John Yeo and Mary Ann Knapman

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The 1901 census for Plymouth records 42-year-old John Yeo living at North Quay, his occupation innkeeper. His place of birth is marked as ‘NK’ (not known). Listed with him are his wife Annie Yeo (age 40, born at Sticklepath [note 1]), his daughters Emma Yeo (age 23, a barmaid), Hetty Yeo (age 17) and Rosie Yeo (age 13), his mother Mary Yeo (a 60-year-old widow born at Okehampton) and two 67-year-old lodgers [note 2].

It seems odd for John’s birthplace not to be known, given that his mother was present when the census was taken – his birth was registered at Okehampton in 1857 to parents James Yeo and Mary Ann Gillard. Before reaching the age of majority himself, he married 15-year-old Mary Ann Knapman at Sampford Courtenay in 1876 [note 3]. They had ten children, six of whom died as infants:
– Emma Yeo (1876–1943, married William James Vosper)
– Richard Yeo (1877–1878)
– James Yeo (1878–1878)
– Ada Yeo (1881–1881)
– Edith Yeo (1882–1883)
– Henrietta Yeo (born 1884, known as Hetty, emigrated to the United States and married Oliver Cann)
– John Yeo (1885–1886)
– Maud Yeo (1886–1888)
– Rosie Yeo (1888–1907)
– John Yeo (born 1892).

Mary Ann Yeo died in 1903 when the sailing ship Devonia sank in Plymouth Sound [note 4]. Her husband John had died earlier the same year.

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Notes
1. Place of birth inaccurately recorded; she was born at Belstone in 1860 to parents Richard Knapman and Mary Ellis.
2. William Bailey (a forage dealer born in Plymouth) and Louis Joubert (a professor of music, recorded as a French subject born in Guadeloupe)
3. John is recorded as a baker on their marriage certificate.
4. Recorded as Mrs Annie Yeo, age 42. She is also referred to as Annie Yeo on her probate record; administration of her estate was granted to her daughter Emma Vosper.

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