John Lanyon was the son of David Lanyon and Margaret Shetford in St Buryan. He married Ann Hicks from St Just in Penwith and their family lived at Boscaswell in St Just. This post is about his grandsons: Thomas, William and William.
Thomas Lanyon 1767-1829
Thomas was the eldest son of Thomas and Jane Ann Bennetts, he was baptised in St Just in 1767 and he married Cordelia Bennetts (probably a relative of his mother although I haven’t found the connection yet.) They had nine children:
- Cordelia 1800-1866 married John Roberts, a tin miner, in 1821. Fourteen children!
- Jane 1803-1875 married William Nankervis, a copper miner, in 1822. Fourteen children!
- Thomas 1805-1825 unmarried
- John 1808-1855 married Elizabeth Bowden – seven children
- James 1811-1863 married Mary Nankervis & Jane Shakerley – 13 children!
- Peggy 1814-1882 married Robert Roberts, an agricultural labourer in 1841, he died in 1845 aged 23 – two children
- William 1818-1818 died in infancy
- William 1820-1858 married Aves Pearce – five children
- Hugh 1824-1884 married Mary Guy – six children
Thomas committed suicide by reason of insanity in 1829 at Pendeen at the age of 62.
William Lanyon 1788-1841
William was the youngest son of Thomas and Jane Ann Bennetts, he was twenty one years younger than his brother Thomas. He was baptised at St Just in 1788 and married Honor Davy in 1812. William was a tin miner. He and Honor had twelve children:
- William 1812-1852 married Peggy Veal & Mary Woolcock – five children
- John 1814-1838 bachelor died age 23
- Honor 1816-1838 spinster died aged 21
- James 1819-1819 died in infancy
- James 1820-1889 he was a miner, married Alice Wearn, one son William who died in infancy, emigrated to Australia and described in his will as ‘Gentleman of Ballarat’.
- Jane 1823-1827 died in infancy
- Richard (twin) 1825-1878 married Elizabeth Angwin – nine children
- Thomas (twin) 1825-1825 died in infancy
- Hugh 1826-1872 he was a tin miner, married Elizabeth Olds, one daughter
- Thomas 1827-1892 married Jane Thomas – sixteen children!!!
- Henry 1829-1902 married Grace Leggoe – twelve children
- Jane 1833-1923 married William Hockin, a tin miner – ten children, emigrated to Australia
William Lanyon 1767-1836
William was the eldest son of William Lanyon and Sarah Rowe, he was baptised in St Just in 1767. He was a labourer at Boscawen. He didn’t marry but had an illegitimate son, William, with Elizabeth Trembath in 1821.
In 1816 he appeared at the Lent Assizes and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for larceny. In 1822 at the age of 55 he was convicted at Launceston of larceny and transported for seven years to Australia. He sailed on the York.
He was freed in 1827.
Somehow he made it back to Cornwall! He was working as a fisherman at St Just when he was convicted again in 1831 of stealing 4 pieces of chain property of Boscaswell Downs Mine in the parish of St Just in Penwith. Again he was transported for seven years. (Source – CRO/AD 1676/4/1).
He arrived in Van Dieman’s Land (now Tasmania) on 15th Nov 1831 aged 64. He died at Hobart Colonial Hospital, Tasmania on 3rd Jun 1836.
He never saw his son William grow up. William was just 10 when his father was transported a second time. William junior married Mary Maddern at St Buryan in 1841. They had ten children:
- William Thomas 1843-1905 he was a tin miner, he married Elizabeth Jane Leacher at Lelant in 1863 they had seven children who all died in infancy
- Mary Jane 1846-1882 spinster died age 36
- Charles Maddern 1848-1869 age 13 he was working as an agricultural labourer, died age 21 unmarried
- John 1850-1934 was a labourer who married Caroline (possibly Lanyon) and had a son Charles born abt. 1878 and lost trace of him after 1891. John remarried Mary Ann Ausby in 1900.
- Eliza Maddern 1852- aft. 1871 no further trace
- James 1854- no trace after 1861
- Elizabeth 1857-1910 the 1901 census shows Elizabeth living with William as head of household and a widower, Elizabeth as his wife but I think it must refer to her father as William’s birth date is about 1826. Elizabeth had a son William Thomas Lanyon born 1882 at Liskeard.
- Susan 1859- no trace after 1881
- Annie 1862-1870 died young
- Edwin 1864-1864 died in infancy
Thomas, William and William have 126 grandchildren between them and possibly more as there are people we can’t trace. The St Buryan Branch of the family is definitely not at risk of dying out!
The Lanyons 