1st Generation - John BONFIELD, of Wambrook (c.1747?-1828?)
|
|
John BONFIELD married Dinah BARTER, 8 February 1786, in the parish church at Wambrook, John signing his name and Dinah making her mark. This may have been the John who was baptised in Wambrook, 31 January 1747, the son of John BANFIELD & his wife, Joane. Dinah was, probably the illegitimate daughter of Sarah BARTER who had been baptised, 2 September 1759, at Buckland St. Mary in Somerset, just to the north of Whitestaunton.
|
|
John & Dinah had the following children:
|
1. John, bapt. 8 April 1787, Whitestaunton.
|
2. Thomas, bapt. 22 March 1788, Whitestaunton.
|
3. Mary, bapt. 22 January 1790, Whitestaunton.
|
4. William, bapt. 2 October 1791, Whitestaunton.
|
5. Joan, bapt. 14 April 1793, Whitestaunton.
|
6. James, bapt. 30 January 1795, Whitestaunton.
|
7. Robert, bapt. 29 January 1797, Whitestaunton.
|
8. Samuel, bapt. 23 December 1798? , Whitestaunton.
|
9. Abraham, bapt 18 October 1801, Whitestaunton.
|
10. Dinah, bapt. 5 December 1805, Whitestaunton.
|
|
It appears that most of the children were born in Wambrook, but, for some reason, were baptised in the parish church of the neighbouring Whitestaunton. This may have been because of historical family connections, or, due to the fact that their home was closer to Whitestaunton church than that of Wambrook. This situation also occurs in later generations in surrounding parishes; and is more likely due to the scattered nature of the farmsteads in this area, rather than the more usual parish layout of a village that has developed clustered around the church and manor house.
|
|
At various times in his life John was described as either a Farmer or Yeoman, which would indicate that he was probably living quite comfortably, for the time, and in his own freehold farm.
|
|
John is thought to have been buried at Whitestaunton, 14 November 1828, and followed five years later by Dinah, 3 March 1833, also at Whitestaunton.
|
