Lewis Family of Okehampton, Devon

[Revolution]

Ive just started tracing my Lewis family from Okehampton, Devon, England. My ancestor Jane Lewis was born about 1823 and if I have found the correct record on ancestry she was baptised along with one of her brothers (William) and a sister (Bridget) on 4 February 1827. Her parents were listed as William and Ann Lewis. William was a 'miller'.

Ive looked at records on ancestry, familysearch and findmypast which show me multiple William Lewis being born although only two have the mother Ann. The third has the mother Maria.

Ive found a marriage of William Lewis and Ann Youlden in 1800 but thats 23 years before Jane was born. There a possibility that is the correct marriage and that William and Ann had children for that period of time but it is a long period with few other children listed for that combination of names. In 1801 Ann was baptised, 1806 John and Mary were baptised on the same day,

Jane Lewis married John Day in 1845 in St Anne, Limehouse, Middlesex, England. Jane later moved to Australia to live with one of her sons in Victoria who is my ancestor. Janes father was listed as deceased when she married. William Lewis was one of the witnesses.

[suzard]

there is a tree on a******y which gives jane's parents marriage as 14 Mar 1824 Holdsworthy Devon - William Lewis and Ann Betty
I don't know how well sourced it is but children are given as Jane -and then much later William 1840 Thomas 1848 and Elias 1850
These 3 children appear on 1851 census with their parents and William the father is an ag lab

so it sounds a little mixed up???

But the marriage may be worth checking out further

Suz

[DOB7]

I assume you have the 1845 marriage certificate and that William LEWIS is given as her father? The 1851 census shows: 21 James Street, Limehouse, London
James LEWIS Lodger 50 Mariner b. Portsmouth
John DAY Head Marr 32 Labourer b. Not Known
Jane Day Wife Marr 28 b. Not known

[Revolution]

Thanks yes I have the marriage certificate showing William as the father.

The census is interesting. I have one which shows for 1851. Their first two children were Jane and John.

John Day    29
J Day    27
J Day    5
J Day    9 Mo

According to the marriage a William Lewis married Ann Betty in Holsworthy, Devon, England. Not impossible for them to have married there as its only 20 miles away.

I dont have a lot of faith in that family tree. Children born in Dolton, Merton and Okehampton. They have Jane but they dont have her two other family members baptised at the same time.

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
There is a older brother baptised at Okehampton
William s of William and Ann Lewis miller 30.7.1817 .

There looks like there may have been even another William born 1812 buried 3.Aug 1817 age 5.

So William senior has to be that bit older.
And it looks like the William born 1818 is at Taviton mill in 1851
William Lewis 33 journeyman miller Okehampton
Jane 28
Anna maria 6
Emma Jane Tavisbrook?

If that's him then William was baptised twice.

Ciderdrinker

[DOB7]

Can you list the names birth years of the children please and where they lived before they moved to Australia? The 1851 census entry I gave you was from the St Anne Limehouse district.

[Revolution]

Jane Elizabeth Day born about 1846 in Stepney, Middlesex, England
John (Jack) born about 1851 • Stepney, Middlesex, England
William Henry Day 1852 • Stepney, Middlesex, England
Ann Day 1855 Stepney, Middlesex, England
George Alfred Day 1858 Stepney, Middlesex, England
Charles Lewis Day 04 Dec 1860 • Stepney, Middlesex, England

The commonness of the John Day name makes it difficult to trace them through the census records. There may be other children

I dont have the baptisms for them just yet. Only William Henry Day moved to Australia. After John Day Sr died in 1871 Jane moved to Australia and died in 1884.

[LizzieL]

Apprenticeship records show that a William Lewis (miller) of Okehampton took on an apprentice called William Combe in 1797.

[ciderdrinker]

Hi again
I've found that 1841 census Okehampton
Maria Lewis 45 y (on 1851 from Hatherleigh).
William 20 miller y
James 12 y
Thomas 8 y

There are two solutions to this.
One Ann died and William senior remarried a to a Maria
Two Ann's name was Anna Maria like the granddaughter aged 6 on the 1851 census.

There's a marriage at Hatherleigh 16.3.1817
William Lewis of Inwardsleigh and Anna Maria Kingsbear
William made x Anna signed and witnesses John Bews and Jonas Kingsbeare.
This would fit with number two and explain the two names and be a better date.

There are two possible burials for William at Okehampton
William Lewis 24 Aug 1836 age 67
William Lewis 2 Oct 1836 age 43
I think the latter born 1793 is a better bet.
But reading the last post then again not

Ciderdrinker