‘Susannah Sarah Pretty Pearson beloved daughter of John Lock Bailey – Surgeon of Cambridge’

These words are taken from an inscription on one of the graves situated in the grounds of The Old Chapel House previously The Primitive Methodist Chapel

John Lock Bailey was born at Alburgh in 1818 His family moved to Cambridge when he was quite young On the 26^th September 1844 he married a girl from Winfarthing named Susannah Wragg Pretty On 2^nd August 1845 their daughter Susannah Sarah Pretty Bailey was born in Cambridge and was to be their only child In 1865 she married John Joseph Pearson Farmer of Old Hall Tibenham He is also buried at Primitive Methodist Chapel, now The Old Chapel House

On 7/7/1875 Susannah Wragg Bailey, widow of John Lock Bailey, died in Tibenham and is buried at Tibenham Church

John Lock Bailey was one of the least 7 children of John and Lois Bailey nee Lock The family were Independents who go back several generations in Norfolk before the move to Cambridge I was surprised to discover John Lock Bailey died in North America September 1856 and have been unable to ascertain if his wife and daughter accompanied him to USA and later returned I traced back on his family to see if I could find a clue to the demise of John Lock Bailey or the location of a grave but. instead found a story of determination suffering and courage

In January 1852 John Lock Bailey's sisters Lois Lock, Mary Ann and a relative also named Mary Ann Bailey boarded a U.S registered ship at Liverpool.  It was called the Kennebec.

The next January his parents John and Lois, sisters Esther Bailey and Rebecca Boud and her family boarded a British ship, the Golconda at Liverpool travelling the same route as The Kennebec to New Orleans. It would take 62 days.

During the passage of 1853 2 passengers died, 4 babies were born and a baptism took place of a Swedish sailor. The Golconda encountered a storm during which the top 3 masts were lost. Many prayers were said and on reaching New Orleans The Captain G Kerr was given 3 cheers. After waiting for 12 days later a tug towed the ship to Keokuk up the Mississippi.

It was at Keokuk that some family stayed while others later moved on John and Lois remaining to their deaths, Lois 1856 (same year as John Lock Bailey) and John in 1868.

Rebecca’s husband John William Boud died 1854 1 month before their 4^th child was born Cholera and similar epidemics were common and regular.

Keokuk Lee County Iowa was named in honour of Chief Keokuk, or ‘Watchful Fox’ who opposed war and retained a good relationship with the immigrants living on or passing through land that had been Indian Territory till his death.

In 1850 the College of Physicians and Surgeons was set up in a 7 storey building at Keokuk town. Could this have been the original reason for John Lock Bailey going to America? The College remained as such until 1908 when it became part of Drake University at Des Moines.

Rebecca Boud (sister to John Lock Bailey) remarried in 1857 at Keokuk to William Bacon who originally came from Derbyshire Soon their family embarked on a gruelling journey of approximately 1300 miles as part of a wagon train. John Lock Bailey's uncle William Bailey and other members of the Bailey family also made and succeeded in reaching Salt Lake City. Sadly epidemics of water borne diseases as Typhus and Cholera were all too common and many people died in settlements and en route and were buried the same day or overnight so no time was wasted.  In many cases death was recorded as died crossing the Plains.  On reaching Salt Lake City they settled in and around Utah and many many descendants are there today.

Meanwhile back in England Susannah Sarah Pretty Bailey daughter of John Lock and Susannah Lock Bailey married John Joseph Pearson farmer of Old Hall Tibenham on 15/9/1865 either at Diss or Tibenham.

They remained in Tibenham and had at least 4 sons.

John William b. 1866 d. 1880 Albert/Alfred Lester b.1869 Horace Bailey b 1873 d. 1915 and Frank Clement b. 1879

When Horace married Emma Diana Ramply at Wickham Skeith 30/3/1899 his occupation was on Insurance Agent and he was living at Cotton.

They had at least 5 children all born at Wickham Skeith.

Ivy Kathleen b. 1899 d.2000 Doris May b. abt.1901 d. 1918 Lester Bailey b.abt. 1902 Winnifred Dorothy b. abt. 1908 and John Horace b. abt.1905 d. 1986

I haven’t visited Family Records Office but from UK Census records 1901 Horace Bailey had become a farmer at Wickham Skeith, Albert/Alfred (1901 Census) became a Medicine dispenser at Worthing, Albert Pearson's occupation as Chemist/Medicine dispenser corresponds with indentures of Primitive Methodist Chapel records where he and his father John Joseph Pearson were Committee members.

As you can see the family name Bailey was still being used Maybe present day descendants may known what became of John Lock Bailey.

Research by Celia Bradley 2003