Unknown/unknown

[Ammanda Schutz]

Name - Unknown Unknown
Date and place of birth: Possibly Teignmouth, Devon
Names of parents
Date and place of baptism -
Details of each of his or her marriages - None found

Wife/consort: Joanna Pitts Ley born 1797 West Teignmouth, Devon
Three children with only Joanna as birth mother - no father named
Elizabeth Ley: 1821 East Teignmouth Devon
William Ley: 1824 West Teighmouth Devon
Benjamin Pitts Ley: 1827

Occupation
Addresses where they lived
Date, place and cause of death
Date and place of burial.
Details of will

I would be grateful if someone could put fresh eyes on trying to find a marriage for Joanna. Three does seem like a large of children to be born out of wedlock, especially as the Joanna came from a prominent local family.
She did marry a John Robert Scown at some point after 1827 and the birth of her first child with him in 1832. However, it is the parentage of the earlier children that interests me.
Thanks...

[kiterunner]

If no father is named on the baptisms of those three children, then Joanna won't have been married to their father(s).

Does it say "spinster" or "widow" on her marriage to John Robert Scown?

[Ammanda Schutz]

Yes, I was afraid that she wasn't married. I can't find the record of her marriage to John Scown, just the census data. Doesn't look good for tracing the father of the first three children. Thanks for your response.

[kiterunner]

It has been known for people to say they're married on the census when they aren't really.

[Ammanda Schutz]

Looks as if Joanna was a real 'lass about town'.
I have doubts that the death cert for her daughter Elizabeth would be more informative regarding the names of both of her parents. I think I shall try that route and see if it leads anywhere.
Thanks, K

[tenterfieldjulie]

Ammanda I have ancestors from Devon and John Sloman's siblings baptisms were recorded at Tiverton on the IGI but his wasn't. A lady looked up the records for me and his baptism was there, but when you see how they were recorded at that date, no wonder that entries don't appear. She said it was only that she knew who he was and when he was supposed to be born, that she found it. From what I have seen, I think that there are a lot of records not yet online from Devon.

[Ammanda Schutz]

I have also found that to be the case, Julie. Teignmouth has very little and I am waiting on the Parish Clerks to find volunteers. I was contemplating paying for a search but as Kate says, if the records show only the mother on the baptism there isn't a father of record. Another brick wall.

[tenterfieldjulie]

It will be interesting to see if you can find a marriage when they are transcribed and whether he was previously married. If he was then to find when his wife first wife died. I know of a few cases where a man has fathered children but was married, when his first wife died, he then married the mother of his children... but it is hard to get proof of this, unless he makes a will and leaves property to his children and states this as a fact. When I go to UK I want to track the Tiverton Cove Records in Devon, so you might remind me about this and I will see what I can do.

[Ammanda Schutz]

Julie, I had not thought of that! What a good idea! I think I have to do some more looking at John Scown. Oh, you have really perked up my spirits.
Benjamin Pitts Ley was the youngest of Joanna's children and he seems to have been adopted by John Scown, or at least he took on Scown as a last name. Maybe there is something there.
Thanks for the look up offer. It would be fab if you could do that.
What is the name of your family in Cove, Devon?

[tenterfieldjulie]

The family name is Sloman, which was my mother's maiden name. They moved back and forth - Devon Somerset Devon Somerset. They lived in similar place names - Tiverton in Devon - Milverton in Somerset ! mainly .. Got to get organised for Saturday..