Completed - John Luxton birth and marriage

[Michael J]

Help needed with this brick wall, please, anyone.

I am trying to find the birth of John Luxton, born c.1803 – 1805, and his marriage to Ursula James who was born about the same time as him. I have two Surrey birth certificates in which John is named as the father, with Ursula Luxton formerly James named as the mother. The first is for Mary b.2 Nov 1839 and the second is for George b.13 Dec 1841. I know of 9 children in all from three census records.

In 1841, HO107/1705/26/14, John and Ursula are both 36, living in Kingston Surrey, where they and their children are all down as born 'in county'.

In 1851, HO107/1603/422/14, the ‘where born’ entries are rather indistinct, but possibly John was born in Cheriton Devon and his wife Ursula was born in Launcells Cornwall. Both are aged 47.

The 1861, RG9/455/34/24, just says 'Devonshire' for the parents, both age 58. Incidentally, they seem to age 11 years between each census! 

The Surrey death certificates say age 61 for John Luxton in Dec 1864 and age 62 for 'Asella' in Jan 1865.

All the John Luxton births in Devon seem to have been accounted for through the Luxton FHS except the John Luxton illegitimate son of Elizabeth Luxton, baptised 5th Jan 1805 in Wembworthy; and John, son of William Luxen of the parish of Crediton and Ann his wife, baptised at Cheriton Bishop 21st October 1803. No-one seems to know what happened to these two, especially the second as this seems the most likely.

This query was first posted on the Cornwall Rootschat forum re Ursula, and the answers confirm that there is just one marriage in the Cornwall records for an Ursula James, that being the one in Launcells to a John Coles on 15 Aug 1822. The only birth on IGI in Launcells for an Ursula James is 13 Sept 1805, father Thos. James.

Is the Ursula James married to John Luxton the same Ursula who married John Coles and is the Launcells birth record for the same person? I don't think it could be a second marriage as the Surrey birth certificates for two of her children clearly state 'Ursula Luxton formerly James' and no mention of 'previously Coles'.

I have details of the families after this date, but can't get any further back and would dearly love some help, please.

Michael J.

[Jane Masri]

Hi Michael,
This must be so frustrating for you   I can only tell you that there's no marriage on the Surrey Marriage Index for a John Luxton, but it mostly covers rural Surrey which includes All saints, Kingston.
Have you found a burial for this John Coles in Cornwall or evidence on the early census of a John & Ursula Coles?  To all intents & purposes it does look like her.  The place of birth, Launcells & her name, Ursula which isn't that common all seem to fit.  Maybe she did marry this John Coles, if she was baptised as a baby she would have only been about 17.  Any evidence of children for John & Ursula Coles in Cornwall?  Was the marriage an actual marriage or a licence allegation?  Clutching at straws here but could she have had the marriage annuled (or her parents) as she was under age? therefore reverted to her maiden name?

jane

[Michael J]

Hello Jane,

Many thanks for checking the Surrey Marriage Index, and your thoughts. Yes, it's very frustrating - we've been stuck here for the last 17 odd years.

Before the internet came along I wrote to the Cornwall and Devon FHS's. Cornwalls very kind and helpful researcher checked for a burial at Launcells for both John and Ursula Coles but couldn't find anything - and she looked up to 1900! Nor are there any baptisms for any children under either Coles or Luxton, or a John Luxton/Ursula Coles marriage.

She checked their marriage index between 1813 and 1837 and there is a marriage for Ursula James at Launcells (entry 63 on the Launcells Parish Church marriage register) which confirms she married John Coles, both of the parish, by banns on 15 August 1822. Both made their marks and there are two witnesses (the clerk and a Henry House), but no other details - no ages and no mention of parents etc. This marriage is on the IGI for Cornwall. Devon FHS couldn't find anything at all.

We've tried looking for births and baptisms for their children as this could tell us when they arrived in Kingston, where they remained for the rest of their lives, but have not found anything.

The eldest daughter of John Luxton and Ursula in 1841 was Maria, age 15 and thus born about 1826, as this particular folio gives the exact ages of everyone and hasn't rounded them down to the nearest 5 years. We haven't been able to find where she was born but we do have a copy of her marriage certificate to a Charles Green, horsekeeper, on 18 May 1845, both of full age. We've found what must be her in 1851 at Caroline Place Kingston, HO107/1603/401/4, although Charles isn't home and her place of birth is given as Birmingham Next door is James and Jane Pett, whose daughter Louisa (13 in 1851) married Maria's younger brother Thomas Luxton on 1 April 1861 at the Independent Chapel Kingston.

Michael J.

[Jane Masri]

Do you think there's any possibility that John Coles & John Luxton are the same person?

jane

[Michael J]

Hello Jane,

Yes, we had considered that but have been unable to find why he may have changed his name, or in which way.

There's three possibilities:

1. He may have had to leave the South-west and change from Coles to Luxton to avoid some problem or other.

2. He may be a Luxton who got married under an assumed name, possibly because of his or his family's reputation.

3. He may be a Luxton who ran off with John Cole's wife! Although intriguing, this is probably most unlikely because we haven't found any other mention of John Coles anywhere.

Most puzzling,

Michael J.

[Jane Masri]

I was thinking he might have been born John Cole but assumed a step-father's name later.  Have you checked bastardy Bonds, court proceedings, poor law records around the time of his birth?

jane

[Michael J]

No, we haven't checked any of those so many thanks for suggesting new avenues to research. 
Because in 1851 he says he was born in Cheriton Devon we will have to start there.

If he was born as John Coles how likely is it that he would change to a step-father's name after marriage?

Michael J.

[Jane Masri]

Thinking about it, Michael, I don't think my theory holds water as you said there was no marriage between a Luxton & a Coles.  If he was born Coles (legitimate or not) & his mother later married a Luxton, I'm sure you would have found that marriage.  I have seen the name change for this reason, just to avoid confusion I suppose.  The other thing to look for is wills,

jane

[Jane Masri]

Thinking about it, Michael, I don't think my theory holds water as you said there was no marriage between a Luxton & a Coles.  If he was born Coles (legitimate or not) & his mother later married a Luxton, I'm sure you would have found that marriage.  I have seen the name change for this reason, just to avoid confusion I suppose.  The other thing to look for is wills,

SORRY THAT GOT POSTED TWICE
jane