John Tonkin and wife Jane or Jennifer

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Tonkin

Research page of the Tonkin Name Study

Here I am going to have a closer look at the 2 couples married around the same time and try to determine which children belong to which couple!

The 2 couples are :

• John Tonkin and Jennefer Allen married 10 Sep 1785 in Perranzabuloe, Cornwall.
• John Tonkin and Jane/Jennifer Lawrence married 21 Jun 1788 in St Agnes, Cornwall.

There is also John Tonkin and Jenifer Polkinghorne married in Kenwyn 1772. Their children were all baptised in Kenwyn, so for this purpose I am not including them.

Firstly, the marriages :

John Tonkin of St Agnes married Jenefer Allen of Perranzabuloe on 10 Dec 1785 in Perranzabuloe. Banns were read in Perranzauloe on 31 July, 7th and 14th August. Witnesses were David Michell and Michl Tonkin. Both John and Jenefer made their mark.
Michl Tonkin a possible relative, father or brother?

John Tonkin and Jenefer Allen

John Tonkin married Jenifer Lawrence (both of St Agnes) on 21 Jun 1788 in St Agnes. Banns were read in St Agnes on 18 and 25 May and 1 June. Witnesses were Richard Eva and Thos Lawrence Jnr. both John and Jenifer signed their names.
Thomas Lawrence Jnr is the brother of Jane Lawrence, would make sense he was a witness at his sister's wedding

John Tonkin and Jenifer Lawrence

There is not a marriage in St Agnes (or surrounding parishes) at all for a John Tonkin with wife Jane.

The next marriage for John Tonkin and wife Jenifer is not until 1823, so the children all baptised in St Agnes (below) should be of these 2 couples :

Joanna Tonkin baptised 11 Dec 1786 daughter of John and Jane
With John Tonkin and Jenifer Lawrence not married until Jun 1788, Joanna would be the daughter of John Tonkin and Jenifer Allen

James Tonkin baptised 27 May 1787 daughter of John and Jenifer
With John Tonkin and Jenifer Lawrence not married until Jun 1788, James would be the son of John Tonkin and Jenifer Allen

Elizabeth Tonkin baptised 12 Apr 1789 daughter of John and Jenifer

William Tonkin baptised 19 Jul 1789 son of John and Jenifer

James Tonkin baptised 28 Nov 1790 son of John and Jenifer
Possibly the son of John Tonkin and Jenifer Lawrence as the other couple have a son James born 1787

John Tonkin born 25 Jan, baptised 19 Feb 1792 son of John and Jeneffer
With Jenifer Tonkin born 11 Jun 1792 they could not be siblings, but which couple are his parents?

Jenifer Tonkin born 11 Jun, baptised 25 Nov 1792 daughter of John and Jenifer
With John Tonkin born 25 Jan 1792 they could not be siblings, but which couple are her parents?

John Tonkin born 16 Jan, baptised 9 Feb 1794 son of John and Jenifer

Joseph Tonkin born 23 Nov 1794, baptised 4 Jan 1795 son of John and Jane
Probably the son of John Tonkin and Jane/Jenifer Lawrence as the Will of John Tonkin (1845) makes a bequest to his son Joseph (see below)

Mary Tonkin born 15 Aug, baptised 10 Sep 1798 daughter of John and Jane

Mary Tonkin born 14 Apr, baptised 18 May 1800 daughter of John and Jane

Charles Cook Tonkin born 4 Jul, baptised 31 Jul 1803 son of John and Jane
Probably the son of John Tonkin and Jenifer/Jane Lawrence, Cook being Jane Lawrences' mother's last name at birth, Charles also has a daughter named Jane Lawrence Tonkin

Mary Tonkin born 4 Apr 1800, baptised 7 Apr 1806 daughter of John and Jenifer
Baptised the same day as John and William, they would be siblings, but which couple are their parents?

John Tonkin born 22 Nov 1802, baptised 7 Apr 1806 son of John and Jenifer
Baptised the same day as Mary and William, they would be siblings, but which couple are their parents?

William Tonkin born 11 Nov 1805, baptised 7 Apr 1806 son of John and Jenifer
Baptised the same day as Mary and John, they would be siblings, but which couple are their parents?

The biggest issue here is the mother's name recorded at the baptism for the children, Jane or Jenifer. I have seen this before, the children baptised in St Agnes of Jacob Tonkin and his wife have her name recorded sometimes as Jane and other times as Jenifer.

Looking at possible death's for the wife of John Tonkin, there is only 1 burial in St Agnes for a Jenifer Tonkin (using all spelling variants) and that was a child age 1 in 1803. There are a couple of possibilites for Jane Tonkin :

• Jane Tonkin age 61, residence Goonvrea, buried 6 March 1821
• Jane Tonkin age 70, residence Goonlaze, buried 19 Aug 1837

Unfortunately neither of these deaths correspond exactly with the possible baptisms of Jenifer Allen and Jane Lawrence, who were both baptised in 1764.

Now, this is interesting!
I have a marriage certificate for John Tonkin, widower, of full age, occupation miner, whose father was a William Tonkin, occupation Excise Man. I had to google what that was, and an Exciseman is an official responsible for collecting excise duty and preventing infringement of the excise laws (especially by smuggling).
This John Tonkin married my ancestor Mary (Hoskin) Parnell on 23 June 1838 at the Registry Office in Truro. At the time of their marriage both were residing in - Goonlaze, St Agnes!
In 1841 they are living in Goonlaze, St Agnes, he was aged 75 and she was aged 60.
John Tonkin died age 79 and was buried 7 April 1845 in St Agnes (making him born c1766). His Will (which actually names him as John Tonkin the elder - does that mean he has a son John?) names his wife Mary as beneficiary, but there is a codicil dated 12 March 1840 that states that the dwelling house purchased at Goonbell in 1838 was to go to his son Josep Tonkin. On Mary's death, the estate is to be equally divided amongst his living children, unfortunately they are not named (no Will for Mary Tonkin).

So, what does that mean?

Firstly, John Tonkin died age 79 making him born c1766, and according to his marriage to Mary Parnell, his father's name was William. There are no John Tonkin's born around that time in St Agnes (or surrounding parishes) with a father William. John Tonkin husband of Jane/Jenifer Lawrence was born in c1766 in Ashburton, Devon.

Jane Tonkin of Goonlaze died age 70 and was buried 19 August 1837. So she is most likely the first wife of John Tonkin, as his marriage to Mary Parnell states his residence at time of marriage is Goonlaze.
But is she Jane/Jenifer Lawrence? I cannot say for sure. Her age at death does not quite match either Jane/Jenifer Lawrence or Jenifer Allen, but one thing that I noticed, and it might not mean anything, but at the marriage of John Tonkin to both Jane/Jenifer Lawrence and Mary Parnell he signed his name. The other John Tonkin at his marriage to Jenifer Allen made his mark.

The Will of John Tonkin the elder has a codicil that leaves property at Goonbell to his son Joseph Tonkin. Looking at baptisms for a Joseph Tonkin (using name variants), son of John, there are not alot of options, and there is only one in St Agnes - Joseph Tonkin born 23 November 1794 and baptised 4 January 1795 - and his mother is .... JANE (see above).

Unfortunately that will of John Tonkin the elder does not record the names of his other children, but it does state that he has other children. I have not been able to locate a death notice in the newspaper for either Jane Tonkin (1837) or John Tonkin (1845) which would have been nice!

Tasks

• To research the witness Michael Tonkin and possible relationship to John Tonkin, husband of Jenifer Allen.
• To research further each child baptised in St Agnes and look for further connections.
• To create profiles for John Tonkin and Jenifer Allen on WikiTree