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The 'John' Guestbook

From: William Peters HAYMAN Email: <bhayman@campbellcounty.com>
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 12:10 AM

A very intersting site. The effort to produce such fine work is greatly appreciated.

From: Lyman Clayton Babbittjr Email: <LEEBabbittJr@webtv.net>
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 12:26 AM

I think This is A wonderful site , I am interested in all names ,Thank you,Keep up the good work , Im new at This will help you out when i can , Sincerely

From: Madeleine Email: <MSl29@aol.com>
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 01:08 AM

A brilliant site - congratulations. I'll be back to read more. I was originally interested in the name Ellery but although we don't appear to have a link (mine were from the tamar valley area) I wasn't disappointed as the story is fascinating. Thanks.

From: William Dawson (USA) Email: <w-dawson@northwestern.edu>
Surname of Interest : DAWSON
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 02:30 AM

Mark,Thanks for setting up this Web Site. We corresponded about my surviving passenger ancestor, William Dawson, after your 1997 article appeared in the Devon Hostorian. I've recently been in contact with one of William's direct descendants, now living in New Zealand, and have told them of this incident. I'll be sure to put them on to this site. Regards -- Bill Dawson from Illinois.

From: sandra windeatt Email: <s.windeatt@talk21.com>
Surname of Interest : none - just general interest
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 10:58 AM

A very interesting site. Thank you.

From: Diana Ingram Email: <kids@dianaingram.freeserve.co.uk>
Surname of Interest : Gibbings & Walters
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 12:11 PM

What a wonderful detailed story of a terrible tragedy. You have worked really hard. Congratulations.I am interested in the Walters and Gibbings family in my research and extremely interested in the Walters family named in this event as my g.g.grandfather (Wm.Walters) died in 1855 and left inheritances to his children, at least one of which used it to emigrate to America. This William may have been another one.

From: Paula Rogers Email: <mssswindon@aol.com>
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 02:34 PM

Extremely interesting and moving site which has been very well presented and is easy to navigate. You've obviously spent a lot of time making this a very informative site. Thank you for your hard work.

From: Rita Bone Kopp Email: <dekrak@webtv.net>
Surname of Interest : Bone
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 02:57 PM

GREAT - WONDERFUL - FANTASTIC!! This is one of the best sites I have seen. Thanks Mark for all your hard work andI'm sure you have, and will, help many people.

From: Eleanor Withers Email: <ewither1@nycap.rr.com>
Surname of Interest : LITTLEJOHN(S) - DEVON & CORNWALL
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 07:09 PM

I photocopied all of what I read - history in the making!! I am trying to discover the ships my Great Uncle John Littlejohn and my Maternal Grandmother (John and Annie Littlejohn) sailed on. They reportedly landed in Canada. John emigrated first (date & ship unknown), then sent for his younger sister Annie (date & ship unknown) and family remembrance is that they emigrated from Bude, Cornwall, England to Troy, Nrw York, USA VIA CANADA - she somewhere (presumed) between 1865 and 1875. I need a list of names of Canadian ships and the ports they picked passengers up from to land in Canada!

From: Paul Johnston Email: <pjohnston@echo-on.net>
Surname of Interest : Pincombe
Posted on: Thursday, May 25, 2000, 08:15 PM

I have not finished reviewing your site but wanted to tell you of my appreciation for your research. A grt grt grt grt aunt Mrs. Thomas PINCOMBE and her family perished on the voyage. Your note 15 refers to Holland as their home. The correct location should be Molland.Again many thanks.Paul JohnstonMississauga, Ontarioemail:pjohnston@echo-on.netresearching:Dart, Buckingham, Kingdom> Devon, England > London OntarioDelaney, Thompson, Parkinson,> London, OntarioJohnston, Abrham, >Ireland>London OntarioEngland, Hayman,>Wimbledon, England> London, OntarioBrackett, Burk> Kent County, Ontario> Michigan, USAArmstrong, >Ireland>Kent Co. OntarioTyhurst, >Kent Co. OntarioVollans,> Yorkshire, England> Essex Co., OntarioLounsborough,> Essex

From: Gwynneth Wakeham Email: <gwynneth@dragon.net.au>
Surname of Interest : Burnett, Cowling, Garland and Kingdon
Posted on: Friday, May 26, 2000, 05:38 AM

Such an interesting site, I shall be back to view again.The names I have an interest in are, COWLING, GARLANDKINGDON, BURNETT.You have realy put together an excellent site.Thankyou for sharing all the information

From: Dr. William Dawson Email: <w-dawson@northwestern.edu>
Surname of Interest : DAWSON
Posted on: Monday, June 12, 2000, 12:56 AM

Mark, Thank you for making this information available to all. We correcsponded a few years ago regarding my ancestor, William DAWSON (passenger on the JOHN, survived). I must let you know that I have been in contact recently with some of William's descendants, thanks to the NORFOLK-L list. I will let Ronald and Susan BOWDEN know of your Web page; they also may be in touch. With best wishes -- Dr. William Dawson from the suburbs of Chicago, USA.

From: Sally Bowden Email: <bowdens@xtra.co.nz>
Surname of Interest : Dawson
Posted on: Monday, June 12, 2000, 11:55 PM

Just found your site, thanks to Bill Dawson, USA. My husbands gt.gt.gfather was William Dawson.

From: Jamie Email: <JL.Thompson@btinternet.com>
Surname of Interest : Sandford
Posted on: Thursday, June 15, 2000, 12:11 PM

Hello mark. Just been through your site. There is a lot of information there and i am impressed by the layout and how easy it is to use. well done, c u later

From: Jo Ann Higdon Email: <RLHCPA@AOL.COM>
Surname of Interest : AVERY
Posted on: Sunday, June 25, 2000, 09:12 PM

Great job. I shall return for more looks.

From: Lori-Ann Email: <larc@buckeye-express.com>
Posted on: Sunday, June 25, 2000, 09:17 PM

Searching for the Daw/Dawe/Bishop/Cobb lines of England. What a wonderful site you have here. Amazing amount of knowledge is contained within this. You have done a superb job putting all of this information together, especially for those who cannot get to England to do their search! Bye for now, Lori-Ann

From: andy clemence Email: <andy.clemence@hanson-aggregates-s.com>
Surname of Interest : clemence
Posted on: Tuesday, July 25, 2000, 08:28 PM

enjoyable reading especially about wiliam clemence 1851 census suggests his wifes name is caroline and william henry's age differs

From: Jacki Adipietro Email: <jackid@netzero.net>
Surname of Interest : PHARE and DOIDGE
Posted on: Saturday, August 26, 2000, 05:43 PM

What a wonderful site. I was happily surprised to find it. My great grandfather and his father were passengers on the "John" and were survivors. His mother and three sisters did not survive, however. Thank you so much, Mark, for a great review.

From: Marguerite Waters Email: <midgew@up.net>
Surname of Interest : Watters, William (not Walters)
Posted on: Friday, September 29, 2000, 01:15 AM

Thank you, Mark, for one of the eeriest experiences I have had in reading a website. Two branches of the Watters (not Walters) family who made it successfully to the USA after failing to get over here on the John, have passed on the story throughthe generations, and now that I am doing the genealogy of the family, it was goose-bump time when another cousin in Redruth told me of this website. Our William Watters family, the mother who was Mary Souden (Soudan), and the children's names and ages match perfectly with those on your passenger list. We know the descendants in this country of John (our branch), Mary's (married a Luxmore), Richard who married Mary Wivell, and Betsy Ann who married a Blackwell. They all settled in Michigan, except for two or three who I've been told settled near Platteville Wisconsi

From: John Buckingham Email: <jebucki@aol.com>
Posted on: Saturday, December 09, 2000, 04:55 PM

Wow ! I need time to digest this lot. Amazing story.

From: Carolyn Grant Email: <crgrant@telus.net>
Posted on: Sunday, December 31, 2000, 08:59 PM

I believe I have written you before regarding the 'John' I may have even told you this story before, but if I repeat it often enough there is always the possiblility that I will find out some information. I am trying to identify the name of a ship and its passengers who sailed out from the West Country in the summer of 1799. It carried an ancestor of mine Mary Ann Vane Courtenay who was sailing to Quebec City to marry an English Army Officer. She was only 15 years old. She was the 'natural' daughter of a widower, the 2nd Viscount Courtenay and a young female with the surname Vane. She was 'akin' to a Durham family,Henry Vane the Elder, who was Secretary of State for England in the early 17th century, and his son Henry Vane the Younger who was the Puritan Governor of Massachusetts. I believe Mary Ann Van

From: John W. Doidge Email: <John.Doidge@btinternet.com>
Surname of Interest : Doidge
Posted on: Thursday, January 18, 2001, 11:02 AM

Could you please let me know how to contact Jacki Adipietro who compiled the passenger list. Her e-mail address is apparantly not now a valid one, according to her ISP ( ameritech)

From: Mick Rawle Email: <mick.rawle@ntlworld.com>
Posted on: Thursday, January 25, 2001, 08:38 PM

Hello again Mark, Thought I'd just have a look at your site again for this shipwreck. You have done remarkably well to get the ship's passenger list. I have been to the PRO in London quite a few times this last year trying to get things like the Crew List and Passenger List, but was only able to get the Crew List. Did you know he captained another ship bound for Quebec on the 25th August 1855 just a few weeks after he was released from prison ? I have copies of both his seaman's ticket and his Captain's ticket and the name of the ship he sailed on in Aug 1855 is written so small that it is very hard to read, but looks like Contron or perhaps Cantan. It starts with a capital 'C' and ends with an 'n' and has a 't' in the middle but the vowels are not clear. I am now the Chairman of my local Family H

From: Jenny Email: <Jenny_humphries@lineone.net>
Surname of Interest : Caseley/Casley & Caunter
Posted on: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, 07:43 PM

Very interesting

From:
Posted on: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, 07:45 PM

From: Joan Hunter Email: <jhunter@mnsi.net>
Surname of Interest : Cowling (Mrs. Rawle) of St. Kew
Posted on: Wednesday, February 14, 2001, 05:03 PM

What a great site. Fantastic work.

From: judith bright Email: <judith.bright@btinternet.com>
Surname of Interest : viney of honiton also possibly pyne--payne
Posted on: Saturday, May 19, 2001, 03:20 PM

To Mark Sandford WOW!Thankyou for what must have been an enormous amount of hard work, if it wasn't for you I probably would never have learned of my ancestors fate on the manacle rocks! Searching Devon records with Genuki has been most interesting and sad. I am very new to computors and keyboards so all that I attempt takes an age to accomplish,but this has been so worthwhile,congratulations on undertaking such an amazing task. From Judith Bright

From: LES HAWKE Email: <les.hawke@lineone.net>
Surname of Interest : WILCE
Posted on: Wednesday, June 27, 2001, 07:02 PM

What an excellent site! Full of much interesting information and links. I found 2 relatives that died and 2 that survived (Wilces). The site has provided a real insight into their lives. Thank You.

From: Sue Viney Email: <dspms@eis.net.au>
Surname of Interest : VINEY
Posted on: Saturday, June 30, 2001, 01:10 AM

I was given your site by a lady in England who is also descended from VINEY. It is a most interesting site and I look forward to spending further time reading the information contained therein.

From: Paul Featherstone Email: <paul@featherstone.org>
Surname of Interest : Featherstone
Posted on: Friday, July 20, 2001, 09:14 PM

Excellant information, will put together an article for our next Society newsletter, and your pages will get a mention Regards Paul GOON2627

From: Margaret Beaurepaire ( Ruddle Hodsoll) Email: <isidore@xtra.co.nz>
Surname of Interest : HODSOLL
Posted on: Sunday, September 30, 2001, 05:35 AM

A most interesting account of the Sinking of "John" . John Bickle Phare. by John J Phare. My interest is in the HODSOLL family. My Grandmother Caroline Ann Hodsoll, father Charles Henry Hodsoll. and his father Charles Hodsoll following from Charles Hodsoll and Sophia COVELL I still have quite a bit (1794 ?) of reearch to do yet. Many thanks Margaret.

From: Alison Trowell Email: <digbytov@aol.com>
Surname of Interest : Phare
Posted on: Wednesday, October 17, 2001, 01:57 PM

I was fascinated by the description of the tragedy surrounding the sinking of the "John". Knowing that coast well I'm not at all surprised, there was obviously gross negligence to depart via "The Mannacles"-a notorious place then (and now for shipwrecks) My mother was a Phare and I have a lot of family history going back to the 16thc.I also have a description of Henry Phare b.1810( my gggrandfather who emigrated to USA)but returned home because he coulcn't get plum pudding!!

From: leslie Brooks Email: <Leslie_brooks2000@hotmail.com>
Surname of Interest : bone
Posted on: Tuesday, November 27, 2001, 04:59 PM

found pages very interesting as I am the desendent of one of the young passanger jane Ann Bone

From: Malcolm Mc Carth Email: <Taclowcoth@aol.com>
Surname of Interest : Any Padstow links
Posted on: Sunday, December 30, 2001, 07:25 PM

I believe though this would have to be verified that the Johns story was written in book form and printed soon after the disaster. From what I have been led to believe this book has a frontice plate. I will try and find out more and get back to you unless you are already aware in which case please let me know I havn't read all yet but congratulations on all your hard work I have details of someone interested in Rawle family it you are interested( Ithink he's called Dury) Malc

From: robert Email: <rabbie10@hotmail.com>
Posted on: Sunday, February 17, 2002, 10:29 PM

came across your site while searching for another wreak called the 'chumleigh'. very very good read.

From: Stephen Wilce Email: <spwilce@bigpond.com>
Surname of Interest : Wilce
Posted on: Saturday, March 30, 2002, 11:20 PM

An excellent compilation. My family originates in Chapel Amble (not Chapel Hamble as referenced in the material) near St. Kew in Cornwall and we have been trying to trace what happened to the survivors of the wreck. Your web site has given us more insight, thankyou.

From: Jacqueline Phare Email: <pharejp@aol.com>
Surname of Interest : Phare
Posted on: Tuesday, April 09, 2002, 02:18 PM

I was interested to find this site as I am about to try tracing my family, which I believe is still in Torquay, Devonshire, England. Devon has dozens of Phare families still. Thank you for posting the facinating diary of John Phare.

From: susan ellery Email: <susan@ellery02.fsnet.co.uk>
Posted on: Wednesday, May 15, 2002, 09:22 PM

Fascinated to find your website - William Ellery was my great great grandfather. My grandfather was Osborne Ellery, son of the William (I think)Ellery who died in Chile. He and his brothers subsequently grew up in the Seamans Orphanage in London and he never returned to live in Cornwall. Where do you fit in to the family tree?

From:
Posted on: Sunday, June 23, 2002, 11:07 AM

From: David Poynter Email: <dpoynter@iprimus.com.au>
Surname of Interest : Wilce
Posted on: Sunday, July 07, 2002, 12:51 PM

Fantastic effort Now I know the fate of two of the Wilce family George Wilce was indicated as drowned However, the 1861 Census indicates that he was unmarried,aged 28, living with his mother Johanna in Amble St Kew, Cornwall. Perhaps the Census should read John Wilce, his brother that stayed in Cornwall and is present at St Neot for the 1881 Census. There mother Johanna Wilce died in 1870 in Amble Thanks for your work!

From: CAROL MACNAIR Email: <CAGREAVES@HOTMAIL.COM>
Surname of Interest : Seldon
Posted on: Tuesday, July 09, 2002, 10:33 PM

You have obviously gone to a lot of trouble. It is a very interesting site although I didn't get anything for myself. I have added it to my favourite list for future reference.

From: Andrew Clemence Email: <clem@planer.co.uk>
Surname of Interest : Clemence
Posted on: Friday, July 19, 2002, 01:25 PM

I first visited the churchyard at St Keverne, while on holiday in Cornwall in 1965. Even then it was impossible not to be struck by the gaunt granite memorials erected to the victims of 19th century shipwrecks, which had come to grief on Cornwall's notorious Manacle Rocks. It was therefore strangely uncanny, nearly 40 years on, while trawling the Web for genealogical data, to stumble upon the 'John' website and to be confronted by an entire family of 'John' passengers, having the same name as my own. A glance at a map of Cornwall revealed that they were immigrating from a village only 7 miles from my own family's ancestral home. I have yet to make a definite link between the families but I feel that the precise spelling of the name, the location of the family homes, as well as the maiden name of the Mother, Caroline Clemence (nee. Cleave) a name which figures very significantly in our family records, are altogether too much to be dismissed as mere coincidence. While not being able to prove an absolute family link, I think that I am at least able to throw some light on one unresolved puzzle, that being the discrepancy between the passenger list and the press reports as to exactly how many Clemence children there were on board. I understand that the Parish Church of St Kew included an entry for Alexander Clemence, son of William and Caroline Clemence, baptised on the 1 April 1855. This was 5 weeks before the 'John' sailed and it would seem logical that babes in arms would not necessarily have been required to be shown on passenger lists. Indeed when the passage was booked, Alexander may not Alexander may not have been born. Whatever the reason was for his name being omitted, the fact that Alexander was a passenger would seem indisputable, since it would have been incomprehensible for his parents to have embarked on such a trip without him. Hope this helps. Many thanks." Best regards Andrew Clemence

From: Patricia Besse Phare-Camp Email: <mcamp1@ix.netcom.com>
Surname of Interest : Phare
Posted on: Friday, July 19, 2002, 08:03 PM

It was facinating to find information on this shipwreck and my ancestor's diary at this site. The tale of that shipwreck has been so much an important part of our family history. I also want to thank cousin Jackie for posting it where we can all read again and again.

From: Jeff Rawle Email: <jeff@bluelionfilms.com>
Posted on: Friday, July 19, 2002, 10:25 PM

I just happened upon your story of the "John." What an extraordinary piece of research. I can't believe how long it must have taken you. As your eagle investigative eye will have noticed - I am a Rawle. Not a descendant of Edward, but of William Rawle of Boscastle who was a shoemaker and allegedly lived until he was 104. My family love to holiday in Cornwall at a little village on the Lizard called Coverack. Over the years I have often wondered about the events of that terrible night. I found your accumulated research and notes totally fascinating. I almost bought a little cottage just outside St Keverne - which overlooked the beach where many of the survivors would have been washed ashore. Something makes me think this would have been a very uncomfortable place to make my second home. I don't think the

From: Marguerite Waters Email: <midgew@up.net>
Posted on: Friday, September 27, 2002, 01:59 PM

From: Marguerite Waters Email: <midgew@up.net>
Surname of Interest : Soudan
Posted on: Friday, September 27, 2002, 02:03 PM

There was an answer to my comments about the wreck of the JOHN, concerning William Watters (not Walters) and Mary Soudan (one of many spellings). I have found more information about them, but the person who answered my comments cannot be reached at the e-mail address they used on September 1, 2002. Will the Grants please get in touch with me again? Thank you.