Janet Hampton /
Rhea - John Hampton's daughter?? There is a possible baptism in the
Scottish records for Janet is in 1671, in Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire,
Scotland :- - 1 Aug 1671 Janet daughter of Adam Hampton in
Barnsehill.
However the baptisms for the Hampton family concerned
may not have survived. We have John Hampton and a Andrew Hampton
associated with Dunnottar parish (see John's
parentage page). Dunnottar's parish records do not survive for
baptisms before 1672, nor marriages before 1755, so any baptisms &
marriages recorded there before those dates are now lost and this could
include those of the Andrew & John Hampton families that appear in other
Dunnottar records.
One conclusion to draw from the
available documents is that Janet
Hampton is possibly NOT the daughter of John.
Why is Janet may
not be the daughter of John. (I have in part used some of Karl Hampton's
paper in compiling this)
- The nagging question is, upon what do we base the conclusion
that Janet was John's daughter, other than the fact that everyone
and his dog has reported it? The answer it would seem is most often
the Cox or Dobson research (even though most family histories do not
note their sources).
- The inscription on her tombstone in the Old Tennett Church
Cemetery, Monmouth County in New Jersey reads "Here lies the body of
Janet Rhea who departed this life January ye fifteenth in the year
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred sixty one aged about 93
years", i.e. born ca. 1668. The only surviving possible baptism is
one in 1671 in Arbuthnott daughter of Adam, but as mentioned above
Dunnoottar records are lost for this date period..
Some people
claim John is the son of James Hampton, this John being baptised in
Abuthnott in 1658. However that baptism would make him too young to
be Janet's father. However that still may be the correct baptism for
John if Janet is a actually a cousin. This would make sense if
John's marriage to Katherine Cloudley was actually his first
marriage at age 19.
- Next question is - upon what did they (Dobson and RB Cox) base
this assertion? Most probably a document recorded in NJ on March 26,
1685 with the names of John Hampton's children, brought to the
Province in 1683: Janet, Elizabth, Lideah, John, David.” That would
seem to be a reasonable basis upon which to make the assertion and
therefore I can understand the assumption.
- We know from Scottish Quaker Records that show JOHN HAMPTON with
a marriage on 7 December 1675 in the home of Alexander HAMILTON of
Drumbouy to KATHERINE CLOUDSLEY. The same records also show daughter
Elizabeth b. Oct 11, 1676; Lydia b. May 14, 1678; son John b. Sept
6, 1681; but no record of a daughter Janet? Or a first wife unknown
(Katherine alleged to be wife #2)?
- Then we must also deal with the fact that Janet Hampton is a
separate indentured servant of the proporietors and not part of John
Hampton's family. John's other children and wife all came under his
family as did that of the other heads of household that were
indentured. Janet is also the only female indentured in this
particular group.
- Then there is the Will of John Hampton as a source of the
relationship between John Hampton and Janet. A careful reading of
the Will makes it most difficult to see that Janet is John's
daughter. It appears that John (or whoever wrote the will for him)
was quite specific that Janet was not named as his daughter. It
would appear to me that John specifically indicates who is a son or
daughter and grandchild. Janet is not named as a daughter and her
children are not named as grandchildren unlike John's other children
and grandchildren. (see John's will). This
is odd if she is indeed his daughter.
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