John Badcock

Other Events:

• Research Overview: 1770, Brigus South, Newfoundland

Notes:

Research Overview:
It is generally agreed that the surname Badcock (later Battcock) of Brigus South is English in origin and that the first Badcock settler there probably originated from West Country, England. Family lore also holds that the Brigus South Battcocks were from Devon, England. Of course, it is not known if they came from there to Brigus South directly, or via Conception Bay (North).

The earliest mention of John Badcock's name at Brigus South is in the Colonial Office Papers of 1770 (GN 2/A/1, Volume 4, p.263). In a complaint, registered at St. John's on October 6, 1770, Dennis Tobin of Brigus accused John Badcock and his wife of stealing about 8 quintals of fish (about 800 lbs.) from him while he was away at sea. The key witness for Tobin was Darby O' Brien, one of Badcock's own servants, who claimed he was ill and unable to go out working with the other servants that day. He states that he saw Badcock remove four barrows of fish belonging to Tobin and transfer it to the beach.

Another issue in the complaint was that Badcock and Tobin had entered into an agreement whereby Badcock was supposed to have kept Tobin in bait and looked after the curing of the salted codfish caught by Tobin. Tobin claimed that Badcock had not lived up to this part of the business agreement either, having left him short of bait at the peak of the fishing season and, due to neglect, Badcock had let some of Tobin's fish spoil.

It seems that Darby O'Brien was a very willing witness for Tobin, since his testimony against Badcock was self serving. We learn in the complaint that because he was ill and unable to work, John Badcock, his master, had refused to pay him his wages. Of course, O' Brien felt he was still entitled to his wages and in Tobin's complaint this issue was also put forth on O' Brien's behalf.

Although we don't know the outcome of this complaint in regards to Tobin's accusation, the directive in respect to O'Brien's wages was clear. Badcock was required to pay him all wages owed unless the illness was proven to be false or as a result of drunkenness.

The reference to this John Badcock and his wife in 1770 strongly suggests that they were the preceding generation to the famiy of Badcocks who were enumerated at Caplin Bay 30 years later. It seems highly unlikely that this John Badcock and his wife were the parents of children born in the 1890s; more than likely they were their grandparents.

John — . Unknown [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Research Overview: 1800, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland

Notes:

Research Overview:
John and Mary Badcock and their three children were enumerated as residents at Caplin Bay in the winter of 1799/1800. However, we know from surviving court records, etc. that this family surname had a unique relationship with Brigus South long before, and after, this timeframe. We can only speculate as to why they chose to over-winter at Caplin Bay. We learn from the list of inhabitants taken at Brigus, that same winter, that it had a larger population than Caplin Bay. It doesn't appear that John was there to carry on any large scale business activity; he had no servants, only one dieter, Philip McDaniel.

We could speculate that there may have been a kinship with some of the residents. We don't know the surname of John's wife, Mary, but it is possible that they were related to someone there. Maybe their presence at Caplin Bay may have been tied to the birth of a child, either for Mary or for some of her kin. It is interesting to note from the 1800 census that Michael and Alice Power of Caplin Bay had two infant daughters, likely born there in the winter of 1799/1800.

The timeframe in which the change of religious affiliation of the Badcock family occurred has been the subject of much family lore and controversy. All of the other residents at Caplin Bay at that time appear to be Irish, and the evidence points to the strong possibility that the religious affiliation of the English Badcock family changed to Roman Catholic in this generation, or earlier. Although previously thought to be in a later generation in the 1800s, there is strong evidence from the wills of John Battcock (1798 - 1835) and William Battcock (1795-1857) which suggests that they were raised as Roman Catholics. There is a possibility that the family's religious affiliation actually changed one generation earlier, with the John Badcock of Devon and his wife (name unknown) of the 1770s. A search of all of the surviving Church of England records uncovered no reference to any entries for the surname, or its variants, in the Southern Shore area.

We probably could have learned something more about John Battcock, who died December 9, 1837, but unfortunately he died intestate. John's death date is given in a petition submitted on behalf of William Battcock, his eldest son, and other family members. They were requesting official possession of the estate of their father, because he had died without leaving a will. John's age is not given, but it is likely that he was born about the mid 1760s, probably in Brigus South.

John married Mary Abt 1792. Mary died Abt 1837, Brigus South, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

No other references were found for this daughter.

Notes:

Information from the will of William Batcock - Vol. 2 Folio 248 - 1857 Of Brigus South

William Battcock appears to be sole progenitor for the continuance of the family name at Brigus. He married in the ealy 1820s and had at least 6 children, 4 sons and 2 daughters. By the time he made his will in 1857, all six were adults, although his daugther Eleanor predeceased him in 1855 at the age of 27. His other daughter, Mary, who married John Higgins and had several children, was still living at Brigus. Amongst his sons, John had married Mary Cashin from nearby Cape Broyle and had started a family early in the 1850s. His son Thomas had been married since the mid 1840s and Thomas' eldest son, John,was left property by his grandfather in his will. William's sons, Michael and Peter, who appear to be still single in 1857, were also left property in their father's will.

William's will again seems to bear witness that he and his family were now staunchly Roman Catholic. In his will he makes the following bequest: "And I also make this provision to this my will that my children & above heirs will and are bound to pay one pound annually to the pastor of this parish for the Holy Sacrifice to be offered for the repose of my soul & that of my wife & the deceased members of my family forever." In addition, he also appoints the parish priest, Father James Murphy, as one of the executors of his will.

His wife Eleanor/Ellen is still living at the time of the writing of his will and William makes it clear that while she survives him she will retain full possession of his estate. From their headstone in the Brigus cemetery we find that this is the case but in less than four months after his death, William's wife passes away as well.

Headstone - Brigus South Cemetery:

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM BATTCOCK WHO DIED AUGUST 26TH 1857 AGED 64 YEARS AND HIS WIFE ELEANOR WHO DIED DECEMBER 7TH, 1857 AND ALSO THEIR DAUGHTER ELEANOR WHO DIED FEBRUARY 28TH 1855 AGE 27 YEARS. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.

William married Eleanor Abt 1821. Eleanor died 7 Dec 1857, Brigus South, Newfoundland; was buried , Brigus South Cemetery, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Will: 10 Sep 1835, Brigus South, Newfoundland

Notes:

Will:
John Battcock's will was written on September 10, 1835, with one codicil added later in November of that year. The probate request by Rev. Timothy Browne indicates that John was unmarried at the time of his death (about the end of December 1835) and his estate was worth about 400 pounds. It appears obvious from his will that John is a Roman Catholic, leaving 15 pounds to be used towards the erection of a "Roman Catholic Chapel in Brigus" and requesting that his "mortal remains be deposited in the burial ground of Brigus near to my deceased relatives and friends". He also bequeaths 8 pounds to the poor, and to his priest, whom he makes executor of his will, "the Revd. Mr. Browne whatever sum he may think proper to demand as a remuneration for his trouble loss of time and inconvenience which he has been to on my account". John's will is signed with an X (his mark) so it appears he was not literate.

Notes:

Very little is known of Michael Battcock other than that he lived to manhood. He is mentioned in his brother John's will in 1835 and in the 1838 petition after his father death. His name only appears once in the voters list and that was in 1847. Since there was generally only one vote per household, we can speculate that Michael never married and probably lived most of his life with another member of his family; therefore not being a dwelling owner owner or a rent-paying tenant, he was not eligible to vote.

Notes:

Elizabeth (Betsy) is mentioned as one of the petitioners after her father's death.

Elizabeth married William Doyle Bef 1838. William was born Abt 1788, Brigus South, Newfoundland; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Surname spelled Battcock in Mary's marriage record.

Mary married John Higgins 19 Nov 1851, Holy Apostles Parish, (Fermeuse/Renews), Newfoundland. John was born , Brigus South, Newfoundland; died Aft 1885. [Group Sheet]

John married Mary Cashin Abt 1853. Mary (daughter of John Cashin and Mary Walsh) was born Abt 1825, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland; died 19 Feb 1891, Brigus South, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Thomas Battcock was elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly in November 13, 1869 but did not run in the next election in 1873 due ti poor health. He died on October 29, 1874 at the age of 50.


Headstone - Brigus South Cemetery (damaged)

IN MEMORY OF THOMAS BATTCOCK WHO DIED OCT. 29, 1874 AGED 50 YEARS AND HIS WIFE ESTHER DIED MAR. 3, 1896 AGED 79 YEARS AND THEIR CHILDREN .......... DIED NOV. 22, 1894 AGED 30 ...............9, 1879 .... 19 ..................1880 .......

Thomas — Esther Walsh. Esther was born , Brigus South, Newfoundland; died 3 Mar 1896, Brigus South, Newfoundland; was buried , Brigus South Cemetery, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

His age is given as 51 on the headstone in the Old Cape Broyle Cemetery, however newspaper obituary states that he was 48 years old when he died.

Surname spelled Badcock for Peter's marriage to Johanna Higgins.

Peter married Johanna Higgins 21 Nov 1858, St. John's, Newfoundland. Johanna was born , Brigus South, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Peter married Margaret Driscoll 25 Jan 1863, Witless Bay, Newfoundland. Margaret was born Abt 1827, Toad's Cove, Newfoundland; died 10 Jul 1904, Witless Bay, Newfoundland; was buried , Mt. Oliveti Cemetery, Tor's Cove, Newfoundland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Headstone - Old Cape Broyle Cemetery

Erected by his wife and children - In Memory Of Michael Battcock, who d. 8/9/1889, age 49 yrs - His brother Peter, age 51 yrs - His daughter Ellen, age 19 yr. 6 ms - R.I.P.

This information doesn't make sense in some of its detail especially the date of Michael's death and his age. A search of newspaper articles shows some different information for the individuals mentioned.


Battcock, Michael, you(ngest) son of the late William and Ellen Battcock died July 24, aged 57, at Brigus South. Aug. 2/90T. (This last part of the entry indicates that the obit appeared in the August 2, 1890 edition of the Telegram. Different letters were used to indicate other newspapers in the area.)

Battcock, Peter died Apr. 20th, aged 48, at Brigus South. May 11/80 GTA.

Battcock, Ellen Mary Joseph, eldest daughter of Michael and Sarah Battcock died Nov. 27th at Brigus, aged 19. Dec. 7/ 83NT.

Michael married Sarah Prendergast Abt 1860. Sarah was born Jul 1832, Admiral's Cove, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland; died 6 Jul 1911, Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; was buried , Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden, Massachusetts, United States. [Group Sheet]