Great x3 Grandmother Martha Vernon (nee Dyment)

My great x3 grandmother Martha (1833 - 1903) was a glover, housewife, and mother of twelve.

Martha's family surname varies on different records, such as: Dyment, Diment, Dymont, Dymond, Dimond.

Martha was born around 1833 in Dolton, Devon to Robert Dyment (about 37), an agricultural labourer and later a road contractor, and Mary Dyment (nee Cudmore) (about 34).

Martha was baptised on 29th December 1833 in Dolton, Devon.

Martha was the sixth of nine children (four sons and five daughters):

• Robert  1824 - 
• Thomas  1825 -
• William  1828 - 1849 (21 years old)
• Mary  1830 -
• Elizabeth  1832 - 1842 (10 years old)
• Martha  1833 -
• Susan/Susanna  1836 - 1853 (18 years old)
• Joanna  1839 - 1853 (14 years old)
• John  1841 -

All nine siblings were baptised in Dolton and grew up there. Sadly half of Martha's siblings passed away young.

1841 Census:

In 1842, when Martha was about eight, her older sister Elizabeth passed away, aged only ten years old, in Dolton. She was buried on 16th August 1842 in Dolton. At the time of her death, Elizabeth's abode was Torrington Union [Work]House. No other evidence implies the family were in the workhouse; however, poor families often used local workhouses for cheap or free health care. This would make sense if young Elizabeth was ill and receiving medical care in the workhouse before her premature death there.

In 1849, when Martha was about fifteen, her older brother William also passed away, aged twenty-one years old, in Dolton. He was buried on 12th August 1849 in Dolton. Again, at the time of William's death, his abode was recorded as Torrington Union [Workhouse]. Again it seems likely he was receiving medical care there before he passed away.

As teenagers, Martha and her sisters worked as glovers.

1851 Census:

In 1853, when Martha was about nineteen, her younger sister Joanna also passed away, aged only fourteen years old, in Dolton, She was buried on 11 March 1853.

Also in 1853, Martha's younger sister Susan passed away, aged eighteen years old, in Dolton. She was buried on 28th August 1853. Martha would name her eldest daughter Susan after her sister.

Less the two months later, on 20th October 1853, Martha (20), a glover, married William Vernon (24), an agricultural labourer, in her native Dolton. Neither Martha nor William was able to sign their name on their marriage certificate, implying neither could write.

Martha moved with her new husband from Dolton to Ashreigney.

Martha and William had twelve children (five daughters and seven sons):

• Susan  1855 -
• Thomas  1857 -
• William 'Robert' Robert  1859 -
• Sarah Ann  1860 -
• Silas  1862 -
• Mary 'Jane' Jane  1864 -
• Arthur John  1865 -
• Isaac 'Harry' Harwood  1869 -
• Martha  1871 -
• Louisa  1872 - 1874  (16 months)
• Samuel 'Sam' Reuben  1875 -
• Ernest  1878 - 1903  (25 years)

1861 Census:

In the late 1860s, Martha and her family moved from Moorwater, Ashreigney to Fowl House, Iddesleigh.

In January 1871, when Martha was about thirty-seven, her father Robert passed away, aged seventy-four, in Dolton. He was buried on 31st January 1871 in Dolton.

1871 Census:

Around 1874, the family moved again to Hatherleigh. There, when Martha was about forty, her youngest daughter Louisa passed away, aged only 16 months.

By 1875, when Martha's son Sam was born, they had moved to Brushford; and by 1878, when her youngest son Ernest was born, they were living in Wembworthy.

In late 1877, when Martha was about forty-four, her mother Mary passed away, aged about seventy-eight, in Dolton. She was buried on 9th December 1877.

Sometime in the late 1870s, Martha and her family moved again to Stopgate, Zeal Monachorum.

1881 Census:

By 1891, they had moved again to Coldridge. Only Martha and William's youngest child, Ernest, remained at home with his parents. The rest each left home at an early age to work on different farms around mid Devon.

1891 Census:

Soon Ernest too left home, whilst Martha and William remained at Coldridge.

1901 Census:

By 1901, it seems the elderly William was no longer working. How then did the elderly couple support themselves?

In Apr/May/Jun 1903, Martha passed away, aged about sixty-nine, in the district of Crediton.