Seeking the parents of John Cain, blacksmith, of Baldwin

[Lught-thie]

Hi,

I'm trying to trace the parents of my ancestor, John James Cain.

John was a blacksmith and lived at St John's. He married Catherine Shimmin in 1846 and would go on to kill her in a murder-suicide in 1866.

The censuses give different birthplaces and ages for John; however, the newspaper reports into his death say the family came from Baldwin. He appears on the 1841 census at 'Ballamoday' (Ballamodda), living with Matthias Cain, schoolmaster, aged 75, who I presume may have been his grandfather. According to the census, he was 15 years old.

Matthias's will (4 July 1851) refers to three children: Isabella, Thomas and Matthias. So Thomas and Matthias Jnr are the prime suspects for paternity. For some reason I can't remember(!), I've a suspicion John may have been born outside of wedlock. Am I right in thinking that there are court or church records of illegitimate children?

Any help would be very gratefully received, thank you!

[CaroleW]

Do you have his marriage cert which should show a fathers nane

[CaroleW]

1851 he is 24 b German 

1861 he is 37 b Braddan

There is a baptism 15.6.1824 but it's at St George Douglas - parents William & Jane nee Callister

No mention of him having any middle name on the above records & he was buried at German 22.4.1866 just as John Cain

There is an 1841 entry living in Braddan for an 18yr old John Cain occ canvas weaver not blacksmith -  - parents John & Ann

[Lught-thie]

Thanks. No, no marriage certificate, I'm afraid. The marriage was 19 Feb 1846 in German. Her father was John Shimmin (he was living with them at the time of their deaths).

[trish1120]

Familysearch  has a John Cain Christened  21 September 1823 Braddan, Isle of Man
Parents THOS Cain/Eleanor KELLY
Image has him as Illegitimate*

Maybe?
Parents MATTHIASCain and Isabella FAYLE chrsietened Marown;
THOS 23 Feb 1801
ISABEL 24 April 1803
MATTHIAS 9 Feb 1806

So guess this is the Will info?

Describe The Record (Notes)
Matthias Cain wd 4 July 1851, adm 1852, Marown, schoolmaster Baldwin; dau Isabella Cowley als Cain wife of James Cowley miller both beyond the seas; gdau Isabell Cain dau of decd*** son Thomas; son Matthias exor.

Thos Cain buried Braddan 12 October 1839 age 36

[trish1120]

2 other Children from 1841 Census Thomas/Margaret born England??

Christenings;
Saint Botolph Aldersgate, LondonCain, Parents THOMAS/MARGARET
ISABELLA 11 July 1830 born 27 June (mentioned in will?)
THOMAS 11 September 1831 born 23 Aug
MARGARET 14 April 1833 born 22 March

May be way off here!

EDIT yes I was images, on Anc Father a Carpenter

[Lught-thie]

Familysearch  has a John Cain Christened  21 September 1823 Braddan, Isle of Man
Parents THOS Cain/Eleanor KELLY
Image has him as Illegitimate*

Maybe?
Parents MATTHIASCain and Isabella FAYLE chrsietened Marown;
THOS 23 Feb 1801
ISABEL 24 April 1803
MATTHIAS 9 Feb 1806

So guess this is the Will info?

Describe The Record (Notes)
Matthias Cain wd 4 July 1851, adm 1852, Marown, schoolmaster Baldwin; dau Isabella Cowley als Cain wife of James Cowley miller both beyond the seas; gdau Isabell Cain dau of decd*** son Thomas; son Matthias exor.

Thos Cain buried Braddan 12 October 1839 age 36

That's fabulous, thank you! While it's not 100% conclusive, I think you might have cracked it! I'd already rather tentatively linked William (John's son) with the William Cain, aged 28, who appears on the 1891 census living with an uncle, William Kelly, at Tromode, Onchan. (After the murder-suicide, William lived first with Catherine's brother, Charles Shimmin, and then with another Kelly family at Renscault, Braddan.)

So that would all fit, if John were the illegitimate son of Thomas and Eleanor. It looks like Thomas's children moved in with their grandfather Matthias after their father's death.

Thanks a million!

[Blue70]

Family Search has some useful IOM records concerning illegitimate births. Those cases that went to court:-

Diocesan orders of court without petition, 1786-1918 (includes illegitimate births)

https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/2031034?availability=Family%20History%20Library


C

[Lught-thie]

Family Search has some useful IOM records concerning illegitimate births. Those cases that went to court:-

Diocesan orders of court without petition, 1786-1918 (includes illegitimate births)

https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/2031034?availability=Family%20History%20Library


C

Thank you