Great x4 Grandfather John Bennett

My Great x4 Grandfather John (1792 - 1859) was a ropemaker and father of eight.

John was born on 3rd April 1792 in South Molton, Devon, to John Bennett, a ropemaker, and Mary Bennett.

John was privately baptised two days after his birth, on 5th April 1792; however, he was later, alongside his next younger sister Lydia, received into the church on 26th December 1794, in South Molton.

John was the eldest of seven children (five sons and two daughters)

• John  1792 -
• Lydia 1794 - 1795 (about ten months old)
• Lydia  1796 - 1806 (9 years old)
• Henry  1799 -
• Charles  1800 -
• Giles  1802 -
• Robert  1805 - 1806 (about 20 months old)

Interestingly, John and his sisters (both called Lydia) were privately baptised a few days after their birth, then later received into the church. And John's next three younger brothers were baptised together on the same day in 1803.

Sadly three of John's younger siblings passed away in childhood. In August 1795, when John was three years old, his younger sister Lydia passed away, aged only about ten months. Lydia was buried on 28th August 1795 in South Molton. In April 1806, when John was fourteen, his next younger sister Lydia passed away, aged about nine years old. Lydia was buried on 23rd April 1806. In October 1806, his youngest brother Robert passed away, aged only about twenty months. Robert was buried on 26th October 1806 in South Molton.

On 15th March 1827, John (about 35), a ropemaker, married Jane 'Jenny' Godsland (about 23) in his native South Molton. Both John and Jane were able to sign their name. They married in the presence of Sarah Bennett and John Godsland, likely relatives of groom and bride.

Signature of John Bennett, 1827

Their first child Mary was baptised in August 1827, meaning Jane was about four months pregnant when they married.

John and Jane had eight children (three daughters and five sons):

• Mary  1827 -
• John  1829 -
• Jane  1831 - 
• William  1834 - 
• Robert  1836 - 
• Emma  1839 - 
• James  1842 - 
• Samuel  1845 - 

Around 1828, John and his young family moved, over twenty miles south, from South Molton to Hatherleigh. Their children John, Jane and William were baptised there. The family moved again, around 1835, about twenty-fives miles east, from Hatherleigh to Upton Pyne. Their younger children Robert, Emma, James and Samuel were baptised there.

1841 Census:

1851 Census:

In 1855, when John was sixty-three, John's wife Jane passed away, aged about fifty-one, at Upton Pyne. She was buried on 29th April 1855 in Upton Pyne.

A few years later, in 1859, John himself passed away, aged sixty-seven. He was buried on 22nd Mary 1859 in Upton Pyne.