BRECKNOCK / CO(U)LTON / BREAKWELL CONNECTION
This page reviews the incidences of the alias of Colton or Coulton in the Brecknock and Breakwell families of Shropshire. In a curious way, which I hope ultimately to get to the bottom of, this name appears several times during the period where the use of the name Brecknock in Shropshire dies away, to be replaced by the name Breakwell. My page on the derivation and distribution of the names shows more detail on the phasing in and out of these names.
A Thomas Colton alias Brecknock and his wife, Sarah, had the following children: Thomas (1725, Aston Botterell), Sarah (1735, Wheathill). Source: IGI (not yet checked to registers).
An Edward Brecknock or Colton married Joyce Rhoden in 1732 at Wheathill. Source: IGI (not yet checked to registers).
A William Colton alias Brecknock and his wife, Martha, had the following children, all baptised at Wheathill: Samuel (1738), Martha (1740), William (1743), Israel (1745), Edward (1748), Thomas (1751) and Esther (1754). Source: IGI (not yet checked to registers).
It is thought that the above Thomas, Edward and William were brothers, all being sons of Richard Brecknock and Elizabeth Wall who were married in 1685 at Culmington, and had the following children: Elizabeth (1686), Thomas (1687), John (1689), Richard (1691), Timothy (1695), Israel (1696), Edward (1701) and William (1704).
Two of the sons of William, Samuel and Thomas, appear to be known as Colton or Coulton during their adult life, according to the baptism registers for the children.
Martha, however, marries George Davis in 1772 at Wheathill and is recorded in the IGI as Martha Breakwell or Coulton. Source: IGI (not yet checked to register).
And William is known predominantly as Breakwell: "William Breckwell, of Hopton Wafer, & Mary Morris, banns" were married in 1769 at Burford, Salop. William and Mary had 15 children baptised between 1770 and 1779. In each case the baptism register records the name as Breakwell (or Breakwel, Brekwell, Breckwell, Breckell), but for the 9th child baptised at Hopton Wafers in 1787, the register reads "John Breakwell alias Cotton, son of William & Mary Breakwell alias Cotton". Source: baptism and marriage registers.
Then there is a John Breakwell who married Elizabeth Morris at Cleobury Mortimer in 1772. They had at least six children, including George baptised at Stoddesdon & Farlow in 1775, the father's name being recorded in the IGI as John Breckwel or Coulton. The baptism of this John has not been traced. He may have been a brother to William and Martha.
The final twist in the mystery of the Colton alias comes from information received from another Breakwell researcher with regard to a James Breakwell who was born in 1838 in Hopton Wafers, the son of Samuel Breakwell & Eliza (née Hancocks). James settled in Perthyre, Monmouthshire, where he sometimes received letters addressed to James Colton/Carlton, which apparently were always thrown on the fire! This implies that the Breakwell alias Colton name survived for at least 100 years, though I have traced no other instances after the 1787 baptism referred to above. Unfortunately I have not been able to establish the precise ancestry of James's father, Samuel, though no doubt he is closely related to the above Breakwells.
Further evidence which I feel confirms the above trail from Brecknock to Colton to Breakwell is in the recurrence of the relatively unusual first name of Israel in the three successive families: Israel (1696), son of Richard Brecknock & Elizabeth (née Wall); Israel (1745), son of William Colton alias Brecknock & Martha; Israel (1773), son of William Breakwell & Mary (née Morris).
In the nearby parish of Kinlet, and slightly earlier than the above changes, the name Brecknock appears to have changed to Brecknell. This is illustrated by Rowland and Marg(are)t Brecknocke or Brecnock, who appear five times in the registers between 1682 and 1691/2 for the baptism of their children. In 1709, the first Brecknell entry occurs with the burial of Margaret, probably Rowland Brecknock's wife. In 1711, Rowland Brecknell's burial is entered, and in 1710, a Richard Brecknell is buried, possibly Rowland's son. With the exception of the burial in 1715/16 of Mary Brecknock, 'a poor woman', all entries are now made as Brecknell. Brecknell entries then continue right up to 1826. Acknowledgment to Ann Greene for the research in Kinlet.
Please contact me by e-mail if you think you have any interests in common with mine, and in particular if you have anything to add to the debate on the Colton name, or any more instances of it occurring with an alias of Brecknock or Breakwell.