ABIGAIL (GARRATT) and JOHN CHOYCE, SR., FARMER, of ATTLEBOROUGH

John Choyce, Sr., died 9 Jan 1848, at Attleborough, according to probate records. In his will, written six months before he died, he described himself as "a farmer of Attleborough, in the Parish of Nuneaton." He mentions his wife, Abigail, his daughter, Rhoda Garratt Choyce, and his son, John Choyce. Rhoda and John, Jr., were his executors. Witnesses were William Page and Joseph Choyce. The signature of Joseph appears to have been written by an aged hand.

No death record has been isolated for Abigail (Garratt) Choyce, however. there is an entry at St. Catherine's House for Abigail Choyce (Nuneaton, S-1854, v6d, p227).

This earliest progenitor is based on speculation. He may be the John Choyce of Attleborough, Warwickshire, England, who married Abigail Garratt, 9 Jul 1806, at Hinckley, Leicester, about six miles northeast of Attleborough. I would urge family genealogists to obtain a copy of their marriage certificate in order to confirm or deny my speculation. I shall proceed upon the presumption offered.

Abigail (Garratt) and John Choyce, Sr., had two children: Rhoda Garratt Choyce, born about 1810; and John Choyce, Jr., born in 1812. Neither father nor son used "Sr." or "Jr." which I have given them for clarification.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harriet “Hattie” (Fuller) and John Thomas Choyce 50th Wedding Anniversary Decatur, Nebraska

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHODA GARRATT CHOYCE OF ATTLEBOROUGH

Rhoda Garratt Choyce, daughter of Abigail (Garratt) and John Choyce, Sr., was born about 1810, place unknown. No marriage has been proved for Rhoda, however, there is a marriage entry in St. Catherine's House Index for a Rhoda Choyce (Nuneaton, J 1840, v16, p409.)

If this entry applies to Rhoda Garratt Choyce, she would have had a different surname when her father drew up his will in 1848. Yet, he referred to her as Choyce.

Perhaps there was a second Choyce family in the Nuneaton Registration District at that time. However, Rhoda is not a common name in the Choyce family, unless it came through the maternal line and the two Rhodas are related (perhaps through Joseph Choyce who signed John's will?)

No death record has been found for Rhoda, who may have married and died in America.

ELIZA (HADDON) AND JOHN CHOYCE, JR., FARMER, OF ATTLEBOROUGH AND CHICAGO

John Choyce, Jr., son of Abigail (Garratt) and John Choyce, Sr., was born 22 Feb 1812, at Attleborough. This date was taken from the Choyce Family Bible by descendent, Clarence "Dick" Crawford Choyce, of Chicago, Illinois and Dunedin, Florida. Dick supplied all of the Family Bible records used with this family.

John Choyce, Jr., married Eliza Haddon, 12 Aug 1841, in the Parish Church at Nuneaton, Warwickshire, according to their marriage certificate forwarded by descendent, Mary Kathleen "Kathy" (Schafer) Donlevy, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.(SC S 1841 Nuneaton, v16, p441.) John was described as a bachelor of full age, resident of Attleborough, farmer, son of John Choyce, farmer. Eliza Haddon was described as a spinster of full age, resident of Colley Croft in the
Parish of Bedworth, daughter of Thomas Haddon, coal miner. Witnesses were Thomas Haddon and Abigail Proctor. Eliza's mother's name is not known. We learn from the Choyce Family Bible in the possession of Dick Choyce, that Eliza was born 20 Dec 1818 at Nuneaton.

I have been told "there is a place called Haddon Hall somewhere close to Nuneaton." This could be either a building or a geographical location. I have not been able to locate either.

Eliza (Haddon) and John Choyce, Jr., had five children. They are listed in the Choyce Family Bible as: Rhoda, 1841; Eliza, 1846; Emma, 1848; Elizabeth, 1852; and John Thomas Choyce, 1860. They probably were all born at Attleborough.

St. Catherine's House Indexes place them all in the Nuneaton Registration District which includes Attleborough: Rhoda M 1843, v16, p458; Eliza, S 1846, v16, p456; Emma, D 1849, v16, p449; Elizabeth M 1852, v6d, p306; and John Thomas Choyce, S 1858, v6d, p314. These dates are a bit later than the dates in the Family Bible because they are the dates the births were forwarded to St. Catherine's House.

My English "cousin", Colin Arthur Choyce of Walsall, Staffordshire, did find a baptismal record for Eliza Choyce for 9 Sep 1846, at Attleborough, and a note that she died as an infant. In 1862, Eliza (Haddon) John Choyce, Jr., and family, emigrated to America. John would have been about 50 years old. They sailed on "The Great Iron Ship" and settled first at Rochester, New York, on the edge of Lake Ontario. It is not known where the ship landed.