Richard Wilkin HORSWILL

Bef 1769 - Bef 1826  (~ 56 years)

• Name	Richard Wilkin HORSWILL  [1]
  Born	Bef 23 Jul 1769
  Christened	23 Jul 1769	Ashprington, Devon, England   [1, 2]
  	Richard Wilkin, son of Thomas and Elizabeth HORSWELL.
  Gender	Male
  Died	Bef 9 Mar 1826	Devon, England   [3]
  Buried	9 Mar 1826	Plymouth Charles, Devon, England   [3]
  	Richd HORSEWELL, age 55, abode South Side St., was buried on 9 March 1826. Plymouth Charles.
  Notes	After almost 14 years of searching, assessing, and discarding possible parents for Thomas HORSWILL, born ca 1806 in Ashprington, Devon, it appears we can say that the "most likely" are Richard Wilkin HORSWILL and Elizabeth WIDGER. Although a baptism existed for Thomas, son of Richard and Elizabeth HORSWILL, at Cornworthy on 31 August 1806, no marriage of this couple had ever been found prior to 2014. The discovery of a marriage between Richard Wilkin HORSWILL and Elizabeth WIDGER in Plymouth Charles on 21 September 1793 provided some glint of hope that they are his parents. It is supported only by the following: Richard Wilkin, born in Ashprington, was the son of Thomas HORSWILL, thus naming his first son after his father as was often customary. Also it is believed Richard's brother and sister in law, Thomas and Margaret, had just lost their son, also named Thomas, in 1804, and so perhaps he also named his son in recognition of his deceased nephew. Richard Wilkin HORSWILL's eventual move to Plymouth, thereby establishing this Horswill line in that area until present day, might be explained by this document in which it is presumed Richard HORSWILL has returned to his home parish to seek monetary assistance: Settlement Examination for Richard HORSWILL - 1822. "Richard HORSWILL now in Ashprington where he was born and his parents belonged, when he was 10 he was privately apprenticed to John PEEKE of Yetson, Yeoman, until he was 21, he served his time and then 2 years as a servant at £5 a year, he then worked occasionally for John PHILLIPS for 2 or 3 years and then went to Plymouth and worked ever since as a maltman with Messrs LANGMEAD and ELLIOT by the week." Both deaths of Richard and Elizabeth occured in Plymouth Charles but at different addresses; Elizabeth dying last, her address being that of the same street where Thomas HORSWILL (born ca 1806) and his family lived. Nevertheless this rationale is not without problem. No other children have yet been found baptised to Richard and Elizabeth in either Ashprington, Cornworthy, or Plymouth, making the birth of Thomas in 1806, after a gap of almost 13 years from their marriage in 1793, highly uncommon, but certainly not impossible. Elizabeth was only about 15 years old when she married, if her age at death was correct; she might have had difficulty conceiving or continuing a pregnancy. Regardless, she would still have been only about 28 years of age when Thomas was born. Given the above disclaimers I will attach Thomas HORSWILL to these parents until further evidence can prove differently. Anne Brooks, direct descendant, 2014. [4]
  Person ID	I4818	Nosworthy
  Last Modified	2 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	Thomas HORSWILL,   b. Bef 11 Feb 1735, Devon, England ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Elizabeth WILLKIN,   b. Abt 1734,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	4 Apr 1763	Ashprington, Devon, England   [1, 2]
  	Banns of Marriage between Thomas HORSEWELL and Elizabeth WILLKIN, both of this parish, were published March 20th., 27th., April 3rd, 1763. Thomas HORSEWELL of this parish, and Elizabeth WILLKIN, Spinster, of this parish, were married by Banns on 4 April 1763. Both made their mark. Witnessed by Stephen LANE and Henry LEE. [2]
  Family ID	F3220	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth WIDGER,   b. Abt 1778,   d. Bef 13 Apr 1838  (Age ~ 60 years)
  Married	21 Sep 1793	Plymouth Charles, Devon, England   [5]
  	Richard Wilkin HORSEWELL of this Parish and Elizabeth WIDGER of the same Parish, Spinster, were married in this Church by Banns this twenty first day of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety three by me, Robert Hawker, Vicar. Both made their mark. Witnessed by Charles HAWKER, Zachary TURNER, and J. RASSY? (signed others). [3]
  Children	1. Thomas HORSWILL,   b. Abt 1806, Ashprington, Devon, England ,   d. Bef 1871  (Age ~ 64 years)
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2021
  Family ID	F1225	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S15] One Name Study: HORSWILL, Margaret Phillips, (Letter and documents received from Margaret Phillips, June 2000.). [S1050] Parish Register, Ashprington, Devon. [S955] Parish Register, Plymouth Charles, Devon. [S259] Archives: The National Archives of Great Britain. [S242] Devon Family History Society.