Samuel Forrester Bancroft
- Born: 18 Apr 1775, 4 Downing Street,
Westminster, London 3
- Marriage (1): Nancy Dixon on 10 Dec 1798 in
Staveley, Derbyshire 1 2
- Died: 16 Dec 1799, Duke Street, Manchester
Square, London aged 24 4 5
- Buried: 24 Dec 1799, St Martin-in-the-Fields,
Westminster, London 6
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Samuel's
early years were spent in Paris as it was not until 1783 that his family
returned to London where he and his elder brother were then placed in Dr
Rose's Academy at Chiswick, which, following Dr Rose's death in 1786, moved
to Hammersmith and then Greenwich under the headmastership of Dr Rose's
son-in-law, Charles Burney. In May 1792, he was admitted to Trinity College,
Cambridge, from whence, presumably, he graduated in 1795, though his
Cambridge's alumni record does not mention any degree.7
Samuel's father clearly hoped he would then become a lawyer and to that end,
Samuel was sent out to America in late 1795 or early 1796, aged about 20, to
study law there and to learn a little of the country and its people. Some
writers have also suggested that Samuel went to America to pursue Edward's
claim on behalf of the Prince of Luxembourg in connection with a warship but,
if this was the case, it must have been a secondary objective because
correspondence has survived which suggests that Edward had enlisted the help
of his friend John Jay, then Governor of New York State, in placing Samuel
with some lawyer where he would learn that profession.
In the event, Samuel seems to have made a poor impression on John Jay who
wrote, reluctantly, to Edward in April 1796 that: "He [Samuel] did not
appear to me to possess the degree of circumspection which might have been
expected from a gentleman of his understanding especially considering the
education & opportunities for observation which he has had. I think well
of his head and of his heart but he wants that command over his words and
actions which is essential to prudence." but adding: "... more years
& experience will do much where indiscretions without vice is to be
overcome, and that I take to be his case." 8 Despite
these reservations about Samuel, or perhaps because of them, John Jay
recommended that Samuel should study with Tapping Reeves, the founder of a
law school in Litchfield, Connecticut, arguing that Samuel would find himself
more in tune with the people of Connecticut than those of New York or
Philadelphia, but it appears from the same letter that Samuel chose to ignore
this advice.
It is not known what Samuel did for the rest of the time that he was in
America but, sadly, his indiscretions were not without vice for we do know
that he was accused of raping an eight-year-old young girl called Fanny
Sibbald in the December of 1796 in the City of Philadelphia and that John Jay
issued a warrant for his arrest in New York State.9 10 Samuel
was not apprehended and somehow escaped back to England and it is very
doubtful that news of this accusation ever reached his father's ears but the
visit, clearly, had not achieve its objective and as far as we know Samuel
remained dependent upon his father until he made an opportune marriage to the
young heiress, Nancy Dixon.
Samuel's marriage to Nancy lasted barely a year as he died in a house they
had taken in near Manchester Square, on December 16, 1799. It is unlikely
that he made a Will and if he left any assets, no record has been found of
anyone applying for the administration of them. However, the records of two
court cases brought by creditors have survived, the most interesting of
which, discloses that he and Nancy had taken a house* near Oswestry,
Shropshire, during their brief time together; it may only have been a
"holiday house" but it is interesting to speculate why they chose
to reside, albeit perhaps briefly, on the Welsh borders.11
Note
* Plashently House, as it was called, has not been found on any
historical maps or similar records and does not appear to have any connection
with either Samuel's or Nancy's families
Samuel
married Nancy Dixon, daughter of Joseph Dixon and Unknown, on 10 Dec 1798 in
Staveley, Derbyshire.1 2 (Nancy
Dixon was born on 7 Nov 1777 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, India 12,
baptised on 12 Feb 1786 in St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, London,13 died on 1 May 1818 in Eltham, Kent 14 and was
buried on 9 May 1818 in St John the Baptist Church, Eltham 15.)
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Sources
1 Parish Registers of England and Wales,
Staveley Marriages & Banns 1754-1920 1798.
Samuel Forester Bancroft of the Parish of Pancras and Nancy Dixon of the Parish
of Staveley Married in this Church by licence this 10th day of December in the
year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety eight by me Francis Foxlow - Curate
This Marriage was solemnised by Us: [signed] Samuel Forester Bancroft, Nancy
Dixon
In the Presence of: [signed] Jane Foxlow, Sarah Gisborne, Mary Taylor. ..
Francis & Jane Foxlow and Sarah Gisborne were resident at the time in
Staveley Hall and it is likely that Nancy was living with one or other of them
(there was more than one dwelling there) as she was connected with both through
her uncle the Revd. Fletcher Dixon who had married Catherine Gisborne Francis
Foxlow's mother was Catherine's sister, Dorothy.
2 "The Leeds Intelligencer" (Published at
Leeds 1754-1866), Monday, Dec. 17, 1798, Page 3. ...
On Monday was married at Staveley, in Derbyshire, Samuel Forester Bancroft,
Esq., of London, to Miss Nancy Dixon, niece of the Rev. Mr. Dixon, vicar of
Duffield, with a fortune of thirty thousand pounds. A memorial plaque in
Staveley church records this of Nancy's uncle: "The Revd Fletcher Dixon
LL.D., son of the late Rev. Joseph Dixon, vicar of Brigham in the county of
Cumberland, obiit Jan. 6 1819, ζtatis suζ 75".
3 Edith Bancroft, "The Bancroft Family"
(An unpublished family history of the Bancroft family by Edith Bancroft
(1862-1941) now in the possession of J R U Green (2023)), Page 78.
4 The Times (London), December 21, 1799
Page 3, Col D DIED. ...
Lately, at his house in Dukes-street, Manchester-square, in the 25th year of
his age, Samuel Fauster[sic] Bancroft, Esq., second son of Dr. Bancroft.
5 London Gazette, Saturday, January 2, 1819,
Page 39 & 40 (see below).
6 Parish Registers of England and Wales, St
Martin-in-The Fields - Baptisms, Marriages & Burials 1775-1802 - December
1799.
24 - Samuel Forester Bancroft Esq M[ale].
7 J. A. Venn, Litt.D., F.S.A, Alumni
Cantabrigienses Part II 1751 to 1886 (Cambridge - At the University
Press - 1944 and 1947), Vol. 1, Page 139. ...
BANCROFT, SAMUEL. Adm. pens. (age 17) at TRINITY, May 25, 1792. S. of
Edward, of London. School, Hammersmith, London (Mr Burney)*. Perhaps brother of
Edward N. (1789). * Charles Burney took over his father-in-law's (Dr Rose's)
Academy at Chiswick when the latter died in c. 1786 and moved it to Hammersmith.
8 Butler Library, Rare Book & Manuscript Division
(NNC), Columbia University. Letter Dated April 22, 1796 from John Jay to Dr
Bancroft Jay Papers ID: 8954.
9 Pennsylvania Archives, Ninth Series 1796.
December 10: Granted license to
follow the occupation of pedler to James Duffy upon bond given according to
law. Remitted fine imposed upon Simon Kremson in 1794 for not performing
militia duty. A person named Barecroft, having been charged with committing
rape upon the body of Fanny Sibbald and the Governor having received
information that said Barecroft has fled to the State into New Jersey or New
York, requested him to be arrested.
10 New York State Library, Manuscripts & Special
Collections, Warrant from John Jay to New York Officers of Justice dated
15/12/1796 Jay Papers ID: 3252.
11 London Gazette, Saturday, January 2, 1819,
Page 39 & 40.
Pursuant to the Decree of His Majesty's Court of Exchequer at Westminster, made
in a Cause instituted Sydenham against Dixon, The Creditors of Samuel Forrester
Bancroft, formerly of Duke-Street, Manchester-Square, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Plashently-House, Oswestry, in the County of Salop, Esq.,
deceased (who died on or about the 16th day of December 1799)
.
12 Parish Registers of England and Wales, St
Martin in The Fields Baptisms in February 1786 (see below).
13 Parish Registers of England and Wales, St
Martin in The Fields Baptisms in February 1786.
12 - Nancy Dixon of Joseph & Susanna born at Calcutter[sic] in Bengall - 7
Novr 1777.
14 The Times (London), Thursday, May 14, 1818;
Page 3, Col F DIED.
On 1st inst. at Eltham, in Kent, in the 40th year of her age, Mrs Ashburnham,
wife of Mr. Denny Ashburnham.
Nancy's husband Denny was not ordained until March 1820 so he is rightly
referred to as Mr. Denny Ashburnham.
15 Parish Registers of England and Wales, St
John the Baptist, Eltham - Burials - 1818.
No. 260
Nancy Ashburnham - Eltham - May 9 - 40 - J K S Brooke Vicar
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