John FARNELL

[Greaves]

John FARNELL married Adah AYRES/AYERS on 25 May 1791 in Kentisbeare. The couple went on to have at least five children together: May (1791), John (1793), Emily (1795), Jenny (1797) and James (1799).

Adah appears to have been born in 1767 in Kentisbeare, baptised 15 Nov 1767. She was buried in Kentisbeare on 05 Aug 1827.

John is more of a problem. I assume he was born and died in Kentisbeare, but have no evidence for this assumption.

I cannot find an appropriate birth or death. In the Devon burials records on FindMyPast there are a number of possible burials for John Farnell, but none seem possible:

buried in 1736 - clearly too early.
born 1707 & buried in 1799 - would have been 84 when his first child was born
born 1738 & buried 1826 - would have been 53 when his first child was born
born 1807 & buried 1834 - clearly too late
born 1792 & buried 1883 - this is John, his son born 1793

Help with tracking down a birth and death for John would be appreciated.

[hanes teulu]

FindMyPast burials (image/transcript)

Edith sic Farnell's burial, 5 Aug 1827, age 60  records abode as "Town."
John Farnell's burial, 9 Apr 1826, age 88, records abode as "Pixy pool." (Pixy pool is in the village of Kentisbeare according to the 1841 Census).

John's burial fits the FindMyPast baptism (image/transcript)
John  Farnell, 6 Apr 1740, son of John and Thomasin, place Kentisbeare.

A John Farnell, son of John and Agnes, was baptised 24 Dec 1734, Kentisbeare but his death is recorded "John, son of John and Agnes Farnell, 23 January 1736".

A John Farnell, husbandman married Amy Sweet, spinster, 6 May 1865, Kentisbeare. An "Amy, wife of John Farnell", was buried 29 Nov 1812, Kentisbeare. It implies husband John is still alive? 

At the moment can find one baptism (6 Apr 1740), 2 marriages (6 May 1865 and 25 May 1791) and  one burial (9 Apr 1826). Struggling to join up the dots.

[Greaves]

Thanks for your efforts. I know how difficult it is to join the dots.

I agree that the John Farnell buried in 1826 is the one born to John and Thomas back in 1740. The fit is pretty good. I am, however, far from sure that this is the John who married Adah in 1791 and had at least five children with her between 1791 and 1799. He would have been 51 at the birth of his first child and 59 at the birth of his fifth child. This just seems unlikely to me, though I suppose biologically possible.

John and Adah's son John born in 1793 went on to marry Jane WHITROW in 1858, at the late age of 65. Jane was a widow aged 51. She was born Jane HART in Uffculme.

Do you think that the John who married Amy in 1865 is the same one that was born in 1840 and later went on to marry Adah?

[hanes teulu]

"Amy wife of John" was buried 1812. Had that John married Adah/Edith it would have been bigamous.