John was a husbandman from "Thorpe", Yorkshire. "Thorpe" is a small village to the west of Burnsall, but is also the name of the district the west of Burnsall in which the village lies. He baptized James JOY in Burnsall in 1719.
It appears that there were several John JOYs active in and around Burnsall in the early 18th century, two of which were from Thorpe and who might have been James' father. Two other John JOYs were from Hartlington to the east of Burnsall.
The facts are:
There are two marriages in Burnsall prior to James' baptism in 1719:
- 1702/3 John JOY and Elizabeth HEBDEN, 16 Jun
- 1712 John JOY and Margaret BURNETT of Linton, 27 Jul. Margaret, wife of John JOY of Thorp Hall was buried in Burnsall on 28 Sep 1739. Thorpe Hall is in the village of Thorpe.
Additionally, a John JOY senior of Thorpe, of the parish of Linton, day labourer, married Isabell ELVDY/ELUDY/EWDY of Burnsall in Burnsall on 3 Oct 1728. She died in Jun 1732. The same John JOY senior of Thorpe of the Parish of Linton Widower Day labourer married Mary WRATHALL of Thorpe of the parish of Burnsall, spinster, in Burnsall on 2 Oct 1732." This can't be the same John JOY who married Margaret BURNETT, because she was alive until 1739. Being called John JOY senior suggests that he already had a son called John in 1728.
Baptisms in Burnsall present a similar picture. Based on the entries in the parish records there appear to be three John JOYs baptizing children in Burnsall during this period. If you divide the children based on recorded abode of the fathers then the births would be as follows.
John JOY of Thorpe
- Thomas 1689
- Susan 1692 (Linton)
- Elizabeth 1695 (Linton)
- John 1701 (Linton)
John JOY of Appletreewick, (and Elizabeth HEBDEN?) baptized:
- Thomas 1703/4 (place not specified)
- Mary 1705
- John 1707
- William 1710
- Anne 1715
John JOY of Thorpe, husbandman, (and Margaret BURNETT?) baptized:
- Thomas 1713
- Robert 1716
- James 1719
- William 1723
John JOY, yeoman of Ram's Close, Hartlington, Appletreewick
- Thomas 1724
- Elizabeth 1725
- John & Mary, twins, 1729 (both died in 1729)
- Anthony 1731 (died in 1731)
- Ann 1734
- Thomas 1740
No children of John JOY senior, day labourer of Linton and his wives have been identified. He could theoretically be the father of John b.1701, but he would have been in his 50s when he married Isabell ELUDY and Mary WRATHALL in 1729 and 1732 which as a day labourer would have been quite a feat, unless he was the pensioner buried in 1750/1 in which case he may have had a settled income. Perhaps he had been a soldier, although no evidence of this has been found.
John's wife Margaret died before him in 1739.
The following burials confirm three of the above John JOYs:
- 1743 John JOY of Applewick, yeoman, buried 27 Aug 1743
- 1750/1 John JOY of Thorp pensioner buried 15 Feb 1750/1
- 1751 John JOY of Appletreewick yeoman buried 27 Oct 1751
There is only one baptism of a John JOY: John the son of Christopher JOY 21 Jul 1695, which is too late to be James' father.