Blenco, Blencoe, Blencowe and Blincoe: another emigration from Gawcott to New York

This search started with a query from Bob Moltzen of Freeport NY who sought information about Harriet Elwell, born in 1834, who had married Thomas Sprague and, when widowed, had then married a Blencoe. She had died and was buried in Chenango Co. NY in 1892. The spelling suggested a Wisconsin connection, especially as her elder brother Roderick had lived there in Eau Claire, at least from 1860. We still haven’t answered Bob’s question but, having stirred up help from Roger Davis and Mary Van Gorden (WI), Grace Tkatch (NY), Ed Blincoe (CO), Joyce Gould (FL) not forgetting Helen Simpson (CA), we have at least found some more about emigrants from Gawcott!

In Chapter 18 Mary Van Gorden had shown that her immigrant ancestors were John Blenkow (b c.1798) and Hannah Herring who were already recorded in Guilford NY in 1840. In 1850 John was 52 years old, Hannah was 51. It had been suggested that John had been married previously to Frances who died in 1808, presumably in giving birth to a daughter Frances. This cannot be, Frances husband must have been another John (b c.1784). The daughter Frances (1808-1884) married Thomas Blenkow (1810-1880) and two of their children Jesse (1848-1928) and William (b 1834) emigrated about 1868, first to Norwich NY and then on to Wisconsin; that William was grandfather of Oscar Blencoe. Meanwhile, John and Hannah’s son William had already settled in Wisconsin and he was grandfather of Mary Van Gorden. William had married Mary Ann Marks in NY State in 1853, the Marks family probably also came from Gawcott. Of John and Hannah’s other sons Robert, John and George, the latter moved on eventually to Minnesota, the other two stayed in NY State. John (1826-1922) was grandfather of James Roosevelt Blencowe (1906-1998).

I had assumed that the Blencowe families remaining in NY State were all descendants of Robert and John but the census data shows another two families present in Guilford. Henry Blencowe (b c.1792 in Gawcott and his wife Ann (b c.1893 in Mixbury) were noted in Gawcott in the English censuses of 1841 & 1851. By 1855 they were in Guilford, along with their son Jesse (b 1832 in Gawcott); Jesse managed to get himself recorded twice — with his parents and as a farmer! The family and its descendants are shown above right; they all seem to have used the spelling Blincoe in later generations and included farmers up to the present day.

Also in Guilford in 1855 were John Blinco Jnr aged 28 and his wife Sarah A. aged 33. This could only be John, the son of John and Hannah, who was baptised in Gawcott in 1826. John Jnr and Sarah had three young children there: Emily, Fred and Susan.

In 1855 there was also a Thomas Blinco in Guilford, born NY, aged 18. It is probable that this was another son of John and Hannah and would imply that they had immigrated at latest by 1837. Meanwhile, Bob Moltzen has turned up another Blinco, John C, in Oxford Chenango NY in 1880, born Rhode Island c.1816, wife Lydia; “who he?” as the saying goes!

It’s a complicated story, I hope I’ve got it right, if not, I look forward to having contrary views to publish in future newsletters!

To add a further interest to the extended family groups in New York State I have included a small tree at bottom left based on data sent me by relatives of Lawrence Blenco (1901-1976). So far as I know this is the only family group in North America using the Blenco spelling. They were (and are) based around Johnson City and Binghampton NY. As these towns are close to Chenango County I would suggest that they too could be linked to the Gawcott emigrants. Trawling through State and Federal censuses of the State of New York should yield some interesting stuff!