What happened to Mary?

[Thomasin]

John Ford married Harriet Ruby in 1857, and their children were:

Emanuel b. 1857 Inwardleigh
Samuel b. 1859 Inwardleigh
Mary b. 1862 Jacobstowe
George b. 1864 Jacobstowe
Emma b 1867 Jacobstowe
John b. 1870 Jacobstowe
Lucy b. 1873 Jacobstowe
Fred b. 1876 Jacobstowe
Albert b. 1879 Jacobstowe

My problem is Mary. There were no fewer than three Mary Fords born in the Okehampton district between 1862 and 1863. The other two were the daughters of (1) John and Ann at Hatherleigh (RG10; 2151; 26; 3) and (2) Robert and Ann of North Tawton (RG10; 2155; 60; 1).

My very distant cousin has noticed that on the marriage certificate he sent for, Mary's father's name is Robert, so obviously it's the wrong Mary. I can find nothing about Mary Ford of Jacobstowe after 1871 (RG10; 2152; 31; 3), not even a death.

The only possibility is in 1891, a parlour maid in Torquay (RG12; 1705; 83; 6), but this Mary was said to be born in Okehampton. I suppose it could be a bit of vagueness on the part of her employer?

Is this another case of alien abduction?

[Kevin Garrad]

Jacobstowe is only 5 miles from Okehampton.
And Jacobstowe is only a small village (309 people in 1850) and easily confused with Jacobstow in Cornwall!

Much easier to say Okehampton?

[Thomasin]

Much easier to say Okehampton?

In that case, looking again at 1881, this could be her in Exeter - RG11; 2149; 4; 2 copyright TNA. She says she was born in Inwardleigh, like my Mary's elder brothers.

.... but what happened to her after 1891?