John UNDERHILL married Anne PADDY in May 1728. They had two children including Susannah in 1729. Anne died in 1731, most likely as a result of the birth of their son, John, who was baptized on the same day that Anne was buried in Coleshill, but likely died shortly after.
It is thought that Anne PADDY was only 14 when she married John, although if correct then her father, Thomas PADDY, was terminally ill and inclined to provide his daughter with the security of a locally known husband even if extremely young.
John married Catherine BROWN in July 1733 by banns and went on to have 4 further children. Second marriages by banns was perfectly normal where both parties were living in the same parish.
John UNDERHILL died aged 96 and was buried on 19 Sep 1788.
John UNDERHILL's parents
Based on his reported age of 96 in 1788, John was born in about 1691/92. Possible baptismal records:
- 1686 in Broadwas, Worcestershire by Edward and Alice UNDERHILL
- 1690 in Worcester by Henry UNDERHILL
- 1694 in Kings Norton by John UNDERHILL
- 1697 in Aston by John UNDERHILL
An alternative is to look for UNDERHILL families baptizing children in the right area around 1690. The only such family was William and Susanna UNDERHILL who baptized Mary 1687 and Elenor 1688 in Fillongley (6 miles from Coleshill). Then in 1694 a William UNDERHILL baptized William in Curdworth (3 miles from Coleshill). Earlier, in 1680, an Ann was baptized by William in Castle Bromwich (4 miles from Coleshill). No marriage has been found for William and Susanna, but the pattern is of an itinerant farm servant moving from place following the work. It's not impossible that John was another child born 1689-1692, albeit without a surviving baptism record. Stretching the narrative further its similar possible that he was is a similar position to William, moving from farm to farm for his livelihood, perhaps assisting Thomas PADDY while he had a young family, and then being trusted to look after Thomas' daughter as he had been trusted to care for his animals. It could be coincidence but John's first child was named Susannah.
Other information
There were two John UNDERHILLs baptizing children in Coleshill at that time:
- John UNDERHILL who married Anne PADDY and then Catherine BROWN, and
- John UNDERHILL of Bacons End, who had married Catherine MADLEY in 1721 in Bickenhall. There is a marriage allegation and bond made by a John UNDERHILL of Coleshill, yeoman, that there be no "Lawful Lett or Impediment" to him marrying Catherine MADLEY of the same parish, signed on 2 February 1720. The marriage took place in Bickenhall.1 The burial record of Catherine UNDERHILL in November 1734 confirms that she was the wife of John UNDERHILL of Bacons End.
The children of these two marriages are thought to be:
- John (Dec 1734), Thomas (Oct 1736) and Mary (Oct 1739) were baptized by John UNDERHILL and his wife Catherine. Elizabeth (Dec 1741) was baptized by just John UNDERHILL (Catherine was buried on 21 Jan 1741 (1742 CE) so was likely too ill to attend.)
- Sarah (May 1736) and Joseph (Apr 1741) were baptized by John UNDERHILL of Bacon's End. He had remarried Elizabeth PALMER in Curdworth in Mar 1735/36.
John UNDERHILL of Bacons End was buried on 27 May 1744. He left his entire estate to his wife, Elizabeth UNDERHILL.
