Introduction
Stone Trough is a farmstead about 500m east of The Ashes, 800m north-west of Upper Stadmorslow and 500m south-west of Towerhill Farm. It was the site of a colliery which was worked before 1800 [Moulds Pits]. and the home of a Ford family for some time prior to 1750. The following are entries in the Astbury parish register:
- Astbury Burial: 11 February 1736 [37] William Ford of Stone Trough
- Astbury Burial: May 7th 1737 William son of William Ford of Stone Trough
- Astbury Burial: 16 Jan 1750 Dorothy Ford widow of Stone Trough in the parish of Wolstanton.
- Astbury Burial: March 3rd 1778 James Ford Gent of Congleton
There is also a Letter of Administration granted 4 March 1736 to Dorothy Ford of Wolstanton, widow, James Ford of Congleton, gentleman, and Elizabeth Ford of Wolstanton, spinster.
There is also a will dated 1795 of John Ford of Danebank, Congleton. in which he leaves £200 to his wife and the remainder of his estate to his nieces Eliza Lowe and Ann Johnson.
James Ford of Congleton
The will of this man begins:
This is the last will and testament of me James Ford of Congleton in the County of Chester Gentleman son and heir of William Ford of Stone Trough in the hamlet of Stadmorslow in the Parish of Wolstanton in the county of Stafford deceased and Grandson of James Forde late of Kent Green in Odd Rode in the County of Chester Gentleman deceased...
The will was made in 1767 and probate was granted to his son John Ford in 1780. James Ford left his properties in Cheshire and Staffordshire to his beloved son John. The will goes on at great [incomprehensible] length about a quadripartite agreement concerning land properties at Tetton Newton [guessing that] and Trinderton in Cheshire, Stadmorslow in Wolstanton and Odd Rode, involving periods of 500 and 1000 years! He gives enough detail wo work out his ancestry, and also mentions his daughter Anne, wife of John Lowe of Northwich, surgeon (he settled £1000 on her as her marriage portion).
The descendents of James Ford of Kent Green 1656-
James Ford of Kent Green was the son of William Ford of Ford Green and some of his history was covered by Rowley in The Ford Green Story. He was born in 1656 and married Jane Antrobus, daughter of William Antrobus of Kent Green. They had a son named William who married Dorothy Dickenson the daughter of William Dickenson of Talke. William and Dorothy had four children baptised at Audley: William Sept 28, 1701, James July 30 1702 [James Ford of Congleton], Jane April 21 1704 and Ann Aug 1 1705. Ellen Forde, spinster sister of James Ford of Kent Green, died in 1691 leaving a will in which she stated that she was of Odd Rode.
Clearly William and Dorothy moved to Stone Trough where William died in 1737, his son William having died the previous year, and Dorothy in 1750. Could William's nephew John, mentioned in the will of James Ford of Congleton, be the ancestor of my line? He would have been the right age.
There is Letter of Adminstration granted in 1814 to Eliza Harrison, widow, with respect to the estate of James Forde late of Congleton who died 28th February 1778, her grandfather. It states that he was a widower without parent, grand parent, great grand parent, child, sister or uncle. Eliza seems to be the sole heir. Maybe Congleton had more than one resident James Ford Gent at this time. Another one, from Eaton, died in 1783.
Transcript from Astbury Parish Register
Marriage
March 1676 Jacobus fforde & Jana Antrobus
Baptisms
Odd Rode: July 1678 Willel fil Jac: fford de Kent Green Yeoman
Odd Rode: Dec 1680 Maria fil Jacobi fforde de Kent Green Yeoman
Odd Rode: May 1683 Ellena fil Jacobi fford de Kent Green Yeoman
Odd Rode: Aug 1685 Elizab fil Jacobi fford de Kent Green Yeoman
Odd Rode: Oct 1688 Nouane file Jac fford de Kent Green Yeoman
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Odd Rode: Dec 1695 Ann fil Jacob fford et Jane
Odd Rode: March 1698 Sara fil Jacobi fford et Jane
Odd Rode: Nov 1700 Hanna fil Jacobi fford et Jane
Burials
Odd Rode: Sep 1687 Infans[?] Jacobi Ford de Kent Green
Odd Rode: Jan 1726 Sara Ford Sp