Sarah Pontifex (c1690-1718) & John Devonshire (c1690-1716)

[nong43]

Hello everyone

I'm trying to prove or disprove my possible descent from John Pontifex of West Wycombe (1545-1588). If I have a descent, it would be through Sarah Pontifex and John Devonshire, although the pedigree I've found does not make it clear whether or not they had children.

There is a marriage in Hedsor in 1732 between a Joseph Devonshire and a Diana Jones (it's an extracted record, so is probably correct). Quite a few people have Joseph as the son of Sarah P and John D, but I can't find a baptism record. I'm wondering, does anybody who has access to the full baptismal records have one for a Joseph Devonshire?

For the record, if - and it's a big if, as there's no guarantee that what I've found for later generations is correct - I do descend from Sarah P and John D, it would be thus:

Sarah Pontifex c1690-1718=John Devonshire c1690-1716
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Joseph Devonshire 1709-?=Diana Jones 1720-1772
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Clara Devonshire 1760-?=George Bowler 1756-1810
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Charles Bowler 1790-1857=Ann Newell 1785-1831
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Ann Bowler 1822-1882=George Wheeler 1823-1883
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Hannah Wheeler 1855-1892=George Ridgley 1839-1919 (Her 3rd husband, his 2nd wife)
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Charlie Ridgley 1884-1967=Florence Lunnon 1886-1978
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Kathleen Ridgley 1919-2000=Ronald Harvey 1915-1994
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Living
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Me

If anyone can help, it'd be greatly appreciated. I'd do it myself, but Aylesbury's a bit far!

Thanks

Martin

[Nookie]

I hae only just come across your posting.  I am related to Ann Pontifex (1810-1856) who married James Woods in 1833.

I have found the following on familysearch:
John Devonshire christened 25 April 1679 - father James
Joseph Devonshire christened 29 November 1709 - father John

Both of them were christened in Burnham, which fits in with where the Pontifex family were at the time.

Records that I have (unsubstantiated) show that John and Sarah had three children Joseph, Clara and Ann, all of whom received a legacy from D. Pontifex - probably Daniel.  Sarah married John in 1708, and then went on to marry a James Style on 1 July 1716 in Hedsor.

Hope this helps you find some more information.

[supermoussi]

The Bucks FHS do Baptism, Marriage and Will Reference searches that will probably help you:-

http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=17&Itemid=199

[Vance Mead]

This is quite an old post, so I hope you are still around.

If there are no parish records for their children, they may be found in the will of Daniel Pontifix/Pontifex, her brother.

There is a large chart of the descendants of John Pontifex. Link below, search for Pedigree of Pontifex.

A few lines down, middle of page, the daughter of William:

Sarah Pontifex, first marriage 14 November  1708, to John Devonshire of Burnham. Legacies to children of this marriage from D. Pontifex of Wooburn. This would be the will of Daniel Pontifix, of Wooburn, yeoman, 1725. This is available from the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies. She also married James Style, son of James Style of Burnham.

Before John Pontifex of West Wycombe (will 1588/89), I have found some earlier Pontifexes in the Court of Common Pleas:

1551 Michaelmas/fronts a 944
Bucks. Thomas Tirry and Isabel his wife versus John Hawke, of Huchendon, smith; Christopher West, of Magna Marlow, husbandman; and John Pontifex of Huchendon, cook, on a plea of defamation. "Thomas Tirry and Isabel his wife have beaten, dispatched and killed one William Asshewell, their boy" or in the original: “Thomas Tirry & Isabell his wife have beton dispatched & kylled one Wyllyam Asshewell theyr boye”.

1552 Easter/fronts 363
Bucks. Thomas Wydmer, senior, versus John Pontifex, of Huchenden, cook; Richard Hawes, of Huchenden, husbandman; and Geoffrey Trye, of Huchenden, carpenter, on a plea of trespass: close at Hunchenden.

1553 Easter/dorses a 1481
Bucks. John Pontyfex and Joan his wife versus Geoffrey Trye, of Hydgyndon, carpenter, on a plea of trespass:close at Hydgyndon (Hughenden).

This John Pontifex of Hughenden, cook, and his wife Joan are probably the parents of John Pontifex of West Wycombe. The two parishes are adjacent.

Before this, there were some earlier Pontifexes in the Court of Common Pleas in East Claydon and Wingrave, going back to the 1460s.

https://books.familysearch.org/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=FHD_PUBLIC
Pedigree of Pontifex

https://sites.google.com/site/meadfamilyhistory/home/legal-records/pontifex

[nong43]

I'm still around, Vance, although I'd put this particular line of research (and family history in general), on the back burner for some time (embarking on a new career can be time-consuming).

I'm back on it now, though, although no nearer to the truth with this line than I once was. The sticking point is Charles Bowler - 1851 census says he was born in Princes Risborough, all the research I've seen says he was baptised in Farnham Royal. I do know where and when he got married, though: in Fingest on 2 January 1808.

That is, assuming all these Charleses are the same person; I've found another Bowler thread which, while old, is still open, so I'll enquire there.

[hanes teulu]

I
The sticking point is Charles Bowler - 1851 census says he was born in Princes Risborough, all the research I've seen says he was baptised in Farnham Royal. 

That is, assuming all these Charleses are the same person; I've found another Bowler thread which, while old, is still open, so I'll enquire there.

On the '51 Census I have found he gives his age as 68, born Princes Risborough - calc YoB 1783. Is this the '51 Census you are referring to?
There's a baptism 26 Sep 1783, Little Missenden, mother Ruth, no father.

The Farnham Royal baptism I can spot is 12 Sep 1790, parents George and Clara.

[nong43]

On the '51 Census I have found he gives his age as 68, born Princes Risborough - calc YoB 1783. Is this the '51 Census you are referring to?

Yes, that's the one. Unfortunately, since he died before 1861 this is the only useful census he's on (all the 1841 census shows is whether an individual was born in the county or not).

There's a baptism 26 Sep 1783, Little Missenden, mother Ruth, no father.

As far as I can tell, tragically, baby Charles died the next day.

The Farnham Royal baptism I can spot is 12 Sep 1790, parents George and Clara.

Yes, that's the Farnham Royal one. If this is a different one to the Princes Risborough one, I don't know what became of him - can't see any record for him in that parish other than the baptism.

[hanes teulu]

On the 51 Census Charles' wife is a Priscilla - a 2nd marriage?

[Nookie]

https://books.familysearch.org/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=FHD_PUBLIC
Pedigree of Pontifex

https://sites.google.com/site/meadfamilyhistory/home/legal-records/pontifex

Vance Mead - Thank you so much for the link to the Pontifex Pedigree. So sorry to see that my g/g/grandmother has just been relegated to "had issue, one daughter"