Fourth Generation

Not all the children lived to adulthood. The first two, Catherine and John, died in infancy. 1772 must have been a particularly difficult year, as the last born, Bartholomew died just five months after his father. In all John and Isabella had just short of twenty years of married life before John died and was buried at Tadcaster on 13th May 1772 one month before his 43rd birthday - yet another premature death in this family line. Isabella's years of child-rearing did not seem to have had a deleterious effect on her health for she lived to a ripe old age of 82. She died at Leeds on 13 July 1811, and was buried, at the Mill Hill Chapel. The choice of burial place indicates that the Fretwell family had, by this time, some connection with Unitarianism, which, to use a commercial metaphor, was gaining in its market-share of the 'thinking people'.

William, the last child of John Fretwell of Bickerton, and his wife Mary, must have been a sickly child, and only survived a few months. He was baptised privately on 2 October 1731, publicly on 22nd October and predeceased his father by 11 months. William's burial, at age 3½ months, on 17 January 1731/32 is recorded in the Bilton Parish Register.

The Ant Children
The Walker Children
Francis Arnold

Until the situation as regards the children of Grace and Robert Ant is better clarified I refer you back to the Third Generation entry for Grace Fretwell.

Again, apart from giving the actual dates for the Walker children, nothing further can be added at this stage for this brood. The eldest, Ann, was baptised on 15th February 1722/23 followed by a brother, William, who was baptised on 14 February 1724/25, and, after a short life, was buried in his 9th year on 22 October 1733. Next to be born were two daughters Mary, baptised on 28 April 1727 and Martha on 28 March 1729. A second son, George, was baptised on 15 December 1731, but sadly only lived 6 months, being buried on 20 June 1732. Eleven months later a third, and presumably more robust child was born - Thomas - baptised on 30 May 1733. And there was likely another son, William, born sometime after 22 October 1733, and who was buried on 9 April, 1755.

Some note should be taken in relation to their Uncle Johannes' will. The document was drawn up in November 1724, at which time both Ann and William Walker had been born, and were still alive. So why were they overlooked in the list of beneficiaries? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the offspring of Grace and George could expect to be well looked after financially through their own father, who was, after all, a man of some standing, being designated Yeoman. Johannes may have been concerned that his Ant nephews, now fatherless, would not fare so well, and so they were provided for in his Will.

Francis Arnold is an enigma at the moment. The only surmise is that he was born some time after the marriage of his parents (not always a failsafe guide), and this could have occurred in the Silkstone/Cawthorne area.

William Fretwell
John Fretwell
Joshua Fretwell

The family tree extract for William, son of Joshua Fretwell and Easter Denton is both poignant and intriguing. William, born in Hoyland Swaine, was baptised on 20 June 1707. The name/s of the mother/s of the two Mary's, daughters of William, is not known, nor is how William earned his living, where he lived, and where he died and was buried, the latter event being some time after the conception of the second Mary.

At least we know the name of William's sister-in-law! John, like his elder brother, was born in Hoyland Swaine, and he was baptised on 9 October 1709. His marriage, in his 24th year is recorded in the Silkstone Parish Registers as follows (note the surname variant spelling).

26th March 1733 John Frettwell and Grace Burgon, both of this parish, p.banns, married.

The one and only known child, Sara Frettwell, was born 11 months later.

Joshua, the child of Joshua and his second wife Ann Tayle(o)r was born in Hoyland Swaine, and his baptism is recorded in the Silkstone Parish Registers as occurring on 11 February 1723/24. Until recently it was surmised that some stage he met and married a woman called Hannah, of whom practically nothing is known, apart from the fact that she was probably buried at High Hoyland. This has since been proved incorrect. In fact, this Joshua's wife was one Elizabeth Heeley, and they were married at All Saints, Silkstone with Stainborough, on 15 April 1754, just after Joshua's 30th birthday.

Joshua Frettwell and Eliz Heely both of this parish by licence

Elizabeth Heeley, daughter of John Heeley, had been baptised at St John the Baptist, Penistone, on 17 September 1727. There are burial records for Elizabeth and Joshua Fretwell, at All Saints, Silkstone with Stainborough, which if they refer to the above couple, indicate that they died within a month of each other in 1798.

Oct 27 Elizabeth Wife of Joshua Fretwell, Clothier, Hoylandswain
Nov 17 Joshua Fretwell, Clothier, Hoylandswain

Mary Fretwell

Mary, granddaughter of Matthew, and daughter of William and mother unknown, was given a private baptism in April 1731, followed four weeks later by a public ceremony at the Cawthorne Parish Church.

MARY dau of WILLIAM FRETWELL (per B.T Husbandman) pr: Ap.21st pub May ye 17th

At birth a sickly child, she may not have survived long, although there is no reference in the Cawthorne Parish Registers to support this - it may be that she lived a long, healthy and fruitful, but seemingly, undocumented life!