Frances was born around 1807 in Bishop's Tawton, Devon, to William Keal (about 31), a farmer and farm labourer, and Elizabeth Keal (nee Lee) (about 29).
Frances was baptised on 18th February 1807 in Bishop's Tawton.
Frances seems to have been an only child.
On 27th April 1830, Frances (about 23) married Robert Abbott (about 24), a yeoman, in Swimbridge, four miles east of her native Bishop's Tawton. Robert is described as of North Molton; whilst Frances is of the parish of Swimbridge. Both Frances and Robert were able to sign their name.
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| Signature as Frances Keel, 1830 |
Sadly, Frances and Robert's marriage was short-lived. In early 1831, Robert passed away, aged about twenty-five. He was buried on 15th February 1831 in North Molton.
Frances and Robert had one daughter:
- Elizabeth Jane 1831 -
Frances was likely around five months pregnant, when her young husband passed away. Elizabeth Jane was baptised on 24th June 1831, in Goodleigh, four months after her father's death.
A few years later, Frances remarried. On 26th October 1834, Frances (about 27), a widow and mother of one, married John (about 33), an agricultural labourer, in Landkey. On their record of marriage, his place of residence is listed as Tawstock; whilst Frances' is Landkey. Whilst John left only his mark, implying he could not write, Frances was able to once more sign her name.
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| Signature as Frances Abbott, 1834 |
The couple's eldest son, John (likely named for his father) was baptised less than one month later, on 23rd November 1834, in Landkey. Frances would have been heavily pregnant, when they married.
Frances and John had seven children (six sons and one daughter):
- John 1834 -
- Mary 1837 -
- William 1840 -
- Samuel 1842 - 1850 (8 years old)
- Richard 1845 -
- Henry 1847 - 1847 (2 months old)
- James 1847 - 1847 (less than 2 months old)
(The 1841 Census shows Frances' eldest daughter, Elizabeth Jane, the only child from her first marriage, after her father's premature death and her mother's beginning a new family, lived with her maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth Keal, in Goodleigh.)
Sometime between 1834 and 1837, Frances and her new family moved about five miles south-west from Landkey to Eastacombe. There they lived at the time of their daughter Mary's 1837 baptism. And can still be found in the hamlet come the 1841 Census.
1841 Census:
Sometime between 1841 and 1845, the growing family moved from Eastacombe to Goodleigh. There the couple's youngest three children were baptised.
Alas three of Frances and John's children passed away young. Firstly their youngest children, twins Henry and James, in 1847. They were baptised on 21st September 1847. Less than two months later, James was buried on 14th December 1847; and then Henry, perhaps just two months old, was buried on 23rd December 1847. Both were baptised and buried in Goodleigh. There in 1850, their fourth child Samuel passed away, aged eight. He was buried on 27th November 1850 in Goodleigh.
In 1851, when Frances was about forty-four, her father William passed away, aged about seventy-five. He was buried on 7th December 1851, in Goodleigh.
Sometime around 1851, the family moved about three and a half miles from Goodleigh to Swimbridge.
1851 Census:
Sometime in the 1850's, Frances and her family moved about ten miles north from Swimbridge to Blackmore Gate.
By the 1860's, Frances' husband John wasn't simple just an agricultural labourer. On the 1861 Census, he is listed as a shepherd of 600 acres (just under one square mile).
1861 Census:
Sometime in the early 1860's, Frances and her family moved again. This time about four miles east, from Blackmore Gate to Challacombe.
In 1862, when Frances was about fifty-five, her widowed mother Elizabeth passed away, aged about eighty-five. Elizabeth was buried on 4th January 1862, in Goodleigh.
In March 1866, when Frances was about fifty-nine, her husband John tragically passed away, aged about sixty-five, in an accident at work. He was instantaneously killed, when, whilst turnip picking, he accidentally drove the 'butt' in which he was riding against a wall, causing it to capsize and himself to fall under the shaft.
John was buried on 24th March 1866 in Parracombe. Touchingly, their son Richard would name his next born child John, likely after his late father. Widowed, Frances would move in with their son Richard and his young family, at the new family home of Westland Cottage, in Challacombe. This would be a real home. The family would live there for over sixty years!
1871 Census:
Perhaps to support herself and her family, Frances worked as a Charwoman, in her widowhood.
1881 Census:
1891 Census:
In early 1892, Frances passed away, aged about eighty-five, in the district of Barnstaple. She has been an invalid in her later years, likely looked after by her son Richard and daughter-in-law Bessie/Betsy.
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