John Sheldon

1771 - 1852

John was born in Wirksorth in 1771, the son of James ⁽¹⁾. His younger sister Ann was born in 1773 ⁽²⁾, and his youngest brother James in 1775 ⁽³⁾.

He moved to Ashford sometime prior to 15th September 1793, on which date he married Hannah Heathcote, at All Saints, Bakewell. He was unable to sign his own name ⁽⁴⁾.

They set up home in Ashford, and their first child Betty was born in 1794 ⁽⁵⁾. Unfortunately she lived for less than a year, dying in April 1795 ⁽⁶⁾. Their next daughter, Ann, was born in 1797 ⁽⁷⁾, followed by Jane around 1799 ⁽¹³⁾, Martha in 1802 ⁽⁸⁾, and Sarah in 1805 ⁽⁹⁾. John, their first son, was born in about 1808 (or possibly a little earlier) ⁽¹⁰⁾. Their daughter Sarah died in March 1812 ⁽¹¹⁾, and a couple of weeks later a son called Robert also died ⁽¹²⁾ (but no record of his birth has been found, so his age at the time is unknown). Their daughter Jane died in January 1816 ⁽¹³⁾, a few months before their youngest child, Joseph, was born towards the end of that year ⁽¹⁴⁾. John was working as a Framework knitter at the time ⁽¹⁴⁾.

By the time of his son Joseph's marriage in December 1837, John had become a gardener ⁽¹⁵⁾, and he was still doing that the following March when his wife Hannah died ⁽¹⁶⁾. The census of June 1841 shows him primarily living with his son John, although in what is shown as a seperate household within the same building, are his teenage grand-daughters Jane & Hannah Downes, who I assume to have lived with him at the time; along with his daughter Martha, and her children Thomas & Emily, who were probably only visiting, as they also appeared, along with Martha's husband and his family, in Edensor where they apparently lived. ⁽¹⁷⁾.

By the following census in 1851, there is no sign of any grandchildren living with him, only his son John. Although his son was working as a framework knitter, John himself was by then described as a pauper ⁽¹⁸⁾. He died on 26th February the following year, aged 81 ⁽¹⁹⁾, and was buried in Ashford 3 days later ⁽²⁰⁾.

• Betty was born in spring/summer 1794 in Ashford, but died in April 1795.
• Ann was born in Ashford in 1797. She married Joseph Downes in Bakewell in 1822, and they had at least 5 children, Jane, Hannah, Matthew, John and Henry. She died in May 1851.
• Jane was born about 1799 in Ashford, and died there in January 1816.
• Martha was born in Ashford in 1802. She married Robert Hutchinson in Bakewell in 1833 and they lived in Pilsley. They had at least 4 children, Thomas, Emily, John and Sarah Anne. She died in 1850.
• Sarah was born in Ashford in 1805 and died there in 1812.
• John was born about 1806 in Ashford. He stayed single, and lived with his father until his father's death in 1852, then married Elizabeth Williamson (nee Bingham) a couple of years later, when aged about 47. They lived in Litton. He worked as a framework knitter all his life, and didn't have any children. He died in 1872.
• Robert's date of birth is unknown, but he was only a child when he died in 1812.
• Joseph has his own page

1. Parish Register of St Marys, Wirksworth includes the entry:
   [Baptisms June 1771] John son of James Sheldon of Wirksworth 26
2. Parish Register of St Marys, Wirksworth includes the entry:
   [Baptisms July 1773] Ann daughter of James Sheldon of Wirksworth 14
3. Parish Register of St Marys, Wirksworth includes the entry:
   [Baptisms June 1775] James son of James Sheldon of Wirksworth 9
4. Marriage entry in the parish register of All Saints, Bakewell states :
   John Sheldon & Hanah Heathcote
   both of Ashford in this Parish were
   Married in this Church by Banns
   this fifteenth Day of September in the Year One Thousand seven Hundred
   and ninety three By me Richard Chapman Vicar
   

   The Marriage was solemnized between Us	John Sheldon   His X Mark
   	Hannah Heathcote   her X Mark

   In the Presence of	Matthew Thorpe
   	Philip Roe

5. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
   [15th June 1794] Bap^d Betty Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
6. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
   [April 1795] the 12 Bur^d Betty Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
7. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
   [23rd April 1797] Bap^d Ann Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
8. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
   [December 1802] the 25 Bap^d Martha Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
9. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
   [9th June 1805] Bap^d Sarah Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
10. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
    [12th February 1808] Bap^d Martha Son of John & Hannah Sheldon.
    However, later declarations of his age on censuses imply he was born around 1806. He may not have been baptised until a year or two after birth for some reason.
11. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
    [1812] Mar 8 Bur^d Sarah Daug^r of John & Hannah Sheldon
12. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
    [Mar 1812] the 28 Bur^d Rob^t Son of John & Hannah Sheldon
13. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    Jane Daughter of John & Hannah Sheldon	Ashford	January 28th 1816	16

14. Baptism entry in parish register of Holy Trinity, Ashford reads:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Christian Name	Parent's Surname	Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    17th November   [1816]	Joseph Son of	John Hannah	Sheldon	Ashford	Frame Work Knitter

15. Marriage Certificate from Registration District of Bakewell states:

    1837 Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Bakewell in the County of Derby

    When married	Name and Surname	Age	Condition	Rank or Profession	Residence at the time of marriage	Father's name and Surname	Rank or Profession of father
    Dec'r 11th [1837]	Joseph Sheldon	of full age	Bachelor	Frame work Knitter	Ashford	John Sheldon	Gardener
    	Mary Howard	Minor	Spinster	Living with her Father	Ashford	Francis Howard	Frame Work Knitter

    Married in the Chirch at Bakewell according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after Banns

    in the presence of Benjamin Bradbury, Hannah Bradbury

16. Death Certificate from Registration District of Matlock, Bakewell and Tideswell states:

    When and where died	Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered
    1838, March 18, Ashford	Hannah Sheldon	Female	63	Wife of John Sheldon, Gardener	Decline	The mark of Jane Downes, Grandaughter to the deceased, Ashford	1838, March 28

17. Census of 7th June 1841 reads:
    Place: Ashford
    

    John Sheldon	66	Gardener
    John Sheldon	35	F. W. Knitter
    /     (Different household in same building)
    Jane Downs	17
    Hannah Down	15
    Martha Hutchinson	35
    Thos do	5
    Emily do	5

18. Census of 30th March 1851 reads:
    Place: Court Lane, Ashford
    

    John Sheldon	Head	Wid	80	Pauper	[Derbys], Wirksworth
    John do	Son	U	45	Frame Work Knitter	do, Ashford

19. Death Certificate from Registration District of Bakewell states:

    When and where died	Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered
    Twenty sixth February 1852 Ashford	John Sheldon	male	81 years	Framework Knitter	Old age, no medical attendant	The mark of John Sheldon, Present at the death, Ashford	Twenty seventh February 1852

20. The Parish Register of Holy Trinity, Ashford contains the entry:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    John Sheldon	Ashford	Feby 29 1852	81