EDDY Family of Cornwall

Assuming William was aged at least 18 years when he married (i.e. after 1814), possible marriages in St Just would be: (a) 12 Jan 1815, Rebecca CRAZE (b) 13 May 1815, Charlotte HOCKIN (c) 05 Mar 1816, Elizabeth ROWE (d) 17 Mar 1825, Eliza BOOSE (e) 29 Jul 1832, Constance HARVEY (f) several others dated 1833 and later

Geoff McKee has given (c) as the marriage for this William EDDY, and I think this is probably correct, although I don't know his proof for dismissing the other possibilities. For now I'll assume it is correct.

Looking for children born to this couple is complicated by there being several other William EDDY and Elizabeth couples in St Just alone; there are marriages between William EDDYs and: (A) Elizabeth ROWE (01 Jun 1801), (B) Elizabeth ANGWIN (10 Oct 1801), (C) Elizabeth GRILLS (23 May 1811) and (D) Elizabeth ROWE (05 Mar 1816). In St Just there are 22 children baptised to William and Elizabeth EDDYs from 1803 to 1835, of which only 3 were baptised before 1811, and 14 were baptised on or after 1816 - the problem is trying to match children with couples! Looking at the 1841 census gives some answers.

In the 1841 census, there are 2 families with William and Elizabeth at about the right age to match William EDDY and Elizabeth ROWE (the ages were often rounded to the nearest 5 years in the 1841 census). I believe the following is more likely to be this family due to familiar family names (the other family is that of William EDDY and Elizabeth GRILLS, at Kenidjack, St Just ref 5-22).

William was recorded as a tinner of Church Town when son William was baptised (1816), a miner of Truthwall when children James, Betsey, Keziah, Edward and Thomas, Mary, Jane were baptised (1820, 1822, 1824, 1826, 1829, 1835), and a miner of Botallack when daughter Betsey (recorded as Elizabeth) married (1852).

In the 1841 census, ref St Just in Penwith 4-161 (Truthwall): EDDY«tab»William«tab»«tab»45«tab»M«tab»Farmer EDDY«tab»Betsy ?«tab»«tab»45«tab»F EDDY«tab»William«tab»«tab»25«tab»M«tab»Miner EDDY«tab»James«tab»«tab»20«tab»M EDDY«tab»Betsy ?«tab»«tab»15«tab»F EDDY«tab»Edward«tab»«tab»15«tab»M«tab»Farmer EDDY«tab»Mary«tab»«tab»12«tab»F

Also in the 1841 census at Truthwall, ref St Just in Penwith 4-164: EDDY«tab»John«tab»20«tab»M«tab»Miner«tab» EDDY«tab»Kezia«tab»15«tab»F«tab»«tab» I'm unsure whether John is related to this family, but there seems to be only one Kezia EDDY baptised about the right time, the daughter of this William and Elizabeth.

In the 1851 census at no. 75 Truthwall, St Just, all born St Just (transcription courtesy of Ron Rowe): Eddy«tab»William«tab»head«tab»m«tab»56«tab»Tin Miner«tab» Eddy«tab»Elizabeth«tab»wife«tab»m«tab»56«tab» Eddy«tab»Edward«tab»son«tab»u«tab»24«tab»Tin Miner«tab» Eddy«tab»Mary«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»22«tab»Dress maker«tab» Eddy«tab»Elizabeth«tab»dau«tab»u«tab»20«tab»School mistress«tab» Eddy«tab»William«tab»g.son«tab»u«tab»9«tab»scholar«tab» Notes: Could Elizabeth's age be mis-transcribed from 28? Don't know who William is the son of.

Note from Geoff McKee: The 1851 Census also had No.102 at Farmhouse, Trevean, Madron, John EDDY, 30; lodger with Peter and Catherine ELLIS.

In the 1861 census, ref St Just in Penwith 9-33 (Truthwall), all born St Just: EDDY«tab»Elizabeth«tab»Wife«tab»M«tab»64«tab»(landed prop.) EDDY«tab»William«tab»Head«tab»M«tab»64«tab» EDDY«tab»William H«tab»Grandson«tab»U«tab»19«tab»(tin and copper miner)

In the 1871 census, ref St Just in Penwith 9--36 (Truthwall), all born St Just: EDDY«tab»William«tab»«tab»Head«tab»«tab»M«tab»74«tab»(tin miner) EDDY«tab»Elizabeth«tab»«tab»Wife«tab»«tab»M«tab»75 EDDY«tab»William Henry«tab»Grandson«tab»U«tab»29«tab»(dresser of copper ore)

There is a monumental inscription, William EDDY buried 21 Aug 1877 aged 82 (implying born 1795) and Elizabeth EDDY buried 23 Aug 1874 aged 79 (implying born 1795), both at St Just in Penwith in the same plot, which tallies excellently with this couple.

There is a baptism entry for a Thomas EDY, son of William EDY and Elizabeth, ?? ??? 1817, in St Just, which could belong to this William and Elizabeth based on Thomas being a name used in this family.