Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John NEWMAN (1673-1743)

and Timothy FIVENS (1674-1766)

John Newman and Timothy Fivens married on 9 July 1696 in Shipley, Sussex.  (They were not my direct ancestors.  John was the brother of my 6x Great Grandfather, Thomas Newman.)

John Newman was baptised on 25 March 1673 in Shipley.  He was the son of Thomas Newman (c1630-1713) and Mary Hunt (1630-1705).  John died aged 70 years on 5 September 1743 (as per his headstone) and was buried on 8 September 1743 in Shipley.  The burial register described him as a husbandman.  John left a will dated 9 July 1743 and proved on 17 September 1743/8 - click here to read my transcript of this document.

Timothy Fivens was baptised on 2 December 1674 in Warminghurst, Sussex.  She was the daughter of Thomas Fivens and Mary Mills.  Timothy died aged 91 years on 31 March 1766 (as per her headstone) and was buried in Shipley, although her burial does not seem to have been recorded in the transcript of the Shipley burial register.  She was appointed the sole executrix of her husband's will.

John Newman and Timothy Fivens had 4 known children:

1. John Newman was mentioned in his father's will. He may have been buried on 24 January 1763 in Shipley, at which time the burial register recorded that he was a wheelwright, or on 21 March 1766 also in Shipley.

   John married Sarah Webb in about 1733.  A marriage licence was issued to them by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 14 May 1733, which recorded that John was of Shipley and Sarah of Sullington.  Surety for the licence was provided by John himself and William Fogden.

   Sarah was buried on 27 March 1742/3 in Shipley.

   John and Sarah had the following known children:

   1. James Newman was mentioned in his grandfather's will of 9 July 1743, by which he was left a gun on the death of his grandmother.

   2. Nathaniel Newman was baptised on 26 July 1740 in Shipley.

      Nathaniel married Mary Piercy by licence on 4 February 1768 in Shipley.  She was then of Pulborough.  The witnesses to their marriage were John Hasher and Robert Collis.  Their marriage licence was issued the day before by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It recorded that he was a bachelor aged 25 years and upwards of Shipley, whilst she was a 22 year old spinster.  Surety for the licence was provided by Nathanial himself and Luke Clement a farmer of Pulborough.

      Nathaniel and Mary had 1 known son:

      1. James Newman was baptised on 12 March 1780 in Itchingfield.

   3. Mary Newman was baptised on 6 February 1742/3 in Shipley and buried there as an infant on 25 April 1743.

   Did John also marry Mary Streater on 27 October 1747 in Shipley?  Or was it his cousin John Newman who married Mary?

2. William Newman was baptised on 7 September 1699 in Shipley.  He died aged 48 years on 15 May 1748 and was buried on 18 May 1748 in Shipley and the burial register recorded that he was a husbandman.  A headstone to his memory still survives in the Shipley churchyard.  He was mentioned in his father's will.

   William married Mary Hills on 4 June 1730 in Shipley.

   Mary was buried on 31 January 1760 in Shipley and burial register recorded that she was a widow.

   William and Mary had the following children:

   1. John Newman was baptised on 21 March 1732/3 in Shipley.

      John may have married Elizabeth Fuson by banns on 12 May 1761 in Shipley.  The witnesses to their marriage were John Killick and William Banfield.  Did he also, or instead of, marry Sarah Hussey by banns on 28 March 1769 in Shipley.  The witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Fortheraill and Robert Collis.

   2. William Newman was baptised on 30 May 1736 in Shipley.

3. Bettie Newman was baptised on 30 July 1703 in Shipley.  Only her father's name was recorded in the baptism register.  She was buried on 15 April 1747 in Shipley.  She was mentioned in her father's will as the wife of John Francis.

   Bettie married John Francis on 23 May 1725 in Shipley.

   John was baptised on 11 April 1689 in Shipley and was the son of John Francis (?-1734) and Sarah Pryer.  He was buried as a widower on 5 February 1760 in Shipley.

   John and Bettie had the following children:

   1. Sarah Frances was baptised on 12 January 1727/8 in Shipley.  Might she have been known as Bettie or did she have a sister by that name?

   2. John Frances was baptised on 2 February 1730/1 in Shipley and buried there on 14 February 1730/1.  At the time of his baptism his father was described as John junior.

   3. William Francis was buried as a child on 14 August 1737 in Shipley.

   4. Bettie Francis may have been part of this family.

      Bettie married William Vous on 16 May 1748/9 in Itchingfield.  They were both then of Itchingfield.

      William was a Church Warden at St. Mary's, Shipley in 1756.  He was buried on 8 February 1796 and his widow Betty on 31 March 1797, both in Shipley.  William left a will, dated 1788 and proved in 1796.  Might he have been the son of John Vause and Elizabeth Sheffield who married on 7 January 1710/1 in Slaugham, Sussex, at which time they were both of Nuthurst, Sussex?

      William and Bettie had the following known children:

      1. John Vous was baptised on 10 April 1749 in Itchingfield.  He was mentioned in his father's will

         John married Ann Lavender by licence on 26 September 1776 in Itchingfield, at which time they were both of Itchingfield.

      2. William Vaus was baptised on 24 July 1761 in Shipley.  He died aged 77 years and was buried on 4 June 1839 in Shipley.  He was mentioned in his father's will.

         Might he have been the father of William Vaus Rapley baptised on 20 September 1789 in Shipley, the illegitimate son of Mary Rapley?  (Mary may have married Thomas Bristow on 15 September 1796 in Shipley, the witnesses being Thomas Sprinks and J. Fillary.)  William was a witness to the marriage of Thomas Sprinks and Elizabeth Waller on 11 June 1799 in Shipley.  He was also a witness to the marriage of James Stringer and Mary Jenkins on 26 June 1801 in Shipley.

         William married Sarah Morgan by licence on 30 October 1794 in Shipley.  The witnesses to their marriage were Thomas Sprinks and John Vaus.

         Sarah was baptised on 20 June 1773 in Shipley and was the daughter of Charles Morgan and Hannah Adams - they had married on 28 April 1763 in West Grinstead.  Sarah was buried on 25 March 1811 in Shipley and it was noted in the burial register that she was the wife of William Vaus.

         Please see the following website for more about this family:  http://www.vaus.co.uk/ghtout/gp45.html#head3

      3. Elizabeth Vaus was mentioned in her father's will as the wife of James Andrews.

         Elizabeth married James Andrews by licence on 21 September 1786 in Shipley.  He was then from Itchingfield.  The witnesses to their marriage were William Vaus and James Fillary.

      4. Thomas Vaux was baptised on 17 June 1767 in Shipley.  He died aged 52 years and was buried on 31 August 1819 in Shipley.  He was mentioned in his father's will.

         Thomas married Elizabeth Grinstead by licence on 4 October 1798 in Shipley.  The witnesses to their marriage were Daniel Grinstead and James Grinstead.

4. Mary Newnham was baptised on 23 May 1707 in Shipley.  Only her father's name was recorded in the baptism register.  She was mentioned in her father's will

   Mary married Daniel Hayler by banns on 19 December 1727 in West Grinstead, Sussex.

What might have become of the illegitimate child, William Vaus Rapley, baptised on 20 September 1789?

The Shipley burial register records that a 51 year old William Rapley was buried on 31 August 1841, but there was also a William Rapley baptised on 21 February 1790, the son of Thomas Rapley and Ann King.

Turning to the Shipley marriage register we find:

William Rapley and Hannah Lindfield married on 15 April 1811, the witnesses being Allen Browne and Charlotte Rapley.

William Rapley and Mary Stepney married on 25 April 1811, and the witnesses to their marriage were J. Newman and Sarah Rapley.

A Hannah Rapley died aged 90 and was buried on 16 August 1846 in Shipley, therefore, born about 1756.  Mary Rapley from Thakeham died age 64 and was buried on 29 October 1854 in Shipley.

The 1841 census records the following:

???then hill, Shipley (HO107/1096, folio 16, page 24)

Thomas Merritt, 34, Ag Lab, born Sussex

Mary Merritt, 33, born Sussex

Mary Merritt, 10, born Sussex

Thomas Merritt, 7, born Sussex

Henry Merritt, 4, born Sussex

Eliza Merritt, 2, born Sussex

William Rapley, 60, Ag Lab, born Sussex

Abah Rapley, 20, A Lab, born Sussex

J??per Nicholson, Ag Lab, born Sussex

S???ter bridge, Shipley (HO107/1096, folio 24, page 3)

William Rapley, 50, Ag Lab, born Sussex

Mary Rapley, 50, born Sussex

Ann Rapley, 20, born Sussex

Richard Rapley, 15, born Sussex

William Rapley, 12, born Sussex

Abraham Rapley, 9, born Sussex

Henry Rapley, 5, born Sussex

In 1851, 70 year old widower, William Rapley was living in the Horsham workhouse.  This William may have been baptised on 25 September 1783 in Shipley, the son of William Rapley and Hannah Comber, and she was most probably the one who died aged 90 in 1846.

FIVENS          NEWMAN