2 x Richard Jennings, wives both Catherine & many Baptisms

[andrewwa]

Would greatly appreciate some assistance with some research into the Jennings family in St Ives.
The issues I have relate to two separate Richard Jennings both marrying Catherine in 1802 and then separating the plethora of baptisms which follow.
Marriage 1
Richard Jennings (#1), Shipwright, married Catherine Ninnes on 3 January 1802 in St Ives. Cornwall OPC provides no further details.
Marriage 2
Richard Jennings (#2), Mariner, married Catherine Stevens on 18 July 1802 in St Ives. Cornwall OPC provides no further details.
Richard Jennings 1
RJ1 was most likely baptised in St Ives, 24 May 1779 - son of Richard and Alice Jennings (nee Quick)
His wife, Catherine Ninnis, who was baptised in St Ives, 17 Jan 1787, is most likely the illegitimate daughter of Catherine Ninnis. Catherine was buried in St Ives on 1 May 1842.
Richard Jennings 2
RJ2 was most likely baptised in St Ives on 8 Dec 1776 - son of William and Jane Jennings (nee Tonking). His wife is most likely Catherine Stevens, who was baptised in St Ives on 9 Feb 1777 - daughter of Henry and Isabella Stevens. Catherine was buried in St Ives on 9 Sep 1842.
Baptisms ex Cornwall OPC
Cornwall OPC provides the following list of baptisms in St Ives for Richard and Christine Jennings:
1. 15 Jul 1802 – Richard (prob. married Elizabeth Gyles)
2. 25 May 1805 – Honour
3. 19 Aug 1804 – Robert (prob. married Honour Jennings. Father – William Jennings)
4. 1 Dec 1805 – Richard (buried 16 Dec 1810)
5. 12 Nov 1806 - John
6. 12 Nov 1806 – Catherine
7. 10 Jun 1810 - Henry Stevens (prob. married Mary Ann Peters)
8. 16 Dec 1810 – Richard
9. 24 Dec 1810 – Edwin (buried 24 Jan 1811)
10. 7 Aug 1811 – Ann (buried 26 Oct 1815)
11. 27 mar 1812 – Mary “Polly” (prob. married John Curnow)
12. 29 May 1814 – Alice (Father – Shipwright)
13. 23 Sep 1814 – Richard (Father – Fisherman)
14. 19 Jan 1817 – William (prob. married Sally Burrell)
15. 4 May 1817 – Edwin (Father – Shipwright)
16. 27 Jul 1818 – James (Father – Shipwright)
17. 22 Jun 1821 – Elizabeth ‘Betsey’ (prob. married John Warren) (Father – Fisherman)
18. 6 Jun 1823 – Francis
19. 4 May 1828 – Anna Maria
20. 4 May 1828 – Richard
OPC gives the father’s occupation for only some of the baptisms (Shipwright or Fisherman as shown).

On the basis of limited Census data and OPC information I have allocated the baptisms/children as follows:
RJ1 – Shipwright: 1, 3, 5, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20.
RJ2 – Fisherman: 2, 7, 11, 13, 14, 17.
Unallocated: 4, 6, 8, 10, 18.

Would welcome confirmation, corrections or any additional information.

[Cornish Terrier]

I did some work on these some time back so I think I can answer all your questions with the exception of placing four of those children baptised prior to 1813. I believe those four are all in your 'unallocated' list.

His wife, Catherine Ninnis, who was baptised in St Ives, 17 Jan 1787, is most likely the illegitimate daughter of Catherine Ninnis. Catherine was buried in St Ives on 1 May 1842.

This baptism is incorrect as will be shown in the following and because the baptism is wrong the burial must be in doubt.

Although I had not actually made the link in my database at the time I agree that the Richard Jennings who married Catherine Ninnis was probably the son of Richard and Alice (nee Quick).
I will first deal with the two marriages and then will copy your list of children and add my own comments for each.

Marriage 1 - Richard Jennings and Catherine Ninnis
This marriage performed 'by Licence' and with consent of parents. 'Consent of parents' can be a little confusing sometimes as the Vicars of some Parishes used the term for EVERY marriage over a period of several years. Not so in the case of St Ives however and in this case, as Richard Jennings was about 23, the 'minor' would have been Catherine Ninnis.
The other information you have been missing about this marriage is that the Witnesses were - Isaac Ninnis and Rich Jennings and it is this that helps identify both bride and groom.

Catherine Ninnis was baptised at St Ives 10th March 1784 (born 7th February) to Isaac Ninnes and Ann (nee Leggo) who were married at St Just 23rd February 1780.

Marriage 2 - Richard Jennings and Catherine Stevens
Witnesses to this marriage were William Jennings and Edwd Richards. I agree that Richard was son of William Jennings and Jane Tonking but I had not reached the stage of identifying Catherine Stevens. A son was named Henry Stevens Jennings which is certainly suggestive but until I have done some more work on the Stevens families I prefer to leave Catherine's identity on hold.

And now for the children. I will identify each child by the mother's name:-

1. 15 Jul 1802 – Richard (prob. married Elizabeth Gyles)
Almost certainly the son of Catherine Ninnis although most certainly NOT the man who married Elizabeth Gyles. If you check the Census you will find that Catherine Ninnis was the mother of the Richard Jennings baptised in 1828. I have not found a burial for Richard (1802) but as he may have lived as late as 1827 it is possible that he was a fisherman and died at sea.
The Richard Jennings who married Elizabeth Gyles was baptised at St Ives 20th March 1802 to William Jennings and his second wife Sarah (nee Lanyon).

2. 25 May 1805 – Honour
Daughter of Catherine Stevens

3. 19 Aug 1804 – Robert (prob. married Honour Jennings. Father – William Jennings)
Son of Catherine Ninnis. He married Honour Jennings daughter of William and Mary (nee Major).

4. 1 Dec 1805 – Richard (buried 16 Dec 1810)
Son of Catherine Stevens

5. 12 Nov 1806 - John
UNKNOWN

6. 12 Nov 1806 – Catherine
UNKNOWN - her baptism date was actually 26th June 1808.

7. 10 Jun 1810 - Henry Stevens (prob. married Mary Ann Peters)
Son of Catherine Stevens

8. 16 Dec 1810 – Richard
*** This is the burial of your NO. 4 above ***

9. 24 Dec 1810 – Edwin (buried 24 Jan 1811)
Son of Catherine Ninnis

10. 7 Aug 1811 – Ann (buried 26 Oct 1815)
UNKNOWN - but a timeline for each family suggests she was probably the daughter of Catherine Ninnis.

11. 27 mar 1812 – Mary “Polly” (prob. married John Curnow)
Daughter of Catherine Stevens. She married Thomas Curnow at St Ives 20th June 1832 and amongst her children were Catherine Jennings Curnow and Richard Jennings Curnow.

12. 29 May 1814 – Alice (Father – Shipwright)
Daughter of Catherine Ninnis

13. 23 Sep 1814 – Richard (Father – Fisherman)
Son of Catherine Stevens

14. 19 Jan 1817 – William (prob. married Sally Burrell)
Son of Catherine Stevens. Married Sarah/Sally Burrell 1840.

15. 4 May 1817 – Edwin (Father – Shipwright)
Son of Catherine Ninnis

16. 27 Jul 1818 – James (Father – Shipwright)
Son of Catherine Ninnis

17. 22 Jun 1821 – Elizabeth ‘Betsey’ (prob. married John Warren) (Father – Fisherman)
Daughter of Catherine Stevens

18. 6 Jun 1823 – Francis
Son of Catherine Ninnis

19. 4 May 1828 – Anna Maria
Daughter of Catherine Ninnis

20. 4 May 1828 – Richard
Son of Catherine Ninnis

OPC gives the father’s occupation for only some of the baptisms (Shipwright or Fisherman as shown).
From 1813 onwards the registers made provision for the recording of the father's occupation. Prior to 1813 it was only occasionally that this information might be found.


CT

[sue]

If Catherine Jennings baptised 1808 is the marriage 1835 St Ives to John Wedge (Wedge witnesses) with children Catherine 1835 & Elizabeth c1843, is the apparent marriage of elder daughter Catherine Wedge 27 March 1859 St Ives to Philip Williams, witnesses William Jennings & Elizabeth Jennings Hodge/Wedge an indication that Catherine 1808 belongs to Catherine Stevens?

I.e. is William Jennings at the 1859 marriage Catherine Wedge's maternal uncle, standing in as witness for deceased father John Wedge? I wonder if the Mark at William Jennings' 1840 marriage bears comparison?

Sue

P.S. Married Catherine Williams is in 1861 next-door-but-one in Chapel Street to Honor Jennings 68, who as daughter of Catherine Stevens would then be her mother's sister.

[Cornish Terrier]

Daughter Elizabeth Wedge was actually born Elizabeth Jennings Wedge and is obviously the witness in the Philip Williams marriage. There is only one Elizabeth/Betsy in the list of children and she was the daughter of Catherine Stevens so there is a tenuous link there. There is no Elizabeth/Betsy among the parents either so for Catherine to be daughter of Catherine Stevens does look more likely.

But there is one other clue that might be a good pointer - I have not found any children for John and Betsy Warren and nor have I found a burial for Betsy. I have not yet checked the Census but I suspect that I might not find John and Betsy there either. It could be that Elizabeth Jennings Wedge was named for Betsy (Jennings) Warren possibly because after her marriage Betsy and John departed for foreign shores.

That is certainly not conclusive but it is a scenario that fits what little we know.

CT

[andrewwa]

CT and Sue
Thanks for your speedy replies.

Appreciate your confirmations and corrections and additional information.

I had John linked with Catherine Jennings nee Ninnis due to the 1841 Census entry:

Catherine Jennings, 55yo Publican is shown as living at ?? Inn, Fore St, St Ives with:
John - 30yo, Alice - 25yo, Ann - 15yo and Richard - 12yo.
Taking into account the 1841 handling of ages these appear to relate reasonably well to nos. 5, 12, 19 & 20.

[andrewwa]

CT

John and Betsey Warren (nee Jennings) appear to have seen out their lives in St Ives. John appears to have died in 1884. Betsey appears to have died as Elizabeth in 1893.

John was a Fisherman. He and Betsey can be traced through Census data 1851-1881 living on Teetotal Row/St or Knills Row on Downlong.

They had 6 children: John 1852, Henry Stevens 1853, Thomas Curnow 1855, Richard Jennings 1856, Catherine Ann 1858 and Betsey/Bessie 1860.

The names appear to confirm their pedigree......

[andrewwa]

Thanks CT and Sue

Greatly appreciate your additional information and corrections.

We appear to have now allocated the Baptisms as follows:

Richard Jennings and Catherine (nee Ninnis) - 11 children (1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)

Richard Jennings and Catherine (nee Stevens) - 8 children (2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 17)

#8 (as picked up by CT) the death of #4.

Both Catherine Jennings can be found in the 1841 Census.

[Cornish Terrier]

That seems to be about how I have it at the moment. When I have the time I will try and follow through on marriages and burials for the children of these two families. Hopefully more will be found then to help confirm these findings.

CT