Gapin , Geappen, Gappen etc.

[butchesu]

Is there anyone out there who is able to look up the actual Parish entry for the baptism of John Gapen in Eling in 1797, rather than the transcription?  I have a whole family of Gapen/Gapin/Geapen/Geappens living in Eling at the right time, but the only William I know of who is the right age to be John's father was married to a Jane (Green) at the time.  The Charles Arnott that John stole the ducks etc from lived in the Rushington area of Eling at the time, and my William Gapen (et al) lived in Rushington Lane when the 1841 census was taken.  I am just wondering if the baptism transcription is correct, or whether it should have said William and Jane.  The age is a bit out, but then not everyone was literate or numerate back then, especially in rural areas.
Sue

[butchesu]

To anyone out there interested in the Geappen/Gapen/Gapin et al famiy from Eling.
I have now visited the Winchester Records Office myself and have seen the microfiche which contains the "photocopy" of the actual baptism record for John Gapen.
Whoever his mother was, she was definitely NOT named Anne.
Her name is 4 letters long, and the last 2 letters are certainly "ne"
The print is very fuzzy, but all 9 baptism entries on that page have been handwritten by someone named Ashe, Ashen or Ashes, who has a very distinctive way of writing his A's.  Hence I know the first letter of the mother's name is not an A.  I suspect it is actually a capital J (ie the looped sort), making the mother's name Jane. As the only William Geappen I can find living in Eling at the time was married to Jane Green, I am happy in my own mind that John is the son of William and Jane.

[warrawillah]

Thank you Sue. I appreciate your help.
Marie

[kerinann]

Im a Descendant of John Gapin/Geappen and found this post by accident as i haven't been on Rootschat for ages. Thanks for the information about John Gapin, it sounds possible it is him. I will follow it up

[kerinann]

Thanks to sue for information sent by message. I was unable to reply via roots message.
I have always assumed Gapin was changed to Geappen by grandchildren to distance themselves from convict ancestors. It is more likely that the pronunciation of Geappen was misheard and became Gapin. I have no record that John Gapin was literate or his wife. They could have been in contact with family in England for grandchildren to know the correct spelling of the name. John Gapin named his daughter Jane, which fits if it was his mothers name.