Person:Joseph Alce (3)

Joseph Alce's origins have yet to be established. The age recorded when he died suggests he was born around 1723. There is considerable variation in the spelling of Joseph's surname, with Alce, Alse, Allis, Aylse, Ealce and Holsey all being recorded at different times for Joseph or his children. Joseph himself was illiterate; when he married he marked the marriage register with an X.

Joseph was married on Christmas Day 1754 at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire to Rachel Bigg. They went on to have eight children together between 1755 and 1777, although their eldest son died when he was only thirteen years old in 1769.

In November 1771 the family obtained a settlement certificate allowing them to move to the neighbouring parish of Harpenden whilst confirming that Wheathampstead remained their legal parish of settlement. Joseph's daughter Ann was married in Harpenden in 1776.

Joseph and Rachel appear to have later returned to Wheathampstead. Rachel was buried at Wheathampstead on 11th August 1787.

Just over two months later, Joseph married again. His second wife was Mary Capper, who was about 23 years his junior, and they married at Wheathampstead on 15th October 1787. Their marriage record describes Joseph as being a labourer. The following year they had a son baptised at Wheathampstead.

Joseph died in 1803, when he was said to be 80 years old. He was buried at Wheathampstead on 12th August 1803. Mary survived him by over 25 years.

1.   Hertfordshire Settlement Certificates (Hertfordshire Family History Society, 2001).

   Name: ALLIS, Joseph
   Date: 22 Nov 1771
   From Wheathampstead to Harpenden
   Wife Rachel, sons James and Edward, daughters Ann, Rachel, Ellen and Jane
   Reference: Off Acc 1108/2/70

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1803 / Ealce Jos[ep]h aged 80 [1722/3] August 12th