William Bennett 1781-1862
Nicholas’ Great, Great, Great Grandfather
William married Jenny Shovel (1788- 1842), daughter of Samuel Shovel and Susanna nee Williams, on 17th August 1809 in Linkinhorne. They had nine children as follows:
- William, born in 1810. William married Mary Buckingham in Talland, which is 22 miles from Linkinhorne. Mary had been born in Linkinhorne in 1806. William died in 1885 at the age of 75. William and Mary had five children. They were: 1/James in 1834. 2/ Jane in 1837 3/ Mary in 1840 4/ William in 1845 and 5/ Samuel in 1852
- A second son, Samuel, was born in 1812 and died in 1840 being buried on 9th September when he was just 28. His grave is close to that of his parents.
- A daughter, Susanna, was born in 1815
- A third son, James, was born in 1816. James married Ann Lemon in 1847. James was a copper miner in Linkinhorne and I believe he died in Easington, Durham in 1873 and would have gone there for the mining. James and Ann had for children: 1/ Samuel in 1849 who according to the 1861 census was working as a servant at the age of 12. 2/ Henry D Bennett born in 1855 and who married Anastasia. 3/ John Bennett born in 1852
- A fourth son, John Bennett, born in 1821. John married Elizabeth Jasper,who was the daughter of John Jasper, on 30th March 1843 when he was aged 23. Elizabeth died in 1894, in Linkinhorne. The descendants of John are in the next section.
- A second daughter, Jane Williams Bennett, was baptised on 7th November 1822. Jane married William Spry -a miner -on 1st February 1844. Jane died in 1893 in Durham at the age of 71. I think a lot of people moved to the Durham area for the mining work. They had nine children
- A son Abraham Shovel Bennett was born in 1825. Abraham married Jane Powell in 1854 in Stoke Damarel, Devon and he died at Rilla Mill, Linkinhorne, in 1897 at the age of 72. In the 1851 census Abraham was employed as a miner and was a peddler in 1881. They had four children.
- A third daughter, Ann Cooke Bennett, was born in 1828 and followed by another daughter:
- Mary who was born in 1831
In the 1841 census William and Jenny have Elizabeth Bennett aged 65 living with them, Jenny’s mother Susanna aged 80, and three daughters – Susanna aged 20, Jane aged 15 and Mary aged 9
William died in 1862. He was left a widower for 20 years as his wife died in 1842. We found their gravestone in St Mellors churchyard next to that of his son, Samuel.
John Bennett 1820-1914
Nicholas’ Great Great Grandfather
John was baptised on 12th March 1820 at St Mellors church, Linkinhorne.
John married Elizabeth Jasper on 30th March 1843 at Linkinhorne. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Mary Jasper and was baptised on 2nd January 1820 and who died in 1894.
John and Elizabeth had four children as follows:
- A daughter, Elizabeth Ann Jasper Bennett who was born in 1845. She was baptised on 9th February 1845 and married Elijah Buckingham in 1863 in Linkinhorne. They had nine children.
- Another daughter, Mary. I rather think that Mary did not marry and died in 1896
- A son, John Jasper Bennett. John was born in 1850 and married Amanda Brewer Hick in 1878 in Linkinhorne. John died in 1902 in Westminster, London
- A second son, William Henry Bennett, born 1858 in Linkinhorne. William married Elizabeth Stansbury – the daughter of John Stansbury and his wife, Eliza. William and Elizabeth had four children – all being born in Milton Coombe, Devon
In the 1851 census, John and Elizabeth have their two daughters and son, John Jasper living with them in Linkinhorne and also a lodger, called Charles Rennels aged 25. John is down as a farm labourer.
Ten years later, in 1861 they have their four children and the father of Elizabeth living with them who is aged 75 and described as a pauper.
In 1871, they have just their son, John Jasper with them and also their Granddaughter, Eliza Buckingham who is described as a scholar.
According to the census of 1881 when John was aged 61, he was a farm labourer and at that time they had the daughter of their Elizabeth living with them. She was called Eliza M Buckingham and aged 16 and they are still together in 1891 when John is now described as a farmer and Eliza as a domestic servant.
Elizabeth died in 1894 and so in the 1901 census, John who is described as a farm labourer is in lodgings. Ten years later however, John is living with John and Emma Jasper aged 48 and 45 respectively who I think must be a nephew through his wife Elizabeth.
John died in 1914
John Jasper Bennett 1850-1902
Nicholas’ Great Grandfather
John Jasper Bennett, was born in Linkinhorne, Cornwall in 1850. John married Amanda Brewer Hick in Linkinhorne in September 1878 but they must have moved to London soon after as, by 1881, they are living at St James, London and he is a police constable, with one son, William.
They had the following children:
1/ William J who was born in 1880 and died in 1887 in Westminster
2/ Ernest Hick born in 1882 and who married Charlotte McDonald
3/ Minnie born in 1885 in St James London and who married Thomas Strain in 1911 and who had one daughter Eileen M Strain. Minnie died in 1953 in Hendon.
4/ John Claude Bennett born 1894 and who died on 4th may 1915 in France in WW1
Ten years later -in 1891- they are still in St James with their son, Ernest Hick and daughter, Minnie who are aged 8 & 6 respectively. William has sadly died by the time of this census. Amanda is not mentioned in it and I have been unable to find out where she was on that date. John is now working as a hall porter.
In 1891, John is a restaurant porter and Ernest is a Second Division Clerk in the Civil Service. They are both living at 34 Rupert Street, St James. London with Amanda, Minnie and John Claude.
John Jasper Bennett died in 1902 at the age of 51 and his wife is living at 29 Newman Street, off Oxford Street, London in the 1911 census. With her are Minnie -who is a show room assistant- and John Claude who is an insurance clerk. Amanda died in 1922.
Nicholas’ paternal Grandparents
I have researched the Shovel family and as Jenny Shovel is a direct ancestor and it is an interesting family I thought I would write a post about them too. Here is a link to it Shovel family