Ann Snell of Merton, Devon

[warwickhewett]

Ann Snell of Merton, Devon - connection to the Zeal Monachorum Snells?

My 3rd Great Grandmother was Ann Snell (b. 1815 d.1878) and married William Morrish on Nov 5th 1841 in Chagford Devon. The Census returns have her from a small village called Merton. Her son Charles Morrish married one Maria Snell Letheren, named after her grandmother Maria Snell (1787-1847) from Zeal Monachorum, Devon (about 19 miles from Merton). My gut tells me there is a blood connection between these two Snells (seems like a big coincidence otherwise) but I can't find Ann's parents on Ancestry to help me work it out. Any good tips on cracking this one?

NB this post also exists here https://www.ancestry.ca/boards/local.../14484/mb.ashx but I don't think that forum is very active, so apologies for the double posting.

[almach]

Hi warwickhewett,

For now I cannot help you prove anything, but I can give you some records offering ideas to follow which may eventually lead to something concrete.

Looking at the census records I see Ann and William had children named John and Lucy, for example in 1861:
RG 9; Piece: 1468; Folio: 28; Page: 15
William Morrish 49
Ann Morrish 45
William L Morrish 17
John H Morrish 14
Charles Morrish 11
Lucy B Morrish 9
Catherine Morrish 76

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's this possible baptism for an Ann Snell with parents LUCY and JOHN.
06 Mar 1816 at Beaford which is about 5 miles from Merton.

A John Snell married Lucy Bant on 15 Dec 1800 at St Thomas, Exeter.

I note that Lucy born circa 1852/3 had the middle name Bennett, have you found the Bennett surname in Lucy's ancestral line?

[almach]

Other children baptised in Beaford with parents John and Lucy Snell
Baptismal dates.
Elizabeth - 06 Feb 1801
Mary - 27 Jul 1803
Anthony - 07 Jan 1807
William - 04 Dec 1809
Jane - 03 Jan 1813

[almach]

John Snell buried Beaford age 58yrs in 1819

Lucy Snell buried Beaford age 76yrs in 1850

This is possibly John's baptism - Winkleigh is about 7 miles from Zeal Monachorum

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N564-F8G

[almach]

These records look more promising and definitely worth investigation.

William Morrish and Ann Snell had a son named John HEARD Morrish

John Snell of Merton, husbandman, married Susanna HEARD, 21 Jun 1814 at Sheepwash

An Ann Snell was baptised 19 Nov 1815, dau of John a yeoman and Susanna of Sheepwash.

Susan Morrish dau of William and Ann was baptised 19 Mar 1848 at Chagford and buried - 02 May 1848, age 2 months.

[Dundee10]

.... but I can't find Ann's parents on Ancestry to help me work it out. Any good tips on cracking this one?

You are not going to find everything on Ancestry. If you get the marriage certificate Ann will tell you who her father is.

[almach]

Other children born to parents John and Susanna
Baptismal dates
William 09 Oct 1814 at Sheepwash, buried 03 Dec 1814, age 10 weeks
William 06 Dec 1818 at Merton
Eliza 15 Jul 1821 at Merton

[almach]

You are not going to find everything on Ancestry. If you get the marriage certificate Ann will tell you who her father is.

Unfortunately the marriage certificate doesn't name her father, he is entered as 'dead'

[almach]

Looking at the census records I see Ann and William had children named John and Lucy, for example in 1861:
RG 9; Piece: 1468; Folio: 28; Page: 15
William Morrish 49
Ann Morrish 45
William L Morrish 17
John H Morrish 14
Charles Morrish 11
Lucy B Morrish 9
Catherine Morrish 76

William Morrish is born circa 1812, his mother is Catherine.
A Catherine BENNETT married William Morrish 13 Dec 1808 at Chagford
So that perhaps clears up why Lucy has the middle name BENNETT

[warwickhewett]

William Morrish is born circa 1812, his mother is Catherine.
A Catherine BENNETT married William Morrish 13 Dec 1808 at Chagford
So that perhaps clears up why Lucy has the middle name BENNETT

Thanks almach - Catherine Bennett is indeed the connection to the Bennett name, her father is Richard Bennett b.1750