I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! John

FMP shows a baptism in 1746 in MEAVY, Devon. Might be worth investigating? Andrew On Thursday, 17 January 2019, 09:14:49 GMT, Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! John _______________________________________________ ------------------------------------------ The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) _______________________________________________ Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Thanks Andrew.  I'd looked at that.  Although that Charles would have been too old, I had thought it possible he'd died and another later son had been named Charles.  I couldn't find a death or a subsequent bpt. John On 18/01/2019 4:13 am, Andrew Radgick via DEVON wrote: > FMP shows a baptism in 1746 in MEAVY, Devon. Might be worth investigating? > Andrew > > On Thursday, 17 January 2019, 09:14:49 GMT, Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: > > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of > visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in > Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS > volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane > Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he > was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he > volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the > Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > John > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

John, Have you tried going backwards to enlistment and forward to discharge. Each ship should show from where came and where he went. Also have you looked for Greenwich pension records. I appreciate not all of this has been indexed and will require a trip to Kew. It may also be worth checking the archives at Greenwich. Cheers Paul -----Original Message----- From: Our Mail [mailto:ourmail@chez-williams.com] Sent: 17 January 2019 22:28 To: devon@rootsweb.com Subject: [DEV] Re: Charles Williams 1749 Thanks Andrew.  I'd looked at that.  Although that Charles would have been too old, I had thought it possible he'd died and another later son had been named Charles.  I couldn't find a death or a subsequent bpt. John On 18/01/2019 4:13 am, Andrew Radgick via DEVON wrote: > FMP shows a baptism in 1746 in MEAVY, Devon. Might be worth investigating? > Andrew > > On Thursday, 17 January 2019, 09:14:49 GMT, Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: > > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of > visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in > Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS > volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane > Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he > was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he > volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the > Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > John > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community _______________________________________________ ------------------------------------------ The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) _______________________________________________ Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Paul, the Muster book for Sept 1776 to May 1777 records Charles' entry on 27 Nov 1776.  I only followed him to 1778 - he was rated AB in November that year.  I would love to visit Kew again, but it's rather far from Sydney.  It would help if I knew where he took the place of someone pressed.  However, as far as I know, there are no detailed records for the Press Gangs. HMS Ocean was based in Plymouth, and Charles & Jane had 7 children between 1779 and 1795.   Ocean was sold out of the Royal Navy in 1793.  If Charles remained in the navy the records for that year might show where he was sent. Cheers, John On 19/01/2019 6:30 am, Paul Hockie wrote: > John, > > Have you tried going backwards to enlistment and forward to discharge. Each ship should show from where came and where he went. Also have you looked for Greenwich pension records. > > I appreciate not all of this has been indexed and will require a trip to Kew. It may also be worth checking the archives at Greenwich. > > Cheers > > Paul > > -----Original Message----- > From: Our Mail [mailto:ourmail@chez-williams.com] > Sent: 17 January 2019 22:28 > To: devon@rootsweb.com > Subject: [DEV] Re: Charles Williams 1749 > > Thanks Andrew.  I'd looked at that.  Although that Charles would have > been too old, I had thought it possible he'd died and another later son > had been named Charles.  I couldn't find a death or a subsequent bpt. > > John > > On 18/01/2019 4:13 am, Andrew Radgick via DEVON wrote: >> FMP shows a baptism in 1746 in MEAVY, Devon. Might be worth investigating? >> Andrew >> >> On Thursday, 17 January 2019, 09:14:49 GMT, Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: >> >> I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some >> time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. >> >> The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National >> Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 >> when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of >> visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in >> Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS >> volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane >> Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he >> was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. >> >> One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed >> 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he >> volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the >> Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! >> >> John >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ------------------------------------------ >> The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon >> http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) >> _______________________________________________ >> Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref >> Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com >> Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 >> Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog >> RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ------------------------------------------ >> The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon >> http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) >> _______________________________________________ >> Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref >> Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com >> Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 >> Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog >> RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

To: Our Mail Brian Walker, Genealogist, London area, found files on my Charles Oliver Worth (1749-1800) Lieut. in the Royal Navy. You might contact him. Edna - Ottawa

I had a quick trawl through the Charles Williams in Discovery National Archives and of the 218 entries for this period , I can only see two remote possibilities …. depending how reliable the Littleham entry is, there is a Charles Williams in Woodbury so if the Littleham is the Exmouth one and the Woodbury is the Exmouth one , then that is possible …...and there is a poor sailor Charles Williams discharged in 1800 with all sorts of unmentionable things wrong to Gibraltar I think Mary might well be Marychurch and Torquay would be your best bet . On Thu, Jan 17, 2019 at 9:14 AM Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: > > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > time. I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > Archives. He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'! On a couple of > visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in > Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS > volunteers in the Tree House. No sign of Charles. He married Jane > Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778. In that record he > was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776. In the column headed > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he > volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the > Press Gang. That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > John > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Can we dismiss the idea that Williams was perhaps not his real name? If he was trying to escape from something or someone, he may have changed his name. He could even have been William Charles. On Fri, Jan 18, 2019 at 10:05 AM Elizabeth Howard <elizghoward@gmail.com> wrote: > > I had a quick trawl through the Charles Williams in Discovery National > Archives and of the 218 entries for this period , I can only see two > remote possibilities …. depending how reliable the Littleham entry is, > there is a Charles Williams in Woodbury so if the Littleham is the > Exmouth one and the Woodbury is the Exmouth one , then that is > possible …...and there is a poor sailor Charles Williams discharged in > 1800 with all sorts of unmentionable things wrong to Gibraltar I > think Mary might well be Marychurch and Torquay would be your best bet > . > > > > On Thu, Jan 17, 2019 at 9:14 AM Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: > > > > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > > time. I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > > Archives. He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'! On a couple of > > visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in > > Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS > > volunteers in the Tree House. No sign of Charles. He married Jane > > Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778. In that record he > > was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. > > > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776. In the column headed > > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he > > volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the > > Press Gang. That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > > > John > > > > _______________________________________________ > > ------------------------------------------ > > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > > _______________________________________________ > > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

That would really leave me up the creek without a paddle Wayne! John On 19/01/2019 4:19 am, Wayne Shepheard wrote: > Can we dismiss the idea that Williams was perhaps not his real name? > If he was trying to escape from something or someone, he may have > changed his name. He could even have been William Charles. > > > On Fri, Jan 18, 2019 at 10:05 AM Elizabeth Howard <elizghoward@gmail.com> wrote: >> I had a quick trawl through the Charles Williams in Discovery National >> Archives and of the 218 entries for this period , I can only see two >> remote possibilities …. depending how reliable the Littleham entry is, >> there is a Charles Williams in Woodbury so if the Littleham is the >> Exmouth one and the Woodbury is the Exmouth one , then that is >> possible …...and there is a poor sailor Charles Williams discharged in >> 1800 with all sorts of unmentionable things wrong to Gibraltar I >> think Mary might well be Marychurch and Torquay would be your best bet >> . >> >> >> >> On Thu, Jan 17, 2019 at 9:14 AM Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: >>> I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some >>> time. I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. >>> >>> The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National >>> Archives. He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 >>> when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'! On a couple of >>> visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in >>> Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS >>> volunteers in the Tree House. No sign of Charles. He married Jane >>> Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778. In that record he >>> was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. >>> >>> One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776. In the column headed >>> 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he >>> volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the >>> Press Gang. That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! >>> >>> John >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> ------------------------------------------ >>> The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon >>> http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref >>> Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com >>> Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 >>> Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog >>> RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community >> _______________________________________________ >> ------------------------------------------ >> The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon >> http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) >> _______________________________________________ >> Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref >> Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com >> Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 >> Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog >> RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

As, apart from the son who was my ancestor, I lost track of the family in 1795, I suppose any of the naval Wills and records shown in Discovery could be mine Elizabeth.  As you will have seen the name is not uncommon!  It doesn't help, FH wise, that the names of the children were also 'common'.   Positive burials with ages would be welcome! Although it would make sense for the Press Gang to have operated near ports such as Exmouth & Littleham, I need more evidence to determine Charles' place of birth .  FMP has only 2 bpts (1 of which is on Ancestry too) within 10 years of Charles' birth, and both are too early. I suspect this family may be a permanent brick wall unless DNA comes to the rescue. Family lore has it that the family came from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales.  If I ever get that far I can see even more problems with the name!!! I haven't been able to pin down Jane Wooton/Wotten's birth either  There are several possibles in Plymouth post 1749 (as well as many elsewhere in Devon), the earliest I surmise she could have been born given her last child was bpt 1795.  Charles & Jane do not appear to have used one of the naming patterns for their children, which would have helped. I live in hope! John On 19/01/2019 3:49 am, Elizabeth Howard wrote: > I had a quick trawl through the Charles Williams in Discovery National > Archives and of the 218 entries for this period , I can only see two > remote possibilities …. depending how reliable the Littleham entry is, > there is a Charles Williams in Woodbury so if the Littleham is the > Exmouth one and the Woodbury is the Exmouth one , then that is > possible …...and there is a poor sailor Charles Williams discharged in > 1800 with all sorts of unmentionable things wrong to Gibraltar I > think Mary might well be Marychurch and Torquay would be your best bet > . > > > > On Thu, Jan 17, 2019 at 9:14 AM Our Mail <ourmail@chez-williams.com> wrote: >> I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some >> time. I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. >> >> The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National >> Archives. He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 >> when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'! On a couple of >> visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in >> Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS >> volunteers in the Tree House. No sign of Charles. He married Jane >> Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778. In that record he >> was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. >> >> One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776. In the column headed >> 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he >> volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the >> Press Gang. That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! >> >> John >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ------------------------------------------ >> The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon >> http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) >> _______________________________________________ >> Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref >> Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com >> Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 >> Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog >> RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Pressed men were offered the chance to volunteer which would mean that they received conduct money and two months wages in advance. They would then be entered on the muster books as V instead of P, did you notice comments such as "in lieu" or "V" against any others on the page? Debtors with debts less than £20 could also escape debtor's prison if they joined the navy so maybe that was what was meant by "in lieu". I think that people convicted of petty crimes or vagrancy could aso opt for military and navy service nstead of being imprisoned so "in lieu" may not necessarily mean that he offered to take a pressed man's place, it might mean in lieu of imprisonment. It might be worth trying to find a Calendar of Prisoners for the appropriate year at the Record Office. Unfortunately, the transcriptions on Genuki Devon have a gap between 1770 and 1779. The problem with places quoted on documents is that that might mean that that is where they were settled at the time the record was made, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is where they were born. Also, the clerk might have misheard or assumed the place was in Devon, a mariner ancestor of mine was entered on the crewlist of a ship in port for one of the censuses as being from Ryde, Isle of Wight. His seaman's ticket confirmed that he was actually born in Rye, Sussex. If the seaman's ticket had just recorded where his home port was when he obtained it then it would have been Greenock, Scotland. There is a Charles Williams baptism at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, 1750, parents James and Dorothy, maybe Charles said St Mary and it was just assumed he meant Devon but I don't know how you would prove it. Joy ----Original message---- From : ourmail@chez-williams.com Date : 17/01/2019 - 09:01 (GMT) To : devon@rootsweb.com Subject : [DEV] Charles Williams 1749 I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! John _______________________________________________ ------------------------------------------ The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) _______________________________________________ Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Thanks Joy.  I didn't take a copy of the entries in the muster rolls.  It was 10 years ago that I was at Kew and I can't recollect any other entries.  Mind you I wasn't looking for others once I found Charles. Further definitive research will have to wait until the Devon RO and/or Kew can be searched.  I don't think we'll be getting to the UK for a few years. John On 19/01/2019 9:51 am, Joy Langdon via DEVON wrote: > Pressed men were offered the chance to volunteer which would mean that they received conduct money and two months wages in advance. They would then be entered on the muster books as V instead of P, did you notice comments such as "in lieu" or "V" against any others on the page? Debtors with debts less than £20 could also escape debtor's prison if they joined the navy so maybe that was what was meant by "in lieu". > > I think that people convicted of petty crimes or vagrancy could aso opt for military and navy service nstead of being imprisoned so "in lieu" may not necessarily mean that he offered to take a pressed man's place, it might mean in lieu of imprisonment. It might be worth trying to find a Calendar of Prisoners for the appropriate year at the Record Office. Unfortunately, the transcriptions on Genuki Devon have a gap between 1770 and 1779. > > The problem with places quoted on documents is that that might mean that that is where they were settled at the time the record was made, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is where they were born. Also, the clerk might have misheard or assumed the place was in Devon, a mariner ancestor of mine was entered on the crewlist of a ship in port for one of the censuses as being from Ryde, Isle of Wight. His seaman's ticket confirmed that he was actually born in Rye, Sussex. If the seaman's ticket had just recorded where his home port was when he obtained it then it would have been Greenock, Scotland. There is a Charles Williams baptism at St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, 1750, parents James and Dorothy, maybe Charles said St Mary and it was just assumed he meant Devon but I don't know how you would prove it. > > > Joy > ----Original message---- > From : ourmail@chez-williams.com > Date : 17/01/2019 - 09:01 (GMT) > To : devon@rootsweb.com > Subject : [DEV] Charles Williams 1749 > > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  On a couple of > visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in > Devon I could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS > volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of Charles.  He married Jane > Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778.  In that record he > was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column headed > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he > volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the > Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > John > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/ and Devon FHS (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY Terms and Conditions: https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community

Hello John If possible, it may be worth your while to check if there was a Banns Notice and also looking at the BT's for the Marriage in 1778 Just this minute I am looking at a marriage in Dartmouth which just gives this persons place of living, banns dated 30th June 14th & 21st July 1754 [plus the bride of course] Yet in my transcriptions from LDS film the Banns for his home parish says he is " the younger ", and a widower, and the dates 7th, 14th & 21st July 1754 So here we have two totally different versions for the very same chap. Was Charles WILLIAMS serving on " the Ocean " when Banns were called, or was he between ships? Good luck with that name. Regards Bev -------------------------------------------------- From: "Our Mail" <ourmail@chez-williams.com> Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:01 PM To: <devon@rootsweb.com> Subject: [DEV] Charles Williams 1749 > I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some > time. I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. > > The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the National > Archives. He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from September 1776 > when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'! On a couple of visits > to Exeter I searched in the record office for all the parishes in Devon I > could find containing Mary, and also enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers > in the Tree House. No sign of Charles. He married Jane Wootton in > Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 March 1778. In that record he was to shown > to be of HMS Ocean. > > One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776. In the column headed > 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he volunteered > to take the place of someone who had been seized by the Press Gang. That > may suggest he wanted to get away from someone/something! > > John

Charles & Joan were married by licence Bev,  The mge register describes him as of 'his Majestys Ship Ocean'.  Jane is otp.    If they had married by banns I might at least have had more information about Jane, such as if she was a minor.  Although the LDS have apparently filmed the Exeter mge licences and allegations I haven't been able to locate them online.  If the relevant one still exists that might provide more information. John On 19/01/2019 2:12 pm, B. Edmonds wrote: > Hello John > > If possible, it may be worth your while to check if there was a Banns > Notice and also looking at the BT's for the Marriage in 1778 > > Just this minute I am looking at a marriage in Dartmouth which just > gives this persons place of living, banns dated 30th June 14th & 21st > July 1754 [plus the bride of course] > > Yet in my transcriptions from LDS film the Banns for his home parish > says he is " the younger ", and a widower, and the dates 7th, 14th & > 21st July 1754 > > So here we have two totally different versions for the very same chap. > > Was Charles WILLIAMS serving on " the Ocean " when Banns were called, > or was he between ships? > > Good luck with that name. > > Regards > Bev > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Our Mail" <ourmail@chez-williams.com> > Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:01 PM > To: <devon@rootsweb.com> > Subject: [DEV] Charles Williams 1749 > >> I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some >> time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. >> >> The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the >> National Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from >> September 1776 when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  >> On a couple of visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for >> all the parishes in Devon I could find containing Mary, and also >> enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of >> Charles.  He married Jane Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 >> March 1778.  In that record he was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. >> >> One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column >> headed 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he >> volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the >> Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from >> someone/something! >> >> John > > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS > (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY  Terms and Conditions: > https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal > RootsWeb community >

P.S.  I located the mge licences (under Exeter)  but no sign of the one for Charles & Jane. John On 19/01/2019 2:12 pm, B. Edmonds wrote: > Hello John > > If possible, it may be worth your while to check if there was a Banns > Notice and also looking at the BT's for the Marriage in 1778 > > Just this minute I am looking at a marriage in Dartmouth which just > gives this persons place of living, banns dated 30th June 14th & 21st > July 1754 [plus the bride of course] > > Yet in my transcriptions from LDS film the Banns for his home parish > says he is " the younger ", and a widower, and the dates 7th, 14th & > 21st July 1754 > > So here we have two totally different versions for the very same chap. > > Was Charles WILLIAMS serving on " the Ocean " when Banns were called, > or was he between ships? > > Good luck with that name. > > Regards > Bev > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Our Mail" <ourmail@chez-williams.com> > Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2019 7:01 PM > To: <devon@rootsweb.com> > Subject: [DEV] Charles Williams 1749 > >> I haven't posted a query about the above, my 4g grandfather, for some >> time.  I live in hope that someone can help me find his parents. >> >> The earliest mention I have found of this ancestor was at the >> National Archives.  He was in the muster books of HMS Ocean from >> September 1776 when he was described as aged 27 from 'Mary Devon'!  >> On a couple of visits to Exeter I searched in the record office for >> all the parishes in Devon I could find containing Mary, and also >> enlisted the help of DFHS volunteers in the Tree House.    No sign of >> Charles.  He married Jane Wootton in Charles Church, Plymouth on 20 >> March 1778.  In that record he was to shown to be of HMS Ocean. >> >> One interesting fact from the muster book in 1776.  In the column >> headed 'Prest or not' was entered 'in lieu'. So it would seem that he >> volunteered to take the place of someone who had been seized by the >> Press Gang.  That may suggest he wanted to get away from >> someone/something! >> >> John > > > _______________________________________________ > ------------------------------------------ > The DEVON-L mailing list is co-sponsored by GENUKI/Devon > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/   and  Devon FHS > (http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ ) > _______________________________________________ > Email preferences: http://bit.ly/rootswebpref > Unsubscribe https://lists.rootsweb.com/postorius/lists/devon@rootsweb.com > Privacy Statement: https://ancstry.me/2JWBOdY  Terms and Conditions: > https://ancstry.me/2HDBym9 > Rootsweb Blog: http://rootsweb.blog > RootsWeb is funded and supported by Ancestry.com and our loyal > RootsWeb community >