The information listed on our family tree was a labor of love from many folk. They sent the information of their pan of the family to me and 1 tried to pat it together in a manner that would make some sense to me - and anyone else who was interested. It was like putting together a mammoth jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time. It took many hours and days of my time and energy, lots of "rough drafts" and torn up paper, but to me it was more than worth the effort. Thank God for the invention of the computer. Without the awesome means of Word Processing, this project would not have been possible! I have kept the original copies of all the documents that were sent to me. If anyone is ever interested in seeing more details of the family, just contact me. It is awesome reading!
How did I find all the information on our family? That is not an easy question to answer. It took two Photo Journals to tell that story. Volume One was completed in April of 2002 and told the story of how we found the family from 2000-2002. It was titled:
"Our Wiggall/ Wiggill/ Wiggle Family/rom Around the World
The Photo Journal of How We found Each Other!"
Volume Two was completed in April of 2005 and told the story of how we found the family from 2002 - 2005. It was titled:
"Oh Yes, More Family"
The Photo Journal of how the Wiggall/ Wiggill/ Wiggle
Family Found Each Other.
How did I get this information on one piece of paper to make the Family Tree? I compiled the information on Microsoft Word - my own set up. I used 8.5 x 14 paper turned sideways also called "landscape". There are approximately 30 pages of information done in this format. Kinko's have a blueprint copier that uses 36 inch wide paper. You can make your copy as long as you wish. I took a piece of their blank paper and taped all 30 pages to it. Then I took it to Kinko's and copied it on the blueprint copier. Simple process now - but it took lots of "dreaming and scheming" in the middle of the night to develop this process. It was another of my miracles from God. It's really a fun experience to see a 3 x 9 foot piece of paper go into a photo copier...... and then watch multiple copies come filing out of the printer.
In the interest of space, I only listed maiden names and years of birth. We found that often the same "Given Name" was used more man once in a family. This was not a typing error. If you saw the original documents, you would know that many times a child was born to that family and given a certain first name. If that infant died, the next baby of the same sex was also given the same name. There is one family listed with three "Elizabeth's".
Most of the family in Generations I - VIII were born in the Villages of Cranham, Painswick and Upton St. Leonards in Gloucestershire England.
They are located between the Cities of Gloucester and Stroud in the Central District Of Gloucestershire. The Archivist for the Cranham Local History Society made an enormous contribution to our family history. She started doing a history of the village of Cranham. In doing that research, she came across much information about the Wiggall Family. Today she has two thick binders of documents that she has collected regarding our family.
Most of the family in Generations IX - XIV can be found in England, Ireland, Wales, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada.
The easiest way to group them is listed below:
1. British / Australian Wiggalb: Descendants of Joshua Wiggall 1821 Cranham
The key family in this group were born in England and later moved to Australia.
2. British Wiggalls: Descendants of Thomas Wiggall 1851 Badgeworth
Most of the descendants from this group still reside in England.
3. Welsh Wiggalls: Descendants of Thomas Wiggall 1843 Berkley
We have one family from this group and they currently live in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
4. South African / Utah / Oregon/ Montana / Alberta Wiggills
Descendants ofEli Wiggall 1810 Painswick Most of the known descendants of Eli Wiggall /Wiggill (1810 Painswick) are in South Africa, the USA (Utah, Oregon and Montana) and Canada (Alberta). Eli Wiggall was born in Painswick England in 1810. He was the eldest child of Isaac Wiggall. When Eli was 10 years old, he left England with his Father, Mother, and siblings George, Joseph and Elizabeth, with the 1820 British Settlers on the ship Kennersley Castle. Their final destination was Algoa Bay in the Cape of Good Hope. The spelling of the family name of Isaac Wiggall (and all his family) was somehow changed to Wiggill when they arrived in South Africa. In 1850 Eli & his wife embraced the Mormon Faith. In 1861, Eli and his wife Susanna left South Africa for the USA on the ship Racehorse to settle in Salt Lake City Utah. A good portion of his descendants are still living in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, Oregon, Montana and Southern Alberta Canada. They spell their name "Wiggill".
5. South African Wiggills: Descendants of Joseph Wiggall 1816 Painswick
Most of this group of Wiggills still live in South Africa.
6. South African/ Australian Wiggills: Descendants of Elijah Wiggill. 1821 Bathurst South Africa
Most of the known descendants of Elijah Wiggill live or have lived in South Africa. Elijah was the fifth child of Isaac Wiggall - but the first to be bom in South Africa. Elijah's Father, Isaac Wiggall left England in 1820 with a group of settlers for South Africa. The spelling of Isaac Wiggall's last name was somehow changed to Wiggill when he arrived in South Africa. Since Elijah was bom in South Africa, his last name has always been spelled"Wiggill".
7. Illinois Wiggles: Descendants of Richard Wiggle 1814 Painswick
Most of the known descendants of Richard Wiggle (1814 Painswick) are in the USA. Evan Wiggle from Generation VIII came to the USA and became a minister. He settled in the State of Illinois. His descendants have their roots there and are referred to as the Illinois Wiggles.
8. Michigan Wiggles: Unknown Connection to Miles Wiggle
We have yet to determine the Family Connection to the families of Julius and Charles Wiggle. It is one of the missing pieces of this enormous puzzle. Because of the spelling of the name "Wiggle", we believe it might be Isaac Wiggle from Painswick 1820. Julius and Charles came to the USA in the 1860's and settled in Detroit Michigan and all of their descendants have their roots there. This group is thus known as the Michigan Wiggles
9. British Wiggles: Descendants of Eli Wiggle 1821 Painswick
Most of the descendants of Eli Wiggle (1821 Painswick) are still living in England and are referred to as me British Wiggles.
10. Kingham England Wiggalls: Descendants of Richard Wiggall 1837 Birdlip
Richard Wiggall was a famous stone mason of his day. He was bom in Birdlip but moved to Kingham England. The home he built and lived in, is today called, "Wiggall's Comer". It is currently a rental cottage owned and operated by a Local Kingham Resident. Richard and his family built many of the buildings in the Village of Kingham. The most famous is the "Kingham Hill School". It is a boarding school on a gorgeous 92-acre campus. We have yet to make the connection on the Family Tree to the ancestors of Richard Wiggall. It is another one of those missing pieces to our puzzle.
