SOLDIERS IN ST. IVES IN THE 18th CENTURY

[Loolah]

I have a question about soldiers marrying local lasses in St. Ives during the 1760s-1770s.

In the vain hope of finding clues to where my ancestor, James Young, came from, I've been looking at his wife's family- the Purefoys. (Yes CT, I'm still on the hunt for James Young's origins !) It seems that James's wife, Ann Purefoy, had an older sister, Jane. Jane married Thomas Boon, a 'soldier and sojourner' in 1767. (Cornwall OPC /FMP refer). Were Thomas and James in the same regiment? Did Thomas introduce James to Ann?
Then I find that Jane Boon is wodowed and remarries, to another soldier. In all probability this Jane is Ann's sister - she and Ann married on exactly the same day in St.Ives in September 1771.

I digress - looking at marriages in the parish around those times, there were several involving soldiers. I am now on a mission to try and establish which regiment/militia was in the area. This is in the hope that finding a regiment might get me a tad closer to tracing my ancestor's origins. Many years ago, I spent a several hours at the National Archives trying to find a military record for my James Young - there were one or two clues but all ended up as dead ends; either records were lost or destroyed or dates were wrong or likely regiments, such as 32nd Foot, were in the wrong place for the dates.

Does anyone out there have any knowledge of regiments in Cornwall, in particular St.Ives, during the 1760s-1770s?
Any clues/help/guidance would be very much appreciated.
Loolah

[Cornish Terrier]

Hi Loolah - I'm not sure how you might go about this but I am sure there are many others, including myself, who have encountered such marriages. But this issue is not specific to St Ives either - if you take a look through the Madron registers you will find many, many examples of marriages between local girls and soldiers. I would also suspect to find this at places such as Falmouth which is also a port.

CT

[jacob]

There is an online site called 'Forces War Records' which might help you with regiments.

[Loolah]

Thank you CT and jacob for your replies.
Jacob, I had forgetten about the 'Forces War Records' which I did subscribe to so I will have a look there.
CT (hello again CT) - yes indeed, this was not at all unusual especially in/near garrison towns, ports etc. I'm just clutching at any straws that might help.
I may have to return to the National Archives/CRO to look again at Muster Rolls.
And so it goes on!
Thanks again.
Loolah

ps It looks like Jane Boon (nee Purefoy) was widowed just a few yeasinto her marriage. She then married again on the same day as her sister Ann married James Young (16 September 1771). He husband was also a soldier but his name has been transcribed as David Crame/Crames and even Paul Crame (s).

[Cornish Terrier]

Loolah - the images for St Ives marriages are not the easiest to read and the two marriages of interest to you here are especially poor. In the Banns section of the marriage record the name looks like David Crame but it is a little blurred and so uncertain. In the marriage section of the record it again does look like David Crame but this time the handwriting is very faint. If you look at the signiature The beginning of the forename bears an ink smudge but the name does look like Paul while the surname appears to begin 'Cra' but then becomes most difficult to decipher. Fortunately I also have a copy of the St Ives BTs and they clearly show that the name of Jane Boon's husband is David Crame.

CT

[Loolah]

CT - that is really helpful. Thank you so much for looking into it or me. Loolah

[petey]

Hi Loolah, Just found you post. James Young the solider was born in New Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. It is likely that he was in a Scottish regiment in either Glasgow or Edinburgh. One question that was bugging me was why did he move to St Ives in the first place. One possible scenario is he resigned his post and as a consequence was disgraced. Back then I think you joined the regiment for life. Another possible scenario is that he was injured and unable to rejoin his regiment. You would have to check if there were and conflicts or battles around 1760. Just a long shot but possible.
It is unlikely that he was a Scottish solider posted to St Ives England as St Ives is not Scottish Territory. I am still not sure about the birth date for James 1740 or 1744? If indeed that James died in 1773. It is possible that Ann remarried James Berriman in 1773. There is a record of at least three children from this marriage.

I hope this information narrows you search down for information about James. I am curious to find out more about him as he is a direct ancestor of ours.


Cheer from OZ

Petey

[Cornish Terrier]

It is unlikely that he was a Scottish solider posted to St Ives England as St Ives is not Scottish Territory. I am still not sure about the birth date for James 1740 or 1744? If indeed that James died in 1773. It is possible that Ann remarried James Berriman in 1773. There is a record of at least three children from this marriage.

I assume from this comment that you are referring to the marriage at St Ives 18th February 1773? If so then there is no connection to James Young.

Ann Purefoy was a widow when she married James Berriman and there were eight children from the marriage. A John Purefoy was one of the witnesses to this marriage and his signiature confirms him as the same John Purefoy who witnessed the marriage of William Purefoy to Ann WATTY.
Also of interest here is that this Ann Watty/Purefoy signed her own name whereas the wife of James Young was only able to make her mark at the time of marriage.

Ann daughter of Thomas and Elanor Watty was baptized at St Ives 8th May 1747

I suspect Ann Purefoy, wife of James Young, was probably baptized at St Ives 3rd July 1749 to John and Jane Purefoy. Ann Young of St Ives age 81 was buried at St Ives 16th January 1819.

CT