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Much of the confusion over the date of birth of Thomas Bickerton is because it was a date given by individuals who put together a history of the Bickerton family in connection with the Church of Jesus Christ which was the church that William helped to start up. The date of 1763 is from records which I was able to obtain from a fellow who went well beyond the call of duty in helping me in my research in Northumberland. From the baptisaml records of the first four children, Thomas is listed as being from Silkerslaw, a farm in the parish of Eglingham, Northumberland. The fellow who assisted me, searched the parish records and found that there was only one Thomas Bickerton born at Silkerslaw and that was in 1763. There is another Thomas Bickerton born in 1768 in the parish of Eglingham, but he was from a neighboring farm. There were no Thomases born in that parish around the time of 1780.
All of the children of Thomas Bickerton and Isabella Hope were born and baptized in the North Northumberland area within just a few miles of the border with Scotland. The name of Bedlarton/Bedlington which has been so firmly attached to Thomas Bickerton comes from the information given by someone many years ago, but it is highly unlikely that he was born in Bedlington and baptized in Kyloe , St. Nicholas parish which was some distance away. On the baptismal record for my great-grandfather, Arthur, younger brother of Thomas and William, Thomas and Isabella are listed as being 'of Lowick' and Arthur was baptized at Lowick, St. John the Baptist parish. The reason children usually were baptized in the parish in which they were born, is because of the necessity for keeping records in case of future poverty. It was the duty of a given parish to care for their own.
On one of the other messages a question arose concerning a George who married Ella. George was the son of Arthur and Margaret Gardiner Bickerton and nephew of William. George was married to Ella Westcoat. Arthur, his wife, Margaret, and family did go to St. John, Kansas and stories of their trip came down in my family as my grandfather, William John, was a boy at the time. The family stayed for some time but came back after lightning destoyed their barn. Arthur and his family returned to Wheeling but later moved to Fayette City, PA prior to the 1890's. I have visited St. John on a couple of occasions, staying for their Memorial Day Celebration back in 1992. The people of St. John were most gracious to us.
On another post which I could not find in searching today, a question was raised concerning Robert Bickerton who was married to Grace Frank. Robert was the oldest son of Arthur and Margaret Gardiner Bickerton, not Thomas and Isabella. My father used to go with his father, William John, to visit him when he was a boy. Robert lived in a place called Twilight, near Charleroi, PA.
I trust that I have been able to clear up a few questions.
Regards,
Faith
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