Richard and Elizabeth had a huge family, we’re following some of their grandsons and a grand daughter in this post. The sons of William & Peggy Exter Richards, the sons and daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Vincent and the sons of Robert and Grace Roberts.

William & Peggy’s Sons

We’ve already written about Josiah and Reuben in the post about the East Wheal Rose mining disaster. William and Peggy had eleven children and William also had an illegitimate son with Ann Jolly. To make things even more confusing he had two sons both called William!

William Lanyon 1812-

William was baptised in 1812 and married Elizabeth Gill Bishop at St Allen in 1835. They had five children:

• Eliza Jane 1839-
• William Nicholas Bishop 1841-
• Mary Elizabeth 1843-1844 died in infancy
• Matthew Henry 1845- possibly in Wisconsin and still alive after 1920
• Mary Elizabeth 1846-

William may have died in 1864 and his wife in 1873 in Cornwall but I’m not sure and there are so many Williams and Elizabeths that it is difficult to pin them down.

William Lanyon 1816-1883

This William was the illegitimate son of William Lanyon and Ann Jolly who was a farm servant at Tolcarne. He was a miner at Newlyn. William married Nanny Swan at Newlyn East in 1844 and they had two children:

• Elizabeth 1844-1918 she married Moses Morrish, an agricultural labourer and they had six children
• William Jolly 1848-1863 died young

John Lanyon 1818-1882

John was a miner and a farmer. He married Johannah Roberts at St Allen in 1838 two months before their first child was born. They had eleven children:

• William 1838-aft. 1851 no trace after 1851
• Jane 1841-1891 she married Edward Ripper, a miner, in 1862 and had two sons
• Cyrus 1844-1904 married Mary Jane Richards – four children emigrated to California, USA.
• Eliza 1846- no further trace
• Hubert 1848-1902 was a dairyman he married Myra Brewer – five children
• Francis John 1850- lead miner no trace after 1871
• Simon 1852- miner no trace after 1871
• Selina 1855-1905 married Frederick Bunt in 1877 – three children
• Josiah 1857- married Elizabeth Kernick – four children emigrated to New York in 1892? no further trace
• Reuben 1863-1913 married cousin Mary Ellen Lanyon no children
• Annie 1866-no trace after 1881

John died in 1882 in Cornwall but we lose track of quite a few of his children, presumably they emigrated.

Francis Lanyon 1821-1876

Francis was a shoemaker and an engine engine driver. In 1845 he had an illegitimate son with Maria Wilton:

• John Francis Lanyon/Wilton 1845- there is a John Wilton working as a labourer on the railways in Liskeard who may be the same person.

In 1855 Francis married Alice Meryfield who had an illegitimate daughter, Elizabeth. They had four children:

• Ruben 1860 – a Reuben Lanyon born about 1860 emigrated to Queensland in 1879, it may be the same person
• Sabey 1861- not on 1871 census so presumably died
• Joseph 1862-1937 was a decorator he married Rosina Jane Brickwell Higg in 1887 at Bethnal Green – three children
• infant son 1864 – died age 3 days

Jocelyn Joseph Lanyon 1827-1882

Jocelyn was a copper miner and later a life insurance agent. He married Grace Coplestone at Bodmin and they had five children:

• Hubert Charles 1853-1868 died young
• Alfred John 1855-1923 married Jane Brown who died giving birth to their first son Joseph who also died in 1889. He then married Alice Battersby in 1890- six children
• Minnie 1856-1919 married George Cooke at Wigan in 1883 – three children
• William Henry 1859-1860 died in infancy
• Annie 1861- not on 1871 census presumably died

The family moved to Wigan in Lancashire.

Richard & Elizabeth’s Sons

Richard Lanyon and Elizabeth Vincent had thirteen children, we’re following the children of Richard 1809-1878, Robert Vincent 1814-1894, Bella 1816-1894 and Elizabeth 1810-1893.

Richard Lanyon 1809-1878

Richard was a farmer of 40 acres at Polstein, he was also the innkeeper at Zelah public house. He married his cousin Catherine Lanyon at St Clement in 1842, she was the daughter of Simon Lanyon and Dorothy Hoskins. They had eleven children:

• Simon 1846-1865 – Simon was killed in a mine accident aged just 19.

Coroner’s Inquest Simon Lanyon

Local and District News.

FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday, an inquest was held at Zelah, before E. T. Carlyon, Esq., deputy coroner, on the body of Simon Lanyon, of the above place, who was accidentally crushed to death under the bob of the engine at Cargoll mine. A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.

Royal Cornwall Gazette 24th March 1865

Transcribed by Adele Cutlack – reproduced with permission of Cornwall OPC

• Richard 1847-1901 he emigrated to Victoria Australia and was a pioneer farmer. He married Alice Pixton in 1876 and they had seven children. He died of liver disease aged 53.

• Robert 1849- he’s on the 1861 census and then no further trace
• Edwin 1850- he’s also on 1861 census and then no further trace
• Emma 1853-aft.1911 she married James Hicks in 1895 – no children
• Elizabeth 1855-1856 died in infancy
• Henry 1855-1855 died in infancy
• Paul 1857-1857 died in infancy
• Mary 1859-1946 she emigrated to Australia and married George Wamage at Manly in 1883, they had three children including a son called Sirodian Walatamay Wamage! (Known as Norman!)
• Eliza 1860-1890 – spinster
• Louisa 1866-1867 died in infancy

Richard senior died in 1878 and his wife was admitted to Bodmin Asylum in May 1889 and released a year later, she was described as a pauper. In Mar 1892 she was readmitted, described as a lunatic pauper and she died there in 1894.

Elizabeth Lanyon 1810-1873

Elizabeth was the second child to be named Elizabeth, the first had died aged two in 1807. In 1831 she married her cousin Henry Lanyon, the son of her great uncle Henry Lanyon and Mary Searle. They had twelve children:

• Albert Cornelius 1834-1887
• Mary Searle 1835-1882
• Simon Searle 1837-1859
• Emily 1838-1888
• Henry Scott 1893-1903
• Lewis Edwin 1841-1886
• Elizabeth Catherine 1842-1908
• Sarah 1844-1904
• Obed 1846-1914
• Isabella 1848-1913
• Louisa Ellen Jane 1850-1928
• Eliza Ellen 1852-1943

We have covered them in the post “Henry & Mary Lanyon’s Sons”.

Robert Vincent Lanyon 1814-1894

Robert was a butcher and a farmer. He married Elisabeth Bowden at Perranarworthal in 1844. They had nine children:

• Charles 1845-1921 he was a butcher and farmer, married Jenny Grigg Tinney and they had eight children
• Emma Jane 1846-1848 died in infancy
• Robert Henry 1847-1850 died in infancy
• Emma Jane 1850-1926 married William Tinney, brother to Jenny Grigg Tinney, a farmer – five children
• Elizabeth Ann 1852-1874 died young of TB
• Olivia 1854-1947 married Josiah Clark, a farmer, no children
• Annie 1858-1949 spinster
• Catherine (Kate) 1860-1936 married Thomas Augustus Powell in 1887, he was a district manager for an insurance company – no children
• Ellen 1862-1930 married Charles William Michael at Kenwyn in 1883, they emigrated to Australia – seven children

Bella Lanyon 1816-1894

We must mention Bella Lanyon, she was Robert Vincent Lanyon’s younger sister and possibly the first Lanyon in Ballarat Australia. For many years she was betrothed to Thomas Johns but her parents weren’t keen on the marriage as Thomas had made it clear he wished to emigrate and they didn’t want to ‘lose’ their daughter. In 1853 at the age of 37 she finally married him without her parents’ consent and they emigrated to Melbourne Australia, aboard the ship ‘Madagascar’. They had seven children:

• Mary Johns 1854-1854 died in infancy
• Amos Johns 1854-1855 died in infancy
• Luke Johns 1856-1931 he was a teacher, preacher and taught temperance classes. His first wife was Prudence Hilliard who died of TB shortly after their daughter May was born. he married again to Emily Parker and had two more children: Violet and William who was killed at Gallipoli.

• Annie Johns 1857-1938 spinster
• Mary Johns 1859-1860 died in infancy
• Emily Johns 1860-1941 spinster

• Wesley Johns 1863-1933 Methodist preacher who married Elizabeth Davies. As a child he had beautiful gold curls and this saved his life when he was lost as a little boy in the Ballarat gold fields and was spotted by his hair!

Thomas Johns was a miner and mine agent and he was also the unofficial dentist in the gold fields. His dental instruments were displayed for many years at the Ballarat Museum! A memorial window to Thomas Johns and Bella Lanyon was erected at Ballarat Methodist Church by their daughters Annie & Emily Johns.

Robert and Grace’s Sons

Robert married Grace Roberts at Probus in 1817. They had nine children and this post is about their sons Robert and Edwin.

Robert Lanyon 1819-1920

Robert was a centenarian! He was born at Gorran in 1819, he was a farmer of 300 acres and he married Elizabeth Pound at St Michael Caerhays in 1842. They had four children:

• Robert Henry 1842-1926 married Fanny Trestain, one son also called Robert
• Caroline 1844-aft. 1901 married Frederick Taudevin a grocer and draper born in Guernsey – several children
• Ann 1846- no trace after 1851
• Georgina 1846-1923 born the same year her mother died married Richard Jennings – seven children

In 1849 Robert remarried. He married Charity Rosevear at St Mewan. They had four children:

• Edwin 1850-1936 also a farmer married Catherine Lelean in 1893 – no children
• Frederick John 1851-1926 was a farmer, he married Elizabeth Colliver Kirkin in 1897, they had two children Alice who died in infancy and Frederick Donald who emigrated to Canada.
• Grace abt. 1850- she married Capt. WL Williams in 1871, there was a Grace Williams who died in Bombay in 1913 which may be her
• John 1855-1926 farmer, bachelor

Edwin Lanyon 1822-1870

Edwin married Ellen Brewer at Tiverton, Devon in 1849. He was a commercial traveller. They had five children:

• Ellen 1851-1874 died young not married, she contracted Typhus
• Edwin 1853-1896 he was a bank manager, he married Georgiana Jennings in 1890 in Plymouth, Devon. One son also called Edwin.
• Emily 1856- no further trace
• Julia Evelyn 1858-1884 married Edward Walter Ward in 1883 and died a year later, no children, she died of meningitis
• Frederick William 1859-1924 emigrated to Australia and married Mary Brown at Sydney in 1884 – three sons, two died in infancy

Edwin and Ellen both died within a few weeks of one another in 1870 in Devon. Edwin died of chronic pneumonic phthisis (TB) and Ellen of a goitre (2 months).

Here we must leave this branch of the tree.

The Lanyon family in St Allen intermarried with the Vincent, the Clark, the Gill, the Hoskins, the Clyma and the Searle families of St Allen and the surrounding areas. Their children and grandchildren intermarried as well and it’s fair to describe this part of the tree as ‘complicated’! So complicated that I may not have it 100% right!

The Searles

When John Lanyon and Sarah Straight moved to St Allen three of their children married into the Searle family.

The Vincents

Richard and Henry Lanyons children married into the Vincent family. Three of Oliver Vincent and Catherine Paul’s children married three Lanyon cousins.

The Hoskins & Clarks

Where to begin? Paul Clark 1773-1854 married Ann Carveth Hoskins and they had a son also called Paul Clark born in 1805. When Ann Carveth Hoskins died Paul married Jane Lanyon (the daughter of Henry Lanyon & Mary Searle) then had a son called William Clark.

Ann Carveth Hoskins had a sister called Dorothy who married Simon Lanyon, the brother of Richard Lanyon. Paul Clark 1805-1888 married Mary Lanyon who was the daughter of Richard Lanyon and Elizabeth Vincent and when Mary died he married her sister Louisa Lanyon! Paul’s half brother William married Caroline Lanyon his mother’s niece.

Not shown on the diagram above is the fact that Peggy and Elizabeth Vincent are sisters!

There is also a Thomas Hoskin/Hoskyn who married Sarah Lanyon (the daughter of Henry and Mary Searle) in 1803 at St Allen who is probably related to the other Hoskins but I haven’t worked out the connection yet!

The Gills

The Gill family also married into the Lanyon and Hoskins families.

The Clymas

Mary Ellen Lanyon and her sister Dorothy Hoskins Lanyon (the daughters of Simon Lanyon and Dorothy Hoskins) married an uncle and nephew. Dorothy married John Clyma and Mary Ellen married his nephew George Clyma.

To add to the confusion George Clyma’s father William Clyma had a wife and mother with the same name, Jenney Jennings. It appears that his wife was the niece of his mother but I haven’t got proof of that!

All clear then?

Henry and Richard Lanyon married two sisters, Elizabeth and Mary Searle. Henry and Mary had ten children. This post is about their four sons who had children.

Henry and Mary’s son Henry married Elizabeth Lanyon the granddaughter of Richard and Elizabeth Searle!

John Lanyon 1782-1859

John was the eldest son of Henry and Mary. He married Peggy Vincent at St Allen in 1810. John was a farmer of 80 acres and a butcher at Zelah, St Allen. He and Peggy had fourteen children!

• William 1810-1898 married Mary Ann Bennett
• Henry 1812-1876 married Grace Rose Anna Bennett
• Simon 1815-1888 married Mary Batten
• Josiah 1816-1898 married Esther Brenton
• Paul 1817-1897 married Johanna Kendal
• Mary Ann 1822-1896 married James Polkinghorne at St Allen in 1846 – no children
• Elial 1824-1909 was a farmer and a Methodist preacher, he never married and died at Henver aged 86
• Caroline 1824-1893 married William Clark, a gardener and farmer, two children
• Sophia 1826-1847 never married, she committed suicide by throwing herself down a well, cause of death – temporary insanity

• Ann Vincent 1827-1896 married James Williams, a farmer – no children
• Robert 1829-1909 married Mary Ann Grose Curnow
• John 1832-1916 married Annie Plimmer and Amelia Osborne
• Samuel 1833-1908 married Cecilia Edwards and Lucy Ellen Brown
• Elizabeth 1837-1897 married William Ripper Cock (that’s definitely one of the more memorable names on the tree!) at St Allen in 1858 three children and they emigrated to Wisconsin where the name was changed to Cox.

John died in 1859 and Peggy in 1877, they are both buried at St Allen. Their son erected a beautiful window in their memory in St Allen church.

William Lanyon 1791-1864

William was the second surviving son of Henry and Mary, they also had another son called William who died in infancy and was buried in 1875. William was a yeoman farmer of 280 acres, employing 7 labourers. He married Jane Veale Rowe at Newlyn East in 1836 and they had four children:

• Jane Veale 1839-1905 married Samuel Mitchell in 1859. They had nine children including Jane Veale Mitchell the early 20th century Lanyon researcher mentioned throughout this website. Jane (junior) was born in 1866 and died in 1929 (she was accidentally knocked over and killed by a passing train) a spinster.
• Mary Ellen 1841-1842 died in infancy
• Isabella 1842-1852 died young
• Charles Scott 1844-1890 married Elizabeth Jane Rowe

William died in 1864 aged 73 and was buried at Higher Treluddra.

Simon Searle Lanyon 1794-1858

Simon was a farmer and a great athlete.

“It will be in the recollection of many of the older Cornish people that the Henver family (of Lanyons) were remarkable for their physical build and great strength. Perhaps the best specimen of them in this respect was Simon Searle Lanyon whose powers when a young man were quite remarkable. Polkinghorne, who in the wrestling ring so manfully upheld his county in the contest with Cann for the championship of Devon and Cornwall could not stand before him. As a member of the Cornish Yeomanry Cavalry, he was their first athlete on their annual sport days of the Corps at the conclusion of their yearly training. The late Mr J.C.Lanyon of Redruth who was his second cousin took great delight in relating his feats on these occasions. One of the things which he did was to ride through the narrow lanes at full gallop, and with a cut of his sword divide two turnips placed opposite to each other on either side of the road!”

The Royal Cornwall Gazette Dec 1889

Simon never married but lived for many years with Elizabeth Batten/Batting a charwoman and they had a daughter:

• Priscilla 1832-1905 married Oliver Robert Northey – two sons

Simon died at St Merryn in 1858 from inflammation of the bowels. Elizabeth was present at his death.

Henry Lanyon 1797-1872

Henry was the youngest child of Henry and Mary. He married Elizabeth Lanyon, the daughter of his cousin Richard Lanyon. They had twelve children:

• Albert Cornelius 1834-1887 married Mary Ellen Varcoe
• Mary Searle 1835-1882 married William Collins, a smith – ten children
• Simon Searle 1837-1859 emigrated to Ballarat, Australia in 1857 and died in a mining accident in 1859 age 23. No children
• Emily 1838-1888 emigrated to Ballarat, Australia in 1857 and in 1859 married Thomas William Bull – eleven children

• Henry Scott 1839-1903 married Maria Westcott
• Lewis Edwin 1841-1886 married Sarah Osman
• Elizabeth Catherine 1842-1908 married Henry Olver, a carpenter at St Allen in 1860 emigrated to South Africa – six children

• Sarah 1844-1904 emigrated to Australia and married Robert Quine at Victoria in 1866 – no children

• Obed 1846-1914 farmer of Polstein, St Allen, he never married and was described by his cousin Simon Henry Lanyon in his diary as “a rough jolly good fellow who weighs 210lbs and is not at all fat.”
• Isabella 1848-1913 never married and worked as a grocer, draper and sub postmistress at Zelah, St Allen. The 1911 census mentions that she was paralysed. She lived with her sister Louisa and a niece, Mabel. She was very deaf and was killed when she failed to hear the approaching train at a rail crossing in Zelah.
• Louisa Ellen Jane 1850-1928 never married and lived with her sister Isabella

• Eliza Ellen 1852-1943 in 1886 she married William Phillips, a farmer, at Truro – three sons

Henry Lanyon was a farmer at Trevalsa and Simon Henry Lanyon described him in his diary as “Great Henry, the champion wrestler of Cornwall”

Richard Lanyon 1739-aft. 1779

Richard was baptised at St Buryan in 1739 and married Mary Gomer at Paul in 1766. We know very little about Richard, not even the date of his death. He and Mary had seven children:

• Richard 1766-1766 died in infancy
• Richard 1767-1767 died in infancy
• David 1768-1846 married Elizabeth Carter
• Mary 1771-1771 died in infancy
• Richard 1773- was a farmer who married Anne Chapple, a widow, at Paul in 1809 – no trace of children
• Mary 1776- possibly married Richard Crocker at Paul in 1802, no further trace
• John 1779-1831 married Grace Lanyon

David Lanyon 1768-1846

David was baptised at Paul in 1768 and married Elizabeth Carter at Paul in 1790. They had two children:

• David 1799-bef. 1838 David was a shoemaker who married Anne Strick at St Buryan 1831. He died before 1838 as Anne ‘Street’ remarried that year. There were no children.
• John 1803-1866 was baptised in Mousehole in 1803. He was a fisherman and only married Grace Crocker in 1848 at the age of 45. They had one daughter Elizabeth Harvey Lanyon born in 1849 who married Robert Allison, a boilermaker, in 1874.

David senior was admitted to the Penzance Dispensary in 1835, he was described as a poor man. He died age 79 at Paul in 1846. His wife died the following year.

John Lanyon 1779-1831

John was a fisherman, he married Grace Lanyon his cousin at St Buryan in 1804. She was the daughter of Charles Lanyon and Martha Ellis. They had four children before Grace died of the effects of childbirth in 1810.

• Mary 1805- no further trace
• Martha 1807-1884 married John Watt, an iron founder at Phillack in 1829 – eight children
• David – 1807 died in infancy
• Grace 1810-1810 Grace died suddenly age 1 month and her mother Grace died of the effects of childbirth two days later.

John remarried in 1817. His second wife was Alice Mann, there were no children of this marriage.

With no male descendants to carry on the Lanyon name this little branch of the tree died out.

John Lanyon and Ann Hicks of St Just had three grandsons who produced at least 126 grandchildren between them. This post follows some of them.

Thomas Lanyon & Cordelia Bennetts Sons

Thomas and Cordelia had nine children and at least 61 grandchildren, we’re going to follow their sons: John, James, William and Hugh.

Most of the people in St Just at this time were connected to the mining industry. All of Thomas and Cordelia’s sons were miners. In 1800 the population of St Just was under 3000 by the 1840s it had tripled. The boom was over as quickly as it began and by the 1860s it was in decline and the great migration was underway. Miners and their families emigrated all over the world in search of mining work.

Botallack Mine is just one of many mines in the St Just area.

John Lanyon 1808-1855

John was baptised at St Just in 1808 and was a tin miner. In 1831 he married Elizabeth Jelbard née Bowden a widow. Sometimes when researching a family you come across a tragedy, poor Elizabeth Bowden suffered several tragedies.

Elizabeth’s first husband, also called John, was drowned in 1830, in 1831 she married John Lanyon. They had seven children:

• John 1832-1857 married Jane Shakerley in 1854. They had one child, John who emigrated to Montana USA. John died age 25 of Phthisis Asthenia (TB, fatigue).
• Elizabeth 1834-1895 she married Charles Davey at St Just in 1853 they had two children both called Charles. The first child was drowned in a well age 18 months. The family emigrated to Ballarat, Australia.
• Thomas 1835-1888 married Elizabeth White – nine children, six died in infancy, one in a mining accident
• Cordelia Bennetts 1838-1916 she was a tin ore dresser, she was 47 years old when she married John Gendall who was also a tin dresser, thirteen years her junior. They had no children.
• Richard 1839-1843 died in infancy
• James 1841-1867 was a tin miner, he married Jane White and emigrated to Ballarat, Australia. They had one son James who was born the same year his father died.
• Richard 1844-aft. 1891 the various census returns make it clear that Richard was a ‘dumb imbecile’ who eventually ended up living with sister Cordelia and then the Madron Union Workhouse, where he died.

John Lanyon was killed in a mine accident in 1855.

The Royal Cornwall Gazette, 16 November 1855

Coroner’s Inquest John Lanyon
On the following day (the 10th inst.) in the parish of St. Just in Penwith, on the body of John Lanyon, aged 47 years. The deceased was a miner, and worked at Park Noweth Mine, in that parish, and was at the 80 fathom level, assisting in changing the boxes of the lift, when the engine being working, the rod came down, and the navel-pin thereof struck him on the head and caused such injury thereto that he died on the following day. It appeared to be the usual practice to change the boxes whilst the engine is at work, and that the same may be done without fear of accident where the party doing it is ordinarily careful. Verdict “accidental death.” The deceased was very much respected. He leaves a widow and five children to deplore their loss. The poor woman has been very unfortunate, having had her first husband drowned, her father killed, her son killed, and now her second husband also killed, and not long since a grand child was drowned in a well.

Poor Elizabeth, both husband’s killed, her father dead. Of her children: John died age 23, Richard died age 3, James died age 26 and her last Richard was a ‘dumb imbecile’. Of her grandchildren, Charles accidentally drowned in a well age 18 months, six of Thomas’ children died in infancy and another son was killed in a mining accident. Even by the standards of the day this was an especially tragic family.

James Lanyon 1811-1863

James was a miner and he married Mary Nankervis in 1836. They had ten children:

• Mary Ann 1837-1851 died young
• Peggy 1838-1839 died in infancy
• James 1840-1840 died in infancy
• Peggy 1841-1925 married William Warren in 1862 – two children
• James 1842-aft. 1871 was a tin miner, married Susan Hill – four children
• Thomas Henry Nankervis 1843-1896 he was a tin miner and emigrated to New Zealand where he worked as a grocer. His first wife was Caroline White. She died eight days after her second daughter was born in 1873. Thomas married Ester Ann Williams in 1874 and they had at least three children together. He died after a long painful illness after contracting influenza.

• Elizabeth Nankervis 1846-1909 married William Semmens in 1870 – two children, emigrated to Australia
• Jane 1848-1917 married Christopher Wallis Jelbart at St Buryan in 1870 – seven children of which five died in infancy. Emigrated to Australia
• Grace James 1849-1911 married James Thomas Gill in 1874 in Australia – six children
• Nanny 1851-1851 died in infancy

Mary died in 1854 at Pendeen. James remarried in 1858 and this is where it got a little bit complicated! James married Mrs Jane Lanyon (Shakerley), widow of his nephew John Lanyon!

James and Jane had two more children:

• Nanny 1860- she married William Thomas Collins in 1880, she died in Canada in 1945.
• Jane Shakerley 1862-1876 died young

Jane was widowed for a second time in 1863 and in 1868 she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Sarah. Sarah married William George Rounsley in 1886 and they emigrated to Pennsylvania, USA and had five children.

Jane then married for a third time to Charles Jenkin, a miner and had another child in 1878 called Jane. Jane senior died in Australia in 1923 aged 90.

William Lanyon 1820-1858

William was Thomas and Cordelia’s 5th son and the second called William. The first William died in infancy. He was baptised in 1820 at St Just. Like so many in his family he was a miner. In 1842 he married Aves Pearce, they had five children:

• William Henry 1843-1895 he was a miner and married Jane Randall, they had seven children and emigrated to Wales.
• Mary Cordelia 1845-1912 she had a son, possibly illegitimate, called Thomas Warren 1864-1934 (we can’t trace a marriage for Mary to Thomas’ father) Before 1881 she married William Bolton an engine driver and emigrated to Wales. Her widowed mother lived with her.

• Nanny 1849-aft. 1871 no trace after 1871 census (there is more than one Nanny Lanyon at this time and it is hard to know which is which.)
• Elizabeth 1852-1857 died young
• Susan Ann 1857-1931 married Samuel Muxworthy, a miner, in 1875 and had 11 children, she too emigrated to Wales.

William senior died in 1858 at Pendeen aged just 38, he was suffering from consumption (TB).

Hugh Lanyon 1824-1884

Hugh was the youngest child of Thomas and Cordelia. He was baptised in St Just in 1824. He worked as a tin dresser and he married Mary Guy in 1848. (A tin dresser was usually a woman and they worked on the surface with hammers breaking the larger bits of stone into smaller pieces.)

Hugh and Mary had six children:

• Mary Delia 1849-1915 married Robert Matthews, a tin miner, 10 children
• Thomas 1850-1898 a tin miner, he emigrated to Colorado, USA and married Susie Louise Vance, five children
• Elizabeth 1853-1896, a laundress never married
• Cecilia 1855-1940 married George Hocking Ellis in 1874 – eight children emigrated to Colorado and in 1894 she married James C Grenfell and had three more children.
• Jane 1859-1859 died in infancy

What it was like to go down into a tin mine every day!

William Lanyon and Honor Davy’s Sons

William and Honor had twelve children including one set of twins. We’re going to follow four of them in this post: William, Richard, Thomas and Henry.

William Lanyon 1812-1852

William was baptised at St Just in 1812. He was a miner. He married Elizabeth (Peggy) Veal in 1836. They had two children:

• John 1839-1905 he was a miner who emigrated to Australia and there married Honor Marie White and they had twelve children. John died at Bendigo, Australia in 1905
• Honor (later known as Annie) 1840-1926 she emigrated to Australia in her early 20s and married James Clark in 1875, two children. Honor died of influenza on 25th Jul 1926, the day before her daughter died of influenza.

Peggy died in 1842 aged just 24. In 1847 William married Mary Woolcock and in 1849 they emigrated to Australia. They sailed on the ship ‘William Money’. They had three sons:

• William Henry 1848-bef.1850 died in infancy
• William 1850- no further trace
• James 1851 – no further trace

William senior died in 1852 aged just 40 and was buried in Australia.

Richard Lanyon 1825-1878

Richard was a twin, his brother Thomas died age 6 months. Richard like so many in his family was a miner. He married Elizabeth Angwin in 1846 at St Just. They had nine children:

• Elizabeth 1846-1921 married William James at Ballarat Australia in 1869 – nine children
• Jane 1848-1927 no trace of a marriage, died at Bendigo, Australia.
• Richard 1850-1912 baptised at St Just, married Mary Wesley Caddy at Ballarat, Australia in 1873 – twelve children
• Mary Ann 1853-1874 married James Roach Hore in Australia in 1872, one child who also died in 1874
• William 1854-1854 died in infancy
• Honor Frances 1856-1938 married Francis Rowe in Australia – six children
• Margaret 1860-1952 spinster died in Australia age 92
• Ada 1864-1945 married Thomas Allen in Victoria in 1886 – one daughter
• Annie 1867-1925 arrived in Australia age 9 months, married Joseph Tredinnick in 1890 – five daughters

Thomas Lanyon 1827-1892

Richard was William and Honor’s tenth child. He was a tin miner and in 1851 at St Just he married Jane Thomas. In 1854 he emigrated to Australia on the ship ‘Thetis’ and arrived in Adelaide on 4th Sep. Thomas and Jane had a whopping fifteen children!

• Jane 1851-1851 died in infancy
• Eliza Jane 1853-1855 died in infancy
• Elizabeth Jane 1855-1918 born in Australia married Edward Alfred John Carey in 1877 – five children
• Thomas 1857-1863 died young
• Hannah 1858- married James Gowifey no further trace
• Honor 1859-1938 married James Gourley – two sons both died in infancy
• Margaret Ann 1861-1861 died in infancy
• Thomas 1862-1862 died in infancy
• Thomas 1864-1933 married Alice Maria Goulden in 1889, three daughters, all died young and one son
• Margaret Ann 1865-1866 died in infancy
• John 1866-1907 married Margaret Sheehan in 1898, died in 1907
• James 1868-1940 married Sarah Oats – three children
• William 1871-1875 died in infancy
• Ruth 1873-1938 married Alex Borland
• William Henry 1875-1916 he was a farmer, he married Emily Jane McGillivray in 1902- four children. According to his inquest William committed suicide by shooting himself

Of the fifteen children seven died in childhood. How did they cope with the death of so many of their children?

Henry Lanyon 1829-1902

Henry was baptised at St Just and followed his father and brothers down the mines. In Apr 1854 he married Grace Leggoe and they went on to have twelve children.

• Grace Leggo 1854-1934 Grace was born in Jul 1854 and in 1882 she married James Francis Batch in Australia
• William Henry 1859-1917 He was born in Victoria, Australia and married Mary Barkas in 1888 – four children
• John Leggo 1860-1915 bachelor
• James Leggo 1861-1933 married Charlotte Rooney in 1891 – three daughters
• Honorah 1863-1948 married Arthur Goodwin Stace, a signwriter in 1887 in Australia – two children both died in infancy in Australia and it appears as though they returned to England where Arthur died in 1890 in Surrey age 31. Honorah married again in 1893 in Australia to Alfred John Rowsell and they had a daughter who died in infancy and one son also called Alfred who was killed on 4th Oct 1917 at Ypres.
• Jane 1864-1953 married William Penberthy Millar in 1883 at Victoria – ten children
• Thomas 1866-1911 married Mary Jane Johns in 1889 at Victoria – seven children
• Richard 1868-1943 married Charlotte Myhill – three children
• Christopher 1869-1904 bachelor
• Elizabeth 1872-1957 married William Speedie – three sons
• Mary Ann 1876-1952 married Alfred Joseph Henry Harrison – no children
• Albert Henry Leggo 1877-1940 married Lucy Elizabeth Mew – no children

Many of Henry’s children died at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The family like so many others from Cornwall went out to Australia for the Goldrush of the mid 19th century.

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!

William Lanyon 1763-1836

William’s parents Richard and Margery both died young and the children must have been raised by relatives. William was baptised at Madron in 1763, by 1770 he was an orphan. he married Mary Webb at St Buryan in 1787 and they had three children, a small number for the time.

• Robert Webb 1788-1836 he married Jane Hosking – eight children
• Mary 1793-1881 she married William Nicholls, a victualler – six children
• William 1801-1888 he married Rachel Brownfield Matthews – nine children

William senior died at Boscowan, St Buryan in 1836 aged 74.

Margery Lanyon 1764-

Margery was William’s younger sister. She had an illegitimate son:

• William 1791- he married Margaret Mitchell – four children

William Lanyon and Mary Webb’s sons

Robert Webb Lanyon 1788-1836

Robert married Jane Hosking at St Buryan in 1815. Robert was a labourer at Mousehole. They had eight children:

• Elizabeth Hosking 1815-1891 married William Harvey in 1832 they had fourteen children! They emigrated to Australia.

• Uriah 1817-1877 he married Elizabeth Jane Nobel – six children
• Jane 1820- possibly married Charles Johns
• Mary 1822-1881 married Michael Edwards in 1858 – one son
• John 1825-1826 died in infancy
• Philadelphia 1827-1910 married James Thomas at Paul, ten children
• John 1830-1896 he was a farm labourer, married Amelia Hosken no children and died in the Madron Union Workhouse
• Sarah Hosking 1833-1904 married Thomas Wills at Paul in 1852 – eight children

William Lanyon 1801-1888

William was the youngest child of William Lanyon and Mary Webb, he was baptised at St Buryan in 1801. In 1829 he married Rachel Brownfield Matthews at St Buryan. They had nine children:

• William Albert 1829-1885 married Bridget McGrath at Victoria Australia in 1851 – four children
• Mary Anne Matthews 1832-1914 married George Maddern in Australia in 1853 – twelve children
• Rachel Brownfield 1835-1905 married John Wadsworth Roberts in Australia – twelve children
• Elizabeth 1838-1852 died young
• Joseph 1840-1895 married Maria Hogan Ogenarks in Australia in 1860 – six children
• Robert Matthews 1844-1859 died young
• Christiana Matthews 1847-1873 married James Thorogood – two children
• Francis 1851-1918 married Mary Ann Opie in 1875 – six children
• George 1853-1896 not married

William died in Australia in 1888 but left a large family to continue the Lanyon name.

Margery Lanyon’s Son

William Lanyon 1791-

William was the illegitimate son of Margery Lanyon. He was baptised at Madron in 1791. He worked as a labourer and married Margaret Mitchell at St Buryan in 1823. Later he was a mariner and in 1835 the Boscawen pilot. They had four children:

• John 1823-1893 he married Maria Williams in 1853 at St Levan – three children
• Eliza 1827-1907 had an illegitimate son, John Lanyon in 1851 and then married Richard Carbis, a labourer, in 1853, they had one daughter. John took the surname Carbis. They emigrated to Australia .

• Richard 1832-1907 married Ann Semmens – three children
• Mary Mitchell 1835-1852 died young

By 1841 the family were split up, William may have died before 1841 but I can’t find a record of that.

Robert Webb Lanyon & Jane Hosking’s Son

Uriah Lanyon 1817-1877

Uriah was baptised at St Buryan in 1817 and in 1838 he married Elizabeth Jane Nobel at Madron. They emigrated to Pennsylvania, USA in 1848 on the ship ‘Mountaineer’. They had six children:

• Uriah 1839-1839 died in infancy
• Eliza Jane 1845-1907 born at Lelant and baptised at St Ives Primitive Methodist. She married Charles Wrenshall at Georgia in 1865 – four children
• William Henry 1851-1913 married Kate Lindon and one son, William. William senior was a school janitor and died at Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1913
• Ida Ella 1854-1900 married Lewis Garner – at least two children
• Lilly Lanyon 1860- married William Lacard (possibly Lockard) no further trace
• Edwin W 1863-1941 bachelor

William Lanyon and Rachel Brownfield Matthews’ Sons

William Albert Lanyon 1829-1885

William was baptised at St Buryan in 1829 he emigrated to Victoria, Australia in 1849. He married Bridget McGrath in 1851. They had four children:

• Emily 1854-1894 had an illegitimate son Samuel Albert born in 1874 then she married Joseph Frost at Victoria in 1879 and they had seven children.
• Elizabeth Rachel 1855-1890 married Joseph Lawrence Minogue in 1874 at Victoria – nine children the last born the same year Elizabeth died.
• William Patrick 1857-1946 married Mary Ryan in 1882 – four children
• Edwin Joseph 1859- no further trace

Bridget left William in 1860 and he placed an advert in the paper to announce that he would no longer be responsible for any debts incurred by her as she ‘has left my bed and board without just cause’!

Francis Lanyon 1851-1918

Francis ‘Frank’ was born in 1851 is Portland, Victoria, Australia. He married Mary Ann Opie at Victoria in 1875. They had six children:

• Edith Mary Ethel 1877-1918 married William Alexander Waller – two children
• Ann Maude 1880-1969 spinster
• Elizabeth Amy 1883-1953 spinster
• Francis William 1885-1942 bachelor
• Mabel Eliza 1887-1976 married Walter Edgar Brand – two children
• Gertrude 1891-1952 spinster

There we must leave this branch of the family, there are descendants in Australia and the USA.

The more a family grows the less there is to pass on. Thomas Lanyon may have been a gentleman farmer in St Buryan but his great grandsons and their children are much poorer.

The names Thomas and Richard are popular and it can be difficult to pinpoint the correct one in the records. This is my attempt to sort out this branch of the St Buryan tree.

Thomas Lanyon 1722-1781

Thomas was the son of Thomas and Mary Rowe. He was baptised at Sancreed in 1722 and married Avis harry at Madron in 1754. They had two daughters:

• Ruth 1760-1823 she had an illegitimate daughter, Sabina baptised at Sancreed in 1781. Ruth married Richard Lavars at Sancreed in 1786 no trace of any children. Sabina married William Olds, a husbandman in 1812 and they had five children. Sabina died in 1831 at St Buryan.
• Grace 1763-1786 Grace didn’t marry and died as a pauper at Sancreed in 1786.

Avis died in 1766 and a Thomas Lanyon married Honour Bottrel at Sancreed in 1772. It may not be this Thomas but I can’t fit this marriage in anywhere else! Thomas and Honour had four children:

• Ann 1773- possible marriage to John Bawden at Madron in 1798?
• Thomas 1775- no further trace
• Honour 1779-1842 married John Hosken in 1818 at Sancreed and died at St Just in 1842
• William 1779- William was baptised on the same day as his sister Honour so she was probably born a couple of years before him. No further trace of William

Richard Lanyon 1732-

Richard was the youngest son of Thomas Lanyon and Mary Rowe. He was baptised in 1732 at Sancreed and married Margery Riccault at Madron in 1757. They had four children:

• Richard 1758-1842 married Jane Thomas at Madron in 1779, they had one son Jacob Thomas Lanyon baptised in 1780, no further trace of Jacob
• Thomas 1760- no further trace
• William 1763-1836 married Mary Webb at St Buryan in 1787 – three children
• Margery 1764- illegitimate son William baptised in 1791

There are two possible dates of burial for Richard 23rd Sep 1766 at St Buryan or 16th Dec 1767 at Sancreed. Either way he died in his early thirties and Margery died in 1770 so all four children must have been raised by relatives.

Thomas Lanyon 1736-1791

Thomas was the second son of John Lanyon and Ann Hicks, he was baptised at St Just in Penwith in 1736. In 1766 he was married to Jane Ann Bennetts. They had nine children:

• Thomas 1767-1829 married Cordelia Bennetts – nine children
• John 1769-1791 bachelor died young
• Hugh 1770-1791 bachelor died young
• Jane 1774-1827 married John Thomas – twelve children
• Ann 1774-1827 spinster
• Grace 1779-1863 married Richard Oats, a tin dresser, one son traced
• Margaret 1781-1851 married John Hallo, a tin miner, in 1806 – eight children
• James 1783-1822 yeoman, never married and died age 39, bequeaths everything to his sister Grace Oats (Source – CRO/AP/L/2243)
• William 1788-1841 married Honor Davy at St Just in 1812 – twelve children

William Lanyon 1742-1807

William was the youngest son of John Lanyon and Ann Hicks, he was a tinner. In his father’s will he was left £20 and one half of Martin Edwards stamps on tenement of Trewellard. In 1763 he married Sarah Rowe at St Just in Penwith and they had three children:

• William 1767-1836 married Elizabeth Trembath
• Sarah 1775-1856 baptised at St Ives, married William Jennings – eight children
• Ann Row 1780-1864 baptised at St Ives married George Bryant in 1800 – eight children

Sarah Rowe died in 1786 and the following year widower William married Jane Colliver at St Ives. They had five children:

• John 1788-1791 died in infancy
• Jane 1790-1795 died in infancy
• John 1792- no further trace
• Mary 1794-1801 died young
• Jane 1796-1799 died in infancy

As far as can be ascertained none of the children from his second family survived to adulthood. In 1805 his brother John left him 1/- in his will. William of St Ives drowned at Newquay in 1807 and was buried at St Columb Major. Jane Colliver lived to the age of 86.

Richard Lanyon 1739-

Richard was the eldest surviving son of Richard Lanyon and Grace Phillips. He was baptised at St Buryan in 1739. He married Mary Gomer at Paul in 1766. They had seven children:

• Richard 1766-1766 died in infancy
• Richard Lanyon 1767-1767 died in infancy
• David 1768-1846 married Elizabeth Carter – two children
• Mary 1771-1771 died in infancy
• Richard 1773- was a farmer, he married Anne Chapple at Paul in 1809 no children
• Mary 1776 married Richard Crocker no children traced
• John 1779-1831 married Grace Lanyon his cousin – four children

Charles Lanyon 1740-1822

Charles was the youngest son of Richard Lanyon and Grace Phillips. He married Martha Ellis at St Buryan in 1765 and they had nine children:

• Charles 1765- no further trace
• Sarah 1769- married Thomas Roberts at St Buryan 1795 – no children traced
• Richard 1774-1802 he was a mariner and died on HMS Excellent in Asia
• Martha 1778-1859 married Robert Gibbs in 1824, a carpenter and widower – no children
• David 1780-1788 died young
• Grace – 1782 died in infancy
• Grace 1784-1810 married her cousin John Lanyon the son of Richard and Grace Phillips
• David 1788- no further trace
• James 1795-1858 married Grace Harvey at St Buryan in 1822 – no children

Thomas Lanyon and Elizabeth Jonnes of St Buryan had eight children, of them only two sons had children that we can trace, Richard and David. This post is about their sons.

Richard Lanyon & Margery Baynard’s Son

Thomas Lanyon 1695-1738

Thomas was the youngest son of Richard and Margery Baynard and the only son to survive to adulthood.

He married Mary Rowe at Sancreed in 1716. They had eight children:

• Mary 1717- no further trace
• Grace 1719-1719 died in infancy
• Jane 1720-1722 died in infancy
• Thomas 1722-1781 married Avis Harry & Honor Bottrell – six children
• William 1725- no trace
• Ruth 1729-1798 married William Hitchens/Hutchens – five children
• Richard 1732- married Margery Riccault – four children
• Margery 1736-1767 married John Nicholas, husbandman.

There are two possible burials for Thomas one on the 14th Aug 1737 at St Just and the other 11 Feb 1738 at Paul, either is possible!

David Lanyon & Margaret Shetford’s Sons

John Lanyon 1696-1768

John was the eldest son of David Lanyon and Margaret Shetford. He was baptised at Sancreed in 1696. In 1730 he married Ann Hicks at St Just in Penwith.

They lived at Boscaswell at St Just in Penwith and he was a yeoman of the tenement of Trewellard.

John and Ann had seven children:

• Ann 1731-1806 married William Peak – three children
• John 1733-1805 married Phyllis Warren, no children traced. His will however mentions his various siblings. Source – CRO/AP/L/2067

• My sister Ann Peak £10
• My brother William 1/-
• My sister Margery Williams £2. 12/- 6d
• My sister Jane Lanyon 1/-
• My brother-in-law Edward James 1/-
• James Lanyon the son of Thomas and Jane £10
• Everything else goes to his ‘well beloved wife Phyllis’

It’s great to find a will like this that names siblings and helps confirm if a person is still alive and who they married.

• Thomas 1736-1791 married Jane Ann Bennetts – nine children
• Elizabeth 1739-1822 married John Michell – no children traced (not mentioned in John’s will)
• William 1742-1807 married Sarah Rowe & Jane Colliver – eight children
• Margery abt. 1743-1809 married Henry Williams – no children
• Mary 1745-1747 died in infancy

Richard Lanyon 1702-1766

Richard was the youngest son of David and Margaret. He married Grace Phillips at St Buryan in 1728. They had four children:

• David 1729-1730 died in infancy
• Grace 1739- no further trace
• Richard 1739- married Mary Gomer – seven children
• Charles 1740-1822 married Martha Ellis – nine children

We don’t know what Richard’s occupation was or if he left a will but when we see what happens to the next generation we can see the effects of wealth watered down over time. Thomas Lanyon may have been a gentleman farmer but his descendants were not so fortunate.