Rowney Family Tree

John was christened in 1798 in the village of Goldington, in Bedfordshire, England. His parents, Edward and Susan ROWNEY, appear to have been living in a cottage in Goldington at that time. John had an older sister, Mary, and a younger sister, Edith, who were also christened there. Their father, Edward, died in Goldington in 1801 when he was around 30 years old. Mary would have been around 5 years old, John, about 3 years of age, and Edith, just a few months old, when their father died. It seems that their mother never remarried and that she remained living in Goldington throughout her life. It appears that the children also probably remained with her there, but this has not been proven.

John was married to Mary HOLDEN in 1816, in the village of Wilshamstead (Wilstead), in Bedfordshire. John would have been around 18 years old at that time, and Mary around 20 years of age. Neither John nor Mary had an obvious connection to Wilstead. Mary's family appears to have remained around her birthplace of Roxton, about 10 miles away in Bedfordshire, and John's family seems to have resided in Goldington. It is possible that John may have lived with a widowed distant aunt, Sarah ROWNEY, in Wilstead for a time after the death of his father, but this cannot be substantiated. His Aunt Sarah had one known child, a son also named John, who was the same age as John from Goldington. Both cousins named John ROWNEY eventually married and settled in Bedfordshire just a few miles from each other, one in the village of Bletsoe and the other in the village of Stevington.

After their marriage John and Mary seem to have returned briefly to live in Mary's hometown of Roxton. Their first child, Susannah, was christened there in 1817.

By the time their next child, Edward, was born, they had settled around the village of Bletsoe, a few miles north of the city of Bedford in the Hundred of Willey in Bedfordshire. John's mother seems to have had relatives around Bletsoe, so that may have been a factor in their decision to move there. Edward was baptised in Bletsoe in 1819. Their next child, Thomas, was baptised there in 1821, and daughter Edith followed in 1823. The subsequent children; William in 1825, Mary Ann in 1827, Rebecca in 1830, Elizabeth in 1833, and Mark in 1835, were all also baptised at Bletsoe. Elizabeth later claimed to have been born at nearby Felmersham, and Edith in nearby Sharnbrook, but the others who left a record indicated that they were born in Bletsoe itself. The family's place of abode was recorded in the parish register as Bletsoe in each instance except the last, in 1835, when their place of residence was given as Whitwick Green, a nearby rural area situated between the villages of Bletsoe and Thurleigh, in Bedfordshire. John ROWNEY was identified as a labourer at every baptism.

The population of the area around Bletsoe and Thurleigh villages increased by 50% between 1801 and 1843 after having been stagnant for centuries. It was said that 'squatter' houses would appear overnight along the roadsides, and as long as there was a roof overhead and smoke coming out by morning, nobody could legally turn them out. Cottage walls were made of clay and straw, built up layer by layer, and compacted by children running around on top in bare feet. The walls were straightened with an axe after they had dried. Clay bricks were used for the chimney. Many of the cottages in evidence today are of this variety. The enclosure of farm land in the area in 1805 also changed the landscape considerably over following years. Whitwick Green had been an End of Thurliegh village prior to enclosure. The common green seems to have been enclosed and allocated as farm land, and a road which had existed between Whitwick End and the nearby village of Riseley also fell into disuse, and probably became little more than a right-of-way.

The ROWNEY's infant son Mark died in 1836, just weeks short of his first birthday. He was buried in the churchyard at Bletsoe.

At the time of the census in 1841, John (aged 40+) and Mary (aged 45+) and their family were living at Whitwick Green (sp. Wittock Green). John was employed as an agricultural labourer and Mary was working as a lacemaker. They had six of their children at home on the day of the census; three sons, Edward (aged 22), Thomas (aged 20), and William (aged 15), who were all working as agricultural labourers, and three daughters, Mary (aged 13), Rebecca (aged 10), and Elizabeth (aged 7). The two older girls were lacemakers, while the youngest, Elizabeth, had no occupation given.

In the 1851 census, John (aged 53) and Mary (aged 55) were still living at Whitwick Green. John was employed as an agricultural labourer and Mary continued her lace work. Their two youngest daughters, Rebecca (aged 21) and Elizabeth (aged 16), were unmarried and living at home. Both daughters were also working as lacemakers. Their son Edward (aged 32) was married and living with his own family in the next house listed in the census at Whitwick Green.

In the 1861 census, John (aged 63) and Mary (aged 65), remained living at Whitwick Green. John was still an agricultural labourer and Mary was described as a lace maker. All of their children were married by this time, however their son Edward (aged 42) had resumed living in the same house as themselves, although his household was recorded separately. Edward's wife Elizabeth had died by this time, and his four unmarried children were all still living with him.

John died in 1862 in Bletsoe. He was 64 years old at that time. His death certificate indicates that he died from disease of the heart. The witness at his death was Catherine PARTRIDGE of Bletsoe.

Mary died just a few months later in 1862 in Bletsoe. She was 66 years of age. Her death was certified as due to natural decay. The witness at her death was Prudence SERRIDGE of Bletsoe.