Thursday, April 11, 2013

Research for the Vincent Family

The Vincent family of Shapwick is still somewhat of a mystery:  I believe that Ann Vincent (married to John Knight and the mother of Eleanor Knight married to Ellis Knight) was born/baptized at Dewlish 26 Oct 1755. If this is correct then her parents were James Vincent and Ann Moulam who married at Dewlish 28 Nov 1733 and Ann must have been one of their last children. Their first daughter named Ann died in 1752.

John Knight and Ann Vincent married 9 Jun 1783 at Shapwick but a check of the parish registers at Shapwick does not reveal a Vincent family although the priest notes that Ann Vincent was of the parish and reports John Knight to be of Spetisbury parish which is correct.

Possible reasons for Ann being in Shapwick (both signed the marriage registration) she was perhaps employed or living with relatives. Her parents were elderly by 1783 as they married in 1733 so both could have been in their early 70s or older if still living in 1783. Finding their burials would be handy and  I did check the parish registers for Shapwick burials but did not find anything between 1750 and 1790. Ann would have been 28 years of age when she married the 26 year old John Knight. Although Dewlish is not close to Spetisbury it is only 3 miles from Milton Abbas, 4 miles from winterbourne Whitchurch, 5 miles from Winterbourne Clenstone where a number of my other relatives lived and in particular only 6 miles from Winterborne Stickland where William Knight and Sarah Ellis were married just eight years earlier. It is their son Ellis who married Eleanor the daughter of John Knight and Ann Vincent.

Another interesting item found whilst searching the Dewlish parish registers was the Wellspring family. Ellis Ellis married Sarah Wellspring 7 Mar 1737 at Winterborne Stickland and I have not yet discovered the parents of Sarah Wellspring.

My next research day I will continue to hunt out references to the Vincent family. I shall perhaps check My Heritage and Genes Reunited for matches and email these if found.




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