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William SPURRELL
1786 - 1864 (~ 78 years)
Has 23 ancestors and 20 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name William SPURRELL Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Baptised 5 Apr 1786 St. Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor, Devon, England 
- nb/ I haven't seen this entry. Completely impossible to read in FMP image and I would think PR original. I guess someone has found in BTs or other old transcript of the PRs.
Date and place agree with census evidence and William fits in nicely between other known children.
Gender Male Residence From 1798 to 1812 Hall Farm, Sampford Spiney, Devon, England Before leaving home - Only aged about 12 when his parents moved to Hall Farm, William presumably moved with them, and learnt to be a farmer, ready to farm in his own right a few years later; I am guessing he remained at Hall Farm until taking out a lease for land in Tamerton Foliot in 1812.
Occupation From 25 Mar 1813 to 25 Mar 1824 West Combe, Tamerton Foliot, Devon, England Farmer - Leased the land for 11 years from 1813 from the Reverend Walter Radcliffe of Warleigh, clerk - William was described as yeoman of Sampford Spiney when he took on the lease.
The tithe apportionments data (Tamerton Foliot page 4) assembled in 1839 shows West Combe as being 35 acres.
Occupation From 1839 to 1851 Derriford Farm, Eggbuckland, Devon, England Farmer - When the tithe apportionments were worked out in 1839 William was the occupier of Derriford Farm in Eggbuckland parish, with 134 acres. He also had another 98 acres in Derriford over the broder in Tamerton Foliot parish (land which was not just in a different parish but had a different owner). By the time of the 1851 census, although William was still living at Derriford Farm he had now acquired about another 100 acres, bringing the total to 336 acres, employing 5 men and 3 boys. Two sons were employed on the farm, living at home (33 year old Joseph and 31 year old Samuel), also living with the family were a cart man (William Life, aged 24, born Halwell) and a Ploughman (Thomas Gay, aged 21, born Plymouth), and the 3 boys.
Others living with the family were William's daughter Elisabeth, described as Farmers Daur, which probably meant she was involved on the farm with such things as dairy work. A general servant was also employed, who probably helped in the house, where with a household of 11 there would have been plenty of work, but general servants on farms would often also milk, make butter and cream etc.
In the 1841 census William and his family are shown as being at Stuttaford (? - not very clear, but not Derriford - name has double 'l' or 't' in it). I suspect this was Derriford, though, being referred to by another name. (I believe this because William was at Derriford both before and after the 1841 census - at the time of tithe apportionment in 1839 and at the time of the 1851 census; additionally the entry comes after Fursdon, which in turn follows Thornbury; Derriford would follow naturally as a practical route from farm to farm). There were quite a few Stuttaford families in Eggbuckland parish [ref.] and maybe they had previously farmed there, or perhaps the ennumerator mis-read Derriford as a name that was familiar to him.
As well as the family (William and his wife, 3 sons and 3 daughters) were 2 ag labs and a 15 year old apprentice ag lab. One of the ag labs was Simon Spurrell, age given as 10. I suspect this was Simon, son of William's brother Thomas. He was actually baptised in 1828 so would have been aged about 12, but wasn't with his parents at the time of the census.
Occupation 1861 Fursdon, Eggbuckland, Devon, England Farmer - Farmer of 108 acres, employing 2 labourers
Will 6 Aug 1864 Written - (have copy)
Died 30 Sep 1864 Fursdon, Eggbuckland, Devon, England - Date and place from probate calendar entry
GRO ref: SPURRELL, William q4 1864 Plympton RD 5b 185; GRO online index shows age at death as 78
Buried 5 Oct 1864 Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth, Devon, England Probate 27 Mar 1865 Exeter, Devon, England Calendar entry - Spurrell William 27 March
The Will of William Spurrell late of Fursdon in the Parish of Egg Buckland in the County of Devon Yeoman deceased who died 30 September 1864 at Fursdon aforesaid was proved at Exeter by the oath of Samuel Spurrell of Fursdon aforesaid Yeoman the Son the sole Executor.
Effects under £800
Siblings3 brothers and 6 sisters Patriarch & Matriarch 
William SPURRELL, b. Est 1690, d. Yes, date unknown (Great Grandfather)
Anne, d. Yes, date unknown (2 x Great Grandmother)Person ID I10699 All Last Modified 9 Jan 2022
Father Samuel SPURRELL, b. Abt 1742, Meavy, Devon, England , d. 28 Oct 1831, Hall Farm, Sampford Spiney, Devon, England (Age ~ 89 years) Mother Patty REED, b. Abt 1747, Walkhampton, Devon, England , d. 27 Jul 1837, Holetown, Sampford Spiney, Devon, England (Age ~ 90 years) Banns of marriage 22 Mar 1772 to 5 Apr 1772 Walkhampton Church, Walkhampton, Devon, England - Samuel Spurrill otp and Patty Reed of the parish of Sheepstor, no additional info. (from Banns / marriages register, image on FMP, viewed 18 Aug 2012)
Banns of marriage 8 Mar 1772, 29 Mar 1772, 19 Apr 1772 St. Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor, Devon, England - PR with combined banns / marriage entry - shows banns unusually (in my experience) being read at 3 weekly intervals - because in this tiny place, which was not then a parish in its own right, there was only a service every 3 weeks.
No info. given as to marital status etc.
(from Banns / marriages register, image on FMP, viewed 18 Aug 2012)
Married 22 Apr 1772 St. Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor, Devon, England - The marriage part of the combined banns / marriage entry shows that Samuel and Patty both made their marks, while Alice Reed and Peter Reed Junr. (both appear to be siblings of Patty's) signed. It would seem strange if they could write and Patty couldn't - but Samuel seems to have signed plenty of documents in Sheepstor, so I guess both could write but didn't on this occasion.
(image on FMP, viewed 18 Aug 2012)
Headstones 
The positions of the Spurrell graves in Sampford Spiney
Showing where the graves of Samuel and Patty Spurrell and several of their descendants are positioned, in relation both to each other and to the Church.
Some other descendants of theirs, including two, daughters, one being my ancestor Mary, are also buried in this churchyard, but the graves appear to be unmarked.
Family ID F4972 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Elizabeth DAWE, b. Abt 1785, Tamerton Foliot, Devon, England , d. Dec Q 1854, Plympton Reg Dist, Devon, England (Age ~ 69 years) Married 25 Mar 1813 St. Mary’s Church, Sampford Spiney, Devon, England Children8 children Last Modified 24 Nov 2013 Family ID F5019 Family Group Page | Family Chart
- nb/ I haven't seen this entry. Completely impossible to read in FMP image and I would think PR original. I guess someone has found in BTs or other old transcript of the PRs.