Joseph Kingshott was born in or near Tillington in Sussex. When he died, his age was not given, and I have not been able to locate a baptism in the parish registers at Tillington or anywhere surrounding there. I know, from letters written at the time, that he went to Canada from Lurgashall parish and that his sister Sarah was married to a Nathaniel Morley. Now Sarah was baptised on 23rd August 1789 in Chiddingfold, Surrey. So, despite not having a baptism date (thereby providing information on his parents) I can still confirm that Joseph's parents were Richard & Martha Kingshott. This was one of my major brick walls and solving it allowed this entire branch of the Canadian family to be linked to the main Kingshott tree.
Joseph Kingshott, sometimes written as Kinshott, was one of the Petworth Emigrants who left England, in 1832, for a new life in Upper Canada (now Ontario). He took his wife Elizabeth, and their children Eleanor, John and Harriet.
The Kingshott family must have been excited, though anxious, and looking forward to their new life in the new world. Unfortunately, tragedy struck shortly after arrival in Canada.
On 29th June 1832 Joseph Kingshott died from cholera, leaving his widow to travel the rest of the journey with three children. I believe that she survived, although I have not been able to find details of her death.
Of Joseph's three children, two definitely survived.
Eleanor Kingshott, baptised at Lurgashall on 5th November 1826, married an American called Benjamin Loucks in Orford Township, Kent County, Ontario, Canada on 1st April 1847. She was Benjamin's second wife and they had a number of children in Orford. I have found nine so far and am currently trying to trace descendants.
This is a photograph of Benjamin & Eleanor Loucks. It was sent to me by a descendant, Jim Moorman.
The second child was John Kingshott who was born at Lurgashall on 20th July 1828. He married Amelia La France at some time before 1852 and went on to have at least ten children. The family lived in Chatham, Kent County, Ontario until around 1863 before moving to Muskegon, Michigan, USA. It is John that started the major branch of the Kingshott's in Michigan. Click here for details.
Harriet, who was baptised at Lurgashall on 11th September 1830, seems to have disappeared. She was alive on the journey across to Canada, but I have found no further trace of her. I therefore assume that she died at a young age.