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Frank Smith Book
England is approximately the same size as the state of Utah, but at present time has fifty times more people per square mile. These excerpts, taken from the World Book Encyclopedia, 1971 Edition, present a good descriptive picture of the country our forefathers left behind: England is the largest of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The other countries are Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. England covers a smaller area than the state of Alabama, yet it is one of the greatest industrial and trading countries in the world. For hundreds of years, England has been one of the world's most important countries. English inventors helped make possible the Industrial Revolution. English sailors, traders, explorers, and colonists helped found the British Empire--the largest empire in history. England also produced William Shakespeare, considered the greatest dramatist of all time, and Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most important scientists in history. England lies in the southern and eastern part of the island of Great Britain in the British Isles. It covers about three-fifths of the island. England is famous for its charming countryside, with green pastures and neat hedges. But most of the English people live in crowded industrial cities. London, the capital of England, is the second largest city in the world, after Tokyo. The English people have a long history of freedom and democracy. Their democratic ideas and practices have influenced many other countries, including the United States and Canada. Most Englishmen take great pride in their country's history and have deep respect for their customs and traditions... England is part of Great Britain, a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain's head of state, but she does not rule the nation. A Cabinet of government officials called ministers are the actual rulers. The prime minister is the main ruling official. The chief lawmaking body of Great Britain is the Parliament. It consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is by far the more powerful house... The English are proud, independent people, with a witty, dry sense of humor. They are polite but sometimes shy with strangers. This characteristic has been mistaken as snobbism by outsiders. Although many Englishmen are highly critical of themselves and their country, they are proud of being English. Many Englishmen have great respect for tradition. As a result, the English have historically been slow to accept change. This conservatism has been one of the strengths in the character of the English people...The young people have...attacked England's once strict class system, which has been breaking down since the 1940's. Under this system, an Englishman belonged to the working class, middle class, or upper class, according to his social and economic background. Englishmen in the lower and middle classes had great difficulty advancing to higher classes. Population and Ancestry: England's population of nearly 47 million is almost a fourth that of the United States. Yet the English are crowded into a country smaller than Alabama. About 80 per cent of the people live in cities and towns... Most of the English people are descended from invaders who began settling in the British Isles more than 2,500 years ago. The first invaders, the Celts, came in the 700's B.C. They were followed by the Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Danes, and Normans. The Normans, the last people to invade England, came in 1066 A.D. Each group of invaders added its own traditions and speech to English civilization and helped shape the character of the English people. 1 Until the early 1800's, most of the English people lived in farm areas. As the Industrial Revolution grew, huge numbers of people moved to cities and towns to work in factories, mines, and mills. By the end of the 1800's, about 75 per cent of the people lived in cities… Language: English is the official language of Great Britain. It developed mainly from the Anglo-Saxon and Norman-French languages… Way of Life: Many people in other countries picture the "typical" Englishman as wearing a dark suit and bowler hat and carrying an umbrella. Actually, only a few men who work in London's financial district, which is called the City, dress that way. Most Englishmen dress like Canadians and Americans, with emphasis on conservative colors and warm tweeds. Most English workers travel to their offices or factories by car, bus, or train. The railroads, which are government-owned, provide quick, dependable commuter service to large cities. Some workers ride motorcycles or bicycles to their jobs… Surface Features: In general, England's land slopes down from the north and west to the south and east. The country's main mountain system, the Pennine Chain, extends from the Scottish border about halfway down the length of England. The Pennines are often called the backbone of England. The rich plains of Lancashire lie west of the mountains and those of Yorkshire are to the east. The River Tweed and the Cheviot Hills form England's northern border with Scotland. Wales lies west of England. The Irish Sea lies between England and the island of Ireland, and the English Channel and the North Sea separate England from the mainland of Europe.
The Lake District, in the northwestern part of England, is known for its beautiful mountain scenery. The highest point in England, 3,206-foot Scafell Pike, rises in the Lake District. A large plateau called the Midlands occupies east-central England. It is bordered by the River Thames on the south, the River Severn on the west, the River Trent on the north, and the River Ouse on the east. The plateau is broken by rolling hills and fertile valleys. Along the North Sea, the Midlands are low and flat. Some of the coast is swampy near a large bay of the North Sea called the Wash. Southeastern England is crossed by long, low lines of hills called scarplands. The scarplands consist of layers of limestone and chalk. Along the English Channel, the hills drop sharply and form steep cliffs. The most famous cliffs are the white cliffs of Dover. Southwestern England is a rugged peninsula. The westernmost point in England, Land's End, and the southernmost point in the British Isles, Lizard Point, are on the peninsula. Rivers and Lakes: England's rivers flow from the central highlands to the seas. The rivers that flow east to the North Sea include the Thames, Tweed, Tyne, and a group of streams that join and form the Humber. The rivers that flow west into the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel include the Mersey, Dee, Severn, and Avon. Several shorter streams flow south into the English Channel… Natural Resources: England has few natural resources, except for large deposits of coal and low-grade iron ore. The largest coal fields extend along the Pennine Chain into the Midlands. The largest deposits of iron ore are in the East Midlands. Richer, but smaller, deposits of ore lie in the county of Cumberland. England has a few small oil fields in the east-central part of the country. It also has natural gas fields in Yorkshire and off the North Sea coast. Southwestern England has fine china clay, used in making pottery. Large deposits of limestone and chalk found in the southwest are used in making cement. The shallow waters along England's coasts are excellent fishing grounds. Manufacturing: The economy of England depends mainly on the manufacturing trade. England has been a leading manufacturing country since the Industrial Revolution began there in the 1700's. England's ideal location on the busy North Atlantic shipping lanes--and its many excellent harbors--have helped make it one of the world's greatest trading countries. England is more highly developed economically than the other British countries and produces most of Britain's industrial and farm products. For many years, almost all of England's factories were built near coal fields, close to their source of power. Today, nuclear energy, oil, and gas are being used more and more. As a result, many new industries have developed around London and in the southeastern section of the country, where there is little coal. England's chief manufactured products include airplanes, automobiles, chemicals, iron and steel, machinery, pottery and porcelain, silverware, and woolen and cotton cloth and yarn. Transportation and Trade: England's excellent transportation systems and geographic position have helped make it a great trading country. In addition to its many ports and a widespread inland waterway system, the country has an extensive network of railroads. It also has hundreds of miles of motorways (expressways) that fan out from London to other major industrial centers. England has a favorable location for trade with North America and the European mainland… Agriculture and Fishing: English farms do not produce enough food for all the country's people, and much food must be imported. England's chief agricultural products include barley, cattle, dairy products, fruits, potatoes, sheep, and wheat. Haddock, herring, and sole are the principal fishes caught in English waters. The main fishing ports are Hull on the North Sea coast and Fleetwood on the Irish Sea coast. Mining: England mines more coal than any other product, but coal output has been declining steadily because of the increased use of imported oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. England's iron ore production, which was once important to the country's steelmaking industry, is also declining. Most high-grade ore has been worked out, and much ore is imported. England began pumping natural gas from its North Sea wells in 1967. The production of natural gas is increasing rapidly, and gas is becoming one of the country's most important sources of energy. 1 For further reading, be sure to read Lives and Times of our English Ancestors, Vols. 1 and 2, by Frank Smith (Everton, Logan) TO MY BELOVED DESCENDANTS --- Having lived a long and joyous life in the service of the Master through activity in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I never cease to wonder what it was that caused our common ancestor, John Marriott, to join the Mormon Church. Why could he see the truth of the Gospel when millions of others could not? Why him? And why you and me? For the answer, we must look to our pre-mortal life. It was there, in heaven, that we dwelt with our heavenly parents as their spirit offspring. As they reared us to spirit manhood and womanhood, we no doubt admired them in their perfect, resurrected state with their vast command of past experience. Doubtless we, too, compared it with our own restricted development. This would have led us to ask them how we might become like them, and how long it would take. The obvious answer must have been that if we would exercise patience the way would be opened to us. The principles of the Gospel and the application of eternal laws in our future were explained, not just to some, but to all. To many of those who then heard the Gospel with enthusiasm, it was a "familiar ring" when they hear it for the first time in this mortal life. I'm sure this was the way it happened to John. This is the story of several generations of an illustrious family. It is illustrious because it is our family, with roots in far-off England. Because of this, I feel it would be good to know something about our Marriotts in England for 200 years since that is where they came from, and where some members of the Marriott family still live. How did they live from day to day? What were some of the problems facing them in their struggle for existence? May you read this Marriott history often and be proud of your ancestry. Their temple work has been done. We are now called upon to go to the temple often, to help others. Find joy in this work and in all your other worthwhile endeavors. Signed, J. Willard Marriott, Sr.
THE TWO MIRACLES During the bombing raids on London in World War II, the Public Record Office--which houses thousands upon thousands of irreplaceable documents, some of which date back to the 8th Century--was in danger of being burned to the ground. All the surrounding buildings were in flames and incendiary bombs had fallen on the roof. The firewatchers were able to extinguish them and only a few of the records were damaged-by water from the firemen's hoses! Somerset House was the repository for millions of records of births, marriages and deaths, probates, and many other documents of great value in genealogical research. This building is constructed around a quadrangle. In one raid, high explosive bombs were dropped, and one landed in the quadrangle and went through into the vaults below where all the original records were stored. Fortunately, the bomb did not explode and all the records were saved for the use and benefit of future generations. Northamptonshire, shown as Northants on the maps that follow, is almost in the center of England. It covers an area of 1,017 square miles with the town of Northampton as its administrative capital. The three population density maps indicate only a slight growth during the Industrial Revolution of 1750 to 1850. Our branch of the Marriott family emigrated to America just after 1831. At that time, the county consisted of a little over 300 villages, with a total population of 179,300. Of these villages, 290 were classed as ecclesiastical parishes of the Church of England, which meant they had a church and a parish minister who kept records of births, deaths and marriages within that parish. In those days, the county was almost completely agricultural—beautiful rolling hills, fertile fields, woodlands where the wild flowers grew in abundance, and very little waste land. The countryside was watered by many small streams, and the three main rivers, the Nene, the Ouse and the Welland, had been a great blessing both to agriculture and transportation over the centuries. Two or three towns became famous for the making of good boots and shoes, but generally speaking, most people were farmers, laborers, blacksmiths or had some other occupation connected with the raising of crops and animals. During early periods in English history, the county was a scene of action in almost every civil war. This was partly due to its central location, and partly due to the strong political and religious beliefs of its inhabitants. The center for most of the political activity in the county was the ancient borough of Northampton, while the great center for the religious life of the shire was forty miles down the River Nene at Peterborough, where one of the greatest Benedictine abbeys was situated. Northampton was divided into civil divisions called 'hundreds'. There were manors from the earliest times, and most of the farms and villages followed the feudal patterns, common in the less hilly counties of England. Enclosure of the common fields was late in coming to this county--not until the early 1800's. The villages of Northampton could be classified into four main groups: the forest village, the partly industrialized village, the "open village" with many small freeholders, and the village with a hall or manor house and a resident squire. The villages of Roade and Ashton fall into this last category, the squire being the Duke of Grafton.
The village of Roade lies seven miles southeast of the town of Northampton, and was then quite a large place. In 1831, its popu1ation was 550. You will note on the accompanying map the parish church, Church of St. Mary, in the top center. Below are two recent photographs of the church and also a view of one of the homes in the village, with an old stone wall around it. The church has probably been repaired a few times since it was first built. Its records date back to 1587. The square clock tower holds four bells, and the church itself seats 220 people. The first known Marriott ancestors brought their children here to be christened. Incidentally, the name Marriott means ‘the son of Mary’.
The map also shows Wesleyan Methodist and Baptist chapels. The Baptist records date back to 1688, and the chapel itself was built in 1736. It appears that the Marriotts were then staunch followers of the Church of England because their names do not appear on any of the early Non-Conformist records. ‘Non-Conformist’ is the term used to describe a person who does not support the Church of England but leans to other religions, such as Quaker, Wesleyan, etc. In 1887, the village boasted four inns or public houses: the 'White Hart', the 'Cock', the 'George', and the 'Fox and Hounds'. These were places where men could sit quietly over a glass of ale and talk of all the latest happenings, or the prices of wheat or other crops, or the goings-on in Parliament. A recent description of a walk through the village of Roade gives us an idea of its beauty, and we can imagine our Marriott ancestors taking note of the wild flowers and butterflies as they walked down the lanes in the summertime:
In 1660 a church dedicated to St. Michael was built two miles away to the west of Roade, and the village of Ashton came into being. By 1830 its population had risen to 380. This village was the home of another branch of the Marriott family, a more wealthy family than those at Roade. Here is a description of Ashton as it was recorded some years ago in The Northamptonshire County Magazine:
FOREFATHERS
With that background—the country, the county and the villages, we are now ready to take a look at our Marriott family. Our earliest known Marriott ancestor appears to be Anthony Marriott, who lives at Roade in the late 1500’s. He is the earliest ancestor found with the records now known to exist. There are no parish registers prior to 1587, and at this very early date the parish registers are illegible in parts. It is therefore doubtful that all Marriott entries originally recorded have been found. A sketch of his family appears as follows: (‘=’ means ‘married’)
The name John was among the five most common names in use at that time. Henry, John, Richard, William, and Robert were the names given to about sixty percent of the boys. This means that an ancestor named John will not be as easy to identify--where the parents names were not always given--as one named Valentine, or some other uncommon name. In those days, there was no established way of spelling any word, so people wrote just what they heard; thus, the surname Marriott is variously spelled Marrat, Marrot, Marrit, etc. In the next generation of John Marriott and his wife Sarah, we know from his will that John was a yeoman. This does not mean he had something to do with the armed forces; a yeoman was another name for a farmer. The word crept into military terminology because in those centuries, when Britain had only a small standing army or none at all, the yeoman farmers were expected to provide men and arms made by the blacksmith in the village to fight the country's battles. The first regiment of yeomanry was established in 1761, and gradually the word has developed a military connotation. Many songs were written about the patriotism of our yeoman farmer ancestors, and we should be proud of them. John and his family look like this:
This John's will dated 27 February 1706-7 is too faded to reproduce here, but an abstract of it follows:
The son John named as executor married a girl named Christian. Christian is a girl's name in England, although in some European countries it is a boy's name. John's father was a yeoman and owned land, but his son John seems to have slipped a little in the social scale and is described as a laborer! When his wife Christian was buried on 12 July 1739, she is described in one record as a ‘poore woman’. Here is a sketch of the John and Christian Marriott family:
Since John was described as a laborer at the christening of one of their children, money would be scarce in that family. In contrast, it is interesting to note that in the nearby parish of Ashton, there was another Marriott family of great wealth. Robert Marriott was Lord of the Manor, so there are many records of this family. We have not been able to claim them as relatives so far; however, since there may be a cousin relationship somewhere, we shall record something about them in this family history. Robert Marriott and his wife had nine sons and six daughters: quite a large family! His tomb is the box-like kind with inscriptions on all sides. Rather than being in the churchyard, it is in the vestry, the minister's office where he keeps his records, robes and vestments, sacramental vessels, etc. The inscription on the tomb praising this great man is as follows:
On the floor of the vestry, too, you can see three stones, side by side. The third stone, upon which a cupboard partly encroaches, is to one of the Marriotts--a John who died in 1661 at the age of 38. And if you look on the floor just outside the vestry, you will see another much worn stone to members of the Marriott fami1y--Mary, wife of John the elder, who died in 1661, and Mrs. Elizabeth Tibbs, her daughter, who died in 1707-for the family stayed and farmed here long after they had ceased to be lords of the manor.
John and Christian Marriott probably lived in a small, humble cottage and worked for the lord of the manor. John was apparently on the lower end of the scale of workers, which meant that he would work long hours on the manor land and then come home to take care of his own little plot. From March to September, work went on in the fields from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with half an hour off for breakfast, an hour for dinner at noon, and an hour for 'drinkings'. Large amounts of beer were consumed, probably because of the putridity of the water from the local shallow wells.
John and Christian would both have been born toward the end of the Commonwealth Period. This was the time in English history when there was no king on the throne, and this may be another reason why it has been so hard to find a record of their christening. In Genealogical Research in England and Wales, Vol. I, Smith and Gardner describe the situation during this Cromwellian period, as follows:
They lived in an exciting time. All these events would leave the village in a state of constant uproar, and we can picture the villagers crowding around the town crier as he brought news of the latest developments. Not many people could read and write at that time. School was out of the reach of the ordinary laborer, and about the only book in common use was the Bible. In those days, varying methods were used to gather taxes for national support. Windows were taxed, heads, land, chimneys, etc. Often, the poor were excluded from these taxes for the simple reason that they had nothing with which to pay. The tax lists frequently varied as to the types of people included. The Northamptonshire tax list for 1621 indicates only three taxpayers from the village of Roade and five from Ashton, two of whom were the wealthy Marriotts. The tax list for 1620 shows the same.
In our search for clues to John Marriott's parentage, the lists of all able-bodied men of Northamptonshire were examined. These lists were compiled by the local parish constable and kept by the lord lieutenant of the county so that in the event of war, they would know how many men were available. These lists are unfortunately incomplete, but the one compiled for Roade in 1613 shows a Thomas Marriott, who undoubtedly is one of John's relatives, perhaps a grandfather or granduncle. There were sixteen men in the list, and as they probably knew each other very well, their names are included here as a matter of interest.
Going back further, we found a militia list for 1591, but this time no Marriotts were listed among the twelve able-bodied men. It is interesting to note that John and Christian Marriott lived during the reigns of six monarchs--and two 'dictators': Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard. We hear a great deal about inflation today, but during John Marriott's lifetime, wages rose 200% while the cost of living rose 600%! When we see them again, we'll hear what real inflation was like! The Poor Law records for Roade revealed a settlement certificate of one John Marriott, who, with his wife Hannah and son John, were legally settled in Hanslopp, Buckinghamshire, in 1722. They took this certificate with them to Roade, and in the event of hard times, sickness or unemployment, the document was proof that the parish of Hanslopp would take them back and provide for them. This John could very well be another child of John and Christian whose baptism record we have been unable to locate. John Marriott and his wife Hannah had children at Hanslopp between 1712 and 1720, and then had another child at Roade in 1727. A transcription of the settlement certificate, a humane and interesting document, follows, with a copy of the original document. It gives us, of the 20th Century, a glimpse of how our poorer ancestors 1ived.
It's time to move on to the next generation! John and Christian's first known child was named Thomas and was baptized as a baby, or christened, at St. Mary's Church, in Roade, on 31 January 1686-7. Thomas is our direct ancestor, and when he reached the ripe old age of 24, he married Ann Gadsden. The wedding took place at the same parish church in which he had been christened. The name Gadsden is found in some records spelled Gassdon. As we have previously noted, there was in those days no correct way to spell anything or anyone's name. It was spelled as the recorder heard it or thought it sounded, and as Englishmen had so many different dialects and accents, the spellers came up with some unusual variations. Here is a sketch of Thomas and Ann Marriott and their children:
All the children were christened at the parish church in Roade. Parish register entries for the marriage of Thomas and Ann and for the christening of their son John are shown on the following pages. The second son, Thomas, climbed up the economic ladder to be a man of substance. When he died in 1792, he left a will in which he described himself as a yeoman, or farmer. His burial record at St. Mary's also describes him as a farmer. In his will, he names his wife and eight children, but we have been able to find records for only four of them. John Marriott, born in 1713, is the direct ancestor in this family.
John Marriott married Susannah Newman on 3 May 1744 in a little village called Stantonbury in Buckinghamshire, eight miles southeast of Roade. We can imagine how beautiful the countryside was at this time of the year…the air heavy with the scent of may-blossom, buttercups and daisies in the meadows, and the birds singing from every bush and tree. Pictures of the Stantonbury church are below. Susannah was a Buckinghamshire girl, and it is possible that she met her future husband in one of the nearby market towns when they went with their parents to sell their garden produce. This was a common place for young people to meet.
John and Susannah decided to settle in Ashton, the village two miles west of Roade. Here, at the Church of St. Michael, nine of their children were christened. Here is a sketch of their family:
The bishop's transcript entry for the christening of Thomas in 1760 can be seen on the following page. John's lifetime was full of interesting happenings. Among the more spectacular were the timber-stealing riots of 1727-28. A few miles west of Roade were the forests of Whittlebury and Salcey, and 147 people were arrested there and bound over to the Assizes for 'unlawfully cutting and carrying away trees belonging to his Majestie.' Three of the miscreants were from John's village, and three others were from Ashton, where he settled after marriage. If John was involved, he could hardly be blamed! The following excerpt, taken from the financial accounts of the Overseers of the Poor for the parish of Roade, will also give us some idea of the living conditions in the village while John was growing up:
Let's take another look at living conditions in this area during the time when John and Susannah were raising their family. On the following page is a typical budget for a working-class family of Northamptonshire. This budget would also be consistent for workers living allover the country at that time. Note now frugally they lived. Susannah would do the family laundry about every five weeks, using soap made from the ashes of green fern, which had been kneaded into balls and put to dry. The family probably spent the four previous weeks making soap! Bathing was very infrequent, and even the washing of faces and hands did not take place every day. No wonder that disease was rampant. Smallpox was a frequent cause of death, and the chances of a baby surviving to adulthood were very poor. Statistics show that at this time, only 50% of children lived to reach the age of two years, and another 11% died before the age of five. Poor sanitation and general uncleanliness in the home accounted for this high rate of infant mortality. A simple item in everyday use, such as a pewter mug, would not be washed very often and sometimes was the only drinking vessel the household possessed. Their coarse woolen clothing was rarely washed and was consequently a happy hunting ground for germs. As glazed pottery, carbolic soap, and cotton clothing came into general use through the years, the death rate declined. In the Midlands where our Marriotts lived, oatmeal was the staple
of the diet. Bread was made of rye or barley flour. Wheat flour
was too expensive for working people unless they were able to do
some gleaning in the fields. They did not eat a lot of meat even
though they may have raised it. Instead, it was sold, and the money
was used to buy other needed items. Potatoes were another staple,
and milk was still too expensive for regular use. Goods were sold
from door to door, and each trader had his own peculiar call or
chant so that customers would know he was in the neighborhood. For
instance, the coalman would call, 'c-o-o-o-o-a-a-l!' on a rising
scale almost as though he were singing. Try it! The baker, butcher,
greengrocer and fishman all had their own distinctive calls.
Historically, John and Susannah Marriott lived through the reigns of Queen Anne, King George I and II, and presumably died during the reign of King George III. Their son Thomas, the constable, is the direct ancestor, and so we now turn to his generation. Thomas married Jane Warren (spelled 'Warrin' by the minister) in Ashton on December 26, 1784. The marriage entry indicates that Thomas was from Roade. Thomas and Jane were married by special license from the Bishop of Peterborough. This meant that the young couple did not need to have the banns called in their respective parishes for three successive Sundays before the marriage could take place. In this particular instance, the main reason the special license was sought was because Jane was under the age of 21. The legal reason for the marriage bond, a copy of which is reproduced on the next page, was to avoid bigamous marriages or marriages of close relatives. Note that Thomas is described as a farmer, and that Jane has the consent of her father--attached to the bond was a statement written by Joshua Warren giving consent to his daughter's marriage. Here is a sketch showing Thomas’ family:
The christening records for these five children were found at Roade, and the record for John, born in 1789, is included in the following pages. It was not possible to find any record of the parents' burial although the registers were searched up to 1843.
Please bear in mind that for persons aged over 15, the next lowest five-year term was used in the 1841 census. By this time, our John Marriott had been a member of the Church for about a month. Soon he was to leave for the New World just as Nephi had seen in a vision:
This scripture applied not only to the settlers of New England, but also to the many who came after them, such as our ancestor, John Marriott. EPILOGUE For nine generations, we have record that our Marriotts stayed close to the land, living in one of two villages, Ashton or Roade, both within two miles of each other. All through these generations, they had never voted for any local officer to represent them in London at Parliament. They were not wealthy people. Before 1750, less than half the population could read or write, and the Marriotts had emigrated to the United States before education became compulsory. Their diet was simple, their entertainment limited. In each generation, the family probably suffered the grief of losing more than half of their children at an early age. When the wondrous news of the everlasting Gospel came to their village, John Marriott, barely 27 years of age, was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many generations of simple living prepared John for the trek to the West, and since then, their descendants have made temple blessings available to more than 20,000 of their relatives. All the research that is practical has been done. Now, as new Marriott generations come into being, they will be taught a broader version of temple work on an international basis. May we always be proud of our Marriott ancestry. First, the generations of English farmers; then, our ancestor John who joined the Church and came to America; then, those in more recent generations who have built a great name in the Church and in the business world.
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The baptism font seen here is typical of those used at christenings,
or infant baptisms, as they were also called. The upper part of
the font held about three inches of 'holy water' into which the
parish priest dipped his finger and made the sign of the cross on
the infant's forehead, hence the word 'christening.' This ceremony
usually took place in the first few weeks of the infant's life,
because the villagers all throughout the country were taught that
an unbaptized person went to purgatory, a place of torture and punishment.
In fact, some parish ministers would not allow an unbaptized child
to be buried in the churchyard.
Christian
would probably be skilled in spinning and in weaving cloth with
which to make the family's clothing.
As
far as it is known, Thomas and Jane stayed quietly at home in their
little country village. Around them, momentous things were happening.
The American War of Independence was over, and colonization of Australia
had begun in earnest. Napoleon was still at large, and many British
soldiers were overseas in Flanders and Ireland. The threat of invasion
by the French was very real. Fortunately, the French Navy was no
match for the British Navy, and they were defeated at Trafalgar
in 1805. While on land, Napoleon was dealt his final blow in 1815
by the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. News was traveling faster
by this time, and Thomas and Jane would no doubt be well acquainted
with all these events.
