Holdsworth Land

So--here's what we know about the Holdsworth land connection--to the 1600 and 1700's in England.

The Holdsworth land was in Yorkshire England---relatively close to Halifax, ThAshday or Astley—Holdsworth House is somewhere near Ashday—close to Halifax.

There were 2 branches of the family—Northoram and Southoram branches—small communities not too far from each other—but were separate entities. Ours (my family) was possibly the Southoram section.

There was and associated with the Holdsworth House.

Word “worth” is an anglo-saxon word for an enclosed piece of land with a hedge or fence around it. Entimology—put Hold in front of Worth=

A Holdsworth lived on the property for hundreds of years—we do not know the year when the son named William got into debt and had to sell the property---but likely 2 generations before Thomas Holdsworth and Nancy Bibby (Thomas was born in 1788). So maybe around 1700 when the property was sold.

It may be likely that he sold it to his brother in law-but we're really not sure. We do know that the land went out of the Holdsworth name at that point.

We’re related to Thomas, P. Holdsworth (who is a relative we've been in contact with in England for years) is related to Thomas—Thomas married Nancy Bibby—and they had a number of children. Their oldest child was Thomas—Peter is descended from Thomas. We are descended from Jonas.

Thomas of 1788—that is our hole. He was listed as Jonas Holdsworth—his father was supposedly another Thomas—the brother of William—but it’s murky because Thomas is listed as marrying the same woman as William. Because William sold the property they are then not tied to the Hallifax area anymore—and within 2 generations (Thomas of 1788) lived in Leeds. **This is where we need help--where we need to know from the point the land was sold to Thomas of 1788 what happened to the family--and then we need more information of the 1788 Thomas and/or Jonas Holdsworth. Who was he really married to? Who were his siblings? Where did they go?

Thomas (1788) and William likely had a sister (also brother named John—sister named Pheobe, Mary, and Frances)—as the property may have been sold to a sister-in-law—but we only have very murky information of the generation after this Thomas and William—and are unsure of where their other siblings may have ended up. Thomas was a curat—an “assistant vicar”—curat’s did not always marry (couldn’t always afford it)—supposedly married Peggy Wilson—but other records show William marrying her—so confusion there.

This is what we do know of the later Thomas and Nancy Bibby and their children:

Thomas and Nancy Bibby—children=
Martha came to the US
James was oldest son—came to US—his family settled in Michigan
Hannah—
Jonas—joined LDS Church and came to UT
Thomas—Peter’s ancestor--stayed in Leeds, England
Mary—
Nancy—also came to US


Thomas who married Nancy Bibby—we also don't have a full listing of this Thomas's siblings. We would love more information on this Thomas's siblings as well!

So--if you have more information on Thomas and William Holdsworth from around 1788, please leave a comment--we'd love more information!