CHAPTER III
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ANNE’S FATHER – THOMAS ANNIS
There is a record of a baptism, in Sproxton, of a THOMAS ANNIS on 3rd December 1702. The date works for a marriage in 1727 as in that year he would be 25 years old. On the record Thomas’ parents are named as ABRAHAM ANNIS and his wife ANNE.
Dec 3 1702 – The baptism of Thomas Annis the son of Abraham and Anne Annis
ANNE’s GRANDPARENTS – ABRAHAM & ANNE ANNIS
To locate their wedding I need to search the local villages for a wedding of a Abraham Annis to a woman named Anne around the year 1700…
A wedding which fits that critera can be found, in the year 1699, within the parish records of the Leicestershire village of Muston
Marriage 1699
Abraham Annis and Anne Stokes married May 13
MUNSTON
Muston (pronounced Musson) is a village in north-east Leicestershire, England. It is around five miles west of Grantham and 12.5 miles north of Melton Mowbray.
It lies on the Leicestershire/Lincolnshire county border, 12 miles north of Sproxton. The River Devon (pronounced Deevon) flows through the village.
Muston belonged to the ancient wapentake of Framland. In 1870 (over one hundred and seventy years after this wedding it was recorded as follows ‘the parish comprises 1,623 acres, with 74 houses and a population of 360 souls. The manor belongs to the Duke of Rutland.
The church, which is dedicacxted to St John the Baptist Church was built in the 14th Century and is considered to be a handsome structure and consists of nave, aisles, chancel and two porches, with central tower and spire.
Image right show the Church of St. John the Baptist, Muston © Tim Heaton
INACCURATE INFORMATION ON ANCESTRY.COM?
I have been unable to locate the baptism record for Anne Stokes.
- Some folk on ancestry.com have her baptism in Great Easton, Leicestershire on 22 Sep 1683 but I have reason to doubt this as that date would make Anne Stokes only 15 years old in May 1699 the date of the marriage. Great Easton is around 25 miles from Sproxton. The parents were John and Mary Stokes. The information was from geneanet.org which I do not consider is a credible source, for example, whoever created the page, records her birthplace as Muston, Leicestershire but has the marriage in Muston, Yorkshire. Ridiculous!
Legal age for Marriage
If she was 15 years old when she married it would have been WITH her parent’s consent as The Marriage Act of 1753, made it illegal for those in England under the age of 21 to get married without the consent of their parents or guardians. From 29 September 1653, the legal age for marriage was fixed at 16 for a man and 14 for a woman but the law was changed in 1660 and the ages of marriage reverted to 14 for the groom and 12 for the bride.
It is possible that Abraham Annis had previous been married but his first wife died. More details to follow later in this narrative.
No further research planned on the birthplace and baptism records of Anne Stokes.
THE SIBLINGS OF THOMAS ANNIS
The Sproxton parish records contain details of the first child of Abraham and Anne Annis, which initially are very confusing as the child, a girl name ISABELL ANNIS was baptised in 12th February 1699. (second entry on the record below). This date appears to be BEFORE the marriage of her parents which took place on 13th May 1699 but I will explain….
Julian Calendar
In 1699, and up until 1752, England used the Julian Calendar which started on Lady Day, March 25th, and continued for 12 months until March 24th
Accordingly the year 1699 would have progressed as follows… March 25th (New Year starts) > April > May (Abraham Annis and Anne Stokes marry on May 13th) > June > July > August > September > October > November > December > January > February (Isabell Annis born) > March 24th (last day of the year) > then 25th March is the first day of 1700. So their first child was born around eight months AFTER their marriage! Hope that make sense.
1699
Feb 12. Isabell Daughter of Abraham Annis and Anne
his wife baptised
The parish records for Sproxton show a baptism on 27th March 1701 of another girl, born in the year prior to the birth of Thomas. She was named ELINOR ANNIS and she was the daughter of Abraham and Anne Annis. (Top entry on the record below).
1701
March 27. Elinor Daughter of Abraham Annis and Anne
his wife baptised
I have dropped in the record for THOMAS ANNIS again to keep the records in sequence. He was baptised on 3rd December 1702. (The middle entry of the three below)
Dec 3 1702 – The baptism of Thomas Annis the son of Abraham and Anne Annis
Another daughter wa born in October 1704, she was baptised on 22nd October 1704 and was named MARY ANNIS. (The record in the parish records is the very faint entry on the bottom of this section below).
Dec 3 1704 – The baptism of Mary Annis the daughter of Abraham and Anne Annis
All these four children are mentioned in the Will of their parental grandfather, Abraham Annis.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM ANNIS – 1705
This is the section of the Abraham Annis’ Will that relates to his four grandchildren, who are the children of his son THOMAS ANNIS.
I give unto my four grandchildren viz Thomas Annis, Isabel Annis, Elinor
and Mary Annis, Children of Abraham Annis five shillings a piece.
The complete 1705 Will of Abraham Annis can be seen via this link The Last Will and Testament of Abraham Annis 1705
ADDITIONAL CHILDREN OF THOMAS & ANNE ANNIS
Another son was born around 2 years after Abraham Annis senior made his Will as in 1707 there is a record of a WILLIAM ANNIS, the son of Abraham and Anne Annis. However the record of his baptism, which apparently took place on 27th December 1707 in the village of Sproxton, cannot be located. Possibly the record was damage in the subsequent 300 years!
Another daughter arrived in 1709. Her name as ANNE and she was baptised on 11th May 1709.
17th May 1709 – The baptism of Anne Annis the daughter of Abraham and Anne Annis
The final child of Abraham and Anne Annis was another daughter, she was named HANNAH and was baptised on 18th August 1712.
18th Aug 1712 – The baptism of Hannah Annis the daughter of Abraham and Anne Annis
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM ANNIS – 1724
As did his father, who was also named Abraham, ABRAHAM ANNIS also made a Will. His Will was written on 14th September 1724. The Last Will and Testament of Abraham Annis 1724