Rev. Edward Owen

Anglican clergyman and absentee owner in Jamaica. Edward Owen, born circa 1808, son of Edward Owen of Jamaica. His mother was probably Ann Burt Owen, possibly née Wright. Married Maria Elzenbe Smith. Awarded compensation for three estates in Jamaica as executor of Edward Owen, but was also probably a beneficiary of the will.

1. Edward Owen was born circa 1808, place unknown, the son of Edward Owen of Jamaica. The claim mentions Ann Burt Owen as the relict of Edward Owen so presumably she is the mother of the Rev Edward Owen. Her middle name of Burt makes it possible that she is of the same family as William Burt Wright, first husband of Frances Wright Wright, née Brooks, who went on to marry Thomas James (q.v.). One of the witnesses to the marriage of Thomas James (q.v.) and Frances Wright Wright on 20/07/1822 was Maria Owen and a Maria Owen was described in the claim notes as the youngest daughter of Edward Owen Esq. of Kingsland and Hopeton, Jamaica. There is also a likely link between the Owen and James families otherwise: see notes on Humphrey Owen (q.v.) and Thomas James (q.v.). On 16/08/1741 in Jamaica James Cooper Wright married Ann Burt. One of their sons was named William Burt Wright and he married a Frances of St Elizabeth and Manchester, Jamaica. Amongst their children was an Ann Wright born 25/10/1778 and the William Burt Wright born 18/07/1782 who became the first husband of Frances Brooks whose second husband was Thomas James (q.v.). There is no evidence for the birthplace of Edward Owen senior but the family links and dates make it likely that he was a brother of Humphrey Owen (q.v.) and Elizabeth James, née Owen who was the mother of Thomas James (q.v.). There are no obvious deaths/burials for Edward Owen senior or Ann Burt Owen, but the will of Edward Owen of Manchester Island of Jamaica was proved 17/09/1831.

2. Nothing found on his early life but Edward was a student at Worcester College, Oxford 1825-1833: ‘Owen, Edward, 1s Edward, of ‘Mancuo’ [sic: this has not ben further traced] Jamaica, arm. (D. Med.), WORCESTER COLL., matric. 9 Nov., 1825, aged 17; B.A. 1830, M.A. 1833, curate of Gawsworth, Cheshire, died 31 July, 1848.’ He was ordained deacon 22/06/1834 at St George, Hanover Square, appointed as a curate 30/06/1834 at Lullingstone, Kent and ordained priest 26/04/1835 at Bromley, Kent.

3. Maria Owen, the youngest daughter of Edward Owen of Jamaica, married Edward Duke Moore.  In 1841 at Arlington House, Chiswick, Maria Moore, 25, born out of county, is described as Wife of E D Moore M.D. but this occupation has been crossed out. Edward was not at home but there were four children: Charles E, 7, Georgiana, 6, Frederic, 4, and Milner, 2, all born in county. (Of particular interest in the household is the presence of Caroline Maule, 25, born in county. She was clearly not a servant as there is a Governess, one male servant and four female servants listed. It is possible that she was linked to the William Maule (q.v.) of Falkland, Scotland. In 1851 Caroline, aged 38, is shown as the daughter of George Maule, Barrister, Solicitor of Treasury. They are in Chiltern Crescent, St George Hanover Square with George born St James, Westminster and Caroline born Kensington.) In 1841, Edward is in Arlington Street, St George, Westminster, aged 35, Surgeon, with two male servants and three female servants. There doesn’t appear to be any reason for Edward to be living apart from his wife and children and by 1851 the family is all together at Ranton Abbey, Ranton Monastery in Staffordshire: Edward Duke Moore, 47, born Gloucestershire, Cirencester, Maria, 39, born Jamaica, West Indies, and eight children. Edward’s occupation is given as ‘Surgeon. – Member of Col. Surgeons London. Not practising Member of Apothecary’s Compy London. Merchant – Patentee of Concentrated Milk for Board Ship.’ In 1861 Edward is again on his own as a lodger in Newport, Shropshire, born Cirencester and described as Physician Licentiate of Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh. Maria and the children are living in the Market Place, Buxton, Derbyshire where she is described as a Physician’s wife. Maria’s birthplace of Jamaica is interesting as she is almost certainly the sister of the Rev Edward Owen. There is a baptism on 27/04/1811 in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, for Maria Owen though parents are only given as Owen with no first names. There is no baptism for an Edward Owen. Some of the children’s names – Fanny, Jacintha, Caroline, Georgiana – occur in the James family also.

4. The Rev Edward Owen married Maria Elzenbe Smith in 1832 in the Parish of Saint Mary-le-bone: ‘Edward Owen of this Parish a Bachelor and Maria Elzenbe Smith of this Parish a Spinster a Minor were married in this Church by Licence by and with the Consent of Edward Smith Esquire the natural and lawful father of the said Minor this Twenty First Day of May in the Year One thousand and thirty-two.’ Both bride and groom signed the register clearly and the witnesses were A. Tweedie, Edw Duke Moore, E. Owen, L Hanley and A. Smith. The presence of Edward Duke Moore suggests that this is the correct marriage for the Rev Edward Owen. With only the initial, it is difficult to know who the E. Owen is. The Officiating Minister, Wm. Moore, is given as of Langford, Berks, suggesting a family/friend link of some kind as he was clearly not the incumbent of the church itself.

5. In 1841 Edward and Maria are in Waterloo Crescent, Dover, Kent. Edward is 30 (rounded down), a Clerk, born out of county, Maria is 25, born out of county, and there are four children, Jacintha, 6, born in county, Anna Maria, 3, born out of county, Humphrey, 2, born in county, and George, 7 months, born out of county. There are four female servants.

6. Edward died 31/07/1848. Of the five Edward Owen deaths registered in the September quarter of 1848 the most likely one is that registered in Kensington though there is no burial in the London burials online.

7. By 1851 the family is scattered. Humphrey Edwd, 11, born Kent, Dover, is in a large school in Newgate Street, London. George, 10, born Sussex, Shoreham, is a pupil at the Clergy Orphans School in the parish of St Marylebone, London. There is no sign of either Jacintha or Anna Maria in the 1851 census but there is a death registered in the June quarter of 1850 in the district of Camberwell for a Jacintha Georgina Owen. No age is given in the indexes at this point but there is a burial to match this death: Jacintha Georgina Owen, Commercial Place, 10 May 1850, aged 15 years, in Camberwell St George. The age is right and it is possible that Jacintha was also at a school. There is no obvious death for Anna Maria. The fact that George is in a Clergy Orphans’ school suggests that their mother, Maria, has also died. There is certainly no sign of her in the 1851 census but neither is there an obvious death or burial. Also, in the 1861 census, Humphrey and George, at 7 Hamilton Place, Highbury, are living together but Humphrey is described as ‘son of Head’ and since Edward is deceased it looks as if their mother is still alive, though again there is no obvious sign of her in 1861. Both Humphrey and George are Clerks in the Bank of England. The boys’ places of birth – Dover, Kent and Shoreham, Sussex – are in common with the James’ family births. Humphrey became a student at Oxford: Owen, Humphrey Edward, 1s Edward, of Dover, Kent, cler. MAGDALEN HALL, matric. 31 March, 1864, aged 24; B. Mus. 1866, B.A. & M.A. 1872, vicar of Leck, Lancashire, 1870-3, chaplain at Capri 1866-7, rector of South Moreton, Berks, 1877-78, chaplain at Toulon1881-2, at Grasses 1882-3.

8. Humphrey Edward Owen married Augusta Mary Ann Frances Laurence in 1862 in Kensington and George John Owen married Sophia Robertson in 1874 in Bath. The later censuses confirm Humphrey as a vicar/rector while George remained with the Bank of England. In 1871 Humphrey is in Leck, Lancashire, in 1891 he is in Horle, East Sussex and in 1901 in Farnborough, Hampshire. Humphrey’s death is registered in the December quarter of 1905 in Farnham, Surrey. No will/probate found. George’s death is registered in the June quarter of 1905 in Rochford, Essex.

T71/860: Manchester claim nos. 113, 114, 222.

1. Ancestry.com, Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 [database online]; 1841 census online; www.antonymaitland.com/wright01.htm [accessed 15/01/12]; PROB 11/1790.

2. Ancestry.com, Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 [database online]; Clergy of the Church of England Database online.

3. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online]; 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses online; Caribbean Baptisms at FamilySearch.

4. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online].

5. 1841 census online.

6. Ancestry.com, Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 [database online]; FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Deaths, 1837-1983 [database online].

7. 1851 and 1861 censuses online; Ancestry.com, Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886 [database online].

8. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online]; FreeBMD Marriage Indexes online; 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses online; FreeBMD Death Indexes online.