Pridmore, William & Anna Sturgess

Tim’s 3rd-great-grandfather, William Pridmore, son of Abraham & Elizabeth (Bramston) Pridmore, was baptized on 23 April 1815 in Thorpe Satchville, England, and died 3 September 1852 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He married (as his second wife) 16 August 1838 in Gaddesby, England, Anna Sturgess, who was born there c. 1815, and died 5 November 1853 in Brockport, New York, daughter of William & Ann (—) Sturgess.

William had married (as his first wife) 13 October 1835 in Gaddesby, Mary Anne Smith, who was born in Gaddesby, and died there c. 1837.

All of William’s children were born in England. He was a blacksmith, like his father. At the time of her marriage, Anna was employed as a servant.

On 12 May 1852, William & Anna and five of their children left Great Dalby for America. They made their way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and by July William found work in Two Rivers, about 90 miles away. He went back to get his family in Milwaukee on September 1st, but he was taken with cholera on the 2nd and died on the 3rd. William was “buried at Milwaukee Sept. 4 in Chestnut St. Burying Ground.” The cemetery no longer exists.

Anna returned to New York state where William’s brother Edward was living. He was a recent immigrant, too. She died there of erysipelas, a bacterial infection that affects the skin’s upper layers, “after a long and severe illness.” She lies buried in Brockport Cemetery (aka High Street Cemetery) in Edward Pridmore’s plot. The five children were now orphans, ages 6-16. Presumably they were taken in by family.

William & Mary were the parents of a son:

1. Abraham Pridmore, born before 20 May 1837 in Great Dalby, England, died 8 January 1914 in Buffalo, New York. He married Hannah Cullen, who was born c. 1833 in England and died September 1902 in Rochester, New York. Abraham & Hannah were the parents of five daughters.

William & Anna were the parents of six children:

1. Eliza Pridmore, born 6 June 1839 in Great Dalby, died 29 December 1914 in Rochester. She married John Stephen Ford, who was born c. 1833 in England and died 5 June 1899 in Rochester. Eliza & John were the parents of four children.

2. Emma J. Pridmore (Tim’s 2nd-great-grandmother), born 11 January 1844 in Great Dalby, died 7 April 1917 in Batavia, New York. She married 6 February 1866 in Marion, New York, Delorma Brown Hubbard, who was born 8 May 1842 in Albion, New York, and died there 21 March 1915, son of John & Lydia P. (Randolph) Hubbard. Emma & Delorma were the parents of three children.

3. Reuben Pridmore, born 6 April 1846 in Dalby Magna, England, died 2 November 1928 in Albion. Reuben died unmarried.

4. George Pridmore, born 10 December 1847 in Great Dalby, died 14 March 1930 in South Bend, Indiana. He married 20 December 1876 in Niles, Michigan, Emma Sudreth, who was born 11 April 1853 in Bristol, Indiana, and died 2 June 1942 in South Bend, daughter of Thomas & Mary (—) Sudreth. George & Emma were the parents of four children.

5. Charlotte Pridmore, born 6 April 1849 in Dalby Magna, died there 22 June 1849, age 2 months.

6. Thomas Sturgess Pridmore, born 6 March 1852 in Dalby Magna, died young of croup.

Last Revised: 31 August 2024