Three brothers in the same regiment?

[ClareBear]

Hello
I am researching my 5 x Great Grandfather Thomas Spearing, and came across a note on the death certificate of his wife Rachel which reads 'widow of Thomas Spearing Private 40th Regiments'.
So this got me searching for Thomas and the 40th Regiment. I have found very little but have maybe discovered that his two brothers were also in the 40th Regiment - William Spearing and Joseph Spearing.

All three brothers were born in Crewkerne in Somerset to Samuel and Elizabeth Spearing. William born abt 1790, Joseph born 1797 and Thomas born 1779.

My question is how can I fond out if they were all in the same regiment? Did any serve at Waterloo? (I have find this but can't be sure it's my William - Wm Spearing Rank Serjeant Regiment 1st Battalion 40th Regiment of Foot Captain R. Turton's Company) and is it unusual to have three brothers in the same regiment? [there is one more brother Robert but nothing to suggest he also joined up).

Any advice or hints as to how to prove (or rule out) these brothers and their army service would be very much appreciated.
ClareBear

[VALLMO9]

Can you provide any additional details for Thomas Spearing? Example: Year and location of his death. What occupation is listed on his death record?

I presume he and wife Rachel were the couple married in 1797. Witnesses: Joseph Courier and Thomas Palmer. (If your Thomas was already in the army by 1797, could either witness be a fellow soldier? If it were me, I'd follow-up on their names in military records, to see what regiment(s) they were with).

Note: If a soldier did not receive an army pension then Regimental muster rolls and pay lists may be the only records that survive for him.
More info here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hel ... ster-rolls

The pension record for George Spearing with the 40th Regiment states he was born in Limpson, Somerset. Discharged in 1817 (age 29).

The pension record for Sgt William Spearing states he served in North America and Waterloo. "Intends to reside at Kingstown" (when he was discharged in 1821). Kingstown is in Ireland (formerly known as Dunleary). So that's a clue for you. If you've researched your William Spearing, do you know if he settled in Ireland?

40th Regiment
"The 1st Battalion was sent on the failed attempt to capture Buenos Aires in 1806. It then deployed to Spain and Portugal from 1808 to 1814.

The 40th was thus one of only three regiments to serve throughout the Peninsular campaign, fighting at Roliça (1808), Talavera (1809), Bussaco (1810) the Lines of Torres Vedras (1810), Ciudad Rodrigo (1812), Badajoz (1812), Salamanca (1812), Vitoria (1813), the Pyrenees (1813), Nivelle (1813), Orthes (1814) and Toulouse (1814).

The 1st Battalion was sent to Canada in 1814 to fight in the War of 1812 (1812-15), before being quickly recalled the following year when Napoleon escaped from Elba. It then fought at Waterloo (18 June 1815), helping to repel Napoleon’s final massed infantry attack.

The 2nd Battalion was again disbanded in 1816".

[AdrianBruce]

... is it unusual to have three brothers in the same regiment? ...

I suspect it's pot-luck. Regiments tended to recruit in consistent areas but my impression is that might not be the case in periods of war where they'd pick up recruits from wherever they were stationed. Plus you might have brothers who wanted to go into different arms of the service - one might fancy riding a horse and go into the cavalry, whereas another might prefer terra firma and keep to the infantry.

IIRC, I only have one case of serving brothers pre-1900. One went into the 53rd Regiment of Foot but in 1833 requested a transfer to the 49th Foot, "to enable him to serve with an elder brother." The request was duly granted but this is curious as the only known older brother served in the 6th Dragoon Guards - and no other brother is known (to me). Nonetheless, it does establish that the Army of that time was used to brothers serving in the same regiment.

NB - just a matter of style - most people would say "40th Regiment of Foot" or "40th Foot" for short, rather than "40th Regiment". No possibility of confusion in your case, but the earlier numbers duplicated across infantry and cavalry with (say) "3rd Regiment of Foot" and "3rd Regiment of Horse".

[VALLMO9]

Marriage for a William Spearing of 40th Foot (2nd Battalion):

Spouse: Mary Waters (widow)
Date and place of marriage: 3 Nov 1812 at Kill St Nicholas, Co Waterford

[ClareBear]

Hello
Thank you all so much for the responses to my post.

Thomas Spearing = I have yet to find and confirm his date of death or location.

William Spearing = I had not found a marriage for him so thank you for this, I will look at this more closely now.

Joseph Spearing = still searching for more military info and marriage/death info on him. So far this is all I have on him = Name Joseph Spearing
Start of Muster 25 Sep 1815 End of Muster 24 Dec 1815 Stationed or Muster Place La Villette and La Chapelle Regiment or Unit 40th Regiment of Foot, 1st Battalion

So I have learnt more about these three from your replies, thanks again, it's much appreciated

Regards ClareBear

[VALLMO9]

I wasn't able to find a c1779 baptism for Thomas Spearing (parents Samuel and Elizabeth). Do any of his children's baptism records indicate an occupation for him? Do you have him in any census records?

When and where did wife Rachel die? Can you upload the image from her death record?

Where did you find the military details for Joseph Spearing? (Apologies - I mentioned a George Spearing earlier - who served with the 40th Regiment).

[ClareBear]

Hello
Thanks again for the questions and extra comments.

Thomas Spearing - on his daughter Hannah's baptism his occupation is Flax Dresser (Hannah is my 4 x great grandmother). Attached is Rachel's DC, she died in South Petherton, Somerset.
I do have a date for Thomas's death as 1806, but haven't found burial entry to prove this.

Joseph Spearing - all I have found is on Ancestry from the UK, British Army Muster Books and Pay Lists, 1812-1817

Thanks for the info on William's marriage - I have since found that and added to my notes on William, this is great. Then a record with a possible date of death popped up but I can' make out the place, but can see a date of 1862? Apologies for the poor quality of the image, it was the only one I could get to attach!.

All this help has been brilliant, I am learning so much on this set of brothers.
Kind regards
ClareBear

[VALLMO9]

Thanks for the images. Do you have a baptism record for your Thomas Spearing? I don't see anything on FMP. (I can see baptism records for other children born to parents Samuel and Elizabeth).

Question: Besides Ancestry, do you have access to Find My Past?

[meekhcs]

From Ancestry - Somerset Baptisms

Thomas Spearen
Baptism 24 Feb 1779 Crewkerne Samuel,
Elizabeth

Sarah Spearing
Baptism 29 Jun 1788 Crewkerne Samuel

Wm Spearing
Baptism 11 Apr 1790 Crewkerne Samue

Joseph Spearing
Baptism 5 Feb 1797 Crewkerne Samuel,
Betty
V
William Spearing
Baptism 7 May 1786 Crewkerne Samuel,
Betty

Note the only baptism for a Robert Spearing records parents as Thomas and Elizabeth> he was baptised 4 May 1810

I have looked at all the original records and there are no other details recorded.

[meekhcs]

Found correct Robert baptised 23 Nov 1781
NB various spellings of surname Spearing, Spearen, Spearin

I will look for marriages later this evening when I return home