Shep's Place Family Tree

On 27 June 1775 ‎[or was it 26 July 1775? There are two different dates in "A Family Named Buttfield."]‎ James Buttfield of Potsgrove married Sarah Jackson of Ridgmont at the Ridgmont Parish Church. In the register, James' name was spelled Butterfield, which was a much more common name than Buttfield. James and Sarah then lived at Potsgrove where seven children were born. The births of those who survived were duly entered in the register at Thorn. We know of the others because of a list written out by their father.

For most of his life James was a dairy farmer, but in 1801 he became a manufacturer of straw hats in the former White Hart Inn at Dunstable. Dunstable hats had a reputation for good lasting qualities. It is not know whether James' venture was to provide a second string to his bow, or whether he wished to get away from dairy farming. In February 1801 he and his brother purchased the White Hart premises, which along with the property at Thorn, were later mortgaged to Daniel Queneborough, grocer, of Dunstable for 800 pounds, at an interest rate of 5%.

After his death on 30 March 1811 at the age of 60 years, James was buried in the grounds of the Baptist Church at Thorn, where a stone was erected to his memory. The burial did not take place until the 5th of April, probably because the ground was too frozen to dig the grave.

James died intestate. On 28 September 1811, his widow Elizabeth, with her son-in-law William Eames and Thomas Evans a "Victualler of Bedford" applied for Letters of Administration. Elizabeth was sworn in as administrator the same day and declared the value of James' estate and effects did not exceed 800 pounds.

Elizabeth and her six living children agreed upon a plan to administer his estate, the main points of which are as follows:
a) Elilzabeth would receive all rents arising from James' real estate and would waive any other entitlement.

b) John, James'' eldest son and heir-at-law, was to be excused repayment of moneys loaned to him by his father and would waive all other claims on his father's estate.

c)The freehold properties would be sold as opportunities arose, except if Elizabeth died, the sale would be made speedily.

Elizabeth died at Dunstable on 23 June 1813, 59 years old, and was buried witJameses on July 2.