Newfoundland's Grand Banks Message Board

Looking for help in determining if information on Ancestry is correct regarding John Thorn and Ann Willar/Wheeler of Lower Island Cove married in 1831.

I am not a member of Ancestry nor can I access it, however I received information that there are TWO family trees on Ancestry for John Thorn and Ann Willar/Wheeler.

One of the trees has John Thorn b. 1804 as son of William Thorn and Ann Burrage of New Harbour Trinity Bay .

The other tree has John Thorn b.1801 in Westleigh, Devon, England and Died in 1875 at Lower Island Cove, Conception Bay, Newfoundland. It has Ann Willar being Born in 1814 at Cornwall, England. It also has a child Mary Ann Thorn born 28 May 1845 in Newfoundland. It lists the 1851 England census as they were living at Fremington, Devon , England. It also lists John Thorn as death at Lower Island Cove Newfoundland in 1875.

As I can't get into Ancestry would anyone have ANY information on either of those TREES and or can get me in touch with their contributors. Can Anyone access the 1851 England Census for these areas to see if there is any information there on John Thorne and family?

Thank you for your help
Len Thorne

Hi Len, I am a member of Ancestry and have searched these out for you.

1. The John of William Thorn and Ann Burrage was b 1801 New Harbour, died 1870 in New Harbour; married Elizabeth Hefford.

2. The second John, while a tantalizing idea, was an Agricultural Labourer and definitely well entrenched in Devon -- I don't see any connection to Newfoundland at all. I found the 1851 census that you refer to above (John born Westleigh, Ann born Cornwall) and he and Ann had 7 children there in Fremington 1838 through 1851. In fact, they were still there in the 1861 census and had added another 3 children. I didn't go any further.

I couldn't find the tree you spoke of that suggested he came to Nfld, but I find that many trees are put together with facts that are conflicting -- this would be one of them.

Regards,
Carol

Thank you very much. It's just as I suspected. I really appreciate you checking this out for me.

Thanks
Len