VELLIUM INDENTURES

While visiting the Porter ancestral home in Ulnes Walton, England, I had the fortune to view a number of indentures in connection with the land leased by the Porters  The following is an example of one of the indenture documents

http://www.historicpages.com/texts/velhist.htm

"Indentures" are legal contracts, and are entirely written by hand (in English) on large sheepskins, in keeping with legal practice dating back to Medieval times....The top edge of the document shows the wavy, or "indented" margin that gives these documents their name; as a safeguard against counterfeiting, the copies given to all parties were placed together and cut in this margin in a wavy, irregular pattern, thus uniquely identifying the authenticity of each copy.

IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING THE LANDLORDS

When researching the Porter genealogy and history, it was important to go beyond the general sources, ie parish records and/or census records.  One important source to check, particularly pre-parish/census records are land records.  One of the first things to research and study are the many landholders in the area in which your family lived.  An excellent source is British Online History .  A subscription is required in order to view some of the more useful records.

Other sources can be useful such Geni - Old Historic Families of Lancashire.  This website provides a short summary of major families in Lancashire and the area in which they held lands.

Once you have determined a family or families who owned land in the area of your ancestor, you can then check British Online History or the National Archives.  Search for any available records for each landlord.  I will discuss these two resources in later posts.

Sample of entry at National Archives:

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FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PORTERS OF CROSTON, LAN and THE FOREST OF BOWLAND, WYR

The following is a list of families that are associated with the Porter Families of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Canada:

Booth
Brinand/Brennand
Catrowe
Hill
Holgate
Kendal
Langton/Longton
Laycock
Lightbound/Lightbourn/Lighbourne/Lightbown/Lightbowne
Martin/MacMartin/Martinus
O'Neill/McNeill
Pomfret
Rhodes
Robinson
Sellers/Sellars
Steele
Waddington

INTRODUCTION: PORTER FAMILY: A JOURNEY OF GENERATIONS

I have recently published my family history book "Porter Family: A Journey of Generations" covering approximately 450 years in the Palantine of Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. As with any family the "beginning" is always nebulous.  Although this family has been proven to be common folk there are little hints, possibilities, and sometimes facts that put the family in time and place.  The information in the book is based on a thorough search of available documentations including Feet (Roll) of Fines, land leases, church records, local histories, government documents, census records and documents held by individual families.  It has been a journey well worth the taking.  No "genealogy" journey is ever finished, however, there are pauses.  The "Porter Family: A Journey of Generations" has been paused, but research will continue.

The purpose of this blog will be to provide information on the continued search.  Hopefull it will provide information and resources that may be helpful to other researching the Porters of the Palantine of Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire.  I hope to explain some of the resources I used and my research and analysis that led my conclusions.  There are many resources outside the normal census and church records that can help to fill in missing generations.  These resources are not just facts and data, they tell a story.