Posse Comitatus meaning of 'Drawn Man'

[Lalzovi]

Hello,

My research has now brought me to Buckinghamshire. It is presenting new challenges (fewer online parish record transcriptions than I have seen in other counties) but I am enjoying using the 1798 Posse Comitatus.

One of my ancestors is James who I believe was the son of John Cadd of Hillesden. John was the subject of another thread a few years ago (https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=742830.msg5895331#msg5895331) and I would be interested to know if anything more was ever found out about him. John is not mentioned on the Posse Comitatus for Hillesden (he was probably over-age or deceased) but there is a labourer 'John Cadd junior', probably his son.

Meanwhile there is a labourer William Cadd senior and servant William Cadd junior, probably relations of the Johns and Jameses but their exact relationship is not known to me right now.

Finally, there is a labourer James Cadd, who is either the son of John or perhaps a son of William instead. I will mention him in my family account as 'possibly' our James in question, but I am intrigued that he is mentioned not only as a labourer but as a 'Drawn Man'. Only two people in the whole Posse Comitatus are mentioned in this way, the other being another Hillesden labourer. The preface to the Posse suggests this means they were called for military service but no further details are given.

My questions: What did it mean to be a drawn man? Were they already absent at the time the census was taken? Can we find out anything more about James' potential military service? Can we confirm whether or not he was the son of the elusive John Cadd?

[Peggy13]

I searched for this on Hall’s genealogy site of old occupations and this was not there but seems possible something to do with weaving similar to a drawer in.

[jonw65]

Drawn man by ballot for service in the Militia.

[Bookbox]

Drawn man by ballot for service in the Militia.

Definitely.
There’s a good explanation in the standard Gibson Guide (see page 5)
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=K2h6b2T0yJUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Militia+lists+and+musters+1757%E2%80%931876%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3xaDijuTkAhVGasAKHbkrDYgQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=%22Militia%20lists%20and%20musters%201757%E2%80%931876%22&f=false

To help with your CADD research, you might want to get a surname search done by the BucksFHS (at modest cost)
https://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php/database-searches

[Bookbox]

This other thread, started today, might also interest you ...

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=819060.msg6811293

[Lalzovi]

Drawn man by ballot for service in the Militia.

Definitely.
There’s a good explanation in the standard Gibson Guide (see page 5)
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=K2h6b2T0yJUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Militia+lists+and+musters+1757%E2%80%931876%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3xaDijuTkAhVGasAKHbkrDYgQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=%22Militia%20lists%20and%20musters%201757%E2%80%931876%22&f=false

To help with your CADD research, you might want to get a surname search done by the BucksFHS (at modest cost)
https://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php/database-searches

Fascinating, thank you. It's interesting that out of the whole of Buckinghamshire he is one of only two that were said to be drawn. Perhaps other villages didn't think to mention it. This link gives some good insight into the system from Northamptonshire and I wonder how representative it is of other counties: http://www.cottinghamhistory.co.uk/1777%20Militia%20List.htm

Wikipedia tells me the Royal Buckinghamshire Militia were 'embodied' for the French Revolutionary Wars which coincided with James being a drawn man. Another county's information (Lancashire: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/52092/Handlist72militiaandvolunteers.pdf) states that drawn men would not have served overseas. Any thoughts as to whether James might have headed to France or not?

Yes, I expect several searches from different counties will be necessary soon enough. Thanks again.