Genealogy Chat

See below for an inscription on a large flat grave found in the churchyard of St Mary's church Totnes Devon. Ann Glos

SACRED Be this humble memorial to the memory of BENJAMIN KENNICOTT Parish clerk of Totnes and his wife ELIZABETH The latter an example of every Christian duty The former animated with the warmest zeal towards The common good and both industrious for the salvation Of themselves and others. Reader soon shalt thou die also and as a candidate for IMMORTALITY strike thy breast and say let me live the Life of the righteous that my last end may be the best. Trifling are the days of time when the subject is eternity. Erected by their son B KENNICOTT D.D. Canon of Christ church oxford 1718 - 1783 Those were the only dates on the grave and I am not sure to whom they apply. Ann Glos

Strange nobody has remarked on the content of the headstone. What paragons of virtue these two were. Ann Glos

Didn't open the thread before! It's the son, Benjamin, who was born in 1718 (April 4th - at Totnes) If you have access to Ancestry you can read the biography of the son via Chalmers' Biographical Dictionary Volume 19 Page 316 and 317. Merry

and an even better one in the Dictionary of National Biography, which mentions the tomb too! (also on Ancestry) Dad was a barber as well as being the parish clerk! Merry

Useful websites: http://www.facsimile-editions(.)com/kb/index.html http://www.bible-researcher(.)com/hebrew-editions.html and a load more! I can't see that he had time left for having children?? Merry

Benjamin junr and siblings: BENJAMINE KINNACOTTE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 20 APR 1718 Totnes, Devon, England MARY KENNICOTT - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 18 OCT 1725 Totnes, Devon, England ELIZ KENICOT - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 06 MAY 1713 Totnes, Devon, England Merry

Thank you Merry, He is no relation of mine but it is such an imposing memorial that it is interesting to know a bit about the family. there is somebody (1 person) researching a Benjamin Kenniccott on here and I have sent her a message, but hers is in Durham so I doubt they are connected. Thanks again. I did take a photo of the stone. We wee in Totnes as it is where my husband went to school, and in the church because he remembered going to carol concerts there. Ann Glos Ann glos

Sorry I got a bit carried away as I should be doing the ironing! His wife was sister to the secretary to the treasury and her brother-in-law was provost of Eton, so they were a well connected family! Merry

Sad isn't it when we can get enthralled by somebody not even from our family!!! Ann Glos

Are you calling me ''sad'' Ann????????!!!!!!!!! ****gets ready for punch-up behind the bike sheds**** lol!!!! Merry

Merry - where on Ancestry does one find this fascinating sort of stuff? Victoria-the-clueless

Noooo Merry (running like mad), me, me, me. Ann glos

It's quickest to get to it if you can search for a name known to be on it! So....type in Benjamin Kennicott on the main search page.... then you will see: Search Results Census Records 6 1841 England Census 2 1851 England Census 1 1861 England Census 1 1871 England Census 1 1881 England Census 1 Birth, Marriage, & Death Records 13 England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1983 5 England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1983 4 England (General): Parish and Probate Records 3 England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 1 Family & Local Histories 9 Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-20, 22 6 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<HERE!! Chalmers' Biographical Dictionary 2 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< HERE!! Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland 1 Reference & Finding Aids 3 England Topographical Dictionary 2 Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1 Once you have selected one of the above, you will get another search box for the specific Book/Dictionary and you can stick in your own rellies names! Merry

I am nudging this up as I have a contact who might be interested to see the thread. ann Glos

Hello June! Sorry, I didn't notice your message yesterday..... I just clicked on ''My Account'' at the top of the Ancestry search screen.... It says: ''Current Subscriptions: Annual UK & Ireland Records Collection More Info Annual UK & Ireland Records Collection More Info'' (that's the top section.....the next bit is what I could upgrade to) I am using the d o t c o u k version of the site, not the d o t c o m version. I have no idea if this makes any difference?? Maybe someone else knows? Merry