Cheston Hampton

[myghaelangof]

Hi all, hope everyone is well.

Does anyone have anything on Cheston Hampton who married Thomas Tonkin in St. Just 6 February 1656?

This is a direct ancestor of mine, assuming that Thomas bapt in 1658 is theirs (entry shows baptised to Thomas only, but we also have Christiana bapt in 1658 to Thomas & Cheston)

It appears they stayed in St Just baptising a few children: 1658 Thomas; 1658 Christiana; 1659 John; 1662 Hugh; Cheston 1664; Martin 1666; William 1667; Elizabeth 1670; Margaret 1671; Sybella 1674.

Also any explanation for Thomas being referred to as Tonkin alias Reskomen? I assume this was where Thomas Tonkin lived.

Many thanks for any help.

[Cornish Terrier]

Hi Mike,
Not able to be of very much help at the moment as I have no information at all on Cheston. But I have had a look at the St Just register and I think you might have a minor problem that could potentially cause other problems for you. The 2 entries you refer to read as follows:-

St Just Baptisms 1658

Christian the daughter of Thomas Tonken of Cheston his wife was borne the 4th of Aprill

Thomas the sonn of thomas Tonkin was borne the 14th of June

A further complication is that I can find no other marriage in the OPC database to account for the the other entry. Although there is another possible solution - note that the first of these entries shows the surname spelt TONKEN whilst the second is TONKIN. I am wondering if the second entry might actually be JENKIN.

To explain the dilemma a little further - there are numerous examples of names (forename and surname) on the page that begin with 'T' just as there are with 'J' but even though many of the 'Js' are large flourishing examples there is no real consistency. The 'J' in 'June' for example could be easily mistaken for a 'T' in at least one instance.

Having said all that I have now had a look for 'Jenkin' marriages around the same time but can find nothing that might be of help.

Looks like the earliest OPC records (baptisms) for St Just begin at 1663 with Cheston (1664), Elizabeth (1670) and Sibella (1673) appearing as children for Thomas and Cheston TOMKIN.

CT

[myghaelangof]

Hi Ian, and thanks for your prompt response as always.

I had noticed the conflict with 2 baptisms to Thomas TONKIN just a couple of months apart, even trickier if they are births!
And have come across the TONKIN/JENKIN issue in the past. Bit out of touch these days, so thanks for reminding me.

Is there anywhere online to view the Just parish records?

Thanks Mike

[donne]

It certainly looks as though two Tonken/Tonkin families could be involved. Following Ian's lead I had a look at the register image at FamilySearch www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GGFT-F5T?i=38&wc=3CB7-826%3A138123201%2C141594201%2C141609601&cc=1769414 (you may have to sign up for a free account or logon if you have one). Looking at the April baptism (Christian) there is something written at the end of the line (two syllables, one above the other) - could be "res - kom"? - maybe meant to differentiate one family from another.

[Cornish Terrier]

there is something written at the end of the line (two syllables, one above the other) - could be "res - kom"? - maybe meant to differentiate one family from another.

Hi Roger - I saw that when I first glanced at the image a few days ago but then seem to have ignored it. What you are seeing appears to have been added after the main entry and there is actually another word preceeding it. Although I cannot be absolutely sure of 'res kom' it reads 'att res kom' with the 'kom' written above and slightly offset to the right of 'res'. That would seem to indicate a place where the birth took place.

Mike - if you log in to FamilySearch you need to sign up for a free membership which will give you access to multitudes of records including the bulk of the Cornish Parish Registers at least into the early 1900s.

When you have logged in and then signed in (you can tick a box to remain signed in for two weeks at a time) you then go to Search - Records - Browse All Published Collections (link at bottom right). Then from options at left choose 'United Kingdom and Ireland' - England - and scroll down to 'England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010'.

Once you are at this point you will see a link at the bottom for 'Browse through 202,325 images' so click on it and you will be presented with an option for Cornwall and an option for Devonshire. Just click on 'Cornwall' and you will be presented with the list of Parishes under each of which you will find the collections of records for each Parish.

Be aware that not all records for each Parish appear to be linked via the above process!!

So I found another way to access these records which includes anything else that may be accessible - as per the following.

When you have signed in and have navigated to the home page showing the Map on the right half you need to do this:-

From the options at top click 'Search' then 'Catalog' which opens a page with the option to search by place. In the box provided just type in the name of the Parish you want - but it must be in the following formant:-

England, Cornwall, [parish name] - e.g. england, cornwall, towednack and click the Search button. (for places such as St Ives, St Buryan etc. you need to type the parish name (exactly) as england, cornwall, st. ives) (not st ives - it MUST have the full stop involved).

If you have a Film Number you can change the search box to search using that film number as well.

Once into the Parish of choice go to 'Church Records' where you will find Parish Registers, BTs, Parish Chest Materials and other interesting stuff. For any collection you look at there will be a Camera Icon at right to indication images are available to view and, in most cases, to download.

If you have trouble following this just get in touch and I will help you find your way through the maze.

CT

[donne]

Reskom as a place name is very interesting. Nearest match I could find amongst present-day St. Just place names is Roscommon - on the cliffs near Botallack. Map shows Roscommon Cottage at OS Grid Ref: SW 36406 33677. Maybe site of a former farmhouse?

[myghaelangof]

CT,
Thanks for the detailed instructions for family search. I will log in to them in the next week or so. Even under lockdown here, I find too much to do!
Definitely 2 Thomas Tonking's to deal with, if not 3. The 1641 Protestation for St Just lists 3, 2 of whom are adjacent entries, suggesting a possible close connection between them! Although only one Thomas Tonkyn on the Hearth Tax

[Cornish Terrier]

Hi Mike - I know what you mean! I start work on something that on first looks seems to be a fairly straightforward task that might take a day or so and then suddenly I find I have been working at the same task for weeks!! Everything else on the 'to do list' then obviously gets moved back!

I am sure you will find the same thing with the Wills but at the same time I am sure you will find a lot more of interest to keep you occupied.

CT