John Brenton (1829 - 1898)

Born 29 Jan 1829 in St Columb Major, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 1898 at about age 68 in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

John Brenton was born in on the 29th January 1829 at Trevarren, St Columb Major, Cornwall, England and baptised on the 15th February 1829 at St Columb Major.^[1] He was the oldest child of ten born to the couple, Francis Brenton and Betsy Ball. Fortunately, the names and birth dates of these ten children are confirmed in a family bible owned by my 4th cousin, Kevin Brenton. He has kindly passed on a photo of this wonderful resource (see image attached).

The surname of Brenton had many different spellings in various records so it's not surprising that John's first census in 1841 lists him as John Brenten.^[2] Although he is just 12 years of age, he is already working as a male servant for the elderly William Paynter, and living at Churchtown, St Issey, Cornwall not far from his parents and siblings.

In the 1851 Census, John is still working as a servant but he is now living in Mawgan in the Horswell family home. (John's birthplace in this particular census is given as St Issey but he did spend most of his childhood there so this was an understandable mistake.) Also working as a servant in the same household is his future bride, 18-year-old Jane Brabyn!^[3]

I cannot find any parish register of their marriage but John married Jane in 1851 in the St Columb registration district.^[4]

Three children followed quite quickly so in the 1861 Census, John has become a miner and the family are living near Wheal Jane Mine in Kea, near Truro, Cornwall. John is recorded as 31 and born in St Columb Major, his wife Jane is now 28 and born in Mawgan. Their children are Joseph (9), born in Mawgan, Elizabeth A (7), born in St Columb Minor, and Francis (5), born in Newland.^[5] Sadly, their son Francis died later this year at the age of six.

In the 1871 Census, the family were still living at Kea with John working in the nearby mine. Their son Joseph (19) was now working as a smith, and their daughter Elizabeth (16) was now working as a dressmaker. Also living with them is John's mother-in-law, Priscilla Brabyn (70).^[6]

Little had changed in the 1881 Census in that the family were still living at Kerley in Kea and John was still working as a tin miner. Priscilla was now 80 but there was a new baby in the house! Mary Jane Brenton was aged 3 and definitely recorded as the daughter of John and Jane (with the mother's maiden name as Brabyn) but as she was born 22 years after the rest of her siblings there is a possibility that she was their grandchild? That is only conjecture, of course, and Jane would have been 45 so the baby could still have been a very late surprise!^[7]

The 1891 Census was to be John's last one. He was still living at Kerley with his wife Jane, and working as a tin miner. Their daughter, Elizabeth, is still single, aged 35, and listed as Bessie, and their other 'daughter', is now 13 and recorded as Janie. Also living in the household is Harry Dyke, a 2-year-old nurse child.^[8]

John passed away seven years later in 1898.^[9] He was buried at Baldhu on the 5th July 1898, aged 69, with his residence noted as Kerley.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism record: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DHLW-2?cc=1769414&wc=3CBW-JWL%3A138123201%2C141107401%2C138673802 : 30 November 2016), Cornwall > St Columb Major > Baptisms, 1813-1833 > image 84 of 107; Cornwall Records Office, Truro.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQB3-PQV : 23 May 2019), John Brenten in household of William Paynter, St Issey, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG2C-8L9 : 11 September 2019), John Brenton in household of William Horswell, Mawgan, Cornwall, England; citing Mawgan, Cornwall, England, p. 15, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
4. ↑ UK marriage registration: St Columb, Vol 9, Page 119, December quarter 1851 (John Brenton/Jane Brabyn).
5. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7CB-RQK : 20 April 2019), John Brenton, Kea, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDZP-92D : 25 April 2019), John Brenton, 1871.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27H-VHFV : 11 December 2017), John Brenton, Kea, Cornwall, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 1, Piece/Folio 2314/42, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,200.
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WXWW-JMM : 4 May 2019), John Brenton, Kea, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Cornwall county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
9. ↑ UK death registration: Truro, Vol 5c, Page 85, September quarter 1898 (age given 69).
10. ↑ "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J8MB-K31 : 12 February 2018), John Brenton, burial 05 Jul 1898; citing Baldhu, Cornwall, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,545,297.