DORCAS ROSINA OFFEN was
born circa 1849 in Bethersden, Kent (source : 1871 census). There
is a birth registered for * ROSINA OFFEN in June quarter 1849, which must be her
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index , county Kent,
volume 5, page 13).
On the 1851 census, 2-year-old Dorcas is with her family at their farm in Bethersden, Kent. On the 1861
census, Dorcas, a 12-year-old scholar, is at Boxley, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1871 census, Dorcas R (22, unmarried, niece, house keeper, born Bethersden Kent)
is with her uncle EDWARD CLINCH (45, widower, publican) and his daughter at the Cricketers' Arms in
Willesborough, Kent.
She married her "cousin" IRA OFFEN in March quarter 1875
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 819).
The marriage register gives her name as Dorcas Rosena Offen.
IRA OFFEN was
born circa 1850 in Smarden, Kent (source : 1901 census). On the 1851 census, aged 9 months, he was with his parents
MARY ANN and THOMAS OFFEN in
Smarden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw). On the 1861 census, he was a 10-year-old
scholar at Smarden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw). On the 1871 census,
a 20-year-old unmarried farmer's son, Ira is at Monk Farm, Smarden, Kent with his parents and family.
On the 1881 census, Dorcas (32, farmer's wife), her husband Ira (30, Farmer & Dealer
Using 120 Acres Emp 4 Men & 1 Boy) and their three children are all at Worsenden in Biddenden, Kent.
In Kelly's directory of Kent 1882, Ira OFFEN is listed as a farmer at Worsenden Farm in Biddenden, Kent.
He is also listed as a farmer at this address in Pike's Weald of Kent & Romney Marsh Directory, 1884-5.
Dorcas died in December quarter 1890 (source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent,
volume 2a, page 483). The death register gives her name as Dorcas Rosena Offen. Her funeral took place on
8th December 1890 in Smarden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
Kelly's 1891 Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex
again lists IRA OFFEN as a farmer at Worsenden Farm, Biddenden, Kent. On the 1891 census, Ira (head, widowed, farmer,
40, born Smarden) is
at Biddenden, Kent with three of his children (15-year-old Alfred, 11-year-old Emily and 8-year-old Richard)
and his sister-in-law KATE HUMPHREY and brother-in-law (her husband) John HUMPHREY (source : 1891 census,
online at http://www.kent-opc.org/Parishes/Census/1891Biddenden.html).
Two of Ira's children, 13-year-old Celia and 4-year-old Ernest, show up with their grandparents at Monks Farm in Smarden, Kent,
on the 1891 census.
A few months later, in June quarter 1891, Ira remarried ELLEN DUREY
(source : Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 1186).
She was born circa 1858 in Ulcombe, Kent (source : 1901 census). She gave birth to their daughter Elsie in 1892 so she
may have already been expecting.
Around 1900, Ira was a pie maker at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1901 census, Ira, a 50-year-old farmer, his wife Ellen (43), and four children are all in Biddenden, Kent
(source : 1901 census index, household needs checking). Kelly's 1913 Directory of Kent lists Ira as a farmer in
Biddenden, Cranbrook.
The Children of DORCAS ROSINA OFFEN and IRA OFFEN:
IRA OFFEN OFFEN was born in December quarter 1875 (source :
Ancestry England and Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 648). Since this is
in the same quarter as the marriage of IRA OFFEN and DORCAS OFFEN, it would seem highly likely that they are his parents.
ALFRED WILLIAM OFFEN was baptised in 1876 in Biddenden, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). On the 1881 census, aged 5, he is at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1891 census, he is at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1901 census, he was a 25-year-old "stockman pigs & chicken at ra..." lodging in Keston, Kent
(place of birth given as Beddeden, Kent) (source : 1901 census index, household needs checking).
He died in 1957 (source : Collette Kendall).
CELIA BERTHA OFFEN was baptised in 1835 in Brookland, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall).
EMILY OFFEN was baptised in 1880 in Biddenden, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). On the 1881 census, aged 1, she is at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1891 census, an 11-year-old scholar, she is at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1901 census, aged 21 and unmarried, Emily is with her family in Biddenden, Kent.
She married
DANIEL SOUTHON in 1911 in Biddenden, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
RICHARD OFFEN was born born in 1882 in Biddenden, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). On the 1891 census,
an 8-year-old scholar, he is at Biddenden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
On the 1901 census, aged 18 and a farmer's son, Richard is with his
family in Biddenden, Kent. He married
ADA ELLEN MARSHALL in 1921 in Biddenden, Kent (source : Collette Kendall).
Richard died in 1966 (source : Collette Kendall). Ada died, aged 83, in April 1984 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and her birth date was
given as 23rd July 1900 (source : death register, District Tunbridge Wells, Volume 16 , Page 2151 ).
ERNEST IRA OFFEN was born
in 1887 in Biddenden, Kent (source : 1891 census). On the 1891 census,
aged 4, he shows up with his big sister Celia at their grandparents' home Monks in Smarden, Kent.
On the 1901 census, aged 14, he was with uncle John Thomas Offen at Smarden, Kent (source : Pete Bradshaw).
He married
LILIAN MARY JARVIS in 1921 in Woodchurch (source : Collette Kendall).
He died in 1967 (source : Collette Kendall).
The Children of IRA OFFEN and ELLEN ?:
ELSIE MAY OFFEN was born in 1892 in Biddenden, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). Her birth was registered in June quarter 1892 (source : Ancestry England and
Wales, Civil Registration Index, county Kent, volume 2a, page 788).
On the 1901 census, aged 8, Elsie is with her family in Biddenden, Kent.
MABEL ELLEN OFFEN was baptised in 1894 in Biddenden, Kent
(source : Collette Kendall). On the 1901 census, aged 7, Mabel is with her family in Biddenden, Kent.
There is a death listed for 10-year-old Mabel Ellen OFFEN in December quarter 1903 (source : Free BMD, district
Milton, volume 2a, page 545).