Jacob Sheldon, miner

Jacob Sheldon was born in 1767, in Bonsall, Derbyshire. He was the fourth of six sons of Benjamin Sheldon and Elizabeth Haynes, and was baptised on 11th October 1767 at the church of St James.

On 29th December 1795, he married Elizabeth (Betty) Rowbottom, also in this church, the banns having been read on the three preceding Sundays.

Derbyshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754–1932, on Ancestry.co.uk

By the time that Jacob and Betty’s eighth child, Esther, was born in 1813, the parish records were recording the occupation of the father, so we know that he was a miner.

Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813–1916, on Ancestry.co.uk

And their abode was Slaley, just south of Bonsall.

Photos of the disused quarry at Slaley can be seen on this page.

In January 1830 we can see the auction of some land that he owned:

Derby Mercury, 20 January 1830, on Findmypast

The 1841 census shows Jacob in Slaley, aged 73, and described as “of independent means”. He died on the 17th April 1844, reported in the Derbyshire Courier:

Derbyshire Courier, 27 April 1844, on Findmypast

The cause of death was “decay of nature”, and he was buried on the 21st at Bonsall.

Jacob left a will (written on the 12th of June 1840), naming his eight children:

Staffordshire, Dioceses of Lichfield and Coventry Wills And Probate 1521–1860, on Findmypast

Two of his sons, the executors, stated under oath that the estate was worth less than twenty pounds.

Ari, this is how you are related to Jacob:

(And Jacob’s daughter Mary Ann married John Frost Bunting and thereby became your 5x step-grandmother as well as your 7x great-aunt!)