Quote from original post:
‘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.’
The Devon Record Office has now sent us copies of the registers showing the marriage in 6.4.1786 of William Luxon and Ann Chidleigh in Colebrooke, together with the baptisms of their children Mary 1797, William 1799, John 31.10.1802, another Mary 1805 and Sarah 1806, all in Cheriton Bishop. They have also sent copies of the Removal Orders (apprenticeships until the age of 21) arranged by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor in Colebrooke in 1809 for a William Luxton aged 10, and in 1813 for a John Luxton aged 10, to a Mary Ebbels of Brownsland. These all seem to be a close fit to our elusive John Luxton.
The National Archives also show that Mary Ebbels took another apprentice in 1819 and this may well be because John absconded (not uncommon for Poor Law apprentices) - fitting in with the family story of our John Luxton running away and changing his name.
I think this is the closest we are going to get to tracing John and his parents, and give my grateful thanks to everyone for their suggestions and ideas.
Michael.