DOWNLOAD VANN FAMILY TREE (pdf)

Vann ~ First Generation

1.   The earliest member of the family that we can be reasonably confident of, on current evidence, is this John VANN. VANN is a very common name in Wigston Magna, Leicestershire at the time.

Bap of John Vann 14 Jun 1772 at Wigston Magna, son of John Vann (ref fmp Parish Baptisms). This could have been from a John Vann who married Sarah TOONE on 23 Mar 1761 at Blaby Leicestershire; his residence was Gt Wigston, hers Blaby (ref findmypast Leicestershire Banns) OR a John Vann who married Mary MEASURES on 27 Feb 1770 at Wigston Magna, both resident Wigston (ref findmypast).

OR
Bap of John Vann 30 May 1773 at Wigston Magna, son of Thomas Vann (ref fmp Parish Baptisms). Some Ancestry Public Trees claim that John was the son of Thomas Vann and Elizabeth Blackwell, who married on 29 Dec 1767 at Wigston. Thomas (no wife named) went on to have Jane in 1770, John in 1773, Thomas in 1775 and Robert in 1776. A faint clue is the name Robert occurring below but this is not conclusive. Another suggestion is Thomas Vann and Ann Hart, married 17 Apr 1772 at Wigston Magna.

Marriage (1) 9 May 1794 at All Saints, Wigston Magna of John Vann to Jane WALKER; both were of this parish; by Banns; witnesses James Dand, Samuel Frew (ref fmp Parish Marriages image). Bap of Jane Walker 13 Apr 1773 at Wigston Magna, dau of Walter Walker (ref fmp Parish Baptisms image). Jane had a brother William, son of Walter Walker, baptised 24 Nov 1774 at Wigston Magna (ref fmp image). Jane's grandfather was Walter Walker alias Goward (ref Alf Wesson).

Burial of Jane Vann 29 Mar 1808 at Wigston Magna, wife of John Vann (ref fmp Parish Burials image).

Marriage (2) 26 Dec 1810 at Wigston Magna of John Vann to Martha BARKER; both were of the parish; by Banns; in the presence of Benjamin Franklin Cooper (ref fmp image). This entry appears after 2 marriages on the 26th though the word "sixth" is missing. The same witness occurs for all three marriages and there are no other witnesses. Comparing the signatures of John Vann for the two marriages, they appear very similar (ref fmp). Martha would have been born c1791 (ref death).

Reg 1841 census. Leicestershire, England. Civil Parish of Wigston Magna. Registration district of Blaby. Address: Bell Street.
Together with children from second marriage Thomas (20), Eliza (15), James (12):
John Vann. Age 65. Woollen Hosiery Maker. Born in Leicestershire.
Martha not found in 1841 census.

Death reg of John Vann Mar qtr 1843 at Blaby dist, Leicestershire age 70 (ref GRO Index).
Burial of John Vann 19 Jan 1843 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire age 70, Anglican (ref fmp).

Death reg of Martha Vann Sep qtr 1849 at Blaby dist age 58 (ref GRO Index). No burial found.

I believe based on sources that this John Vann did marry twice, to Jane Walker and Martha Barker. Reason is that in the first marriage, descendants of Mary and Elizabeth are connected in several ways by DNA. In Elizabeth's birth of son Joseph, it refers to grandmother Martha who I believe would have been the stepmother given that Elizabeth's mother died when she was 8. Also, John's age in the 1841 census matches my conclusion and he is with 3 of his children from the second marriage.









WALKER TREE












1841 census
    Children of John and Jane:  
  1. Elisabeth VANN (1) bap 1794 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  2. Mary VANN bap 1795 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  3. Sarah VANN bap 1797 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  4. Elizabeth VANN (2) bap 1800 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  5. Alice VANN bap 1802 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  6. Jane VANN bap 1804 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  7. Robert VANN bap 1806 at All Saints, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
    Children of John and Martha:  
  8. William VANN born 1811, bap 1811 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  9. John Hiram VANN born 1814, bap 1817 and 1829 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  10. Thomas VANN born 1819, bap 1822 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  11. Eliza VANN born 1822, bap 1822 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  
  12. James VANN born 1829, bap 1835 at Wigston Magna, Leicestershire  

Modified 16 Apr 2023