John THORNE

  General Notes:

Name from birth certificate of Joseph Henry and other children.

Marriages Jun 1856 Barnstaple 5b 813
EVANS Mary
SHAMBROOK William
THORN John
THORN Mary
- Mary Thorn is the daughter of the other John Thorn (and wife Ann "Nan") in Bickington

Marriage Certificate
At Fremington Parish Church on 9th June 1856 by Banns
John Thorn, of full age, Bachelor, Labourer, Fremington. Father William Thorn, Labourer.
Mary Evans, of full age, Spinster, - , Fremington. Father Edmund Evans, Carpenter
Both made their mark
The witnesses were Sam'l Smallcorn and Elizabeth Ley

Finding the marriage in 1856 came as a surprise as John and Mary already had six children and all had been registered as though the parents were already married. It was found when I was looking for other marriages, such as of their eldest children.

There were two 80 year old John Thorne's in Fremington in 1881. One with wife Eleanor and the other with wife Mary. Both had lived in Bickington or Fremington for many years and are, apparently, unrelated.

From inspection of the will and grant of probate of John Thorne who died 14 January 1882, the items do not refer to my ancestor John. They are for John Thorne, gen labourer, who lived at Grocer's Shop, Fremington in 1881 with his wife Eleanor. I have made contact with a descendant of this John who confirmed my findings from the names stated in the will.
Deaths Mar 1882 Thorne John 81 Barnstaple 5b 343 - described as Labourer. Died in Bickington. Informant was son R Thorne of Rolle Quay, Pilton (he appears on the 1881 census at Rolles Quay)
Probate Index 1882
John Thorne 16 Feb 1882 effects £257 2s
John Thorne late of Bickington in Fremington died 14 Jan 1882 at Bickington. Proved by John Cooke, sole executor
Wife, Eleanor, was buried at Fremington 27 July 1887, aged 64

Deaths Sep 1886
Barnstaple 5b 303 Thorne John aged 86

Death Certificate
Died on 15 July 1886 at Bickington, Fremington, John Thorne, Male, 86 years, Farm Laborer. The informant was Emma Easterbrook, daughter, present at the death, of Bickington Fremington, on 19 July 1886.
- Emma's name as the informant confirms that this is the correct John.

Burial for John was on 20 July 1886 at Fremington - abode was Bickington, age 86.

No will has been found for this John

1841 Census (indexed as Thonn)
HO107/221/18 F4 P3 & F5 P4
Kinnacott, Tawstock, Devon
John Thorn, 30, Ag Lab, in county
Mary do, 20, , in county
William Thorn, 2, , in county
- surrounding properties were referred to as Roundswil
- There is a current place called Roundswell which is presumably Roundswil on this census.
- In this era it appears that Tawstock extended in to Sticklepath and almost to Bickington. This might explain the move by 1851 to Bickington as it may only have been a move of a few hundred yards. See also the info regarding the will of William Thorne (potential candidate for John's father - since discounted)

1851 census
HO107/1893 F485 P31
Mile End Quarry, Fremington, Devon
John Thorne, Head, Mar, 48, Lime-Burner, Devon South Molton
Mary do, Wife, Mar, 34, , Devon Braunton
William do, Son, , 13, Scholar, Devon Tawstock
Elizabeth do, Daur, , 6, Scholar, Devon Barnstaple
John do, Son, , 4, , Devon Barnstaple
Edmund do, Son, , 8mo, , Devon Fremington

1861 census
RG9/1495 F13 P20
Bickington Village, Fremington
John Thorne, head, mar, 61, Ag Lab, South Molton Devon
Mary Thorne, wife, mar, 43, , Braunton Devon
Elizabeth do, daur, un, 17, Scholar, Barnstaple Devon
Edman do, son, un, 9, Scholar, Fremington Devon (Edmund)
George do, son, un, 7, Scholar, Fremington Devon
Emma do, daur, un, 5, Scholar, Fremington Devon
Henry do, son, un, 1, Scholar, Fremington Devon (Joseph Henry)

1871 census
RG10/2192 F11 P13
Bickington, Fremington
John Thorne, Head, Mar, 71, Jobbing Gardener, Filleigh Devon
Mary do, Wife, Mar, 55, Wife, Braunton Devon
Elizabeth do, Daur, Un, 28, Servant domestic, Barnstaple Devon
Edmund do, Son, Un, 19, Railway Labr., Fremington Devon
Emma do, Daur, Un, 16, Servant Domestic, Fremington Devon
Henry do, Son, Un, 11, Scholar, Fremington Devon

1881 Census
RG11/2251 F86 P20
Bickington Road, Bickington, Fremington, Devon
John Thorne, Head, Mar, 80, Labourer, Filleigh Devon
Mary do, Wife, Mar, 66, do Wife, Devon Braunton
Emma Easterbrook, Dau, Mar, 28, General Serv, Devon Frumington (sic)
George do, G Son, -, 8, Scholar, do do

In the British Directory, 1791 there is a John Thorne, Mason listed for Barnstaple - Is this John's grandfather?

1878 White's Directory - Fremington
Thorne, John, gardener, Bickington
Thorne, John, grocer, Bickington - this is the other John Thorne, of similar age

In searching for a baptism for John Thorn(e), it should be noted that he gave different places of birth on the censuses
- 1841 "In County" ie Devon
- 1851 South Molton
- 1861 South Molton
- 1871 Filleigh
- 1881 Filleigh

I have searched the Filleigh registers and there was no baptism of John

Searching for the baptism of John Thorn(e) in South Molton produced two likely entries (based on his father really being William Thorne as stated on his marriage certificate).
20 April 1800 John, son of William Thorne and Ann his wife (Ann was Ann Kingdon mar 6 Apr 1792)
4 May 1800 John, son of William Thorne and Elizabeth his wife (Elizabeth was Elizabeth Crocker, mar 26 Mar 1799)
I tried to estimate which it might be by relationship to the names of John's daughters - the first was Elizabeth Ann, so not very helpful.
Hence, either of these could be "our" John
There is also a baptism at South Molton on 10th Aug 1800 of John son of Grace Thorne (base child)

Also in Tawstock on the 1841 census is the following
HO107/221/18 F8 P11
Easticomb, Tawstock, Devon
William Thorn, 40, Glazier, Y
---
Elizabeth Thorn, 40, Ind, Yes
Ann Thorn, 85, Ind, Y
Could this indicate that "our" John was the April 1800 baptism?? And that he had a brother and sister called William and Elizabeth? - see father William for details
In 1851 William, with "servant" Elizabeth was still in Tawstock - stating he was born in Tawstock. No reference to Elizabeth on the South Molton registers.
- NOT our family. See discussion regarding the will of William Thorne of Tawstock. He had a son John who was living in Barnstaple in 1841. However, I've not eliminated this Ann Thorn as yet

Worth following up
Apprenticeship Indentures at South Molton
P01281 John Thorne, age 8, son of William, apprenticed to William Packer (Yeoman) in 1810

There is a burial in Filleigh in 1843 (on the Genuki Devon/Filleigh web site) as follows
page 26, Elizabeth THORNE Filleigh Feb 2 1843 65, approx birth = 1778
As John twice listed his place of birth as Filleigh on censuses is this the clue as to which of the two 1800 baptisms was him. i.e. is this his mother?
Death reference
Deaths Mar 1843 THORNE Elizabeth South Molton 10 149

The two baptism records :

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0
British Isles
Search Results | Download | Print

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JOHN THORNE Pedigree
Male


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Event(s):
Birth:
Christening: 20 APR 1800 South Molton, Devon, England

Death:
Burial:


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Parents:
Father: WILLIAM THORNE Family
Mother: ANN


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Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.


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Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:

C052021 1601 - 1812 0917529 Film 0933372 Film


Sheet: 00

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0
British Isles
Search Results | Download | Print

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


JOHN THORNE Pedigree
Male


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
Birth:
Christening: 04 MAY 1800 South Molton, Devon, England

Death:
Burial:


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Parents:
Father: WILLIAM THORNE Family
Mother: ELIZABETH


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:

C052021 1601 - 1812 0917529 Film 0933372 Film


Sheet: 00

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Labourer, 25 Jan 1852, Fremington, Devon, England.

• Occupation: Farm Labourer, 24 Oct 1859, Fremington, Devon, England.

• Residence, 7 Aug 1850, Bickington Quarry, Bickington, Fremington, Devon, England. at time of baptism of son Edmund

John married Mary EVANS, daughter of Edmund EVANS and Mary NICHOLLS, on 9 Jun 1856 in Fremington, Devon, England.¹ (Mary EVANS was born on 13 Jan 1822 in Braunton, Devon, England, baptised on 7 Apr 1822 in Braunton, Devon, England, died on 26 Nov 1895 in Bickington, Fremington, Devon, England ³ and was buried on 1 Dec 1895 in Fremington, Devon, England.)