Family Group Sheet

John Archer Trevan (1769-1851)

and Ann nee Watts (c1777/8/9-1837)

and their children and grandson Matthew

Immediate Family Group

Father: John Archer Trevan (1769-1851), Customs Officer
Mother: Ann Watts (1777-1837)
Married: 28 Nov 1797, St. Endellion
Children:

Dr Matthew Trevan (1799-1881) - covered on this page
John Watts Trevan (1800-57) - covered on this page
Dr Frederick Trevan (1803-85) - partly covered on this page
Anne Trevan (1805-) who married Francis Olver, farmer of Trewidland, Liskeard - covered on this page
Adolphus Trevan (1807-87) - covered on this page
Dr Henry Trevan (1808-80) - covered on this page
Elizabeth Trevan (1811-68) - covered on this page
Jane Watts Trevan (1813-82) - covered on this page
Isaac Trevan (1816-83) - partly covered on this page
Susan(na) Trevan (1819-83) - covered on this page

Paternal grandgrandparents: Matthew Trevan (1732-86) and Elizabeth Stephens (1728-83) of St Germans Yeoman of Efford in Eggbuckland etc.
Maternal grandparents: John Watts (c1742/3-1814), Gentleman of Port Isaac and Jane (c1743/4-1826)

Brief Description of the Family

John Archer Trevan was born in St. Budeaux in 1769, and according to the book by Boase served in the Navy before becoming a Customs Officer in 1793. From information found in the Customs Officers records he started training during the first quarter of 1793 to become the Customs Officer when Edward Clode retired. For the first quarter he did not receive a salary, and in the second quarter the entry reads John Archer Trevan (via Clode) not to be paid. By the third quarter he was paid £3 13s 2d starting from 1st Aug. After that he earnt £5 per quarter as a "Waiter and Searcher" at Port Izick.

In 1797 he married Ann Watts, daughter of John Watts. The Watts family lived in the White House, on the West side of the bay at Port Isaac and this property moved into John's ownership. It was built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth by the Bosustowes family and it followed the female line into the Watts family and then the Trevan family. In 1912 it passed on through a female Trevan line into the Hambley family, who still owned it in 1987 when I corresponded with Dr Michael Trevan Hambly who told me he owned the property together with his cousin, son of Edmund H Hambly who wrote the book "The Family of Hamley, Hambly, Hamlyn and Hambling".

Anne was baptised daughter of John and Jennifer Watts on 2 Nov 1777 at St Endellion, but from information in both the Hambley book and also from her monumental inscription, her name was Jane.

In an email in Aug 2002, Malcolm Lee, secretary of the Port Isaac Local History Group wrote:-
John Trevan's own house was the White House (TA 1034). Attached is a current photo. The original White House - reputedly (but probably only reputedly!) the oldest house in Port Isaac - fell down in the 1970s (Cornish Cob walls are renowned for collapsing), and had to be re-built. The building regulations in force at that time required the height of the first floor ceilings to be raised about 18 inches to give modern headroom levels in the bedrooms. The raising of the roof by this 18 inches radically changed the look of the cottage, so it now looks like a modern box, rather than a fine traditional cottage. Attached is a picture taken by Robin Penna of the old house (cropped to the same perspective as my modern picture), together with Robin's pictures of the collapsed cottage and a B/W close up he took of the old cottage.

John and Ann had 10 known children born between 1799 and 1819. Their eldest son was named after his paternal grandfather, and the second after his maternal grandfather. It is believed to be John Watts Trevan who produced the hand written book, including many watercolour sketches, Summary Memoirs of the St Endellion Parish in 1834.

In the village of Port Isaac there is a plaque above the front door of Vesta Cottage reading A TREVAN 1812. In John Watts Trevan's book there is a sketched map of the village numbering the houses and also a list of who owned each property. John Archer Trevan is shown as owning 2 properties, namely the White House on the west side of the harbour where the family lived, and a cottage on the east side of the harbour, shown in the tithe apportionments a decade later as 1109 and being occupied by John Short and others. By this time third son Frederick has already qualified as a Doctor and is listed as a property owner of 2 properties in his own right and as joint owner of a further 2 properties. The property where Frederick was living is next door to Vesta Cottage, with the plaque A TREVAN 1812, and is known as Trevan House. The other property was number 33 in Squeeze-e-Belly Alley, aka Temple Bar, and about a decade later the tithe apportionment 1081 shows it as being owned by John Archer Trevan. Frederick also owned 4 fields known as Archer's tenement that he rented to John Skinner, and he was joint owner of property 99 (tithe apportionment number 1066) with Nathan Lobb and William Brown, and also of property 101 (tithe apportionment number 1082?) along with William Lark.

In the book by John Watts Trevan written c1833/4, a number of properties are shown as being owned by John Watts, who could be his uncle, who died in June 1833, or his cousin. His uncle John Watts is buried in at St Endellion along with his parents according to the Monumental Inscription in the Church. According to Edmund Hambly these were Homerpark farm and Barn Park Tenement, and ownership of Barn Park Tenement passed from the Watts family into the Trevan family. In the Memoirs, Barn Park tenement came into the Trevan family from the late John Watts.

By the time he retired in 1843 John Archer Trevan was earning £80 and he received a pension of £75 until he died in 1851.

Sons Matthew, Frederick and Henry followed the Watts family profession and became Doctors of medicine, all training at St. Bartholemews. (Ref 1:- Hambly; Ref 2:- Boase) Frederick and Henry joined the Navy while Matthew stayed on land and practiced at Padstow . Sons John Watts and Isaac followed in their father's footsteps and became Customs Officers and Isaac moved away from the area to Looe. The other son, Adolphus, became a Currier (leather worker) and moved to the nearby parish of Camelford.

Only one son, Frederick, produced any off-spring. Isaac (and possibly Adolphus) married later in life and did not have any children. Only one daughter, Anne, married.

Matthew (1799-1881)

The eldest son was presumably named after his grand-father and great-grandfather. In every generation of descendents from Matthew (1732-86) and Elizabeth (nee Stephens) the first born son in the generation was named Matthew. He was born on 21 Jan 1799 and after training at St. Bartholomew's hospital in London he became a surgeon at Church Street, Padstow . Although the exact date he moved to Padstow is unknown, based on information from directories, it was before 1830. In 1841 his sister Jane was lodging with him. In 1851 and 1871 his brother Henry was lodging with him at the time of the census. For the 1861 census his nephew Matthew, son of Frederick, was a Medical Student and staying with him. When he died on 28 Feb 1881 he left everything in trust to his brothers Adolphus and Henry to provide an annuities of 25 pounds per year to each his brother Isaac and sisters Jane and Susan and also to Fanny Biddick. He was buried in the same grave as his brother Henry in the Trevan burial area in the churchyard at St. Endellion. Inside the church there is an inscription to him on the same marble plaque as his brother Henry.

John Watts (1800-57)

The second son was presumably named after his maternal grand-father, but it may have been after his uncle with the same name. He was born on 2 Dec 1800 and died Mar 23rd 1857 age 56. He is buried in the same grave as his parents and his uncle John Watts. At the 1841 and 1851 census he was living at home with his parents and his occupation was given as "Gentleman". In his will there is mention of properties in Alternum and St. Endellion. He leaves everything (value less than 100 pounds) in trust to his brothers Henry and Adolphus to provide income for his brother Isaac and his 4 sisters. After the death of the 5 annuitants the properties are left to his brother Frederick. In the book by Boase in 1890, his occupation is given as "Of H.M. Customs" but this needs to be confirmed against the Customs Officers records at the PRO in Kew.

In an article written in the local newspaper "Cornish Guardian" on 2 Sep 1999 he wrote his memoirs in 1834. The book had been in private ownership until 1999 when it was purchased by the Port Isaac Local History Society who planned to deposit the original book with the Truro County Record Office and print a transcript of the book, most probably in the autumn of 2001. The memoirs cover a wide range of topics including a sketched map of the village, a list of the owners of the properties and a brief description of each household in Port Isaac, Port Gaverne and Port Quin, descriptions of the fish in the area, antimony mining and many other local topics. It is illustrated with many watercolour paintings.

Links inside my site: - 1851 census | book by Boase in 1890 | Will
Links out of my site: - Alternum

Frederick (1803-85)

The 3rd son Frederick became a doctor, married and had 7 children. He is buried in the Trevan burial ground in the churchyard at St. Endellion, and is remembered on a brass plaque inside the church. In his will he leaves a 150 pound annuity to his wife Elizabeth (who unfortunately predeceased him by 3 months) based on his properties of Trelights, Treweatha (Antimony mine) and Haven Park in the parish of Endellion.

Links inside my site: - Frederick's own page | Church MI | Directories | Medical Register | Will
Links out of my site: - List of 800 Devon and Cornwall Mines

Anne (1805-)

Anne was the 4th child and eldest daughter. According to the 1841 census and also the book by Boase in 1890, she married Francis Olver, a farmer, and they lived at Trewidland Cottage, Liskeard.

Francis Olver was baptised at Liskeard on 3 May 1803, son of Antony and Ann. His parents were Antony Olver of Stokenham, Devon who married Ann Moon at Liskeard on 6 Apr 1801. Both his parents were alive and living with Francis and Anne at the time of the 1841 census.

They had 2 children, both of whom inheritted under the terms of the will of Anne's brother Isaac in 1883

Cornelius Moon Olver (c1825-1904) who died aged 77 in 1904Q1 in the Liskeard Registration District
Francis Moon Olver (c1830-)

Cornelius also inheritted 1000 pounds from his uncle Adolphus Trevan in 1887. Anne's brother Isaac lived in Looe, but it is not known whether it was Anne or Isaac who first moved to the Liskeard registration district. The Hingston family are reputedly from the Liskeard area, (there was a battle fought at Hingston Down) and Elizabeth Moon Hingston married Anne's brother Frederick. Ann was named by her married name in her brother John Watts Trevan's will, and she received an annuity from it.

Links inside my site: - 1841 census

Adolphus (1807-87)

Adolphus was born on 31 Jan 1807 the 5th child and 4th son. He moved to Camelford where he became a Currier. At the time of the 1841 census he was living there with his uncle Richard Watts and Elizabeth Watts and also his sister Susan. Adolphus was most probably apprenticed to him and probably inheritted his Currier and Leather Cutting business in Fore Street since it was listed in Richard's name in 1830-1 and in Adolphus's name in 1873 and 1883. Richard died in 1844Q1.

Adolphus was the last (with the possible exception of Anne) of the siblings to die, on either 1 or 4 Aug 1887, and he left the largest estate of all the siblings of more than 30 thousand pounds in 1887. There was a draft Marriage Agreement dated 19 Aug 1857 with Mary Dakin Cresswell but no civil registration record of a marriage has been found. Certainly there is no mention of her in the censuses or in his will. In his will he left numerous legacies, including 75 pounds to John Axworthy, cordwainer of Blisland, who married Kitty Trevains in Blisland.

The name Trevains, like Trevan, is a "new name" which did not exist in the many records which survive for Cornwall from the Civil War era in the mid 17th century, such as Protestation Returns, Hearth Taxes and Window Taxes. It evolved from the name Treveans, which also appears as a variant spelling in the parish of St Teath. John Axworthy knew members of both families. (See 1851 census)

While Adolphus was alive he was mentioned in a directory of Cornwall. Like the majority of his siblings he is buried with his parents in the Trevan burial plot in the churchyard at St Endllion, and he is named on one of the plaques inside the church.

Henry (1808-80)

Henry was born on 26 Dec 1808 the 6th child and 5th son and after training at St. Bartholomew's hospital in London he became a surgeon with the Royal Navy. The Navy Lists show that he joined the Royal Navy at the rank of Assistant Surgeon on 16 Nov 1836, was promoted to Surgeon on 30 Mar 1846, and later became a Staff Surgeon and Fleet Surgeon. He retired on 2 Oct 1861. At the time of the 1851 and 1871 censuses he was lodging with his brother Matthew in Padstow.

He served on several ships during his 30 years of service (including Impregnable 1840-3; Camperdown 1844; Ramillies 1844-5; Favorite 1847; Virago 1851; Exmouth 1861; Lord Warden 1861; Duncan 1869) serving in Plymouth, Sheerness, Standgate Creek (in the River Medway), the Mediterranean, the coast of Africa, the Pacific and ending up at Queen's Ferry, which was described as North Britain! (I know it as part of Edinburgh, Scotland.)

During his service he kept a number of journals, some of which survive. For example, his journal while he served on the Virago is at the national Library in Ottowa, and there is a xerox copy at the University of British Columbia, (Box 20 20-1) and also a partial transcript (Box 7, 43). The web pages also show items where his name is mentioned elsewhere in Box7 (7-5 Research Papers) and Box 20 (20-6 and 20-14)

After he retired Kelly's directory for 1878 shows him living at Padstow as a J.P. According to the book by Boase he hung himself at Padstow on 12 Jul 1880 and at the inquest the verdict was 'Unsound state of mind'. His MI and will give the date of death a week later on 19 Jul 1880. In his will he left everything to his brothers and sisters. He was buried in the same grave as his brother Matthew in the Trevan burial area in the churchyard at St. Endellion. Inside the church there is an inscription to him on the same marble plaque as his brother Matthew.

Elizabeth (1811-68)

Elizabeth was born on 1 Jul 1811 and died on 31 Aug 1868. At the time of the 1841 and 1851 censuses she was living at home, and after her fathers death she moved into lodgings. At the time of the 1861 census she was boarding with William and Mary Apps, fisherman, at Port Isaac. In her will she left everything in trust with her brothers for her sisters Jane and Susan. She is buried in the churchyard at St. Endellion.

Links inside my site: - 1841 census | 1851 census | 1861 census | Will

Jane Watts (1813-82)

Jane Watts Trevan was born on 21 Mar 1813 and named after her maternal grandmother. She was living with her brother Matthew in Church Street, Padstow at the time of the 1841 census. In 1851 she had returned home to her father and in 1861 she is back in Padstow with her brother Matthew. By 1871 she is boarding in Port Isaac. By 1881 she is shown as head of household. She is described in these census returns as either independent, annuitant or gentlewoman. She died on 15 April 1882. She is buried in the churchyard at St. Endellion in the same grave as Susanna. In her will she left legacies to her nephew Matthew Trevan, her great-nephew Edmund Hambly, Rebecca Couch (who was 'in attendance to me') with the residue left to her sister Susanna

Isaac (1816-83)

Isaac was born on 19 Mar 1816 and became a Customs Officer at Looe. At the time of the 1851 census his sister Susan(na) was living with him. He married but had no children. He died on 27 Jun 1883 and is buried in Talland church along with his wife Ellen. It is not known if it was he or his sister Anne who was the first sibling to move to the Liskeard area. The main beneficiaries of his will are his brother Adolphus and his nephew Cornelius Moon Olver, son of his sister Anne.

Susan(na) (1819-83)

She was born on 27 Dec 1819 and died on 26 Apr 1883, and is buried in the churchyard at St. Endeliion in the same grave as Jane. At the time of the 1841 census she was living with her uncle Richard Watts and her brother Adolphus in Lanteglos, Camelford. In 1851 she was living at Looe with her brother Isaac and in 1861 she is in Padstow with her brother Matthew. By 1871 she is boarding in Port Isaac. By 1881 she is with her sister Jane. She is described as either independent, annuitant or gentlewoman. In her will she left legacies to her nephew Matthew Trevan, her great-nephew Edmund Hambly, servants Rebecca Couch and Mary Lobb, with the residue to her brother Frederick and his children.

Links to Sources of Information

Due to the size of this file, this family group sheet has been split. Page 2

Page created 17 Jan 1999, last modified 29 Jun 2005 and published

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