Mary Littlejohns born about 1730 possibly in Milton Dameral

[CelticMom]

I have Mary Littlejohns giving birth to two illegitimate children in Milton Damerel

Jeremiah in 1747 and Mary in 1748.

I am having trouble locating a baptism for her. There is one 1728 in Dittisham to John Littlejohns and Elizabeth Fox and many have this in their tree, but I am not convinced this is her baptism.

There is a big Littlejohns presence in Shebbear/Milton Damerel so I feel it is more likely she is born there, are there baptisms missing?

Would any parish records maybe give any info to the father of the illegitimate children, maybe if she applied for help from the parish?

[ColC]

I do not see a clear birth record for Mary; I do note the two births you mention

Mother Mary
Jeremiah Littlejohns
Baptism 28/12/1747 Milton Damerel,Devon,

Mary Littlejohns
Baptism Date: 19 Feb 1748 Shebbear, Devon

I did find a possible marriage and given the dates I wonder if Bartholomew was the father?

Mary Littlejohns
Spouse Bartholomew Sanders
Marriage 15/05/1750 Shebbear, Devon

Child of above Samuel Sanders baptism 8 Nov 1750 Shebbear, Devon

There was however a later marriage, but no children in the area?

Mary Littlejohns
Spouse George Stevens
Marriage 03/09/1754 Milton Damerel, Devon

Colin

[CelticMom]

Thank you

I think the George Steven marriage could be her, seems likely. They had one son George Stevens born a year after the marriage.

There is a William Littlejohns and Mary Hockins in Milton Damerel around the time she would be born, so I am wondering if those might be her parents. I do appear to have a dna match to the Hockins line.

But definitely not baptism found, are some missing maybe?

EDIT: Actually if Mary was baptised in Shebbear in 1848, maybe the Bartholemew marriage is more likely to be her, as she was obviously then in Shebbear. Although there is not much distance between Shebbear and Milton Dameral.

[DOB7]

What about the Mary LITTLEJOHNS buried at Milton Damerel in 1813 said to be born 1732? Maybe she never married.

[CelticMom]

What about the Mary LITTLEJOHNS buried at Milton Damerel in 1813 said to be born 1732? Maybe she never married.

Thank you - I did wonder about that one but not sure, it would make her just 15 at the time of her sons birth, but not impossible.

Edit: But either way I still can't tie in a baptism for her. The only one around the right time is in Dittisham, but I am not convinced that is her. Hence why i wonder if some baptism are missing or maybe she is poorly transcribed.

[DOB7]

The Devon Family History Society has images of the actual surviving registers from Milton Damerel available to their members on their website. There is a gap in the registers that I looked at from about 1716 to 1730. Family Search presumably uses the Bishops Transcripts which cover those dates.

[CelticMom]

The Devon Family History Society has images of the actual surviving registers from Milton Damerel available to their members on their website. There is a gap in the registers that I looked at from about 1716 to 1730. Family Search presumably uses the Bishops Transcripts which cover those dates.

So it might be worth me contacting them? or do you mean there is a gap for those years completely and none exist?

Would be great if I could find a baptism to confirm my theory that William and Mary Hockins are her parents.

Now if only there was a way of working out the father of her kids. So frustrating when an illegitimate child put a dead end on a branch.

I am wondering if I might find something in the poor law records, if she applied for help from the parish being a single mother.

[DOB7]

The registers are available for viewing to members only but I couldn't see any pages for those years.

[CelticMom]

The registers are available for viewing to members only but I couldn't see any pages for those years.

can I ask for a link to the info on Devon Family History having milton damerel records, I did look on their site but could only see that they have records mostly from 1813 for baptisms. But may be not look in the right place.