James Ginns of Little Easton d. 1809

James (son of Ben in last post) initially lived at Little Easton and in 1772 we find him applying for a marriage licence viz “James Ginns of the Parish of Little Easton aged upwards of 21 years, a farmer, to marry Mary Akers of Stanford Rivers a minor, with consent of Margaretta Maria Akers her guardian” (ERO).  They married at Little Easton and had their children there. 

By 1775 however, James had at least some land in Wendon's Ambo and was also farming there, as in that year the Little Easton register has the following entry “Mary Ginns wife of James of Wendon buried”.

In 1776, James applied for another licence and we find “James Ginns farmer of Wendons Ambo widower over 21 to marry Mary Ann Baines of Saffron Walden aged over 21” (ERO)

Mary (known as Ann) was the daughter of Richard Baines, a yeoman farmer who held Pounce Hall Farm in Sewerds End in Saffron Walden.  The house (a listed building) is still there. Baines died in 1777 (will ERO) and mentions James as Ginn rather than Ginns.  He left Ann £50.

Where exactly James was farming now is as yet unknown, but, perhaps tellingly, the children of the second marriage were all baptised at Debden nearby.

At some point (about 1795) the family made their way back to Little Easton.  Most likely because Ben was now old and whatever land held there was now beyond  his capacity to farm.  His son had to take over.

Ann Ginns died at Little Easton in 1807 with a quoted age of 59.  There is no evidence that James remarried (no mention of a widow in his will) and I assume that the 1809 marriage referred to below was of his son.  James Ginns snr died at Little Easton in 1809 (will at ERO)  The register quotes his age as 63 - he was 62.

                          Gravestone of James Ginns (Trevor Scott)

James and his two wives had eight children:

Sarah - possibly dead by 1809.  She married John Swan at Debden in 1790.  Not mentioned in 1809 but may have been estranged from Dad as coming from the first family.

Mary -likely Mary Ann I think.  Ann Ginns married John Livermore at Debden in 1794.  Not mentioned  in 1809, but again could have been estranged from Dad as to which see notes on Susanna and a scandal below 

Susanna - died at Little Easton in 1802 - she was 19.  This was all I knew until May 2020 when I was researching the Great Dunmow records regarding somebody else.  There was a family scandal in 1801 when Susanna, then 18, gave birth to an illegitimate child (Robert Ginns) the father of whom was allegedly John Livermore the husband of her sister Mary Ann (above). The sorry saga is written up in the Great Dunmow register.  I feel desperately sorry for her, not least as she died the next year.  No trace of Robert yet. 

Maria -  alive in 1809 - then 22 .  Left £50 in her father’s will.   Untraced

Harriet - alive in 1809 and left £50 in her father's will.  She almost certainly married Joshua Smith at Whitechapel, London in 1812 but no trace after that. 

Jane - married Luke Scott - alive 1809

Elizabeth - married Andrew Scott - alive 1809

James - an intriguing mystery at present. In the 4^th Troop of Essex Gentleman & Yeomanry in 1803 under the command of Charles, Viscount Maynard who owned the estate from which both the Ginns and Scotts rented their farms.  Received  a share of the residue in his father’s will and likely inherited the lands at Little Easton.  Trevor Scott certainly seems to think that he took over his father’s farms.

 In 1809, it seems clear that it was this man who married Sarah Mott at Elsenham.  At present I cannot find them thereafter, although there is a hint in records at the National Archives that they may have had issue.