Tortoiseshell / Tortershell
I apologize if I'm posting to the wrong forum, but I couldn't find anything approximating Tortoiseshell / Tortershell.
My ancestor was a John Tortershell (Tortoiseshell) who married in Burin, Newfoundland in 1817.I understand he was an indentured servant and might have been the person who was the subject of an Old Bailey proceeding in 1808--that John Tortoiseshell was convicted of grand larcency (and received a light sentence because of good character)and,if I read the proceeding right, was a seaman.
The name Tortoiseshell seems to appear in the 1700s and doesn't appear to be very proliferant today.Given what I'm guessing is the comparatively small size of this family, I'm hoping that any information on them will be relevant.
Thanks.