A conjecture

[Redroger]

My 2XGGF was John Luffman. I have been unable to trace his birth with certainty, but have put together this conjecture based on the known facts about him, and welcome any suggestions as to its validity.
1) John was born in 1776. I have this confirmed from his age shown on marriage at Alford Lincs 25.12.1797 as 21; his military discharge from Kilmainham in 1811 as 35, and his death at Alford in 1823 as 47.
2) There is a strange baptism at Henstridge Somerset in 1777 which reads : John Luffman (surname crossed through) base son of Betty Meachard (Meatyard) bapt 13.7.1777. An archivist at Taunton RO told me this was a device used when the vicar knew or thought he knew the father's identity.
3) His discharge document says he was born in York (St Mary's parish) in 1776. Unable to find a baptism in any of the York St. Marys' parishes.
4) Betty Meatyard had several illegitimate children including a Robert who was bapt at Henstridge in Feb 1782.She never had a bastardy examination for any of them.
5) A Robert Luffman son of Betty Luffman was bapt at Baltonsborough in May 1782. I have been unable to find any other trace of this couple. The child was again illegitimate. Was this Betty and Robert moved from Henstridge for whatever reason?
6) John joined the Somerset Fencible militia in 1794 (militia records) or 1793 (Kilmainham) I suspect the Kilmainham record had been "massaged" to ensure he had sufficient pensionable service on discharge.
7) There was one Luffman family only at Henstridge in the 1770s.

I believe that John was the son of William Luffman (b1754) or of his father, also William (1718-1784) and that if the father was William senior no marriage ever took place as he was already married. I know of no marriage for William junior. As at one time or another both Williams and and a younger cousin George were members of the militia, John may have in fact been born in York, his mother having possibly accompanied the father there while he was on military or militia duty, if he did in fact serve.

I would welcome other Rootschatters' observations even if they tell me my conjecture has more holes in it than a sieve. Thanks.

[Pejic]

Not knowing how common or regional the name Luffman is and not knowing where several of the places you mention are, it seems a bit widespread to me (Somerset, Lincs and Yorkshire) on the face of it. I assume John had at least one child (if he is you ancestor!) - any others? where and when were they recorded?

[Redroger]

The surname Luffman is rare(ish), there are around 2400 bearers worldwide, around 550 in the UK, a similar number in Canada, 1200 in the USA and the rest worldwide, but mainly Australia. (Under 100). Before John's own marriage at Alford in 1797 there is no record of the surname known to me in the North of England, the heartland of the surname being in Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire. The bulk of those in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire are clustered in a small area around the northeast of Sherborne (Dorset) but though geographically close lived in three counties, which means my research covers these three record offices instead of being concentrated on one. John and his wife, Ann, had at least three legitimate children. At marriage she was recorded as a widow; having had 4 known children, one b 1785 with her husband Edward Troy, who then vanished, two others with unknown father(s) b 1790 and 1793, a further daughter b 1797 who as my ancestor was then on the scene I think was his daughter born before marriage, and three sons b1798, 1804 and 1805. The entire family descends from the eldest son, also John, and primarily from his 5 sons born between 1818 and 1828. He also had two daughters. The second son Thomas though married had no recorded children; the third son William married three days after committing a highway robbery in 1832 and was transported. He and his wife had no children that I could find. All John's three children were born in Alford Lincs.
During 1797 seven soldiers from the Somerset Militia married local girls while stationed in Alford, so my case is probably not unique.
As you see, it is quite complicated, I was trying to keep it as simple as possible to avoid confusion.

[Pejic]

Ann Walsh (a merry widow to be!) marr. Edward Troy 8-2-1785, St. Wilfred, Alford, Lincs

re John baptised 9-11-1800 St Wilfred aged 2 - according to LDS a John Luffman was buried in Alford 10-12-1869 aged 61 (so born 1808).  I have not found a reliable record for this burial/age, but IF it is right it it has some implications for your 1818 birth of his son.

Your birth of Thomas 1804: have you assumed the age of 2 as well? as FreeReg has him baptised 14-9-1802 at St WIlfred - likewise William bapt 9-6-1806.

Why do you have a William as the suspected/possible father of John born 1776?

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62297&strquery="Somerset Militia"
shows several entries, but they all seem to be to do with senior officers, I was trying to see what their recruiting arrangements were - where did your John sign on?

[Redroger]

John Luffman was buried in Alford 10.12.1869 source Alford parish register, Lincoln archive. His son, also John (not much imagination doesn't help!) died in Alford 1886. I am not sure about the baptisms of Thomas and William, I think free reg is wrong, but need to check.
Illegitimacy doesn't help, at least when there are no bastardy documents. IF My John born 1776 was the one baptised in Henstridge in 1777, then there was just one Luffman family in Henstridge at this time, William senior married, who died there in 1784, his son also William b1754 who subsequently joined the East Somerset Militia in 1805. Rechecking my work I find I am in error as there was a brother of William senior, Mathew, who died in Henstridge in 1779; he could have been the father but I had discounted him since he married in 1776 and had a son the same year. In the circumstances I think he is less likely to have been the father.

The unit of the Somerset Fencibles was raised in 1794, and the news record shows "It consisted mainly of Bath men". I checked this with the archivist, and his opinion was that this referred to residence at the time of enlistment. John enlisted on formation at Bath in March 1794.
Thanks for your interest.