EIGHTH GENERATION
Thomas FRETTON died on the 27 Dec 1789 in Horndon
on the Hill, Essex. He was buried at Stanford-le-Hope on the 1 Jan 1790.
He made his Last Will and Testament on 3 May 1788 which was proven
20 years later on 4 October 1808. (see comments below).
Thomas was born about 1720, an estimate based on his marriage date and
wife's age. He died on the 27 Dec 1789 in Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex,
[1] and was buried on the 1 Jan 1790 in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. [2]
Some people confuse his death date in 1789 with the date of the
proving of his will in 1808. [1] However the proving of the will in
1808 specifically notes :-
"The fourth day of October 1808 Susannah
Fretton the relict [widow] and executrix and Thomas Fretton the son &
one of the executors within named were sworn to the truth of this Will,
and that the wole [whole] of the goods chattles & credits of the
deceased who departed this life at Horndon on the Hill in the County of
Essex on the 27th of December 1789 did not amount to one hundred
pounds."
Thus it can be seen that he died in 1789 and for some reason
the proving of the will happened almost 20 years later in 1808, perhaps
to deal with subsequent sale or proof of ownership of Thomas's assets.
Some people also confuse him with another Thomas who married Ann
Read. This Thomas married a Susannah, surname unknown as the marriage
has not been located. The following table quite clearly shows that there
were two separate families with a husband Thomas in the area in the mid
1750's and the dates overlap with one Thomas firmly ensconced in
Corringham, the other moving variously no doubt with his job as a
cowleach.* In assessing the following table it is important to realize
that the second family of Thomas & Susannah's children match those in
Thomas's will, hence confirming the family and the movements to various
parishes over his lifetime.
|
Thomas Fretton married Ann Read on the 31 Oct 1745 in Corringham |
|
|
James |
Fretton |
27 |
Aug |
1749 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
|
|
John |
Fretton |
10 |
Feb |
1754 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
|
|
Susannah |
Fretton |
24 |
Apr |
1757 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
|
|
Elizabeth |
Fretton |
30 |
May |
1759 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
|
|
Elizabeth |
Fretton |
30 |
May |
1759 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
Twins
daughters |
|
Mary |
Fretton |
30 |
May |
1759 |
Thomas |
Ann |
Corringham |
Twins
daughters |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas Fretton & Susannah - Marriage not found. |
|
|
Ann |
Fritten |
9 |
Jun |
1749 |
Thomas |
Susanna |
Stifford |
Buried
1 Nov 1749 |
|
Sarah |
Fretten |
21 |
Oct |
1750 |
Thomas |
Susanna |
Childerditch |
|
|
Thomas |
Fretten |
15 |
Mar |
1752 |
Thomas |
Susannah |
Childerditch |
|
|
Ann |
Fretten |
14 |
Oct |
1753 |
Thomas |
Susannah |
Childerditch |
|
|
Elizabeth |
Fretten |
2 |
Mar |
1755 |
Thomas |
Susan |
Great
Warley |
|
|
Samuel |
Fretten |
21 |
Aug |
1757 |
Thomas |
Susan |
Great
Warley |
Buried
2 Apr 1786 in Stanford-le-Hope, from Horndon. |
|
John |
Fretton |
9 |
Dec |
1759 |
Thomas |
Susanna |
East
Horndon |
|
|
Martha |
Fretton |
15 |
Mar |
1761 |
Thomas |
Susan |
East
Horndon |
|
|
Susannah |
Fretton |
12 |
Aug |
1764 |
Thomas |
Susannah |
Ingrave, St Nicholas |
|
|
William |
Fretton |
12 |
Feb |
1766 |
Thomas |
Susan |
Ingrave, St Nicholas |
Buried
5 Nov 1766 |
|
William |
Fretton |
17 |
Apr |
1767 |
Thomas |
Susan |
Ingrave, St Nicholas |
|
|
James |
Fretton |
5 |
Nov |
1768 |
Thomas |
Susannah |
Ingrave, St Nicholas |
bur. 29
Sep 1773 at Stanford-le-Hope s. Thomas |
|
Henry |
Frettons |
29 |
Sep |
1770 |
Thomas |
Susannah |
Ingrave, St Nicholas |
|
The parishes listed for Thomas & Susannah above are all adjacent to
each other and it is clear that Thomas moved from time to time to a
neighbouring parish, no doubt for work. The above christenings are all
referenced from the Essex Parish registers for the locations mentioned.
[3]
It is difficult to identify the two Thomases, the one
married to Susannah and the one to Ann Read. Both seem to originate from
Stanford-le-Hope, this Thomas choosing to be buried there even though he
was resident in Horndon-on-the-Hill. In Stanford-le-Hope there is only
one baptism for a Thomas in the suitable time frame, that baptism being
in 1722 the son of Henry & Susannah. However that Thomas would appear to
be the Thomas who married Ann Read based on the will of his brother
Henry. [4] In the 1720's there was also another Fretton family baptizing
children in Stanford-le-Hope, that being a Thomas & Elizabeth, could
they be this Thomas' parents although there is no recorded baptism?
Between 1686 & 1691 there were three Frettons families baptizing
children, fathers Henry, Thomas & John. This is a very limited time
frame and I wonder if there are baptisms & marriages missing from the
parish register for the Frettons.
Thomas appears in the
1789 Land Tax for Horndon-on-the-Hill :- [5]
1 rental - Proprietor
Thos Fretton, occupier himself, assessed 1s 4d.
1 rental - Proprietor
Fethuston, occupier Thomas Fretton, assessed 4d.
* Thomas in his
will describes himself as a "cowleach". A cowleech is a cow doctor, the
18th century equivalent of a cow vet today.
Sources
[1]
Essex Record Office Chelmsford :- Bishop of London’s Commissary Court
(Essex & Herts Divn.) - Ref : D/AEW 41/2/17.
[2]
Stanford-le-hope burial register - Essex Record Office
[3]
Parish registers held by the Essex Record Office, Chelmsford
[4]
Essex Record Office Chelmsford :- Bishop of London’s Commissary Court
(Essex & Herts Divn.) - Ref : D/AEW 39/13/7
[5] Essex Land Tax for
Barstable hundred - Essex Record Office ref: Q/RPl 9.
He
was married to Susannah. No marrriage found.
7. Susannah. She was born about 1721 and died in 1822.
She was buried in Stanford-le-Hope :-
"Susan FRETTEN of Horndon on the Hill (widow of Thomas) buried 13 Jan 1822,
Age 101"
Children were:
- Ann Fretton baptized on the 9 Jun 1749 and buried on the 1 Nov
1749 in Stifford.
- Sarah Fretton
baptized on the 21 Oct 1750 in Childerditch.
Married Samuel Sanders of Orsett.
- Thomas Fretton
baptized on the 15 Mar 1752 in Childerditch.
-
Ann FRETTON.
baptized on the 14 Oct 1753 in Childerditch.
- Elizabeth
Fretton baptized on the 2 Mar 1755 in Great Warley. Married
Robert Garnish of West Thurrock.
- Samuel Fretton
baptized on the 21 Aug 1757 in Great Warley. Buried on the 2 Apr 1786 in
Stanford-le-Hope.
-
John FRETTON baptized on the 9 Dec 1759 in East Horndon.
-
Martha FRETTON baptized on the 15 Mar 1761 in East Horndon.
-
George FRETTON - no baptism found but mentioned in father's will.
-
Susannah FRETTON baptized on the 12 Aug 1764 in Ingrave.
-
William Fretton baptized on the 12 Feb 1766 and buried on the 5
Nov 1766 in Ingrave.
- William Fretton baptized on
the 17 Apr 1767 in Ingrave. No burial found but not mentioned in his
father's will.
- James Fretton baptized on the 5 Nov
1768. No burial found but not mentioned in his father's will.
-
Henry FRETTON baptized on the 29 Sep 1770 in Ingrave |
