{"id":439,"date":"2026-08-14T20:56:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T20:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/genealogy.reeveshome.org\/main\/?page_id=439"},"modified":"2026-08-14T21:11:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T21:11:31","slug":"cauthen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/genealogy.reeveshome.org\/main\/cauthen\/","title":{"rendered":"Cawthorne (Cauthen)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Cawthorne family originated in Yorkshire in England as far back as can be traced. Our earliest known ancestor, Richard Cawthorne, hailed from Darfield, historically a parish in the West Riding of Yorkshire, located about twenty miles south of Leeds. About eight miles to the west, and directly south of Leeds, lies the parish of Cawthorne, an ecclesiastical parish created in 1608. The name Cawthorne derives from Old English and means “cold thorn.” There were a number of families living in this area of Yorkshire using the name Cawthorne in the mid-1600’s. But the location was known as far back as 1086, appearing in the famous Domesday Book as “Caltorne.” It was a small settlement at the time, described as having 1.3 households that year.1<\/a><\/sup> The surname appears to have been adopted by various families associated with this area.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Caltorne entry in the Domesday Book<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Maryline Cauthen Westenhaver of Auburn, Alabama published a book entitled Cauthen Family History<\/em> in 1980 which includes thorough research of our Cawthorne\/Cauthen family, tracing Richard’s family to London, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina where our line connects to the Cole<\/a> family. Much of what is contained here is a summary of the information presented in that book.
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Richard Cawthorne (of Yorkshire)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The earliest records concerning Richard associate him with Darfield and Milnehouse, areas just east of Barnsley and about twenty miles south of Leeds. The Feet of Fines records include various land and property transactions in Yorkshire. Richard Cawthorne is mentioned in two records from 1608 and 1609.2<\/a><\/sup> The first mentions land in Darley Edge, Darley, Worsburgh and Worsburghdale and the second in Ardsley and Darfield. All of these are located right by Darfield and Barnsley. He is also mentioned in a record from 1617 alongside a Henry Cawthorne and John Kay concerning land in Carle Cotes, Thurleston, Worsbrough and Worsbroughdale, all located in that same general area.3<\/a><\/sup> Richard Cawthorne, described as a tanner of Milnehouse, along with Lawrence Kirkes were recipients of a deed of settlement by John Woodward on 5 Jul 1613 “in trust for the use of himself and his wife for their live.”4<\/a><\/sup> This meant that the piece of property described in the deed was held in trust by Cawthorne and Kirkes until Woodward and his wife were deceased and then their heirs would own it, bypassing the probate process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1640, a meeting of the Court of Quarter Sessions recorded that Henry Preist of Haxey in Lincolnshire, laborer plead guilty to stealing on 9 Mar 1639\/40 five swine from Richard Cawthorne at Milnhouse.5<\/a><\/sup> This appears to be the same Richard Cawthorne as Haxey is located about twenty miles to the east of Darfield and the Milnhouse mentioned previously appears to be the best identification of the location mentioned here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not much is known of Richard’s later life besides a record establishing the relationship to his son until his death in 1658. His burial on May 12th is recorded in the parish register of Darfield which describes him living at Milnhouse.6<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n

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Early Connections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clues to Richard’s extended family are found in the will of Mrs. Douglas Burton dated 15 Sep 1651 and probated in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, the highest probate court in England.7<\/a><\/sup> Douglas was often used as either a male or female name in the 17th century. She describes herself as “somtyme of Doncaster in the County of Yorke and now of London widdowe.” In the first item she made “Thomas Crawthorne tanner Richard Crawthorne tanner and Elizabeth Jefferson” her executors. She also mentions “Thomas Crawthorne sonne of Samuell Crawthorne of Seffeild in the County of Yorke.” Crawthorne is a misspelling of Cawthorne as appears later in an earlier text appended to the entry for her will, described as “the desyre of Mrs. Burton upon her death bedd” dated 12 Sep 1651. This is dated three days previous to the will and gives further information. Consistently using the spelling Cawthorne, she again states that Thomas Cawthorne, Richard Cawthorne, Elizabeth Jefferson were her executors. She then also makes various bequests to the following relatives: her sister Anne and Anne’s children Thomas, William, Francis, Anne, Elizabeth and Martha; her sister Elizabeth and her two children; her sister Mary; her uncle Richard Cawthorne; her cousin Thomas Cawthorne and his children William, John and Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doncaster is located just under ten miles east of Darfield. With Richard being described in other records as a tanner, it’s pretty clear this is the same individual being referred to in Mrs. Burton’s will. Douglas Cawthorne was married to William Burton on 12 Mar 1634\/5.8<\/a><\/sup> This is recorded in the parish register at Doncaster. No baptism record for Douglas has been found so it is not clear who her parents were, but her uncle Richard Cawthorne would appear to be the same Richard as our earliest known Cawthorne ancestor.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Richard Cawthorne (of London)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although no baptism records have been found for him, Richard Cawthorne of Darfield is known to have had a son named Richard who was enrolled as an apprentice in the Merchant Taylors Company of London in 1635.9<\/a><\/sup> This would have taken place between age 14 and 21, and typically around age 16-18. His age at his second marriage puts his year of birth about 1620. The apprenticeship record is in Latin and states that “Richard Cawthorne son of Richard Cawthorne of Darfield in County York tanner” was apprenticed to Oliver (Neave?). This was a time of thriving business for trade that the Merchant Taylors Company was involved in. With the founding of Jamestown in 1607 by the Virginia Company in which the Merchant Taylors Company was strongly invested, these businessmen looked to long-term rewards through goods gained in the colonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Richard Cawthorne of London’s eldest son, Richard, was baptized at St. Mary’s, Woolchurch Haw on 27 Jan 1644\/5.10<\/a><\/sup> While the baptisms for his younger children do not include the mother’s name, this baptism reveals that Richard’s wife was named Mary.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The following entries for his younger children’s baptisms appear in the registers of the parish just to the west, St. Mildred’s, Poultry.11<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n