THOMAS HANDSACRE/HANDSAKER

AND

MARY FAULKNER HANDSAKER

Thomas was christened 5 September 1784 in Kings Bromley, Staffordshire, England. The name on his christening record is spelled ‘Handsacre’. He married Mary Faulkner in April 1807 at Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, England. Mary Faulkner was born about 1788 in Derbyshire, England.

They lived in Scropton, Derbyshire, England and had ten children: Sarah, Ann, William, Thomas, Mary, John, Henry, James, Emma and Samuel. Thomas was a wheelwright and carpenter. In August 1836 Thomas was bitten by a “mad dog” as described by son Samuel and he died.

Thomas and Mary belonged to the Methodist Church, and were considered Independent or Non-Conformists as they were not members of the Church of England. Thomas was buried in the churchyard cemetery of Marston upon Dove which is a Church of England church. It was explained to me when visiting this church that the Methodist Church was small at the time and they probably did not have a church or cemetery in the area at the time so he was buried there.

As described in Samuel Handsaker’s autobiographical sketch in his book Pioneer Life, after Thomas’s death Mary taught a class of girls such subjects as reading, spelling, knitting and sewing. About 1840 Mary opened a small store and bakery (in the town of Hatton) and received considerable trade from the traveling public.

After saving their money in 1843 they had enough to go to America! Mary and five of her children (the rest would follow) sailed to New Orleans and then after another trip up the Mississippi settled near Alton, Illinois. Mary bought 40 acres of land for $5.00 an acre. She joined the Methodist Church. She was known as an intelligent and religious lady according to her son in law Thomas Bates. In her obituary she was described as a cheerful happy Christian.

Mary died 3 July 1854 of Cholera. She is buried at Alton Cemetery in Alton, Illinois.