Person:Joseph Hornet (1)

Joseph Hornet was born on 12th December 1800 at Wheathampstead in Hertfordshire, son of Mary Hornet, formerly Wingrove, and her husband John Hornet. When Joseph was only five years old, his father died.

On 20th September 1823, a bastardy order was issued for Joseph's unborn child by a woman named Mary Swallow, and a warrant for Joseph's apprehension was issued. The baby, a boy named John, was born on 8th December 1823. Joseph was presumably apprehended and persuaded to marry Mary - they married on 7th February 1824. One of the witnesses to the marriage was Joseph's brother-in-law James Fensom, who was his sister Maria's husband. Baby John was baptised a month later.

Sadly, John died young, being buried at neighbouring Kimpton on 4th May 1824.

Joseph and Mary went on to have another son named John in 1827, but he too died young, being buried when just over a year old.

Joseph and Mary then had three children who lived to adulthood, although baptism records have only been found for two of them: William in 1829 and Maria in 1832. There was also a daughter Mary Ann, whose existence is known from the fact that her marriage in 1846 said she was daughter of Joseph Hornet and who appears in the 1881 census living with her sister Maria's daughter, who was described as her niece.

Joseph did not live to see his children grow up. He died in 1833, just a few days after Maria's first birthday. He was 32 when he died. Mary was left with two children aged under five to look after. She remarried less than a year after Joseph's death. His mother also survived him.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1801
   HORNET Joseph Son of John & Mary his wife (late Wingrof) born Dec[embe]r 12th 1800 baptized Jan[uar]y 18th 1801

   This baptism has been identified on the basis that is is the right age, in the same parish that Joseph married in and that when Joseph married in 1823 one of the witnesses was a James Fensom - who was married to this Joseph's sister Maria Hornet.

2. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   bur. 18 May 1833, Joseph Hornett, aged 32 [1800/1], of Batford Mills

3.   Bastardy, in Church of England. Wheathampstead Parish Registers. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   SWALLOW unborn of My by HORNUTT Jos, both W'stead Warrant for Apprhsn HORNUTT issued to PICKERING Jn Oversr 20 Sep 1823