Ovapedia search :

While reading the articles about Joel CARTER on OVApedia, I discovered a mention of James WHEATON of Newton Poppleford, born about 1808.

In 1845 as a result of a theft, James WHEATON was transported to Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania). He left a wife and family in Newton Poppleford but on the other side of the world, he married and had a further 6 children.  James WHEATON was my great - great grandfather.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

James WHEATON (later WHITTON), the son of a carpenter, was baptised at Venn Ottery on 31st July 1808.  He married Anne CLARKE on 28 May 1829 at Aylesbeare, Devon.  She was born about 1805 in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire.  They had the following children born at Newton Poppleford – William 1829, Thomas 1831, Abraham 1834-1834, Sarah Ann 1835, Nancy 1838, Mary Ann 1841, Philip 1843-1843 and Philip 1845.

James WHEATON was a farm labourer and on the 1841 census the family lived at Town Court, Newton Poppleford.

The following is an excerpt from TREWMAN'S EXETER FLYING-POST dated March 27 1845 -  DEVON ASSIZES

James Wheaton, 35, was indicted for having on the night of the 1st March instant, at the parish of Aylesbeare, broken and entered the shop of William Hare, and stolen therefrom a pair of shoes and other articles of property. In this case Mr Elliott was for the prosecution; Mr Cornish for the defence.- William Hare, the prosecutor, keeps a shop at Newton Poppleford, in Aylesbeare. On the 2nd March, on going to the shop, found a ladder against the front and entering, found it in confusion. The back door was open. A hole had been made through the wall over the back door, and the ceiling of the shop cut through, and thus an entrance had been effected. There were footsteps in the garden behind, which the prosecutor traced some 300 or 400 yards quite to the prisoner's house.- Charlotte Hare, daughter of the prosecutor, attends this shop, and at ten at night on the 1st of March, fastened everything safely, locked the doors, and took the keys away with her. Three pairs of shoes were at that time hanging in the window. One pair of these, with various other articles were stolen and carried away.- William Davey, is a policeman at Ottery, and on the 2nd March searched the house of the prisoner at Newton Poppleford, where he found, wrapped in dirty linen, and concealed in a basket, a pair of shoes. The prisoner said he had had the shoes some time; had bought them at Exeter, but did not know of whom. The shoes were identified by Hare; and also, as having been sold to him by a shoemaker at Ottery. The Jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to be transported for ten years.

-------------

Details from his Prison Report:

First conviction;
Surgeon's comments  - "Well behaved".
Protestant.
Can read and write.
Trade – Farm labourer
Native place – Aylsber (Aylesbeare)
Family Wife - Ann
 Father - Philip
 Brothers - Philip, William, Robert
 Sisters - Harriet, Ann, Mary, Elizabeth
 All were at native place, except Ann and Mary who were in London
Physical description :-
  Height 5'5¾"
  Age  36
  Complexion Fresh
  Head  Oval
  Hair  Sandy
  Whiskers Reddish
  Visage Oval
  Forehead Broad
  Eyebrows Sandy
  Eyes  Blue
  Nose  Medium
  Mouth Medium
  Chin  Broad
  Marks Scar on thumb. Scar on firefinger left hand
             Scar on 1st and 2nd finger of Right hand

-------------

He arrived in V.D.L. (Van Dieman’s Land) per "Marion" (2), on 16th September, 1845, after a voyage of 94 days from Woolwich. (Sailed 14th June, 1845).

Following a period of labour in the Prisoner's Barracks, Hobart he was assigned to the Convict Station at South Port, probably on 16th December 1846.

-------------

Colonial Offences and Sentences:

24 December, at Lymington.
    Misconduct in undertaking work which he was not ordered to perform. It was recommended that his period of probation be extended for three months.
21 June 1849. South Port.
    Insolent in refusing to be hired at a reasonable rate of wages. Several days solitary.
2 July 1849. Prisoner's Barracks, Hobart.
    Absconding. Three months imprisonment and hard labour at the Old Wharf.
14 January 1851. 
   Received a Ticket of Leave.
28 June 1852.
    TL/Hobart. Insolent in creating a disturbance by fighting. Six days solitary.
14 June 1853
    Conditional Pardon approved.
18 December 1860. Franklin.
    Stealing timber at Oyster Cove. Three months imprisonment and hard labour.

Remarks:

He spent a considerable time in private assignment. * indicates that assignment was made from Prisoner's Barracks, Hobart.

  * 1 April 1847 Joseph Budge, Oyster Cove
  *  8 March 1848 Rich. Wilson, Murray Street
  * 24 October 1848 Jn.Nixon, Oyster Cove
     26 June 1849 Prisoner Barrack's Hobart.
     3 July 1849 Old Wharf, Hobart.
     10 July 1849 Absc. offence/sentence Gazetted. Reward 20/-.
  * 3 September 1849 Eli. Hill, Proctor's Road.
  * 15 (Indec.) 1849    Jas. Bridge, Oyster Cove.
     2 May 1850 Will be recommended for a T.L. when reward for absc. is paid.
     29 August 1850 G. Miles, Peppermint Bay (ex. Brown's River Depot).
     23 March 1852 Recommended for Conditional Pardon.
     28 April 1852 Prisoner's Barracks, Hobart
     5 July 1852 Ticket of Leave. (The first would have been withdrawn following his offence of 28th June 1852).

  (CON 33/70; CON 14/31 Archives of Tasmania)

-------------

James WHEATON married Bridget "Biddy" LEWIS (an Irish convict per “Lord Auckland” - arrived 1849) on 3 January 1853 at St George’s Church, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.  Biddy, born about 1825, was some 18 years younger than her husband.  At this marriage registration the name WHEATON was used but after that the spelling changed to WHITTON, probably due to accent and illiteracy.

-------------

Children of James and Biddy were:

Maria WHITTON,
 B.  7 Feb 1851, Cascade Female Factory - a women's prison 
 Born as the result of an assault: registered as LEWIS). Maria was bought up as a member of the Whitton family after Biddy’s marriage to James.
 M.  Robert (William) Polley 1869,
 D.  10 Aug. 1924. B. St. Mark’s Cemetery, Cygnet, Tasmania.

James WHITTON,
 B.  14 Sept.1854, Little Oyster Cove.
 M.  Frances Harriet PHILLIPS, 1880.
 D.  21 Oct. 1932 at Kettering, Buried at Kettering Cemetery, Tasmania.

Francis Thomas WHITTON,
 B.  30 Aug 1856, Little Oyster Cove, Tasmania.
 M. Hannah Maria Knight, 1877.
 D.  19 Sept. 1917 at Hobart. Buried at Kettering, Tasmania.

William Henry WHITTON,
 B.  28 Oct 1858, Little Oyster Cove, Tasmania,
 M.  Esther May Langford, 1881
 D.  25 Oct 1945, Hobart, Tasmania. Buried at Middleton, Tasmania.

Arthur WHITTON,
 B.  30 Mar 1861, Tasmania,
 M.  Emily Louisa McGaughan, 1888.                                                
 D.  3 Oct 1932, General Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania. Buried at Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart.

Kate WHITTON,
 B.  10 Dec 1863, Little Oyster Cove, Tasmania
 M.  Henry Grantley Wheeler Gyngell, 1886, Brisbane, Qld. 
 D.  25 June 1951 Melbourne, Victoria. B. St. Kilda Cemetery, Melbourne.

In 1860 James re-offended (stealing timber from his employer) and was sentenced to 3 months hard labour. He died on 18th January 1864 of ‘general debility’ having worked as a small farmer and sawyer for about a decade at Little Oyster Cove, south of Hobart, Tasmania. James WHEATON / WHITTON was buried in 1864 at Kettering Cemetery, Tasmania.

Biddy re-married, to John BURNS or BYRNES on the 18 July 1868 at Little Oyster Cove.  Biddy died 24 June 1890 (in Verona?) Tasmania, and was buried in James’ grave at Kettering Cemetery.

Back in Devon

The first family of James WHEATON remained in Newton Poppleford, Devon.  Left as a ‘widow’ Ann WHEATON bought up the children on her own.  On the 1851 census she is described as a lace maker.  In 1861 she was a silk thrower, living on Mill Lane, Newton Poppleford.   Ann died aged 63 years and was buried on 9th February 1868 at Newton Poppleford.

Children of James WHEATON and Ann were:

William Clarke WHEATON,

 b. 1829, Newton Poppleford
 d, Devon 1871, Honiton District, Devon, Age 42.

Thomas WHEATON,
         b. 1831, Newton Poppleford, Devon;                                        
         d. May 1864, St Thomas District, Devon, Age 32.

Abraham WHEATON
          b. 1834, Newton Poppleford, Devon
          d. 1834.

Sarah Ann WHEATON,
          b.1835, Newton Poppleford, Devon;                                    
          d. March 1912, Asylum, Exminster, Devon, Age 76.

Nancy WHEATON,
          b. 1838, Newton Poppleford, Devon;
          d. 16 June 1883, Aylesbeare, Devon, Age 45.

Mary Ann WHEATON,
          b. 1841, Newton Poppleford, Devon;
          d. Unknown.

Philip WHEATON
          b. 19th Mar 1843, Newton Poppleford, Devon.
          Died aged 5 weeks.

Philip WHEATON,
          b. 1845, Newton Poppleford, Devon;
          d. 1923, Pancras District, Middlesex, Age 79.

Information supplied by Kevin Whitton
(a great-great grandson of James WHEATON via Arthur WHITTON 1861-1932)

Written by Anne Speight with information supplied by Kevin Whitton, © 2011

140 NP-B-00012 Biography any