John Pontifex 1771-1841

[Nookie]

I am trying to trace the marriage of John Pontifex 1771-1841 to Ann Barnard born between 1786 and 1779 who died in London on 10 November 1863.  Ann Barnard was born in Denston, Suffolk, and John was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

Their only child Ann Pontifex was born in Mitchem, Surrey on 14 April 1810, so I think it is possible that they married there round about 1808/1809.

There is another Ann who married a Pontifex born in 1779 but she was not born in Suffolk and died in February 1863 not November 1863.

Any help would really be appreciated.

[Paco]

If you look at Burkes Family Records for John Pontifex it mentions his marriage to Ann Barnard who was from Newmarket Cambridgeshire. Not sure of the date as there is quite a lot of info about the whole family on there, and I did not read it all. From a tree online it would appear that there were at least six children the first being Emma in 1806 born Richmond Surrey, as were some of the others. John seems to have left a will, although I have not searched for it dated 23/10/1838 and proved 2/10/1841.
Regards.

[Vance Mead]

His will is PCC:

Will of John Pontifex, Coppersmith, Millwright and Backmaker of Saint Andrews Holborn
02 October 1841

It's at the National Archives, so you can sign in and download for free.

[Nookie]

Thank you Paco. Unfortunately there is at least one John (if not more) in each generation of the Pontifex family which makes life very difficult to say the least. The John that you found is unfortunately not "my one, although he is a relative.

There is great confusion as another John Pontifex married Ann Barnard from Newmarket but she died in February 1863 whereas my Ann Barnard died in November 1863.

Vance, thank you.  I have a copy of his will, but other than mentioning his wife Ann, it gives no other details on her.

Most of the other Pontifex clan seem to be very well documented, but I have been unable to find a marriage for my John anywhere.

Thank you both for the input.

[Vance Mead]

I am descended from John's brother William Pontifex, who was a coppersmith in Shoe Lane, Holborn. William had a son, George Pontifex, who went to Georgetown, Demarara, South America. George's daughter, Thulia, was my GG grandmother.

I have information on the Pontifex family in Buckinghamshire (Wingrave, East Claydon, Hughenden) from Common Pleas records going back to the 1400s.

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

[Nookie]

Thank you for the link. Very interesting.  I have not followed William, John's brother, till now - as I seem to be stuck on John and his marriage to Ann 

[Vance Mead]

According to the site below, John Pontifex was married twice, first to Sarah Collingwood and then to Anne Barnard.

http://www.charsbrokenbranches.com/Family_Tree/WC02/WC02_065.htm

[Nookie]

Thank you for looking. Unfortunately that is a different John! He was born in April 1770 mine on 10 June 1771) and died in February 1841 (mine 1 Sept 1841). He is the son of John and Anne Bunyan.  As I said - far too many John's in the Pontifex family