Introduction

John Trim was born in Devon and spent more than half of his life there before moving to Somerset and Dorset. By July 1880, he was a dairyman at Hardington Marsh, and although he died the following year, his family remained at the farm until about 1888. He was succeeded by his widow and later by his two youngest sons. The family also provides an example of a man marrying his deceased wife’s sister.        

Early life

John was born at Cotleigh in about 1815, the fifth of five children born to Benjamin and Mary Trim. His father, Benjamin, was a farmer. His brother, Benjamin Jr, kept the Green Dragon Inn in New Street, Honiton, for many years.

Marriage

On 23 March 1840, John married Mary Ann Davey at St Petrock Church, Exeter. Mary Ann was the daughter of Thomas and Susanna Davey of Colyton.

Life in Devon

John and Mary Ann spent their early married life in Devon.  In June 1841, they lived at Colyton, where John worked as farm labourer. By 1843, they lived at Cotleigh, and by 1845, they had moved to Combe Raleigh, where John farmed 45 acres at Northwood in March 1851. In 1856, they lived at Honiton.

Move to Somerset and Dorset

In the mid-1850s, they moved further afield. By 1858, they lived at Buckland St Mary. By April 1861, they lived at Sheep House Dairy, Chillington, where John was a dairyman. By April 1871, they lived at Manor Farm, Purse Caundle, where John was a dairyman and farm bailiff.  When he made his will on November 19, 1877, he resided in East Coker.

A family crisis

John and Mary Ann’s eldest daughter, Mary, married Frederick Graham, a house painter, at St Clement Danes in 1864. When Mary died in 1868, leaving behind two children, Alice and Frederick, her sister, Sarah, moved in with Frederick and, in 1872, married him.[1]

Life at Hardington

John and Mary Ann were at Hardington by July 1880 when John advertised for a young man aged 16 to 24 to milk cows and assist with dairy work.[2] Their children, William Henry, Alfred Charles and Caroline, lived with them.[3]

Unfortunately, John died on 21 October 1881 at the age of 66 after accidentally falling downstairs. [4] He left a personal estate valued at £612-19s-2d, which he bequeathed entirely to Mary Ann.[5]

Mary Ann was by then suffering from heart disease and had only a short time to live. She died on 7 June 1882, at the age of 61, leaving a personal estate valued at £453-1s-1d. She left her household furniture and effects to her daughter, Caroline. She instructed her executors to sell the remainder and divide the proceeds into eight parts, seven for each of her living children and one to be divided equally between the two children of her deceased daughter, Mary.[6]

After Mary Ann’s death, her three resident children took over. Caroline was the first to leave, marrying Charles Mayo in May 1883 and moving to Hampshire. Next was Alfred Charles, who married Elizabeth Trask in about December 1882 and moved to Broadway. William Henry stayed until about 1888.

Children

John and Mary Ann had four sons and six daughters. One daughter died at the age of 3, and another in infancy.

References

[1] In April 1881, Alice lived with John and Mary Ann at Hardington Marsh.

[2] Western Gazette, 30 July 1880, p.4.

[3] Although William Henry is not recorded on the 1881 census, he was resident at the farm when he proved his mother’s will on 4 September 1882.

[4] Death certificate of John Trim.

[5] The will of John Trim, dated 19 November 1877, proved at Taunton on 16 December 1881; John Trim’s death certificate.

[6] The will of Mary Ann Trim, dated 4 November 1881, proved at Taunton on 4 September 1882.