EDDY Family of Cornwall

Mary BOSENCE's first husband was William EDDY, but it is unclear whether it was this Mary that was widowed and married Thomas VEAL. There is at least one alternative that casts doubt over the current assumptions, but these assumptions (source, via Bob Beaton, "The Veal/Veales of St Just in Penwith Cornwall England" by M E (Veale) Fuhrman, printed in 1998) will remain until proven incorrect.

When 'Mary' married Thomas VEAL in 1787, she was recorded as Mary EDDY, widow - the question then arises; which EDDY did she previously marry? Her daughter Ann VEAL was baptised 1802, presumably shortly after being born. If we assume Mary must have been younger than 55 when Ann was born, this means Mary must have been born after 1747, and also if we assume she was 18 years or older when she first married, we're looking for marriages between 1765 and 1787 (although the earlier years are less likely). In and around St Just, we have these marriages: (a) John EDDY & Mary GROSE, 01 Jan 1766 St Just in Penwith (b) William EDDY & Mary HOCKING, 29 Sep 1766 St Just in Penwith (c) John EDDY & Mary HODGE, 01 Jan 1770 Madron (d) Stephen EDDY & Mary WALLIS, 26 Feb 1770 St Just in Penwith (e) John EDDY & Mary WILLIAMS, 02 Nov 1772 St Just in Penwith (f) William EDDY & Mary BOSENCE, 11 Mar 1780 St Just in Penwith (g) David EDDY & Mary EDWARDS, 15 Apr 1786 Morvah

Of these, it would appear that at least couple (b) continued having children after 1787, eliminating Mary HOCKING.

However, couple (d) had 2 children, in 1770 and 1780, and there is a burial record for a Stephen EDDY, Nov 1780, St Just in Penwith, so Mary WALLIS could have been the widow that married Thomas VEAL.

The children baptised in St Just in Penwith to a William and Mary after 1782 are (A) Benjamin, baptised 4 Nov 1784 (B) John, baptised 16 Apr 1788

There were more baptisms after 1788, but they belong to another William and Mary couple, William EDDY married Mary GRENFELL 15 Sep 1791 in St Just in Penwith (this is will backed-up most particularly by a Will from one of their children, John).

Also, the other William and Mary couple that could be parents of (A) and (B) are William EDDY and Mary HOCKING. One piece of information supporting this is that Mary HOCKING possibly had brothers named Benjamin and John. Indeed, I can find no baptisms for a Benjamin EDDY before this one in 1784 suggesting the forename came from a maternal line.

This would suggest that there were no further children born to William EDDY and Mary BOSENCE, which I believe is explained by the William EDDY buried 28 Nov 1782 in St Just, being the husband of Mary BOSENCE.

If a link could be found between the forename Benjamin and the family of Mary BOSENCE (or her husband William EDDY's maternal line), then this would completely unhinge the conclusions drawn.