Brantford with his wagon, a distance of forty miles, to welcome his sister and her family and to bring them to the home he had already secured for them a few miles west of his own, now known as Goshen. Although the beginnings for the Sandhams had been made easier by the early preparations of James, life was by no means easy. Land had to be cleared by both Thomas and Betty. Even though the land was productive the work was hard. Times were hard and money was scarce.

The 1861 Canada Census revealed that Thomas Sandham (64), yeoman and his wife Betty (65) were living in a one and a half storey brick house with their son William (23), labourer and daughter Alice (20).

Betty passed away in Middleton, Ontario in 1868, 26 years after arriving in Canada, while Thomas passed away eleven years later on February 17, 1879 also in Middleton, Ontario. Both were buried in Delhi Cemetery, Delhi, Ontario, Canada.

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Sources

• Donna Bonaccorso, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Donna and others.

• Birth record: Ancestry.com. Lancashire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.

• Marriage Record: Ancestry.com. Lancashire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.

• Canada Census, 1861: Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1052. Canada. "Census returns for 1861." LAC microfilm C-999 to C-1007, C-1010 to C-1093, C-1095 to C-1108, C-1232 to C-1331, M-1165 to M-1166, M-1168 to M-1171, M-556, M-874 to M-878, M-880 to M-886, M-896 to M-900. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.

• Death record: Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 22. Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

• Wallace, John Ronson; "The Ronson- Sandham Family History in North America (1817- 1981)" ; 1981

1. ↑ Entered by Donna Bonaccorso, Oct 31, 2012