Goring Dilemas

So right in the middle of combining my 5th generation, I hit some problems with Francis Anslem Goring. Our line should look like this:

James Edward Hutt (1855-1908) son of
Delilah Catherine Goring (1859-1927) daughter of
Francis Anslem Goring (1806-1869) & [2nd wife] Catherine Clement (1824-1906); son of
Frederick Augustus Goring (1785-1868) & Ann Hosteder (1785-1850); son of
Francis Goring (1755-1842) & Lucy Secord (1763-1801); etc

Most internet searches agree. But Dad had Francis Anslem (which probably should be spelled Anselm), as son of "Francis Judson? Goring (1788-)". I don't know who this Judson guy is, and the '?' makes it even more suspect. Combine that with the fact that some of the family records skip Frederick Augustus and have Francis Anselm as son of Francis Goring and Lucy Dow. Wrong.

While looking for some answers, I found a book on GoogleBooks by a guy who wrote a book about the Hostetter family and am trying to get the book to clarify the situation. "Hostetter, U.E.L.: Origins and History of an Ontario Family, By Brian K Narhi, Published by Ganymede Press, 1992." Here's some stuff he sent across a few emails. (He's a professional genealogist):

1. "You may or may not know that I live on part of what was the original Hostetter farm which Herman Hostetter (father of Ann Goring) bought in the early 1800s. The family burial ground, where Herman and other members of his family are buried, is about 500 feet west of my house. I can send you some pictures if you like, although due to vandalism there's not much left there now." (He sent lo-res pictures of the stones, now in my database of stuff.)

2. "Just a few items of interest that I can add to your lineage:
Abraham Hostetter (1723-1796) was the son of "Bishop" Jacob Hostetter (ca. 1690-1761) and his wife Anna Lorenz (ca. 1695, died sometime between 1773 and 1779). Abraham's wife, Catharine, was the daughter of Herman Long.

Herman Hostetter's wife, Ann Newman Kennedy, was daughter of John Kennedy, an Irish settler who went to South Carolina and served with the British forces during the American Revolution. He may have settled in Nova Scotia afterwards. Herman also served with the British forces during that war, and he first settled in Nova Scotia in 1783-84. He married Ann Newman Kennedy there, and their daughter Ann was born in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Herman came to Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1793, and his family followed him here a few years later in 1795.

Frederick Augustus Goring (1785-1868) was the son of Francis Goring (1755-1842) and his wife, Lucy Secord (died 1801). Francis Goring came to Fort Niagara (New York) in the late 1770s as a merchant's clerk. His parents were Abraham Goring (Goringe) and Ann Lloyd who were married ca. 1753. Lucy Secord was the daughter of Peter Secord (1715-1818). Frederick and Ann Hostetter Goring are buried in the Homer Cemetery, on the east side of the present Welland Canal, just outside of the limits of the city of St. Catharines. I will send you pictures of their tombstones.

The Hutts are another very old family in the Niagara area. They have been in this region since the 1790s. The family appears to have been descended from Adam Hutt (1763-1842), a German emigrant, and his wife, Dorothea. Their family cemetery is located in Stamford Township (now part of the city of Niagara Falls) near the townline with Niagara Township (now part of the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake)."

3. "I believe that I have larger photos of the Goring tombstones, I just have to find them first. Those were quick shots that I took from a photocopy that I had on hand near my desk. The Ann Goring tombstone was already broken over 30 years ago when I first saw it, but when you see it in person it clearly states 1850 as the death date. The smaller lettering has been badly worn due to the weather. I believe the birth date is given as 1786 on that stone.

Ann Hostetter Goring was christened in the Anglican Church at Shelburne, Nova Scotia. I have not seen that record in person, but I do have a letter from the Shelburne Historical Society confirming this fact. Four of the children of Herman and Ann Hostetter were christened there. Ann Hostetter married Goring at St. Mark's Anglican Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake on November 5, 1805.

Ann Goring died 1 Jun 1850 in Niagara Township (just east of St. Catharines). Her family owned lands in both Niagara Township and Grantham Township (Grantham is what is now St. Catharines). The Homer Cemetery, where she is buried, was close to the border between Grantham and Niagara, and on the main highway through the Niagara Peninsula, so it was a convenient place for her to be buried.

FYI, I have a photo of Frederick Augustus Goring taken in old age with two of his daughters. Once I find it, I'll scan it and send it to you.

The spelling of the name is problematic. It was probably originally spelled "Hochstãder" or something similar to that. There are many variations of it, mainly due to the incompetency of British colonial bureaucrats. But by the mid 1700s, the name was mainly spelled "Hosteter" or "Hosteder." In many documents, your ancestor Herman signs himself as "Hosteter." At some point in the mid-19th century, the family added another "t" and the name in Ontario has become standardized as "Hostetter." But the question remains, why did they add the extra "t." Some have suggested that maybe it was to distinguish themselves from their American "Hosteter" cousins, but the spelling of the name seems to have been changed to "Hostetter" at that same time. Dunno.

So many questions, I wish I had a time machine to get all the answers. Have a great weekend.
Brian.

Brian gave me loads of good info. I'll have to incorporate more of his book into my records when he finally republishes it later this year (2009). [his email for the record is BrianNarhi (at) a o l (d.o.t.) com as shown elsewhere by the internet and his publisher.]