Please read About individuals before using any of the information on this page.
As you leave Stratton in north-east Cornwall and drive south, the ground rises quite steeply before falling again to cross the line of the former Bude–Holsworthy canal. At the top of the rise is a junction with a turning west for Bude. This area is called Hill Head.
John Yeo was buried in the churchyard at Stratton in 1691. The entry in the parish register reads ‘John Yeo of Hillhead, husband of Martha’ – the extra details distinguish him from other men in the parish of the same name. In his will, written a month before his death, John named his daughter Elizabeth as his executor, but she was still a minor (under 21) when John died and could not act as executor, so the will failed probate. Martha was granted administration of his estate.
Sheila Yeo referred to John as a cordwainer, the same occupation as his brother Walter Yeo of Stratton, but there is no evidence for this. He is described elsewhere as a butcher but the evidence for this also appears to be lacking.
John’s parents were Bernard Yeo and Emmet Thorne of Stratton. No record of his marriage to Martha has been found, but a licence for them to marry was issued at Exeter on 7 March 1667/8, in which her surname was written as Hambling – it has also been recorded as Hambley and Humbley.
John and Martha’s seven children were baptised at Stratton:
– John Yeo (baptised 1668)
– Philip Yeo (see below)
– Robert Yeo (see Robert Yeo and Rose Cory)
– Mary Yeo (baptised 1673, married Stephen Call)
– Martha Yeo (baptised 1675, died as a child)
– Elizabeth Yeo (baptised 1678)
– Emling Yeo (baptised c1680).
Martha survived John, and married William Orchard at Stratton in 1696.
Philip Yeo (baptised 1670 at Stratton, son of John and Martha Yeo) married Margaret Bond (also recorded as Margaret Bonet) at North Tamerton in 1704 [note 1]. Their eleven children [note 3] were baptised at North Tamerton:
– Rose Yeo (baptised 1704, died as an infant)
– Philip Yeo (baptised 1705, married Elizabeth Hopgood at Kilkhampton in 1730, three children) [note 4]
– Richard Yeo (baptised 1707) [note 5]
– Rose Yeo (baptised 1709, died as an infant)
– Rose Yeo (1710–1721)
– John Yeo (see below)
– Symon Yeo (1715–1739)
– Robert Yeo
– William Yeo
– Samuel Yeo
– Peter Yeo (baptised 1727, married Ann Ivemay at St Mary Magdalene, Launceston in 1748, six children [note 6] including Simon Yeo).
John Yeo (baptised 1712 at Stratton, son of Philip Yeo and Margaret Bond) married twice. He married Elizabeth Rodd at Alwington in 1738; they had three children:
– Mary Yeo (baptised 1738 at at St Andrew, Plymouth)
– Margaret Yeo (baptised 1741 at Stoke Damerel)
– Philip Yeo (baptised 1743 at Stoke Damerel).
After Elizabeth’s death [note 7], John married Elizabeth Hawke at Bodmin in 1750; they baptised nine children at Stoke Damerel:
– Elizabeth Yeo (baptised 1752)
– Simon Yeo (baptised 1754)
– George Yeo (baptised 1755, died as a child)
– Joseph Yeo (baptised 1757)
– Mary Yeo (baptised 1757)
– Rose Yeo (baptised 1759)
– Abraham Yeo (baptised 1762, married Elizabeth Soper at Stoke Damerel in 1791)
– Sarah Yeo (baptised 1762)
– George Yeo (baptised 1764)
John’s second wife Elizabeth survived him, and married John Hazell at East Stonehouse in 1773.
Please Contact Us if you can add to or correct the information shown.
Notes
1. Jean Ajin has traced her line of descent through John and Margaret’s son Philip Yeo. Tanya Kloessel, with Sheila’s help, found that she too was descended from Philip, as are Tim Yeo and his son Jonathan Yeo.
2. Walter had a grandson Richard Yeo who married Katherine Prout in 1745. Their line of descent in Ontario from Richard Yeo and Rosina Victor has been documented by Alan Richards.
3. Was there an additional son Peter Yeo, baptised earlier in 1727, who died as an infant?
4. The Philip Yeo who married Catharine Bagland at Parkham in 1766 might have been a son of Philip or of his brother John. The evidence is inconclusive, and it is possible that there is no link.
5. Possibly the father of the Richard Yeo who married Grace Symons at Launcells in 1753.
6. Some of their descendants settled in the Portsmouth area and some emigrated to Australia.
7. Buried at Stoke Damerel in 1749.