Every Lanyon researcher who has found John Jenkinson Lanyon has been left scratching their heads and wondering where he fits into the Lanyon tree.
We know he was born abt. 1770 but there is no record of his baptism and no record of his parents’ names. Jane Veale Mitchell notes that he was raised by the Bulteel family of Devon but gives no more detail. He died in 1835 and left a will but no clue as to his family roots.
He did use a gold fob seal with the Madron arms which suggests that he is descended from that branch of the tree. Jane Veale Mitchell speculated that he was the son of Robert Lanyon and Martha Dyer; Robert was baptised in 1735 at Madron and married Martha Dyer at Plymouth, St Andrew in 1759. They had two documented daughters: Sarah and Mary Jensen. Could this be where John Jenkinson fits on the tree?
There is also a Hugh Lanyon who married Sarah Row at Plymouth, Charles the Martyr in 1747 and had children at Plymouth Dock. He’s mentioned in his father’s will (Francis Lanyon 1680-1757) could Hugh be a father or grandfather of John Jenkinson?
It’s possible that he was illegitimate, his mother packed off to Devon to give birth in secret. If so the stain of illegitimacy didn’t prevent him making a good marriage.
We may never know for sure who his father was but it seems certain that he was connected to the Madron branch of the family somehow.
He married Catherine Anne Mortimer (1773-1840) at St Clement Danes, London on 22nd May 1806. He was a purser in the Royal Navy. They had three sons:
- John Hamilton Mortimer 1807-1841 he went to Australia and founded Lanyon Homestead near Canberra.
- William 1810-1831 died Guangzhou, China, drowned alongside eight others when their boat sank – bachelor. His memorial reads: Sacred to the memory of William Lanyon second son of John Jenkinson and Catherine Ann Lanyon of this parish. 4th Officer of the Honble. Co. Ship Hythe, who was drowned with Eight of the Crew of the said ship by the upsetting of her boat in the river of Canton in China on the 18th day of November 1831 in the 21st year of his age. An affectionate and dutiful son and beloved and respected by all who knew him.
- Charles Mortimer 1813-1889
The Lanyons 