THE ECCLESHALL PARISH REGISTERS

Pages 13-16

Many families of Heacocks lived in Staffordshire and adjacent English counties during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Their names are found in old wills, and in parish registers. Since the ancestors of the American family came from Slindon in the parish of Eccleshall, Staffordshire, the registers of the Eccleshall church contain the entries of chief interest to us. There are three volumes of these registers. The first contains entries from about 1575, the third from 1620 to 1666. The second is largely a copy of the first, made in 1600, with changes in the spellings. All three volumes have been published by the Stafford Parish Register Scoiety.

Slindon was and still is a small village, located three miles north of Eccleshall. About twenty families appear to have lived there in the sixteenth century. Besides the Heacocks, families bearing these names are recorded: Keene, Meakin, Stacey, Whittington, Tilsley, Ball, Cornes, Bawle, Botham, Glover, and others. Three miles west of Slindon is the village of Croxton, and another branch of the Heacock family lived there. Half-way between Croxton and Eccleshall is the village of Sugnall Magna, and Heacocks also lived there, although apparently a generation or so later than at Slindon and Croxton.

Parish registers in the early years are too fragmentary to permit of definite conclusions, but it is possible that the Croxton and Sugnall families descended from Thomasen Hacocke, who was buried May 6, 1575, and the Slindon family from Jhon Haicocke, buried November 11, 1576. All the other Heacocks mentioned in the registers can be accounted for as descendants of these two, without doing violence to biological laws. Thomasen and Jhon may have been brothers or cousins, and the settlement in the Slindon neighborhood may have occurred a generation or two before these frist records.

The most common early spelling of the name was Heacocke. John spelled either Jhon or Johannes, was the most common Christian name, although William was also frequent. In the entries which have been copied, the original spellings have been preserved. The spelling of the 1600 copy is given in parentheses. The family tree is based on the registers wherever there is conflict between them and information obtained elsewhere.

ECCLESHALL PARISH REGISTERS--HEACOCK AND KEENE ENTRIES

Volume I and II--Christenings Vol. II is in part a copy of Vol. I made in 1600

    1577--December 1--William Haycoke. 
    1579--October 4--Margery Haycoke (Haycocke). 
    1581--November 15--Johannes Heacocke. 
    1582--March 9--Elizabetha Heacocke. 
    1584--April 8--Willelmus Heacocke. 
    1584--February 16--Johanna Heycocke. 
    1585--December 6--Johannes Keene. 
    1586--October 7--Elizabeth Heacocke. 
    1589--November 9--Margareta Heacock (Hecocke). 
    1589--February 30 (sic)--Willimus Heacocke.

    1592--May 22--Richardus Hichcocke (Hichcoke). 
    1593--April 15--Johannes Heacocke. 
    1593--July 22--Alicia Heacocke. 
    1594--October 27--Willelmus Hichcock (Hickcoke). 
    1596--June 18--Anne Heacocke. 
    1599--February 25--Ellinge Heacocke. 
    1601--July 15--Darothye d of William Keene of Slyndon, husbandman. 
    1603--December 23--Ellyne d of William Keene of Slindon. 
    1603--March 4--Robt. s of Thomas Heacocke, of Croxton. 
    1606--May 23--Margreat Heacocke. 
    1606--August 30--Jhon s of William Keene, of Slyndon alias Slyne. 
    1607--June 9--Marye, d. of John Haycocke of Slyndon. 
    1608--March 29--Elizabeth d. of Thomas Haycocke of Croxton. 
    1608--February 12--Thomas s. of William Keene, of Slyndon, alias Slyne. 
    1610--May 6--William s. of John Haycocke, of Slydon, alias Slyne. 

Volume I and II Marriages.

    1578--June 17--Fraunces Heacocke--Margret Gervis. 
    1582--October 28--Robartus Heath--Anna Heakock (Heacocke). 
    1583--June 2--Lewes Case--M(ar)gareta Heacocke. 
    1584--June 25--Jacobus Tylsley--Anna Heacocke. 
    1589--June 1--Richardus Hitchcoks (Hidgcoke)--Margareta Stacye. 
    1589--January 27--Thomas Heacocke--M(ar)gareta Meeson. 
    1593--May 20--Willelmus Gratwod--Tymeson Heacocke. 
    1600--July 10--Willelmus Keene--Margareta Stacye. 
    1605--March 3--John Heacocke, of Slyndon, and Ellyn Keene, of Slindon. 
    1612--November 5--Thomas Chittie alias Sneyde p. de Woolstranton and Margeria           Heacocke de Slindon. 
    1617--December 2--Johannes Wildie, viduar, and Elizabetha Heacocke. 

Volume I and II--Burials.

    1575--May 6--Thomasen (Thomasina) Hacocke (Heacoke). 
    1576--November 11--(February 16)--Jhon Haicocke (Heacoke). 
    1578--May 25--Dorytye Heacocke. 
    1582--March 9--Christopher Heacoke. 
    1584--June 14--Willelmus Heacoke. 
    1687--May 30--Hellena Heackocke. 
    1587--February 30 (sic)--Johannes Heacocke. 
    1588-9--March--Margareta Keene. 
    1590--May 21--Fraunc(es) Heycocke. 
    1590--March 11--Margareta Heacock (Hidgcoke). 
    1590--March 19--Johannes Keene. 
    1592--May 17--Elizabetha Heacocke. 
    1593--November 30--Robartus Heacocke. 
    1598--March 22--Ric Hidgcocke, of Wotton, a laborer. 
    1602--February 5--Catheran Heacoke, of Croxton, wid. 
    1604--February 2--Anne Heacocke of Slyndon, wid. 
    1606--August 18--Margret, d. of Jhon Haycock, of Slyndon alias Slyne. 
    1614--July 30--Ellena f. Johannis Heacocke de Slindon. 
    1614--October 3--filius Johannis Heacocke de Slindon. 
    1615--March 26--Franciscus, spurius Willelmi Hitchcoke et Margreatae Ro--rest torn off). 
    X Rob. wid. Heacocke (Robert H. bur. Nov. 30, 1593). 
    1593--William Keene, of Slindon, in the Countie of Staffs., husbandman. 

Volume III--baptisms, burials, marriages from 1620 to 1666.

    1620--March 11--John s. of Willm. Haycock of Croxton--bap. 
    1622--April 14--Ellin, d. of John Haycocke, of Slindon--bap. 

    1622--February 6--John Mason, of Eccleshall, and Ann, d. of Thomas Haycocke, of Croxton
    1623--January 8--Anne, w. of Henry Keene, a stranger--bur. 
    1624--May 1--Thomas, s. of Willm Haycocke, of Cnoxton--bap. 
    1624--(Nov.) 7--s.(???), d. of John Heacock, of Slindon, and Ellin--bap. 
    1628--July 13--Robt. s. of Ellin Walker, wid., and Ellin, d. of William Keene--mar. 
    1629--December 6--Thomas, s. of Willm Haycocke, of Croxton and Margarett--bur. 
    1630--June 4--Willm. Keene, of Slin(don)--bur. 
    1632--September 16--John, s. of John Keene--bap. 
    1634--December 25--Thomas Haycocke--bur. 
    1634--February 8--Thomas, s. of John Keene--bap. 
    1635--January 29--Willm. s. of Willm. Haycocke--bur. 
    1636--February 24--Margret Keene--bur. (Keene entries omitted from here on-- 
          many in register). 
    1637--February 7--John Haycocke--Margret Turner--mar. 
    1638--December 14--Ellin, d. of John Haycocke--bap. 
    1640--(date torn off)--d. of Robert Haycocke--bap. 
    1642--June 18--An. d. of Robert Heycocke--bap. 
    1642--September 29--An. d. of Robert Haycocke--bur. 
    1643--December 17--John s. of Robert Haycocke--bap. 
    1644--March 31--John, s. of John Haycocke--bap. 
    1645--August 14--Catharine, d. of John Haycocke--bap. 
    1645-6--January 1--Ellin, w. of John Haycocke--bur. 
    1647--November 28--(blank) w. of William Hayoocke--bur. 
    1648--March 26--Thomas, s. of John Haycocke--bap. 
    1650--October 14--Margrett, d. of John Haycocke--bap. 
    1652--February 6--John, s. of William Heacock, of Slindon--bap. 
    1653--January 2--John Heycock (Heacocke) of Hockly (Bromly)--bur. 
    1654--June 20--William, s. of John Heycock of Sugnil--bap. 
    1654--December 10--      s. of Will. Haycock of Slindon--bap. 
    1656--September 8--John Heycock and An Gatten--mar. 
    1656--April 18--Ann, d. of John Heycock of Marsh--borne. 
    1657--September 4--An., d. of John Heycock--bur. 
    1658--July 2--Kathrine, d. of John Heycock--bur. 
    1658--July 3--Thomas, s. of William Heycock--bap. 
    1658--July 11--Margaret, w. of William Heycock--bur. 
    1659--September 30--John, s. of John Heicock, of Marsh--borne. 
    1661--July 9--Alces, w. of Master John Hencoke--bur. 
    1666--November 25--Thomas, s. of Robeart (Heacocke) of Sugnall Magna--bur. 
    1666--December 6--John Heacocke, sen, of Slindon--bur. 

The following entries, not included in the published registers, were copied from the original volumes (apparently from the end of Valume II) in the Eccleshall church, by the Rev. K. J. Foster in 1944, on behalf of Homer B. Heaoock of Oaklyn, New Jersey:

    1684--May 29--Tho. Heacock--buryed. 
    1688--April 22--Mary, daughter of Thomas Heacock & .... his wife--bapt. 
    1691--Oct. 4--William, son of Willm Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1691--Nov. 14--Willm, son William Heacock of Slindon--buryd. 
    1692--Oct. 5--Anne, daughter of Willm Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1695--Aug. 27--Sarah the daughter of William Heacock of Asplay--buried. 
    1695--Nov. 10--John Heacock of Slindon at Stafford, a Quaker--buried. 
    1695--Nov. 12--Jane Heacock, a Quaker, at Slindon--buried. 
    1697--July 3--Mary, daughter of Wm. Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1697--May 18--John Heacock and Ann Reignolds of Slindon--married. 
    1697--Dec. 25--Margret, wife of John Heacock of Great Sugnell--buried. 
    1700--June 4--Widow Heacock of Great Sugnell being 103 years of age--buried. 
    1701--April 13--Thomas, son of William Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1701--May 1--Ann, daughter of John Heacock of Slindon--buried. 

    1702--June 17--John, son of John Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1703--March 28--Elizabeth Heacock of G. Sugnell--buried. 
    1703--Sept. 23--Margret, daughter of Wm. Heacock of Slindon--bapt. 
    1704--Nov. 23--William, son of John Heacock of Slindon--baptized. 
    1707--Nov. 13--Mery, daughter of John Heacock of Slindon--bapt. 
    1709--June 25--Ann, daughter of John Heacock of Slindon--bapt. 

 1712--June 25--James, son of John Heacoke of Slindon--bapt. 

The Rev. Foster commented as follows on the Heacock entries in these registers:

These last entries from 1704, Nov. 23--1712, June. 25, refer only to John Heacock & I find no more referring to William H subsequently. Thus we find an association of the family with Eccleshall of some 122 years recorded. Of the old buildings which may have been in some way related to the Heacock family an old farm house still exists at Aspley near Slindon and a cottage with some ancient stone and timber work. A very old house which stood at Aspley, a village at which a William Heacock lived, according to the Register, was pulled down some years ago and a new house built on the site.

In Slindon nearly all the houses have been largely rebuilt, but many still contain old timber work incorporated into the later brick structure. Three old houses likewise, we know for certain were demolished many years ago. Aspley, Sugnall and Slindon have all declined in size, Aspley having now only two farms, one lodge and the cottage referred to above. Ancient strutures would appear to exist only in part and they hidden behind Georgian and Victorian restorations.

It is difficult to tell what occupation any of the family followed, as none is mentioned up to 1695. To hazard a guess is difficult and uncertain but one might say they were farmers or smallholders; once only in an entry of the Restoration period (1661), is one called "Master Hencoke" which seems to imply ownership of property in some form or employment of labour.

The Quaker faith of the family is first mentioned, Nov. 10-Nov. 12, 1695, which implies that they joined the Friends a little after their founding by Fox in the middle XVII century. John Heacock of Slindon, a Quaker, was buried at Stafford, and Jane Heacock of Slindon seems to have been buried at Slindon.^(*) Slindon burial ground is but 50 years old, and the nearest Quaker cemetery is at Shallowford, this might bear enquiry. There is no further entry re?? William Heacock after Sept. 23, 1703: thus one may suppose that William left for America about that date. It is certain that no deaths took place in his family after that date, 1703, because even if he was a Quaker the law demanded an affidavit surrendering for all deaths, and for burial to the person in control of the burial places in the Parish.

I know of no actual bearers of the name Heacock in the Parish today and also of nobody christened Heacock as a family name. The family here seems either to have left the district or maybe died out.