John COLLINS 1849 Devon; & SMITH, DELACEY, ANSLEY,CLEMENTS (General)

by jevans , USA, Monday, November 12, 2012, 00:02 (4397 days ago)

Hello,
I am looking for some connection for John E. COLLINS, born in 1849 in (according to his obituary) Heathcock, Devonshire. He married Jane SMITH, daughter of Richard and Mary Ann SMITH (Hillersland, Mailscot Lodge) in the U.S. after emigrating in 1869. The mystery is why did he end up in the Forest of Dean area where he met my great-great grandmother Jane Smith? I cannot find any hint of him in or around FOD. A couple of clues may be; after coming to the U.S. and settling in WI, he became a depot agent at the railway. He also wrote a book about Socialism, and as I understand, he was not formally educated, but self-taught.

I am thinking he came to FOD for employment purposes or perhaps he knew someone in the Smith family and once there, became acquainted with Jane. I have checked the 1861 census but nothing matches.

Note: in searching for Heathcock, Devonshire, I found that there is no such place. There is a Heathstock (now Stockland) and it might be that is where he originated. I have nothing on his parents or siblings. But I do have photographs of unidentified people, taken in Chard and Exeter which are in the vicinity of Heathstock.

The Smith Family was associated with the English Bicknor parish. Sisters of Jane Smith were Mrs. George DELACY, Mrs. Annie ANSLEY and Mrs. Harriett CLEMENTS. Parents of Richard Smith (Jane’s father) were Edward Smith and Elizabeth GWILLIAM in the parish of English Bicknore. Does anyone have these names in their tree? If anyone has any ideas of where I could look next, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.