Ancestors of Mandy Willard

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John ROBERTS (1718-1776)

and Sarah BASSFORD (c1715-?)

and Elizabeth COOMBER (c1720-1741)

and Mary BIGNAL (c1720-1790)

 

John Roberts was baptised on 24 January 1717/8 in Cowfold, Sussex.  He was the only son and heir of John Roberts (c1668-1739) and Sarah Bennet (c1685-1720).  Details about John from the Comber Sussex Genealogies are as follows:  Had "Homeland" but alienated before 1746.  Executor to his father in 1739.  Heir to Uncle Thomas as "only son of his brother".  Apparently Executor to him and produced his will in the Beeding Court of 1765.  Held Denwood, Welches and Hookland but surrended latter for a loan in 1744 and alienated in 1746, also Welches and Denwood.

John had a relationship with Sarah Bassford, which resulted in the birth of an illegitimate daughter in 1736.  He then married Elizabeth Coomber on 15 October 1738 at the Fleet Prison, London.  He was then a bachelor and gent of Beeding, whilst she was a spinster of Beeding.  John next married Mary Bignal on 3 January 1742/3 in Upper Beeding.  At that time they were both of Cowfold.

Sarah Bassford's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  Nor do I know what became of her.  She may have been the sister of Thomas Bassford (?-1751) who married Mary Mansbridge (1726-?) in 1748.

Elizabeth Coomber's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was buried in Cowfold on 19 June 1741 as Mrs. Elizabeth Roberts.

Mary Bignal's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  According to John Comber's Sussex Genealogies, Mary was buried as a widow on 17 March 1790 in Cowfold.  But in the Sussex Records Society's transcript of the Cowfold registers, there was not a burial there on 17 March, nor was a Mary Roberts buried in 1790.

 

John Roberts and Sarah Bassford had 1 known child:

  1. Mary Bassford was baptised on 22 February 1735/6 in Cowfold, as the daughter of Sarah Bassford and "supposed father" John Roberts, junior.  Mary may also have been the mother of an illegitimate daughter:

    1. Mary Bassford was baptised on 27 October 1751 in Cowfold.

 

John Roberts and Elizabeth Coomber had 2 known children:

  1. John Roberts was baptised on 9 September 1739 in Cowfold.  He may have been buried there on 23 April 1759.

  2. Catherine Roberts was baptised on 30 January 1741 in Cowfold.  She may have been buried on 5 July 1802 in Lancing, Sussex.

    As a 22 year old spinster of Wiston, she married Francis Hards by licence on 29 May 1763 in Wiston.  He was then a 30 year old widower and farmer of Wiston.  Their marriage licence was dated 19 May 1763 and issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.

    The couple had 3 known children:

    1. Edward Hards was baptised on 26 December 1764 in Wiston.

    2. William Hards was baptised on 10 March 1766 in Wiston.

    3. Elizabeth Hards was baptised on 20 November 1769 in Wiston.

    As a widow she married James Chart on 14 December 1773 in Nuthurst, Sussex.  He was a husbandman.

    James was baptised on 30 April 1742 in Shipley and was the son of James Chart and Priscilla Parson.  He may have died aged 72 years and have been buried on 24 March 1817 in Lancing.

    They had 3 known children:

    1. James Chart was baptised on 12 February 1775 in Wiston.  He may have married Grace Goble on 9 May 1799 in Broadwater.  The witnesses to the marriage were John Gunter and Jane Penfold.

    2. Martha Chart was baptised on 10 November 1776 in Ashington.  She was buried on 1 May 1850.

      Martha married Samuel Tate by licence on 31 December 1795 in Sompting.  At that time they were both of Sompting.

    3. John Chart was baptised on 18 February 1781 in Lancing, Sussex.

 

John Roberts and Mary Bignal had 7 and possibly 9 known children:

  1. Mary Roberts was baptised on 29 April 1743 in Bolney.  She was buried on 15 December 1803 in Cowfold, as Mary wife of John Clarke.  She had illegitimate twin sons:

    1. John Roberts was baptised on 10 January 1768 in Bolney, although his mother was said to be of Cowfold.  He probably died young.

    2. Charles Roberts was baptised on 10 January 1768 in Bolney.  He was buried in Cowfold on 26 February 1768.

    Mary married John Clark on 3 December 1773 in Cowfold.  They were both then of Cowfold.

    John and Mary had 8 known children:

    1. Sarah Clark was baptised on 2 May 1773 in Cowfold.

    2. John Clark was baptised on 31 December 1774 in Cowfold.

    3. James Clarke, twin, was baptised on 10 January 1777 in Cowfold and buried there on 5 October 1777.

    4. Mary Clarke, twin, was baptised on 10 January 1777 in Cowfold.

    5. Hannah Clarke, twin, was baptised on 18 April 1779 in Cowfold and buried there on 6 April 1781.

    6. Elizabeth Clarke, twin, was baptised on 18 April 1779 in Cowfold.

    7. Thomas Clark was baptised on 21 November 1784 in Cowfold.

    8. James Clark was baptised on 12 September 1786 in Cowfold, at which time his parents were described as paupers.

  2. Sarah Roberts was baptised on 19 April 1744 in Cowfold.

    Sarah married John Ockenden on 24 January 1764 in Cowfold.  He was then of Slaugham and she of Cowfold.

    John and Sarah had 6 known children:

    1. Catherine Ockenden may have been born about 1764.  She was buried on 30 April 1766 in Bolney.

    2. Sarah Ockenden was baptised on 4 August 1765 in Shermanbury.

    3. Robert Ockenden was baptised on 11 January 1767 in Bolney.

    4. Mary Ockenden was baptised on 18 October 1769 in Bolney and buried there as an infant on 12 March 1771.

    5. Elizabeth Ockenden was baptised on 25 January 1771 in Bolney.

    6. Mary Ockenden was baptised on 28 December 1778 in Cowfold.

  3. Phoebe Roberts was baptised on 2 December 1750 in Cowfold.  She married Henry Stoner in 1774.  (They have their own page.)

  4. Lydia Roberts may have been a daughter of John and Mary.  She was buried on the same day as John, 11 April 1776 in Cowfold.

  5. Barbara Roberts was baptised on 6 April 1755 in Cowfold and buried there on 20 March 1776.

  6. Elizabeth Roberts may have been born in 1756.  Her name was recorded in the Cowfold baptism register but not her date of baptism, which may have been between 21 March and 5 May 1756.

    Elizabeth married John Greenfield on 29 July 1781 in Cowfold.  The witnesses to their marriage were Walter Hills and Henry Stoner.  Might John have been a witness to the 1821 Will of Charles Dowlen (1754-1822)?

    John and Elizabeth had 8 known children:

    1. Elizabeth Greenfield was baptised on 13 November 1784 in Cowfold and probably died as an infant.

    2. Sarah Greenfield was baptised on 13 November 1785 in Cowfold.

    3. John Greenfield was baptised on 25 February 1787 in Shermanbury.

    4. Elizabeth Greenfield was baptised on 14 March 1790 in Wiston.

    5. Harry Greenfield was baptised on 29 April 1792 in Wiston.

    6. Mary Greenfield was baptised on 27 July 1794 in Wiston.

    7. Rebecca Greenfield was baptised on 18 September 1796 in Wiston.

    8. Sarah Greenfield was baptised on 2 June 1799 in Wiston.

  7. Fanny Roberts was baptised on 20 April 1760 in Cowfold.

  8. John Roberts was born about 1765 in Cowfold - he was probably a son of John and Mary.  He married Ruth Lelliott  in 1796.  (They have their own page.)

  9. Thomas Roberts was baptised on 5 June 1768 in Cowfold and buried there on 3 August 1768.

 

BIGNALL          BASHFORD          COMBER          ROBERTS