| CON / CONN FAMILY TREE
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A Brief History of the Sedgefield Conns through my line.
COUNTY DURHAM is located in the North East of England, U.K., astride the main London to Edinburgh railway line. Durham is a county of moors and rivers, and is renowned for its fascinating heritage and magnificent scenery. The city of Durham is dominated by the 900-year old castle and cathedral, which are both designated "World Heritage Sites". Measuring some 40 miles in length and 30 miles in breadth it contains 1 city, 8 market towns and 113 parishes. The principal rivers are the Tees, the Wear, the Tyne and the Derwent. Coal, iron, lead, mill-stone grit and limestone are abundant in the area. The southern and eastern areas produce corn and pastures in the milder climate. Exports to the rest of the U.K. and overseas include; coarse wool, sail-cloth , steel , iron and glass. (1800s)
Sedgefield means – field (or open land) belonging to Cedd.
SEDGEFIELD in the Parish of Sedgefield is one of the 8 townships of Durham in County Durham and comprises an area of 5,171 acres. Situated on the turnpike road between Durham and Stockton, it is 10 miles from the former and 9 miles from the latter place. By road it is 248 miles from London. The town occupies an elevated position, on dry gravelly soil, and is airy & pleasant. It is the head of a union, the workhouse and county asylum being within Sedgefield Township. (1800s) One of my contacts who lives 20 miles away has told me they have recently opened a bypass near Sedgefield so now it has its country feel back. He states it is a very pretty Georgian style village with its High Street, shops and old coach inns (now pubs).
Sedgefield today
"The church is dedicated to St. Edmund the Bishop (Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury). Dedications like this are rare in England. It is a fine cruciform structure of stone, combining the early and later styles of Gothic architecture. The Parish was founded by Bishop Cutheard between AD 900 and AD 915 with probably a wooden church being erected & later a stone church with rounded arches. The first recorded rector in 1085 was Ulchild. The present church was built between 1246 and 1256. The font was probably given in 1450 by a wealthy Newcastle merchant named Thornton. The tower was replaced in 1490 with a 90 feet high one. In 1707 an oak frame was built in the tower for six bells but not until 1998 were six housed there. The clock in the tower commemorates Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1897. The 9pm curfew bell, ordered by William the Conqueror, was rung for 800 years until 1965."
"The above extract taken from the parish brochure 'Church of St Edmund's, Sedgefield' which is available from the church".
The Parish register commences in 1580. Between 1801 with 1,184 and 1891 with 2,816 the population varied little.
Meaning of the Name.
The surname CONN is derived from the ancient Irish baptismal name CON or CONN.Its original meaning is said to have been "dog"; but it’s use was to designate a warrior. The meaning being - "dog like in reference to fighting qualities of the animal".
The Beginning in 1740 as we know it so far...............
George CON's birthdate & birthplace are unknown but it has been said perhaps he came from Upleatham, Yorkshire in 1715. On the 12th November, 1740 George married Elizabeth Wood in the Parish Church of Skelton By Guisborough, Yorkshire, England. We know from Parish Records that Elizabeth was baptised on the 19th April, 1715 at St.Edmund Bishop Church, Sedgefield. After the marriage they returned to Sedgefield where between 1742 & 1757 they produced 8 sons. George was a Labourer. He & Elizabeth were buried in Sedgefield. Only five of their sons are known to have married but only 4 in Sedgefield. The families occupations were: Labourers, Tailors, Carpenters.
My GGGGG Grandfather, George CON,born 1746, was the 3rd eldest of George & Elizabeth's children. George married on 6th May 1765 Jane Outhart Easington near Guisborough. They had 3 sons, George chr1765 in Marske, Yorkshire, then William (my GGGG Grandfather) christened in 1767 & John christened in 1769. George was a carpenter / labourer & along with his wife was buried in Sedgefield.
This record appears in the Sedgefield Parish Records although we are unsure which William is the father, George's older brother or his son below " Baptised 30th April 1798 William son of William Conn and Jane Steel of Fishburn, illegitimate". (it did not indicate if the child would carry the father's name).
William CON married Ann Ditchburn 1801 in Sedgefield, Ann was born 1781 in Sedgefield. They had 9 children with 8 surviving. The first 8 children were born in Sedgefield between 1802 & 1819, their last child Thomas was born in Penshaw in 1822. William was a Cartwright. He died in 1824 & is buried in Sedgefield. Ann died in 1860 in Coundon, Co. Durham. William is CON on the baptism record & CONN on the marriage records & all generations from here on had the spelling CONN.
John CONN married Mary Dawson in 1806 in Stanhope, Co. Durham, Mary born 1875 in Stanhope. Between 1808 & 1827 they had 7 children. They moved from Stanhope to Lanchester with their 3 young children between 1813 & 1817.( John's baptism has the spelling Conn).
We next follow the families movements in Durham & overseas in "Families on the Move".
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High Street, Sedgefield c.1900
