Jo - I have spent the afternoon trying to chase down the family of John and Amy (Michell) Penberthy and it has been a bit of a challenge.
We know that John Penberthy married Amy Michell in June 1811 and it looks like it wasn’t long after that before the first child appeared and this is where the first part of the ‘challenge’ came in.
John son of John and EMMA Penberthy baptised 28th July 1811 at Ludgvan (born 6th July 1811)
John Penberthy of Ludgvan age 5 weeks was buried 16th August 1811 at Ludgvan.
This is the only Penberthy baptism where the mother’s name was ‘Emma’ so I think this is certainly Amy.
(There is a similar problem a little later but with a slightly different name.)
The ‘straightforward’ baptisms are as follows:-
John son of John and Amy Penberthy bp. 6th September 1812 Ludgvan (born 15th August 1812)
James son of John and Amy Penberthy bp. 19th March 1815 Ludgvan (born 8th March 1815)
William son of John and Amy Penberthy of Angarrack bp. 28th November 1819 at Phillack
Jane daughter of John and Amy Pemberthy of St Erth bp. 12th May 1822 at St Erth
Elizabeth daughter of John and Amy Penberthy of Uny Lelant bp. 21st March 1824 at Lelant
Stephen son of John and Amy Penberthy bp. 13th December 1829 Ludgvan (born 19th November 1829)
In the 1851 Census Amy Penberthy is a widow age 63 living at Canons Town, Ludgvan and with her is her grandson John Penberthy age 9 and born St Hilary.
I could find only one John Penberthy baptised about the right time and place:-
John son of Edward and Thomasine Penberthy of Marazion bp. 12th June 1842 at Marazion
Problem here is that I had no son named Edward for John and Amy!
I then looked at the 1841 Census and was confronted with the next part of the challenge!
1841 Census
Canons Town, Ludgvan
John MICHELL, 30, copper miner
Elizabeth do., 30
John do., 7
James do., 4
William do., 2 mths
Mary do., 9
Elizabeth do., 2
Edward MICHELL, 45, tin miner
Mary do., 45
William do., 20
Edward do., 20
Samuel do., 15
John do., 15
Eliza do., 11
Elizabeth do., 6
James do., 5
Stephe do., 4
James PENBERTHY, 25, tin miner
Jane do., 25
Amey PENBERTHY, 50, Ind.
EDWARD do., 20, tin miner
William do., 20
Joseph do., 15
Jane do., 20
SAMUEL do., 12
John MICHELL may be the youngest brother of Amy but I am not sure of that yet. The fact that he is enumerated close to Edward Michell and then Amy tends to suggest he may be related.
Edward Michell with wife Mary and several children is
obviously ‘your’ man and also Amy’s brother so his family is not much of a problem here.
James Penberthy was Amy’s son.
James Penberthy (son of John) married Jane Uren (daughter of Edmond) 7th September 1839 at Ludgvan
Jane is possibly ‘Jenipher’ Uren sister of Philippa who married John Michell in 1848.
Now, as you can see from the Census details EDWARD has suddently appeared!
It makes sense that there would have been a son named Edward but I have not yet found a baptism for him.
William is fine and Jane is listed out of order – but then comes the next challenging part of the scenario ……… Joseph and Samuel!
No sign of a Joseph yet but I do have a Samuel.
Samuel son of John and EMBLEM Penberthy of Ludgvan Common baptised 26th February 1828 at Lelant
Once again there seems to be no other Penberthy child whose mother was Emblem so I think this must be Amy once again.
I still have some work to do but you should now have a complete list of the children of John and Amy Penberthy.
My other main problem here is to identify John Penberthy and that is made more difficult by the fact that Amy was a widow by 1841.
That means that I have nothing to tell me where John was born although it would be a good chance that it was Lelant.
There is a burial at Lelant in 1835 for a John Penberthy of Ludgvan age 48.
That puts his birth at about 1786 or 1787 but the problem then is that there are two possible candidates and I cannot find either of them in the 1841 Census.
I think John Penberthy will have to wait for a while.
The burial of Amy is the one at Ludgvan in 1865.
Amy Pemberthy of Crowlas age 79 buried 23rd November 1865 Ludgvan
In 1861 Amy was with her son James and his family at Ludgvan.
Interesting to note that James’ wife in 1861 was recorded as Jenifer so I think it certain now that she was the sister of Philippa Uren who married John Michell in 1848.
I have been unable to find any further trace of Joseph, Samuel or Edward Penberthy (sons of John and Amy) in England so they also might have to wait for another day.
Aha! – I can add a little more!
I have just found a burial for the youngest son, Stephen.
Stephen Penberthy, infant, of Colorian Common in Ludgvan buried 21st March 1830 at Lelant
This means that his father is most likely this one:-
John Penberthy of Callorian Downs, Ludgvan, age 48 buried 6th June 1835 at Lelant
That is all for now.
CT