A Comfortable Name

 The prompt for this blog is “favourite name”.

I have a few favourite names in my family tree, Parthenia Wines Flower being one, but Parthenia was not my direct ancestor. So, I have chosen to write about my ancestor Comfort Maisey*.

Comfort Maisey was born around 1713, in Bagendon, Gloucestershire, England, and was baptised in the parish church on 21 June 1713.  Bagendon is a picturesque Cotswold village.  

Comfort was the second child of Robert Maisey and Mary Saunders.  The family moved around a bit, and I have included a map to show key locations (thanks, Google Earth). When Robert and Mary married in Cirencester 1709, they were both described as being “of Wotton under Edge”, however Roberts appears to originally have been from North Cerney.  Martha Maisey, the oldest child, was baptised in Minchinhampton.  The two youngest children, Ann and Mary, were baptised in Bagendon, like Comfort. In the 1730s, at least some of the family were in Gloucester.  Comfort’s sister Mary Maisey married Thomas Charters in Gloucester Cathedral in 1737.  Some years later, parents Robert and Mary were buried in Winstone.

Part of Gloucestershire, showing where the Maisey family lived, thanks to a Google Earth Project.

On 9 July 1733, Comfort Maisey married Thomas Abel**, becoming Comfort Abel, which amuses me every time I see it – hence qualifying as a favourite name. Thomas Abell was a victualler or Inn Keeper from the parish of Winstone.  He was born around 1698, so was about 15 years older than Comfort.  Thomas and Comfort Abel married in St John the Baptist Church in Gloucester by licence.

Curiously, three days after the wedding, on 12 June 1733, Frances Haviland Maisey, Comfort’s “base born” daughter was baptised.  My guess is that a Mr Haviland was the father of the child.  The Haviland family were a prominent family in Winstone and Thomas Abel’s mother was Jane Haviland.  I am sure there must be an interesting story here, but I don’t know what it is.  Adding to the story, Frances married William Haviland of Winstone in 1750, likely her first or second cousin.

After they married, Thomas and Comfort Abel lived in Winstone.  They had seven children born between 1734 and 1750, Thomas (died young), Mary, Elizabeth, John, Jane, Robert (my ancestor) and Thomas (names of dead children were often reused).  Elizabeth and John both married into the Haviland family.

Comfort’s husband Thomas died in November 1769, aged 71.  He did not leave a will and 5 years later in 1774, Comfort got probate for his estate.

1769 was a difficult time for Comfort as her mother also died in May that year, aged 86, and she lost a grandson in 1769, John Jordan, the baby son of daughter Mary. Comfort’s father died some years earlier in 1750. 

Comfort Abel nee Maisey had at least 16 grandchildren and likely more. I have share DNA with the descendant of some of those grandchildren.

I wonder if Comfort’s comfortable name was ever joked about among family and friends.  She had at least one granddaughter who was also Comfort Abel, so others in the family must have liked the name too.

*Maisey, Maysie, Maysey, Meysey and many other spellings.

**Abel or Abell

Notes on lineage:

1.       Me > Dad > Helen F R Akeroyd > Florence Ruth Kirby > Oscar John Kirby > Margaret Partridge > Mary Abel > Robert Abel > Comfort Maisey

2.       Me > Dad > Helen F R Akeroyd > Florence Ruth Kirby > Harriet Partridge > Thomas Partridge > Mary Abel > Robert Abel > Comfort Maisey