PICKERING of CHESHIRE
They took their commercial acumen in the flour and corn milling, timber and finance, first to Liverpool, then Northern Europe and the U.S., as well as Australia and New Zealand.
(From Dissertation by Peter E. Swift: “The Port of Frodsham”)
I am Constance “Connie” Louise Pickering Stover, and this is my family history website which was started in 1999. My known roots start in Cheshire, England. My direct ancestors settled in Frodsham, Weaverham, and Wallasey. My research started in 1973 with a visit to my Great-Great Aunt Louisa who provided me with an oral history that sparked my genealogy interest.
Through over 50 years of research I found my earliest Pickering family settled mainly in Weaverham parish, Cheshire, England from about the 1600’s to 1800’s and may have older roots to the ancient Daresbury families. My family can be found mainly in Gorstage (Gorstich), Crowton, Norley, Frodsham, and Weaverham Parish. John Pickering (1693-1746), Yeoman of Crowton is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Weaverham along with his son, Thomas (1725-1792) of Crowton. I welcome any family information you may have to contribute to our story.
Welcome to the Cheshire PICKERING FAMILY HISTORY Puzzle
“By the 1880s four generations of the Pickering family had dominated the industrial sector of Frodsham Bridge, Cheshire, in corn milling, salt manufacture and trade in coal, lime and tiles. Through marriage they were connected to the cream of Frodsham society and also to the wealthy Steffens family in the early 1800’s. Since the Pickering family was heavily invested in dozens of corn mills in Cheshire, it was an obvious choice to marry into the wealthy corn merchants of Danzig and Muggau, Prussia.”
[Source article: Sue Lorimer and Heather Powling, Frodsham, UK https://www.facebook.com/frodshamhistory]
The majority of the research of this website begun over 40 years ago when I interviewed my Great Aunt, Louisa [1897-1979] in a Philadelphia, PA nursing home just months before she passed. Her grandfather (my 2x’s Great Grandfather) was Charles William Harrison Pickering of Frodsham and her grandmother’s stories of the courts and her life as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria had me and my sisters glued to her every word. But, if not for my many cousins around the world, this story would not be nearly as interesting. I want to thank and acknowledge all of your generosity in providing essential clues so that I could create this website and write the stories of our ancestors.
The last two children of John Pickering (1744-1814) and Mary Harrison were, William (my ancestor) and his younger brother Peter. They married two sisters, Carolina and Emilia Steffens, daughters of Danzig merchant Carl Steffens.”
But, let’s start this story a bit earlier than the 1800’s. According to a hand-drawn map of 1652 Crowton, there were several Pickering family settled with land near Pickerings O’ the Boat on the river Weaver. With the help of a wonderful Cheshire, England genealogy researcher and storyteller, John P. Birchall, along with cousins from all corners of the globe, and my own personal research, I was able to assemble some of the pieces and parts of a very complicated jigsaw puzzle of my very earlier ancestors. But the challenge (and the fun) of playing with the puzzle pieces has never faded over time. And the challenge of writing our story invigorates me.
I began my research by using the dates from a handed-down handwritten family tree and tried to correlate the dates with the Cheshire birth records, which show that in 1693, in Weaverham, Crowton, St. Mary Parish Christening there were two John Pickerings baptised in the same year! But the parish records clearly indicate that John Pickering was the father of John, christened 25 July 1693. So, my assumption is that the handwritten family tree has the wrong father of John (1693).
(1) “Joannos filius Joannis (John, son of John) Pickering do Crowton” christened 25 July 1693
St. Mary Parish Records:(2) “Joannes filius Petri (John, son of Peter) Pickering do Crowton” christened 27 Nov 1693
But, which John Pickering was my ancestor? There are other possibilities. According to the handwritten family tree, John was either born or christened in November, 1693 and his father was Thomas, who was alive in 1695. Both the names Thomas and Peter run through my family names. Through the early christening records of the parish of Frodsham, I found this record of a Richard Pickering of Crowton with two sons: Jonathan and Thomas. I’m positive that my family was from Crowton and Norley, but the name of Richard does not run among our family names. But, the Thomas born of Richard of Crowton and baptized on 10 Oct 1672 in Weaverham, fits the possible age and location to be the father of John [1693]. This Thomas would have been 21 years old when John of 1693 was born:
Richard Pickering of Crowton, Weaverham (d: bef. 1682)
………….. [son] Jonathan Pickering, c: 17 Mar 1669, Weaverham, Cheshire
………….. [son] Thomas Pickering, c: 10 Oct 1672, Norley, Weaverham, Cheshire
Proof that Johnathan and Thomas were brothers and sons of Richard (above) was found on a land record: 1682, 20 May … “A lease for messuage or tenement in NORLEY for the life to Jonathan Pickering and Thomas Pickering, sons of Richard Pickering late of Crowton, decd.” Since Thomas is written on our family tree, I could assume that this might be my ancestor — Thomas who was the son of Richard Pickering of Crowton.
Now, do you see the confusion? I might never definitively figure this puzzle out !
Note: The distances from Pickerings O’ the Boat to Crowton is less than two miles and to Norley is only 3.5 miles. So the very close locations may help or hinder further clarification of which Pickering ancestor is mine.
I am a confirmed descendant of:
[gen. 9] John Pickering of Crowton [1693-1749] & ?
[gen. 8] John Pickering of Crowton [1744-1814] & Mary Harrison [1741-1807] &
[gen. 7] William Pickering of Bradley, Frodsham [1782-1855] & Caroline Amalie Fredrieke Steffens [1788-1864]
[gen. 6] Charles William Harrison Pickering, Liverpool [1815-1881] & Elizabeth Catherine Walker [1820-1895
[gen. 5] Alexander John Pickeirng, Liscard [1857-1927] & Evaline Estell DeMar [1862-1959]
[gen. 4] Arthur John Pickeirng, Sr., Junction City, KS [1889-1953] & Miriam Leah Meyers [1896-1944]
[gen. 3] Arthur John Pickering, Jr., Bristol, PA [1918-1966] & Louise Wilhemenia Mefford [1926-2019]
[gen. 2 – me] Constance Louise Pickering Stover, Philadelphia, PA
[gen. 1 – my son] Aaron Douglas Kellner, Bucks Co., PA
1165, Reginald de Pichering; 1246, Henry de Pickeringes; 1327, John and William Pykeryng
— Dictionary of English Surnames by P.H. Reaney, Unversity of Sheffield, 1991
The Pickering family, “were of a very ancient descent …”
The Pickering family, who were next in possession of the manor of Thelwall, were of a very ancient descent in the county of Chester,
and appear to have been, from time immemorial, landed proprietors in the palatinate. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth they
were settled at Walford. Robert Pickering de Walford, b. circa 1545; married Alice, only daughter of
William Mathew, gent. and, dying in 1602, left issue,
Chronicles of Thelwall, Co. Chester, pp 441
Travel through time as you follow the migration of Pickerings from Yorkshire to our family in Cheshire.
Definition: Yeoman
Yeoman is a term used to indicate a variety of positions or social classes. In the 15th century, a yeoman was also a farmer of middling social status who owned his own land and often farmed it himself.
Most yeomen farmers had servants or laborers with whom they would work if they had the means to afford such services. The term Yeoman Farmer was later used to distinguish them from Gentlemen Farmers, who did not labor with their hands. Some yeomen had more wealth than the minor gentry, but remained classed as yeomen by choice rather than by necessity. Often it was hard to distinguish minor gentry from the wealthier yeomen farmers, and wealthier husbandmen from the poorer yeoman farmers.
You will read many references to the “occupation” of Yeoman throughout our Pickering history.
DESCENDANT QUICK LINKS
5X Great Grandparents
JOHN Pickering
& MARY Harrison
CHILDREN 1765 – 1785
THOMAS Pickering & Margaret HORRABIN b. 23 Aug 1765 Weaverham Runcorn – QUAKER Cornfactor, Sutton, Runcorn |
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SAMUEL Pickering & Alice RIGBY b. 1766 Sutton Runcorn Corn Dealer |
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ANN “NANCY’ Pickering & Samuel MOULSDALE b. 1768 Frodsham died at age 22 |
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ELIZABETH Pickering & Samuel MOULSDALE b. 1770 Frodsham Widower Samuel Moulsdale married sister, died at age 27 |
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MARY Pickering & William YARWOOD b. 1771 Frodsham Wife of Durggist |
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JOHN Pickering & Hannah FARRALL b. 1774 Northwich, Frodsham Parish Emigrated about 1805 to Philadelphia, Merchant |
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SARAH “SALLEY” Pickering & Peter RIGBY b. 1776 of Northwich |
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JAMES Pickering – Never married b. 1778 Bradley, Frodsham Parish Died at age 17 |
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JOSEPH Pickering & Ann “Nancy” HAYES b. 1780 Bradley, Frodsham Parish Salt Merchant – Lived at Salt Works, Frodsham |
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WILLIAM Pickering & Caroline Amalie STEFFENS ………………… 4xGG b. 1782 Frodsham Beach, Bradley Consul to Mecklenburg |
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PETER Pickering & Emilie Henriette STEFFENS b. 1785 Aston Sutton Merchant, Inventor |
4X Great Grandparents
WILLIAM Pickering
& CAROLINE Steffens
CHILDREN 1814-1829
FREDERICA Carolina Mary Steffens Pickering & John CHEESEBOROUGH b: 16 May 1814, I of Jersey |
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CHARLES William Harrison Pickering & Catherine Elizabeth WALKER ………………….. 3XGG b: 9 Nov 1815, Liverpool |
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ELIZA JULIA Pickering & Charles Frances COX b: 1 Jun 1819, Liverpool |
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PAULINA Pickering & Thomas HAYLEY b: 22 Mar 1821, Liverpool |
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EDGAR Charles Pickering b: 1822, Danzig Prussia, British Subject |
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ARTHUR HENRY Pickering b: 23 May 1825, Liverpool |
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JAMES WILLIAM Pickering & Hester Ann SAMUELS b: 18 Jul 1827, Everton |
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EMILIEPickering b: abt. 1828, Danzig, Germany d: 27 May 1828, Liverpool |
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LOUISA Wilhelmina Pickering c: 14 Nov 1829, St. George, Everton, Lancashire d: 14 Nov 1829 (abt. 13 hrs.) bur: 17 Nov 1829, Everton, Lancashire |
3X Great Grandparents
CWH Pickering
& ELIZABETH Walker
CHILDREN 1841-1858
CHARLES WILLIAM Pickering & Clara Isabella WHITE, b. 1841, Liverpool — 1928, Junction City KS Descendants:United States |
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KATHERINE ELIZABETH Pickering & Robert Dawson HARLING b. 1843, Liverpool — 1928, New Brighton, Eng. |
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EUGENE Haynes Pickering & Sophia Ellen TINKER b.1844, Liscard — 1928, East Dereham, Norfolk, Eng. Descendants: New Zealand |
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EMILY FREDERICA Pickering, 1 June 1846 — btwn Jul-Sep 1846, Wallasey (age 2 mos) No Descendants [Source: J. Leece, 3 Mar 2013] | |
HENRY ALFRED Pickering & Frances MARTIN b.1847, Liscard — 1928, Junction City Kansas Descendants: United States |
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ELIZABETH MAUDE Pickering – Never Married b.1848, Liscard — died (age 3), Eng. No Descendants |
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WILLIAM Pickering & Blanche MORRISON b.1850, Liscard — 1891, New South Wales Descendants:Australia |
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EDITH PAULINA Pickering & Rev. Arthur MYERS b.1852, Liscard — 1953, Ireland Descendants: New Zealand |
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EMMA Pickering & Adolph WESTE b.1856, Liscard — 1887 Descendants: Germany |
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ALEXANDER JOHN Pickering & Evaline DEMAR ……………………… 2XGG b.1862, Liscard — 1959, Abington, Pennsylvania Descendants: United States |
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FREDERICA VALENTINA Pickering b.1858, Bonn GER — 1932 Wallasey, Eng. Descendants: None – Never Married |
QUICK LINKS TO STORIES OF INTEREST
Handwritten Pickering Family Tree handed down to a descendant of Peter Pickering.
Learn all about the “Flying Scud“, the “Cestrian“; two ships our family owned and operated in the 1800’s.
The area adjacent to the River Weaver tow path, near Dutton Lock and Dutton Viaduct has been known as “Pickering’s”, “Pickering’s Lock” , “Pickering’s de Boat” or “Pickering’s O’ the Boat”.
Among the numerous descriptions of Pickering arms in Burke’s General Armory, Third Edition with a Supplement, London, 1844. Learn more about the Pickering heraldry here.
My GGGrandfather, Charles William Harrison Pickering was a partner in a private bank of Pickering and Schroder, Ellismere Port, Eccles and that bank help finance the second Transatlantic Cable.
“Montebello” St. Georges Mount, New Brighton, Cheshire, England. This was the home of my Great Great Grandparents, Charles William Harrison Pickering and his wife Elizabeth Walker.
Evidence of our ancestral involvement in financing the historical Transatlantic Cable.
St Laurence Church, Frodsham Parish was central to the lives of many of our ancestors.
Stories and photos of Elizabeth Walker Pickering, inheritor of “Montebello” after the death of her husband, Charles William Harrison Pickering. [my GGGrandmother].
Business Entrepreneurs: Since 1781 (and perhaps before) Thomas Pickering plied his trade as a Flour Dealer in Liverpool and it is likely that the mills that provided the flour could be found under the ownership of other Pickering family members in Frodsham and Sutton Mill.
Peter Pickering was the youngest son of a famous merchant family – ours! Read this remarkable journal which begins, “At the time that I was born the 23rd of August 1785 …”
Pedigree of Robert Pickering of Walford, Thelwall
Artifacts and stories from the life of Seaman, Charles W. Pickering, oldest son of CWH Pickering and Elizabeth
Family Tree to our ancestors of Cheshire, England from Peter Pickering born about 1580
William Pickering (1782-1855) and Fredereka Steffens (1790-1864)
The complete text of the 1881 Last Will and Testament of CWH Pickering
Our New Zealand and U.K. connection through the descendants of Edith Paulina Pickeirng and Rev. A. Myers
The descendants of William Pickering of Australia
The fascinating story of the Denbigh, a Civil War gun-running ship owned by Pickering and Schroeder bank.
New research uncovers photo of ancestral graves in England
Read a wedding poem written as a wedding gift by William Pickering to his bride Frederica Steffens
Three generations of descendants of wealthy merchant, Jacob Steffens and his wife, Magdalena Steinmetz of Danzig, Prussia.
19 May 1787 receipt from Sir Peter Warburton, Bart to John Pickering [1744-1814] Lessee of new mill in Sutton.
Wedding photo of Charles William Harrison Pickeirng and Elizabeth Walker – 1840
Based on other photographs in our family ablum, I have been able to identify several of the members of this wedding party. Here is my best guess about those in this photo.
From left to right:
1st: ?
2nd: ?
3rd: Elizabeth Walker Pickering
4th: CWHP
5th: ?
6th: Emilie Steffens Pickering, wife of Peter Pickering
7th: Peter Pickering, uncle to CWHP, brother to William
8th (sitting): Caroline Amalie Friedrieke Steffens Pickering, mother to CWHP
9th (sitting): William Pickering, father to CWHP
10th (standing): CWHP sister, Valencia?
11-13th: ?