My family connection with the group is through my paternal grandmother Beliza/Eliza Prouse. She married my grandfather Frederick James Blight in 1906 in Bideford, Devon.
Beliza was born 3 December 1882 in Frithelstock, Devon the eldest of nine children born to Edwin Prouse and Sarah Ann Richards. Edwin Prouse was born 2 January 1859 in Buckland Brewer, Devon the eighth child of twelve born to John Prouse and Bellisa Major. All of their children were born in Buckland Brewer and baptised in the Bible Christian Chapel in the village.
John was baptised in Buckland Brewer Parish Church 16 April 1824 the sixth child of 10 born to William Prouse and Elizabeth Pincent. It is the children of this couple (except John who remained in Buckland Brewer) who emigrated to Canada mid 19th C. Married names of the six girls were Jewell (2), Nancekivell, Martin, Brown and Cory. The boy's wives names were Dunn and Rodd. These families all settled in the Mariposa area of Ontario. Their widowed Mother also went to Canada. I can give more details on these if anyone is interested.
I have traced this family back to Hugh Prouse and Martha Rudd who married in Clovelly, Devon 10 April 1696, through their son James born and baptised in Clovelly 17 February 1700/1. Hugh is probably the son of Nicholas Prouse who was living in Clovelly in 1647, but there is no trace of marriage or baptism of Hugh. Nicholas could be the son of Richard Prouse and Katherine Madge who married in Clovelly 12 April 1627.
It is not possible to go back any further in Clovelly, because the early parish records prior mid late 17c. have been lost, apart from a few fragments which survive and have been transcribed, which is where I have found the early entries recorded above. These in the North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple..
It would be of interest if there is definite proof of any connection with my family to the Prowse/Prouse families in the rest of Devon.
Our family has always used the Prouse spellijng variant, only very rarely is Prowse is found in early records.
Hope this is of interest.
Raymond