Person:John Lewis (361)

John Lewis was baptised on 5th January 1772 at Willen in Buckinghamshire, son of Sarah Lewis, formerly Northern, and her husband Thomas Lewis, a labourer. Sadly John died when he was sixteen years old, being buried at Willen on 3rd June 1788.

1. ↑ Church of England. Willen Parish Registers, 1665-1981. (Aylesbury: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies).

   Parish Register
   John of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluithis Jan[uar]y 5 1772
   Bishop's Transcript
   Christened / Tho[ma]s [sic] of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluithis Jan[uary] 5 1772

   Other transcripts have recorded this entry as "Hinthis" or "Smithis". The handwriting is not entirely clear, but having examined both the Parish Register and the Bishop's Transcript, and considered other entries relating to this family, "Sluithis" appears to be the most accurate transcript of what was written for this entry. It also appears that Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" disappear around 1776 to be replaced by a Thomas and Sarah "Lewis" from 1777 onwards who had not previously been there. Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" had children called John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas baptised at Willen between 1772 and 1776. A John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas "Lewis" also appear in Willen from 1777 onward alongside Thomas and Sarah Lewis. It therefore seems reasonable to conclude that the handful of "Sluithis" entries at Willen in the early 1770s were a misheard "Lewis".

2. ↑ Church of England. Willen Parish Registers, 1665-1981. (Aylesbury: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies).

   John Lewis, son of Thomas & Sarah Lewis buried June the 3rd 1788