Elizabeth Williams Rowe (née Johnson)

Elizabeth Williams Rowe née Johnson, wife of Rev. James John Rowe and niece of Ann Williams and Elizabeth James (all q.v.), awarded a part-share of compensation for enslaved persons on Old England estate in Jamaica as well as for two smaller claims.

1. Married James John Rowe in Marylebone by licence, 09/09/1823, both previously unmarried, both of the parish of St Mary-le-bone. Witnesses were Ann Williams (q.v.), Elizabeth James (q.v.) and Geo: Burke [?].

2. In 1841 her husband was presented to the parish of St Mary Arches in Exeter, Devon.

3. From the records of the christenings of her children and their birthplaces as listed in the censuses, she was living in Marylebone, London, in 1824, Littlehampton, Sussex, in 1825, 1826 and 1829, Ashington, Sussex, in 1830, Kentisbury in North Devon around 1837 and Hills Court, Exeter, around 1842.

4. In 1851 she is living at Mount le Grand, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon, age 40, born in Jamaica Bellevue, with five of her children, her two aunts (Ann Williams and Elizabeth James, both q.v., her co-claimants for the Old England estate and witnesses to her marriage ceremony, see 1, above) and four servants. In 1861 she is at 8 Mount le Grand, Heavitree, Devon, aged 58, born Jamaica Bellevue, with two visitors and two servants. In both censuses her husband is Rector of St Mary Arches, Exeter. By 1871 they have moved to the Rectory, Morchard Bishop, and her husband is Rector of Morchard Bishop. By 1881, her husband is listed as a widower at the same address.

5. "Administration of the effects of Elizabeth Williams Rowe (wife of James John Rowe, Clerk) late of Morchard Bishop in the County of Devon, died 18 August 1875 at Morchard Bishop was granted at Exeter to the said James John Rowe of Morchard Bishop." Effects under £450.

6. Elizabeth Williams Johnson was the daughter of Catherine nee Williams and her first husband William Ricketts Johnson. Her mother married, secondly, Hon. William Rowe.

T71/860 Manchester claim nos. 421 (Old England) and 421. T71/870 St Elizabeth claim no. 36.

1. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online].

2. Times 25/01/1841.

3. 1851 census online; https://www.familysearch.org/search/records/index#count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Arowe~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Aengland~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1820-1845~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3A%22James%20John%22~%20%2Bfather_surname%3ARowe~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3A%22Elizabeth%20williams%22~ [accessed 03/04/2012].

4. 1851 census online; 1861 census online; 1871 census online; 1881 census online.

5. National Probate Calendar 1875.

6. Vere Langford Oliver, Caribbeana being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies (6 vols., London, Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910-1919), Vol. 3 p. 70.