Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Robert STONER (1742-?)

and Mary STENNING (1745-?)

Robert Stoner and Mary Stenning married by banns on 24 June 1770 in Shermanbury, Sussex.  (They were not my direct ancestors.)

Robert Stoner may have been baptised on 20 April 1742 in Cowfold, Sussex and have been the son of Thomas Stoner (1701-1768) and Mary (?-1788).  He may have been buried on 21 April 1785 in Nuthurst.

Mary Stenning was baptised on 11 August 1745 in Cowfold.  She was the daughter of William Stenning (?-1788) and Mary Dowler, nee Jenner (?-1788).  She may have been buried as Mary wife of Robert Stoner on 31 January 1785 in Nuthurst.

In 1803 their son Philip under went a settlement examination in which he stated he was born in Shermanbury and that his parents had settled in Nuthurst.  The IGI shows that a Robert Stonyer and Mary had children baptised in Nuthurst in 1756, 1758, 1760 and 1763, so I'm not sure which couple were buried in 1785.

Robert Stoner and Mary Stenning had 6 known children:

1. Mary Stoner was baptised on 17 May 1772 in Shermanbury.

   Mary may have married Nathan Murrel by banns on 23 October 1792 in Slaugham, Sussex.  He was then from Ardingly and she of Slaugham.  The witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Stoner and John Lindfield.  However, another Mary Stoner was baptised on 10 April 1772 in Cuckfield, Sussex, the daughter of Thomas Stoner and Phoebe Agates.

2. John Stoner was baptised on 6 February 1774 in Shermanbury.

3. James Stoner was baptised on 27 December 1775 in Shermanbury.

4. Sarah Stoner was baptised on 2 November 1777 in Shermanbury.  (Another Sarah Stoner was born in 1774 in Cowfold and yet another Sarah Stoner was born in 1774 in West Grinstead.)

   Might she have been the mother of:

   1. Rebecca Stoner was born on 3 February 1801 in the Cowfold poor house and baptised on 15 March 1801 in Cowfold.  Her reputed father was named in a bastardy order as John Fairs.  Rebecca may have married Thomas Corner by banns on 27 August 1821 in Cowfold.  He was from All Saints, Chichester and she was a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were ? Sayres and Fanny Jelliffe.

5. Philip Stoner was baptised on 23 September 1781 in Shermanbury.  He married Elizabeth Bland in 1802.  (They have their own page.)

6. Thomas Stoner was baptised on 11 January 1784 in Shermanbury.  A Thomas Stoner died aged 80 years (as per the burial register) and was buried on 12 January 1862 in Cowfold.

   At the time of the 1841 census, 59 year old Thomas was living at Chatfelds, Cowfold with his 64 year old wife, Sarah.  He was then earning his living as a carpenter.  When the 1851 census was recorded, 69 year old Thomas was an agricultural labourer living with his 77 year old wife Sarah at Chatfields in Cowfold.  His place of birth was given as Shermanbury, whilst Sarah was said to have been born in Manningford Bruce, Wiltshire.  In 1861, Thomas was an 80 year old widower living at Chatfields, and his place of birth was again given as Shermanbury.  Also part of his household was 74 year old widow Sarah Langford, 64 year old widow Maria Sinden and 50 or 58 year old married Ann Hollick.

   Sarah Stoner aged 77 years was buried on 12 October 1851 in Cowfold, therefore, born about 1774.

   Thomas may have married Sarah Matthews by banns on 10 January 1805 in Horsham, Sussex.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Horsham.  The witnesses to their marriage were John Parsons and Ann Cragg.  However, another Thomas Stoner was baptised on 3 March 1776 in Horsham, the son of Henry Stoner and Elizabeth Chasemore.

   Thomas and Sarah had the following children:

   1. Sarah Stoner was baptised on 4 August 1805 in Cowfold.

   2. Thomas Stoner was baptised on 21 December 1806 in Cowfold.

   3. Salina Stoner was baptised on 13 March 1808 in Cowfold.

      Selina married John Hues by banns on 27 March 1826 in Cowfold.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Cowfold.  The witnesses to their marriage were George Stoner and Mary Ann Dowlen.  (George was probably born in 1800 the son of Thomas Stoner and Barbara Buckwell.)

      John may have been baptised on 10 February 1805 in Cowfold and have been the son of James Hues (c1777-1813) and Ann Dowlen (1784-1851).

   4. Sophia Stoner was born on 16 October 1810 and baptised on 10 May 1829 in Horsham.  It was noted in the baptism register that she was from Cowfold.

      Before her marriage Sophia had an illegitimate son:

      1. Albert Stoner was baptised on 17 June 1832 in Horsham.  Albert married Margaret Evans and Elizabeth Ann Hartshorn.

      Sophia married James Holden by banns on 30 October 1834 in Horsham.  She was a spinster and he a bachelor and they were both of Horsham.  The witnesses to their marriage were William Matthews and Mary Matthews.

      James and Sophia had the following children:

      1. Francis Holden

      2. Robert Holden

   I am not sure if Shermanbury Thomas married Sarah in 1805, nor if she was the Sarah born about 1774 in Wiltshire.  But, given that Sophia seems to have been Thomas and Sarah's last child, could that have been because Sarah was then about 46?  Or did Shermanbury Thomas marry Wiltshire Sarah later, although sometime before the 1841 census?  A Thomas Stoner married a Shermanbury Jemima in 1810, and again, I'm not sure which Thomas married her.

   Thomas may have married Jemima Vincent by banns on 1 May 1810 in Cowfold.  He was then a bachelor from Ditchling and she was a widow.  The witnesses to their marriage were William Hills and William Stoner.  However, another Thomas Stoner was baptised on 16 March 1783 in Cowfold, the son of Henry Stoner and Phoebe Roberts.

   As Jemima Tullett she was baptised on 28 July 1782 in Shermanbury, the daughter of William Tullett (1757-1817) and Phoebe Virgo (1760-1836).

Might Robert and Mary have had a daughter named Elizabeth Stoner who married Benjamin Terry by banns on 24 February 1791 in Shermanbury?  Elizabeth was then a spinster of Shermanbury and Benjamin was a bachelor of Twineham.

STONER