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Michael Sheard
Birth Theories
- Born in Birstall Parish, Father Unknown, Possibly Jonas Sheard
There were Sheards in Birstall Parish from at least 1640. However, there is no record in the parish
for
the baptism of Michael Sheard in the 1680's (or before).
There are probably records missing, as there are other Sheards who show up in the records
for whom there are no baptismal records. See
Other Sheards in Birstall Parish
The introduction to the Parish Register of Birstall 1687-1724 transcribed by Hartly Thwaite says
that "there are no gaps in the registers" from 1687 to 1724. However, there are a fair number of
rites that
appear to be unrecorded. Of course there is the possibility that people moved into or out of the parish
and the records are somewhere else.
Michael Sheard named the first son of his marriage, Jonas. Jonas is not a common name in
the parish in general. However, it is a name that appears with some frequency in the Sheard family
in Birstall and Batley Parishes. It is possible that Michael Sheard was the son of
a Jonas Sheard. There was a Jonas Sheard in the parish. He married Eden Clay in 1694.
Michael may have been the son of Jonas from a first marriage. He could not, however, have been
the son of Eden Clay, as Jonas and
Eden were not married until 1694.
Michael Sheard was in Eddercliff in Birstall parish at least by 1709.
After his marriage in 1712 the records show that he lived in Gomersal.
The earliest records for the Sheard name in Birstall Parish were for the marriage and children of
Michael Sheard and Isabell Parkinson. Isabell Parkinson was born in Littletown. The children of
Michael Sheard and Isabell Parkinson were born in the villages of Gomersal and
Birstall. Subsequent records show
Sheards in both Littletown and Gomersall. At least one son of Michael Sheard, another Michael, was known to have children in the parish around
the estimated time of the birth of
Michael in 1688. However, that Michael had a son, Michael in 1712, too late to be Michael who married
Abigail Healey.
From the History of Batley Parish by Michael Sheard, 1894
"Thomas Sheard of Overden, in the parish of Halifax, "wolman" died in 1565
and his will was proved on the 7th of November in the same year. He left four sons, Michael,
Martin, Matthew, and Luke and one daughter, Sibel. Matthew was married on the 10th of August ,
1585 to Margaret Stanton at Batley; there is no further reference to him in the register. I
believe he settled at Mirfield, and was the first of the name residing there. Martin was the
first of the name to settle in Batley (and the author is a direct descendent). His wife, Jane
Wilbore, was the widow of William Wilbore of Healey, who died in 1582, and was interred in
Batley Church, leaving no issue."
See Birstall Sheards, Early Records
now or at the bottom of the page.
- Dominic Lennon's Theory
Dominic Lennon, a Sheard researcher and descendant of Michael Sheard,
believes that Michael Sheard was the son of John Sheard as follows:
Generation I: Thomas Sheard of Halifax
Generation II: Michael Sheard, son of Thomas Sheard, baptized In Mirfield
October 21, 1551married Jane File of Flockton in Thornhill Parish in 1615/16
Generation III: Anthony Sheard son of Michael Sheard baptized Mirfield Parish 1620
Generation IV: John Sheard, son of Anthony Sheard baptized Mirfield 1644
Generation V: Michael Sheard, son of John Sheard, baptized 1688
Briestwell, Thornhill Parish
John Sheard of Thornhill also had a son named Jonas, baptized March 25, 1683.
He was the only Jonas listed by the LDS IGI in the 1680's time frame.
Dominic also points out the "John Sheard of Littletown was
buried February 15, 1706/07 (Parish Register of Birstall 1687-1724
transcribed by Hartley Thwaite)" and that this could have been Michael's father.
- Vivien Tomlinson's Elaboration of the Briestwell Connection
Another Sheard researcher and descendant, Vivien Tomlinson, has done extensive research on the
Sheards in the area and has coordinated the records of Briestwell (Thornhill Parish) and Birstall.
See John Sheard for details.
The Jonas Sheard Connection
The name Jonas, an uncommon name in general, it was popular in the
Sheard family.
There were several in the early records for Thornhill and Birstall Parishes:
- Jonas of Matthew Sheard, May 21 1643, died January 11, 1646.
This is the earliest listing for the name
on the IGI
- Jonas Sheard son of John Sheard of Briestwell baptized 1683 (VT, Jan 2005)
- Jonas Sheard who married Eden Clay in Birstall Parish in 1694.
- Jonas, son of Benjamin Sheard, born about 1700 in Thornhill. Was he really the son of Benjamin of Thornhill?
Is he the person who married
Alice Sheppard and had children in Littleton and
Little Gomersal 1720-1733?
- Jonas Sheard married Alice Sheppard in Hartshead, and had four children baptized in Birstall parish
between 1721 and 1733. See Early Sheard Records in Birstall Parish
- Jonas of Michael Sheard and Abigail Healey baptized in 1713 Birstall who married
Dinah Kirk and had children in Gomersall 1740-1756
Was Michael
Sheard the Descendent of Martin Sheard of Batley Parish?
The History of Batley Parish published in 1894 by Michael Sheard gives a brief history of
the family of Thomas Sheard.
According to Michael Sheard, Thomas Sheard was the progenitor of the Sheards who settled the Batley and Birstall
parishes, and an ancestor of the Michael Sheard (the author of the History of Batley Parish.)
Thomas Sheard of Halifax parish
and his wife, Margaret Holdesworthe, had four sons, Michael, Martin, Matthew, and Luke,
and one daughter, Sybil. See Thomas Sheard
now or at the bottom of the page
Martin Sheard married and settled in Batley parish.
There are very few entries for the Sheards in the Bishop's Transcripts for
Batley parish (LDS film # 0980660) from 1600 through 1729. There are lots of years
missing and the records are very sparse.
Martin Sheard was listed in the Batley parish records for the first time in 1581.
He was obviously living in the parish from the time of his marriage to Jane in 1583 to
his death fifty two years later in 1635. There is only one baptismal record for a child of
Martin Sheard listed in the parish records, that of Michael in 1585. It is possible that
baptisms of other
children occurred when the records are missing or that they occurred in Mirfield or Halifax.
Illegitimate Son of Matin Sheard and
Agnes Rodes: Martin Sheard and Agnes Rodes had an illegitimate son, William, baptized on July 24, 1581
in Batley Parish.
Marriage: Martin Sheard married Jane Wilbore, the widow of William Wilbore, on February 5, 1583
in Batley parish (Michael Sheard and the Parish Records). According to Michael
Sheard: - William Wilbore of Healey died in 1582 living no issue.
- Jane's maiden name was
Breare
According to A. Cadman, Jane Breare was a native of Gomersal, Birstall Parish.
Children:
- Michael, the son of Martin Sheard, was baptized in Batley parish on May
8, 1585 (Batley Parish Records).
Death: Burial: Michael Sheard buried May 8, 1586.
- Martin, d.o.b. (no later than 1596), place unknown.
Marriage: unknown
Children:
- Martin of Martin Sheard, February 22, 1616 (BT)
- Michael of Martin Sheard, February 22, 1619 (BT)
Note:
This was most likely the Michael Sheard who married, Isabell Parkinson, and had children in Birstall parish.
See Birstall Sheards now or at the bottom of the page.
If the Michael Sheard who wrote the History of Batley is
correct in stating that Matin Sheard was the progenitor of the Sheards in Batley Parish
then one
of the children of the Michael Sheard of Birstall and his wife, Isabell Parkinson, could have been the parent of
Michael born circa 1688. Michael Sheard born circa 1688 is know to be connected the main
branch of the Batley Sheards.
- Thomas of Martin Sheard, September 20, 1619 (BT)
- Grace of Martin Sheard, October 7, 1621 (BT)
- Jane of Martin Sheard, August 24, 1623 (BT)
- Alice of Martin Sheard, January 29, 1625 (BT)
- John of Martin Sheard, January 2, 1628 (BT)
- Richard of Martin Sheard, December 12, 1629 (BT)
Death of Martin Sheard: Martin Sheard buried April 27, 1662
Death of the wife of Martin Sheard Unknown
- John Sheard, Unknown, Based on a minimum age of twenty at the birth of
William, John was born no later than 1600.
Marriage: Unknown
Children:
- William, the son of John Sheard, baptized February 21, 1621 (BT).
- Marmaduke Sheard,
based on an age of twenty at the time of the marriage Marmaduke was born no later than 1597.
Marriage: Janet (?) on July on July 22, 1617.
Note:
Marmaduke was either the son of Martin and Jane Sheard or a relative who married in Batley parish. There are no children for Marmaduke in Batley parish.
Death of Jane Sheard: Jane, the wife of Martin Sheard, was buried on November 11, 1614.
Death of Martin Sheard: Martin Sheard was buried August 22, 1635.
Other Early Sheard Records in Batley Parish
-
William Sheard was buried on February 21, 1621. Was this the illegitimate
son of Martin and Agnes Rodes baptized in 1581 or was he the son of John baptized on
February 21, 1621?
- Grace Sheard married John Fawcett on October 15, 1656. Based on an age of
twenty at the time of her marriage Grace was born no later than 1636.
The only Grace in the records
was
the daughter of Martin baptized in 1621. Was Grace 35 at the
time of her marriage or is this a Sheard from another parish?
- Agnes, "of Michael Sheard" of Batley was buried in Mirfield on
February 2, 1665 (BT). Unfortunately this record does not give the relationship to Michael.
Was Agnes a wife or daughter of Michael Sheard?
- The burial of Anne Sheard on November 9, 1670. I do not know who Anne Sheard was.
Bastard Child of
Michael Sheard and Abigail Healy
Michael bastard of Abigail Healey of Long L and Michael Sheard of
Eddercliff the reputed father, June 19, 1709 |
