Jane Rowsell (1824 - )

St. George's Church, Wilton, Somerset

Jane Rowsell was baptized in the Church of St. George in Wilton, Somerset on October 24, 1824. She was the fifth child and fourth daughter of John Rowsell (1792 - 1854) and Maria (nee Moor).

Jane Anne had 5 siblings:

Isabella Rowsell (1816 - 1829)
Elizabeth Rowsell (1818 - 1820)
Mary Anne Rowsell (1820 - )
James Rowsell (1822 - 1900)
Elizabeth Rowsell (1827 - )





Jane subsequently married Charles Reed, carpenter, at St. George's church on March 16, 1841. His father is listed as James Parsons. (The IGI lists this event as occurring at Wincanton, Somerset.)

Jane and Charles subsequently also baptized a son, Henry James Reed, at St. George's on August 29, 1841. Given the timing of this baptism, we can probably assume that Jane was at least in the early stages of pregnancy during their wedding(!) Charles Reed is recorded as the father of several more children baptized in the Wilton area in subsequent years, including Frank Reed (baptized in Wilton on June 6, 1858).

1851 Census, Taunton

The 1851 Census shows Charles (33) journeyman carpenter and Jane (33) living at 110 South Street in Taunton with their children Henry (10), Sarah Jane (6), Isabella (3), and Frederick Charles (1). As with the 1861 Census, there is no mention of Thomas, who appears (at age 24) in the 1881 Census, and would have been 6 years old by this time.

1861 Census, Taunton

The 1861 Census records Charles Reed (42) Carpenter and Jane (42) living at 27 Turkey Court - Joy Cottage, Taunton, with their children Henry James (19) carpenter, Sarah (16) tailoress, Frederick Reed (11), Arthur (8) and Frank (6). (Isabella is not mentioned in this Census, but as she does show up in 1881 we can assume that she was just staying elsewhere at the time, perhaps with family.)






The 1881Census also records Charles Reed with children Isabella Salome Reed (27) and Thomas Gabriel Reed (24). However, as Jane seems to have disappeared from these entries, it is not clear that these are all the same family. Alternatively, Jane may have died and Charles may have subsequently remarried. This story requires further research.

No local record of Jane's burial has yet been located.

John Rowsell 1792 - 1854

There is a record that a John Rowsell was baptised on February 15, 1792 in Wilton, Somerset, England.  He was listed as the son of John Rowsell and Mary.

He had two siblings:

Mary Rowsell (baptized at St. George, Wilton on June 9, 1787)
Elizabeth Rowsell (baptized at 16 months, at St. George, Wilton in July, 1790.)

Taunton Marriage Entry

The marriage records of St. Mary Magdalene in Taunton Parish record that a John Rowsell was married to Maria Moor (1799 - ) on March 3, 1816 in Taunton, Somerset, England. The entry contains no other information.









John Rowsell and Maria Moor had at least 6 children:

Isabella Rowsell (bap: August 18, 1816)
Elizabeth Rowsell (bap: September 6, 1818)
Mary Anne Rowsell (bap: September 17, 1820)
James Rowsell (born: July 28, 1822)
Jane Rowsell (bap: October 24, 1824)
Elizabeth Rowsell (bap: December 25, 1827)

Parish records at St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton show the burial of a 2 year-old Elizabeth "Rowsall" of Holway Lane, Taunton on July 19, 1820. If that is the first Elizabeth, then this would explain the susbsequent naming of another Elizabeth in 1827. Those same records show the burial of a 13 year-old "Eliza Bella" Rowsell on May 24, 1829, which might be a poor rendering of Isabella. (She might also be unrelated, as she is shown as living on Shuttern Rd. at that time of her death.) However, it is noteworthy that neither older Elizabeth nor Isabella appear to show up in subsequent parish records.

St. George, Wilton parish records show that Jane Rowsell married Charles Read, carpenter, on March 16, 1841. On January 17, 1844, Elizabeth Rowsell married Francis Forward.  Later that year, Mary Ann Rowsell was married to Henry Parsons, coal miner, on March 19.



1841 Census - Taunton

 At the time of the 1841 Census, John (45) and Maria (40) were living on High Street, Taunton with Mary (21), James (19), Jane (17) and Elizabeth (14). No sign of Isabella or the first Elizabeth.

At the time of the 1851 Census, John (age 59) and Maria (age 52) are living at 168 Mary Street, with Jane (age 26), a Mary(?) (age 12) and a Charlotte(?) age 10. The poor legibility of the record leaves it unclear whether these are additional daughters, or other relations. (I wonder where Charles Read was living, and why Jane wasn't with him. Perhaps she was caring for John and Maria some of the time.)

John Rowsell died of a fever at the age of 61 on April 4, 1854 at his home on Mary Street in Taunton, Somerset. The Entry of Death lists a Jane Denham as being present at the time of death - relation uncertain. Perhaps daughter Jane remarried. John Rowsell's occupation was listed as "Stonemason".

He was buried on April 9 1854 in the cemetary of St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton.