HARE FAMILY GENEALOGY
(version 1/23/12)
Please email corrections to Mike Clark

1. William Hare, who might be the father of the Henry Hare who follows, was probably born somewhere in Bedfordshire, England in the second half of the 18^th century, and married a woman named Sarah, probably around 1780 or earlier based on the birth dates of their nine children.

2. Henry Hare, who might be the son and William and Sarah Hare, was born about 1796 (according to the 1841 UK Census) in Bedfordshire. One online genealogy identifies him as the Henry Hare who was baptized July 27, 1800 at Toddington, Bedfordshire to the above-named parents, but none of this has been confirmed. If he is indeed the son of son of William and Sarah, then he is the youngest of nine children born between 1781 and 1800. He married Elizabeth Burley on Dec. 24, 1818 at St. Giles Church in Upper Gravenhurst. Elizabeth, who was the daughter of Thomas Burley and Elizabeth Whinwright (Wainwight), was born in nearby Shillington, also in Bedfordshire, and baptized there in the parish church on Dec. 17, 1792. Although Henry's occupation was a farmer, he gives his occupation as publican (tavern keeper) on the 1833 parish record for the birth of his son John, which raises the interesting possibility that he may have had a business relationship with another innkeeper James Bunyan of Campton, whose daughter Ann would one day marry one of Henry's sons. Henry died on Dec. 12, 1846. His wife Elizabeth, who had been born about 1793, survived him by many years, and died Aug. 15, 1873. Their tombstones stand in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Lower Gravenhurst next to their son Henry and his wife Ann.

   children - HARE

   Henry Burley Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on Oct. 17, 1819. He died two months later and was buried Dec. 2, 1819 in St. Giles Churchyard in Upper Gravenhurst.

   Mary Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on June 10, 1821. She was a member of Henry Hare's household during the 1841 UK Census.

   Elizabeth Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on April 10, 1823. She was probably a twin. Although her twin sister died young, Elizabeth survived and was a member of Henry Hare's household during the 1841 UK Census.

   Ann Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on April 10, 1823. She was probably a twin. She died when she was only 13 months old, and was buried April 28, 1823 at St. Giles Churchyard in Upper Gravenhurst.

   Henry Hare (1824-1892) who follows:

   Anne Hare, was born March 20, 1826 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on Sept. 3, 1826.

   Charles Hare, was born May 10, 1829 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on April 25, 1830. He became a butcher and married Fanny Elizabeth Brown in 1850 before emigrating with her and two of their children to the United States about 1859.

   John Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on July 28, 1833. He died when he was only 14 months old, and was buried Sept. 8, 1834 at St. Giles Churchyard in Upper Gravenhurst.

   John Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on Dec. 25, 1836. He was a member of Henry Hare's household during the 1841 UK Census.

    

3. Henry Hare, the son of Henry Hare and Elizabeth Burley, was born in Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire, and baptized there in the parish church on July 18, 1824. He married Ann Bunyan on Feb. 15, 1849 in Upper Gravenhurst. His occupation was a farmer, and he lived his entire life in Upper Gravehurst, serving at various times as Treasurer and Mayor of the village. He died in Upper Gravenhurst on May 22, 1892. His estate was settled in probate, with his son John Bunyan Hare named as heir, even though the oldest son George Henry Hare was still living. Henry's wife Ann died eleven years later in 1903, probably in Campton, where she had been living in 1901 with two of her daughters. All of the Hare children were born in Upper Gravenurst, but the official records give Ampthill as the location, as that was the seat for the registration district. Both Henry and Ann are buried with Henry's parents and their son James in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Lower Gravenhurst.

   children - HARE

   George Henry Hare, was born in April to June of 1850 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on June 5, 1850. He does not appear to have married, and we find him in the 1891 U.K. Census living alone in West Ham, Essex and working as a dock laborer. Interestingly, when his father died in 1892, he was not part of the estate settlement. He died in West Ham, Essex in 1899

   James Hare, was born between July and Sept. of 1852 in Upper Gravenhurst, and baptized there in the parish church on Nov. 24, 1852. He died when he was just 27 years on Feb. 3, 1880. His death was reported at Ampthill, he probably died at Upper Gravenhurst, and his death was simply recorded at Ampthill. He is buried with his parents and grandparents in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Lower Gravenhurst.

   Jane Elizabeth Hare, was born in Oct. to Dec. of 1854 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on Dec. 19, 1854. She was still a member of Henry Hare's household during the 1891 UK Census. She died a spinster in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire in 1942.

   Rosina Mary Hare, was born in April to June of 1856 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on July 9, 1856. She was a twin and went by the name of Rosa. She married Lewis Quenby in July 1891, probably in Upper Gravenhurst, though it is reported as Ampthill. Given that he was more than 20 years her senior and she was 44-years old when they married, she probably never had children. She died in Bedford, Bedfordshire just a short time later in 1905.

   Hephzibah Ann Hare, was born in April to June of 1856 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on July 9, 1856. She was a twin. She died a spinster in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire in 1935.

   Alice Amelia Hare, was born Sept. 6, 1859 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on Dec. 26, 1859. She was known to her niece Dorothy Bunce as 'Aunt Milly'. She married Alfred Bouch in the nearby village of Biggleswade in 1896, and came with him to the United States in 1905. They departed from Southampton on the SS St. Louis and arrived in New York on May 14, 1905. Their ultimate destination was listed as Arizona, where Alfred at one time had lived near the famous Old West town of Tombstone and claimed to have known Wyatt Earp and his brothers. Alfred and Milly later settled in Pasadena, California, near the family of Milly's sister Margaret. Alfred is remembered by the family there as being a very proper Englishman, who liked to write poetry. Milly died on March 4, 1936 in Pasadena and is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery, with other members of her family. Alfred died March 2, 1940 and is buried near her. They did not have any children.

   Margaret Lucy Hare (1861-1945) who follows:

   John Bunyan Hare, was born in July to Sept. of 1863 in Upper Gravenhurst and baptized there in the parish church on July 14, 1864. His niece Dorothy Bunce called him Uncle Jack. He married Rosa Payne (b. Dec. 22, 1868) on Oct. 11, 1893 at St. Helen Church in Kensington, London, and a short time later acquired Freeman's Farm near the town of Saffron Walden in Essex County, where he and Rosa raised five children. Although he listed his occupation as a draper at the time of his father's death in 1892, the farm was probably his main source of revenue. This farm, which is located on Elder Street between the villages of Debden and Wimbish, continues to grow produce today. He died at Saffron Walden in 1943.

   Elea Adine Hare was born in Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex about in July to Sept. of 1894, and became a Red Cross nurse. She was a very close friend of her cousin Dorothy Bunce, who also became a nurse. Elea died Aug. 14, 1926 at the hospital in Saffron Walden.

   Elsie Lena Florence Hare was born in Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex on May 16, 1896. She married Charley Wright at Saffron Walden in 1921, and died in Colchester, Essex in 1971.

   Marjorie Phyllis Hare was born in Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex in March, 1899. She did not marry and died in London in 1959.

   Donald Bunyan Hare was born in Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex in 1906. He inherited Freeman's farm from his father, and started the D.B. Hare & Son Company, which continues to run the farm today. Donald died at Saffron Walden in 1967. Donald Hare of Freeman's Farm was one of the family entries in cousin Dorothy Bunce's address book.

   Norman Alan Hare was born in Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex on March 7, 1909, and died in Cambridgeshire in Dec, 1986.

   Albert Edward Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst in April to June of 1865 and baptized there in the parish church on July 30, 1866. He was a member of Henry Hare's household during the 1871 UK census, but does appear in subsequent records.

   Selina (Lena) Mary Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst in Jan. or Feb. of 1867 and baptized there in the parish church on Feb. 17, 1867. She married a man named Harrison, probably prior to 1897. She is listed as Lena Harrison in the 1901 UK Census as living in Campton, Bedfordshire with her mother and two children, Alice, age 4, and Stanley, age 2. No husband is listed with her in the census, which indicates he may have died.

   Annie Marie Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst in Jan. to March of 1869 and baptized there in the parish church with two of her sisters on June 5, 1876. She eventually ended up in Waikato, New Zealand married to a grocer's assistant and sometime Adventist minister named Frank Lewin, who appears on the Waikato electoral roles from 1911-1938. Frank and Annie had at least four children (her cousin Dorothy remembers five) - Stanley, Francis Henry, Lena Mary and Helena. Lena Mary Lewin (b. c.1905) became a nurse and moved to New South Wales province in Australia, where in her later years she cared for her sister Helena. Lena and her cousin Dorothy Bunce corresponded with each other, but probably never met. Lena died in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 2, 1977.

   Frances Grace Adine Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst in Oct. to Dec. of 1870 and baptized there in the parish church with two of her sisters on June 5, 1876. She married a man named Lloyd Paine

   Marianne Helena Hare, was born in Upper Gravenhurst on Nov. 2, 1873 and baptized there in the parish church with two of her sisters on June 5, 1876. She emigrated to Arizona, probably to live near her sister Milly Bouch (Alice Hare), most likely sometime after her mother's death in 1903, and married an Englishman named Edward Cornelius Purnelle (b. 1859) in Cochise County, Arizona on July 13, 1909. They had at least three sons, all born in Cochise County. Marianne died on Nov. 22, 1950 in Los Angeles County, California.

   Edward Cecil Purnell was born Oct. 27, 1911 in Pirtleville, Arizona. He married Elsie Inez Pearson (1904-1996) sometime after 1940 (her second marriage), and died Jan. 7, 1989 in Long Beach, California. He is easily confused with another Edward Purnell of Long Beach, and the fact that Elsie sometimes gave her birthdate as 1911 adds to the confusion. Edward and Elsie Purnell of Long Beach were one of the family entries in cousin Dorothy Bunce's address boook.

   Francis Henry Purnell was born April 16, 1913, and died in Douglas City, Arizona two months later on June 15.

   Henry Bunyan Purnell was born Dec. 31, 1914 in Douglas City, Arizona.

    

   
   Photo of the Hare family taken about 1878 at the farm in Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire.
   (Back Row, l-r, standing) Amelia, Rosina, George, Hephzibah, Margaret Lucy, John;
   (middle Row, l-r, chairs) Selina, Jane, Henry Hare (father), Ann Bunyan Hare (mother), James, Annie.
   (front Row, l-r, rug) Albert, Marianne Helena, Frances Grace.

    

4. Margaret Lucy Hare, the daughter of Henry Hare and Ann Bunyan, was born Aug. 8, 1861 in Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire and christened there in the parish church on July 1, 1864. She married Robert Bunce on Dec. 27, 1884 in Upper Gravenhurst. According to daughter Dorothy, the marriage was arranged. Robert at the time was a draper's assistant, but he did try his hand at farming around 1890/91 in Hollesley, Suffolk, and later he may tried farming at Upper Gravenhurst, probably about the time of his father-in-law's death in 1892, before moving to London about 1894/95. There he eventually became involved in the sale of mining properties in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the United States. He made many trips back and forth to the States, often staying years at a time, while the family remained in England. Daughter Dorothy remembers good times with lots of money when her father was home, and hard times living in near poverty part of the time that he was away. Robert appears to have been in the United States for the duration of WWI, and there is no evidence that he returned to England when the war ended.

   The Atlantic having been opened up again for boat travel with the end of war, Margaret came to the United States with her son Harold, departing from Southampton on the SS America and arriving in New York on Sept. 22, 1921. She then coerced her husband into giving up his wheeling and dealing ways in the gold fields, and made him settle down with her in Pasadena, California, where she eventually collected all of her children around her. She was joined at some point by her older sister Milly, who had originally emigrated from England to Arizona with her husband Alfred Bouch in 1905. Another sister Marianne was in Arizona with her husband Edward Purnelle. Margaret is said to have ruled her family with a stern hand, and she was not happy when her sons eventually married and left the nest. None of her daughters married, and Madge and Dorothy took care of Margaret in her final years. Robert died Oct. 4, 1930 in Pasadena and is buried there in the Mountain View Cemetery. Margaret outlived him by many years and died May 26, 1945 at her home at 609 Charter Oak Drive in South Pasadena. She is buried at Mountain View Cemetery beside her husband, along with Alfred and Milly Bouch, and daughter Madge. Please see the Bunce Genealogy for the children of Margaret and Robert.

    

    

REFERENCES:

• Interviews with Dorothy Bunce, and Family Papers.

• UK Census Records, 1841-1901 and Parish Baptism, Marriage and Burial Records: online databases available on Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org, and Find My Past.

  England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 England Marriages, 1538–1973 England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991

Please email corrections to Mike Clark