It seems that Kelsalls in Aston, Birmingham comprise two branches.
- Branch of William Kelsall and Rosetta Lawley. Traced to Isaac Kelsall born 1786, Ellesmere Shropshire. This is the branch of Doris Bialis with branches in the USA.
- Traced to a George Kelsall b 1786 in Evesham, Worcestershire. (e.g. mark_easton181 tree on Ancestry). This is the branch of Alan Buckley (mother Lilian Buckley daughter of Charles Robert Kelsall) who contacted me in 1999.
I have not found a connection between these lines in Birmingham. Both produced branches in Philadelphia although with emigrations more than 40 years apart. Both lines included men employed as gunsmiths, but this was a common occupation in Birmingham which was for many years a centre of the world’s gun-manufacturing industry. Both lines include a Herbert, age 17 in 1901 in the Alan Buckley line, and age 16 in the William and Rosetta line, both then living in Birmingham.
It may also be noted that Ellesmere and Evesham are some distance apart and separate origins for the lines are likely.
Tree of William Kelsall and Rosetta Lawley
From various census records William was born in Birmingham c 1851. We can infer that William was born in the Jun quarter of 1851 in Birmingham, mother Hayman. In 1999 a correspondent Alan Buckley told me “I have a copy of William Kelsall’s birth certificate born in April 1851 to John and Susannah (nee Hayman). John was a policeman and may have come from Flintshire”.
John Kelsall and Susannah Hayman were married 11 Jul 1848 at Selattyn, Shropshire, (a village close to Oswestry, Dudleston Heath and Ellesmere), father of John identified as Isaac, father of Susannah Joseph. From various census records John was born c. 1821/1822 at Dudleston, Shropshire. His baptism in the Dudleston registers is inferred to be John son of Isaac and Martha, 29 Jul 1821. John’s parents are inferred to be Isaac Kelsall and Martha Hopley, married 31 Dec 1807 in Chester.
Isaac Kelsall was age 65 in the 1851 census for Overton age 65, indicating he was born in about 1786. He is inferred to be Isaac son of Isaac and Ann Kelsall, baptised at Dudleston, 17 Nov 1786.
From several trees on Ancestry the father of Isaac 1786 was another Isaac Kelsall, born 1745
Cheshire, who married Ann Cooper, 17 Jul 1769 at High Ercall, Shropshire (located near Wellington about 20 miles from Ellesmere). These trees then link Isaac to another Isaac Kelsall. Born about 1710 Shropshire, who married Ann Topp, 10 Dec 1732 at Northenden. Various trees have links to Ringley, Lancashire (located between Manchester and Bolton, and Wilmslow. 15 miles from Northenden). I am not convinced that all these connections are valid since they are based only by linking the name Isaac. On the other hand, it is not unlikely that one or more Kelsall families moved to Shropshire from Cheshire.
Isaac Kelsall and Martha Hopley
From parish registers on FMP, Isaac son of Isaac and Ann Kelsall, was baptised at Dudleston, 17 Nov 1786. He married Martha Hopley, 31 December 1807 at St. John the Baptist, Chester. Isaac and Martha had three children found in parish registers, Thomas baptised 6 Oct 1811, Ann 8 Nov 1812, and John, 29 Jul 1821. They may also be the parents of William born 1826. Isaac died in 1860.
I have not found any subsequent records for Thomas. From Peter Edwards, NSW Australia “my great great grandfather, Thomas Price married Anne Kelsall at Ruabon Parish Church on 20/5/1840. Anne was born in Dudleston Shropshire. The 1851 census gave her age as 38, giving a birth date around 1813. Her father was Isaac Kelsall, a labourer of Cyfelle near Ruabon. William Kelsall married Jane Evans and gave rise to a Kelsall line in the Wrexham area. Brothers John and James born about 1897 and 1905 to parents Isaac and Elizabeth (Clarke) were killed in the Gresford colliery disaster 22 September 1934.
John Kelsall and Susannah Hayman
John Kelsall was baptised 29 July 1821 at Dudleston, Shropshire. He married Susannah Hayman, 11 July 1848 at Selattyn, Shropshire, a village close to Oswestry, Dudleston Heath and Ellesmere). John was a police constable who from census records moved from Overton to Birmingham between 1841 and 1851. John and Susannah had four known children; 1. Thomas Samuel 1849 –married Maria Denley, five children in Birmingham; 2. William 1851 – married Rosetta Lawley, see below; 3. Elizabeth 1853 – married Henry Sadler, two children in Birmingham; 4. Sarah 1856 – married James Powers, three children in Birmingham. John the father died in 1899 in Birmingham.
William Kelsall and Rosetta Lawley
From various census records William was born in Birmingham c 1851. He married Rosetta Lawley Jun Quarter 1875. Children of William and Rosetta, all born Birmingham, were:
- Mariah 1876, m Oscar George Sickles, Philadelphia 1900
- Sarah Ann 8 Dec 1877, arrived New York 1 March 1912, died Dec 1971 age 94, Windham, Bradford Co. PA, unmarried
- Edward Isaac 1879, died 1996 Grantham Lincolnshire, spouse unknown
- Alice 1881, married Edward John Hewitt, 2 children, died 1946 Birmingham
- Herbert George 1884, arrived Philadelphia 29 Jan 1906, married Elizabeth Shane 1907, 9 children, died 1957 Sarasota FL
- Samuel 1886, died 1919 Aston
- John 1888, Immigrated 29 Feb 1912 New York with sister Sarah A., Married Betha Shane 1916 (sister of Elizabeth), Naturalized 1917, witness Herbert G Kelsall, 3 children -Rowland, Robert, George, died 1971 Philadelphia
- Rosetta 1891, died 1895 Aston
It can be seen that at least four children emigrated to Philadelphia or New Jersey between approximately 1900 and 1912. Two brothers Hebert George and John married two sisters Elizabeth and Bertha Shane. Herbert and Elizabeth are the ancestors of Doris Bialis.
Tree of Alan Buckley
This line traces through the census to George Robert Kelsall born 1815 in Birmingham and Sarah Ann Teague married 1839 at Kings Norton, resident in Birmingham in 1841. Their son, also George Robert was born in 1855 and married Sarah Ann Bromwich in 1880. This family emigrated to Australia in 1912. Their daughter, Louise married Richard Power and are the ancestors of Andrea Balcombe. Their son, William Joseph died at Gallipoli in 1915. Another son of George and Sarah Ann (Bromwich), Charles Robert apparently did not go to Australia and married Ada Higgs. They are the grandparents of Alan Buckley.
From Alan Buckley, the father of George Robert (1815) was another George Robert who married Ann Bowdler at Bordesley Warwickshire in 1849 when he was 62. From the 1851 census this George Robert was born in Evesham, Worcestershire in 1786. From Alan Buckley, his first wife was Mary and his parents were Thomas Kelsall and Jane White married at Badsey, Worcestershire, 23 Nov 1785 (transcription on FMP). Mary Kelsall is present in the 1841 census in Evesham age 53. It appears that George Robert died in 1858 in Birmingham.
From other trees on Ancestry (cjw168) the tree extends as follows in Evesham:
Thomas Kelsall (1730 – 1785) married Elizabeth Bowen or Bovey 1756
Thomas Kelsall (1760 – 1810) married Jane White 1785
George Robert Kelsall (1786 – 1858) married Mary Ann Hart 1808 Shrewsbury
The earliest record for Kelsall in Worcestershire on FMP is Thomas, buried at Evesham, 27 July 1787 (age not given). There is probate for another Thomas in Evesham in 1811. Family Search has an Elizabeth Kelsall buried at Evesham 26 Nov 1823 age 90.
From this, the line has been traced to Worcestershire in about 1730 but not beyond.
Thomas Kelsall (1808 – 1879) and Mary Deeming
Thomas is found in Birmingham in the 1851 census, occupation mathematical instrument maker. He and Mary have nine children in 1851. I have found some marriages for the children but I am not aware of any surviving Kelsall line.
George Robert Kelsall (1815 – ?) and Sarah Teague
In contrast to Thomas and Mary, George Robert and Sarah have many descendants including Andrew Buckley, Andrea Balcombe and Mark Aston. George Robert Kelsall born 1815 in Birmingham married Sarah Ann Teague 1839 at Kings Norton. They have four children living in 1851, Mary Jane 10. William G 7, Herbert 2 and Emeley 5 months. Another son, George Robert would be born in 1855. Mary Ann married George Gork and they lived in Birmingham. It appears that Herbert age about 16, Emily 11 and George R emigrated to America in 1865. William may have preceded them and he, Herbert and Emily all lived in Pennsylvania. George Robert married Sarah Ann Bromwich back in Birmingham in 1880.
George Robert Kelsall (1855 – 1912) and Sarah Ann Bromwich had at least 10 children as identified in the 1891 and 1901 census. George, Sarah and several of the children emigrated to Australia in 1912. Their daughter, Louise married Richard Power and are the ancestors of Andrea Balcombe. Their son, William Joseph died at Gallipoli in 1915. Another son of George and Sarah Ann, Charles Robert apparently did not go to Australia and married Ada Higgs. They are the grandparents of Alan Buckley.