The Devon FHS WWWBoard

Mystery in the Will

Posted by sylvia white on 5/4/2022, 3:01 am

My 3x GREAT GRANDFATHER SAMUEL SALTER'S 1848 WILL CREATES A HUGE MYSTERY?

SAMUEL SALTER b. 1779 TOPSHAM died. 1848 TOPSHAM
(married. 1802 LONDON JANE AYRES b. 1782)

The mystery here is that Samuel Salter's Will 1847 states his sons Robert and Easton Salter
plus JOHN SALTER BIROM SPURWAY "a child that I have nursed from his early infancy" to share equal parts of the Will.

John Salter Birom Spurway is my brick wall to find who he is son of.
I have searched for a birth record for John but to no avail.
1841 census Topsham shows the SALTER family including one year old John?
1851 census shows John age 12 years living with Robert Salter?
After this John doesn't show up anywhere.
The difficulty is which surname he is using?
SALTER, BIROM or SPURWAY.
SAMUEL SALTER employed SUSAN BIROM as a house keeper for several years.
Susan had a son JOHN MARTIN BIROM. (surgeon)
A theory yet to be proven is that mystery John might be John Birom's son hence the name BIROM?
Also HANNAH SALTER unmarried daughter of Samuel died July 1841 could she have been John's mother?
Both Hannah age (38) and John age (1 yr) were on the 1841 census.
The 1841 census rounded off years in most cases which stated Hannah as 30 years of age.
I have the death certificate which shows cause of death Stomach complaints.
Is it possible that HANNAH SALTER gave birth to John before her death in 1841 and died after childbirth?
This theory would explain John having the name of Salter?
Any help to whom baby JOHN SALTER BIROM SPURWAY belongs to is greatly appreciated.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by Maureen Kenchington on 5/4/2022, 5:36 am, in reply to "Mystery in the Will"

FindMyPast has a transcription of a baptism in the Topsham Wesleyan Mathodist Chapel 18 Jun 1847. The child is John Salter Birom, born Sep 1839, parents John and Sarah.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by sylvia white on 5/4/2022, 2:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Thank you so much Maureen. I have some info in my files on Birom and will check out John Birom's wife's name. Thanks again Sylvia

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by Judith on 6/4/2022, 3:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Think you should get death cert of Susan Birom, died at 86 registered 1865, her estate managed by John Martin Birom, born 1817, father listed as Birom no Christian name, mother Susan, He might be the father of John, and Hannah Slater could be the mother, she would have been a bit older than him, but these things happen!! He was single, but went on to marry, in 1845, lived in London, and died in Topsham, was a doctor.
Susan described as single on census, which might be clarified with death cert.
Only birth cerificate in 1839 in St Thomas, (which covered Topsham)gives mothers name as Connett,
Could not find a marriage of a Salter to a Connett, could have been made up.
Pity Samuel did not acknowledge him as a grandson, would have made life easier!!!
Hope this helps.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by sylvia white on 6/4/2022, 9:38 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Thank you for the input Judith. I agree they could have made things up to look good in the eyes of others. Susan Birom was a housekeeper to Samuel Salter so it's possible she helped raise the JOHN SALTER who was most probably her grandson.
Much appreciated thank you.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by Sally Topliss on 6/4/2022, 4:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Further to Judith's comment above, the baptisms of John Martin Birom 1821 Topsham and also a George Henry in 1820 Topsham, both say mother Susan Birom Widow.
Also against John Martin's baptism in Topsham, it says "previously baptised in 1819 in Emsworth, Hampshire". I cannot find that baptism.
Susan Birom was buried 03.04.1865.Topsham aged 86.
There is a John Salter reg. Sept Q 1837. St. Thomas, maiden name not mentioned so probably illegitimate.
However, this would not then tie in with age on census 1841 and 1851.
Sally

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by sylvia white on 6/4/2022, 9:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Thank you Sally.
It's quite a search with all the thousands of Salters in Devon.
I do believe now but can't prove that John Salter Birom's mother was Samuel Salter's daughter Hannah Salter who died Topsham 1841.
John's father John Martin Birom.
Susan Birom was long time house keeper for Samuel Salter and no doubt her son John Martin Birom frequented the house?
Of course in that era an unwed mother was frowned upon although very common.
Thank you kindly once again.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by Judith on 7/4/2022, 8:55 am, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Might be worth getting the birth cert for John Salter issued Sept Qtr 1839 giving his mothers maiden name as Connett. There might be a connection somewhere, e.g. it might be Susans maiden name. The Salter family were in London before going to Topsham, so she would not necessarily be with them then.
My great grandmother registered one of her sons with her name, (not married AT ALL)and used her aunts surname for her maiden name, am guessing she was at her aunts for the birth anyway. People could get up to all sorts then, no way of checking.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by Judith on 7/4/2022, 3:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

John Martin Biron, her son received into the church at Topsham,19.9.1821, note says he was baptised at Emsworth. (might be worth checking that one out, to confirm fathers name as John,(per marriage cert of 1845) and fathers occupation. As he went on to be a doctor, there must have been some money in the family) John M Biron died 1870 aged 53 so was born 1816/17, father could have died between 1816 and 1821.

Susan died aged 86, according to G.R.O. so must have been in her 30's when he was born, might even have been older children before him? Or they got her age wrong, as she is down as 71 in 1861 census.
Hope this helps.

Re: Mystery in the Will

Posted by sylvia white on 9/4/2022, 11:38 pm, in reply to "Re: Mystery in the Will"

Hello again,
The Salter family has a lot of secrets.
Cover ups all the way up the tree.
I'm thinking that Susan Birom's name was given as mother of John Salter Birom trying to cover up the real mother Hannah Salter, Samuel's daughter.
John Birom the father and his mother adding her own name Susan Birom to any record.
John Birom surgeon married Elizabeth Crosley Tharp Spinster 1845.Kensington.
I have looked for a previous marriage for John Martin Birom but no luck there. Thanks again

« Back to index

[ The Devon FHS WWWBoard ]