Fay Sampson’s Family History
This site is a work-in-progress. There is a massive amount to cover. I have included both male and female lines, and some go back 30 generations. Keep coming back for more.
I have numbered the generations working backwards from my own as (1)
JOHN MAY and MARY BAKER (7)
JOHN MAY. The most likely baptism for him is 10 June 1739 at St Leonard’s, Deal. He was the son of Henry May and Lydia his wife.
His mother’s maiden name was Hagon.
John had an older and a younger sister.
We have no information about his occupation. The fact that his burial is recorded by the sexton of St George’s means that he lived in Lower Deal. This chapel of ease was by the sea, while the parish church of St Leonard’s was up on the hill. This increases the likelihood that John was one of the many Deal men who earned their living as mariners.
MARY BAKER. There are a number of Mary Bakers born in Deal in the first half of the 18th century. Those closest in age to John are Mary, d. of John Baker and Esther his wife, baptised 6 Aug 1738, and Mary d. of William Baker and Elianor his wife, 3 Feb 1739/40.
John May and Mary Baker were married by banns on 28 Dec 1762 in the parish church of Deal. He was a bachelor and she a spinster of the parish. Both signed their names.
The witnesses were Samuel Brickenden and Elizabeth Hawks.
John was their eldest child, baptised in Deal on 6 March 1765
Susanna was baptised on 20 Sep 1772.
William 28 Dec 1776.
John died in 1786 at the age of 46. He was buried at St George’s, Lower Deal, “10 feet South of Jane Spong ?foot stone”.
There are several possible burials for Mary. Most give only the name “Mary May”. But in 1774 we have the following burial: 1774 Dec 1. Mary, wife of John May.
This would mean that William was the son of a different John May.
More possibly she is the Mary May who was buried on 4 May 1796. She would have been in her late fifties.
NEXT GENERATION: 6. MAY-LAMBERT
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS: 8. MAY-HAGON