Nicholas Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather was William Bennett who married Jenny Shovel in 1809 in Linkinhorne, Cornwall. Shovel is an unusual surname so I looked into its derivation and apparently is a metonymic name for someone who works with shovels – either making or selling them. I have researched the family and found it so interesting and thought I would write about it here. The earliest Shovel that I can be sure of is Abraham Shovel born in 1704.
FIRST GENERATION
ABRAHAM SHOVEL – MARY NORDEN
Abraham was born in 1704 and married Mary Norden on 25th April 1729
Abraham died in 1760 and was buried on 17th March 1760 and Mary died just a few months later being buried on 26th June 1760. They had four children that I have been able to trace:
1/ Thomas Shovel born 1730 and died 1734
2/ John born 1731 who married Mary Vine o 1 February 1754 and died in 1784 at the age of 53. John and Mary had four children:
a/ John born in 1754 and died in 1871, married Mary Curtis and who died in
I have found that his Great Great Grandson was the Reverend Thomas Shovel who was killed on 5th October 1918 while out for an evening walk and is buried in Louverval Military Cemetery, Doignies. There is a plaque in memory of him in St Mellors Church. There is this photo of him with his father, Thomas Shovel, born 1823 who married Emma Foot,
b/ Mary in 1757 and who married Mark Marham
c/ Elizabeth in 1760 who married Solomon Roberts
d/ Sarah in 1764
e/ Samuel in 1773
3/ Thomas Shovel born 1734 and who died in 1814 in Uphill, Linkinhorne at the age of 80
4/ Abraham Shovel who was born in 1736, married Sarah Duine in 1758 and who died in 1768. They had three children:
a/ Mary in 1757
b/ Grace in 1760
c/ Abraham in 1763
SECOND GENERATION
THOMAS SHOVEL AND ELIZABETH NEE DONEY
Thomas was born in 1734 and married Elizabeth Doney on 28th April 1756 in Linkinhorne. He died in 1814. Elizabeth was the daughter of Samuel Doney and Mary Ann nee Cole. Thomas and Elizabeth had three children that I can trace:
1/ Samuel born in 1760, baptised on 4th April 1760 who married Susanna Williams on 12th July 1787 and who died in 1836 at the age of 86
2/ Mary born in 1771, baptised 20th October 1771 and married Richard Garland on 11th December 1783 (at the age of 12?)
3/ Thomas James born in 1762 baptised on 27th January 1762 in Linkinhorne
THIRD GENERATION
SAMUEL SHOVEL AND SUSANNA NEE WILLIAMS
Samuel born in 1760, married Susanna Williams on 12th July 1787 at the age of 17 in Linkinhorne. They had four children I can be sure of:
1/ Jenny Shovel in 1766 who married William Bennett on 17th August 1809 and who died on 14th November 1862 at the age of 53.
2/ Betty Shovel in 1790
3/ Thomas Shovel in 1794 who married Ann Trood on 6th August 1819 and who died in 1880 in East Stonehouse, Devon. They had two children; Thomas in1823 and Jane in 1839. ann his wife died in 1868. Thomas was a carpenter
4/ Abraham born 1802, married Grace Strike on 10th April 1832 and who died in 1867. They had five children I can be sure of:
- Abraham Strike in 1833, who married Eliza Davey on 27th January 1853 and who died on 9th March 1915. I was in contact with a lady in the Heritage Center of Linkinhorne area and it transpired that she lived in Abraham Shovel’s house. She kindly sent me a photo of it and this of Abraham Strike Shovel a tailor
Abraham Shovel’s house in Linkinhorne taken 2008Grace Strike in 1840 who married Henry Kitt in 1865 and who died in 1870 in Liskeard, Devon
- William in 1841 who married Mary Rowe on 24th November 1864 in North Hill, Cornwall
- Samuel Williams born in 1837, married Mary Foley on 26th May 1864 and who died in 1888
Ann born in 1836 in Linkinhorne