John Cross
(1710-1800)

John Cross was the second of the five children of Charles Cross, and his wife Sarah Hotley of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

John's early life is not clear, but he married Thomazin Chamberlain of Welney, Norfolk in 1730. After their marriage, the couple settled in nearby Littleport, Cambridgeshire, and became parents at least three times, although their oldest child died when he was just 7 years old.

After Thomazin died in 1751, John re-married to Elizabeth Scott of Littleport, and after a few years in Littleport where they began to extend their family.

In 1757, John is noted as a Cordwainer (shoemaker) of Littleport, and takes on an apprentice named Leeds Closse.

By 1759 the family have relocated to Ely, and the family continues to grow. It appears that this second marriage eventually produced 15 children, but on closer inspection this figure is hard to accept as being correct, as it would place John as having his final child at the age of 79, whilst his second wife is 59. I therefore suspect that there's actually two generations making up his list of children, possibly with their oldest son John also marrying an Elizabeth, and therefore easily appearing to be the same couple in the baptism registers.

If you have any ideas or have uncovered supporting evidence that will unravel this puzzle, then please do let me know.

John gets noted as being '92' years old in his burial entry, out-living his second wife by about ten years.

Thomasin gets remembered by their youngest son Francis, who names his youngest daughter Thomasin Cross in 1772.

Life Events

Born

• circa 1710 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• 2nd September 1710 at Holy Trinity Church, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married:

• Thomazin Chamberlain (17??-1751) on 19th April 1730 at St. Mary's Chapel, Welney, Norfolk, England.
• Elizabeth Scott (1730-1790) on 10th October 1752 at St. George's Church, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England.

Children

• John Cross (1731-1738)
• William Cross (1733-1817) married Ann Canham (1746-1819)
• Francis Cross (1737-1806) married Sarah Washington (17??-1773), and later to Frances Barrett (17??-?)
• John Cross (1754-?)
• Ann Cross (1755-1756)
• Ann Cross (1757-1761)
• Robert Cross (1759-1826) married Sarah Bartle (1759-1821)
• Mary Cross (1761-?) married Jeremiah Beemont (17??-?)
• Elizabeth Cross (1761-?)
• Philip Cross (1764-176?)
• Philip Cross (1765-1768)
• Charles Cross (1766-?) married Elisabeth Bartle (17??-?)
• Philip Cross (1770-1846) married Mary Ong (1774-1859)
• Elizabeth Cross (1772-?)
• Henry Cross (1776-?)
• John Cross (1780-?)
• Sarah Cross (1787-?)
• John Cross (1789-?)

Employment

• 1757: Cordwainer

Death

• circa September 1800 at Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, aged '92' years.

Burial

• 6th September 1800 at Holy Trinity Church, Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.