Isaac Butson (1770, St Agnes, Cornwall): Who Were His Parents?

Research note by Wesley Johnston, last updated 23 Aug 2013

You will not find a definitive answer to this question in what follows. But you will gain some insights and see the evidence thus far found.

Background

Isaac Butson, who married Mary Martyn 21 Sep 1793 at St Agnes, Cornwall, has many descendants, spread far and wide. He is the earliest known member of the Butson family to be named Isaac. His 25 Dec 1835 burial record (at Perranzabuloe parish, indicating residence at Mithian in St Agnes parish) gave his age as 68, indicating birth about 1767. The Cornwall Family History Society research database has no Isaac Butson baptisms prior to the one on 21 Dec 1770 at St Agnes. The next Isaac Butson baptism was a generation later in 1793, also at St Agnes. Thus the Isaac Butson baptized 21 Dec 1770 at St Agnes is the only candidate for the one who married in 1793 and died in 1835.

The image of the 21 Dec 1770 baptism can be seen at

    https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11610-163874-4?cc=1769414&wc=MMVH-VH5:918413439

It reads:

    "Isaac son base child of Margory Butson Baptized [Dec] 21st [1770]"

A "base child" was a child born outside of marriage. This is the only piece of evidence thus far discovered that provides direct information about Isaac's parents.

Who was Margory Butson?

Isaac's mother Margory Butson's age at his birth is not known. She may have been anywhere from 17 [thus born about 1753] to about 45 [thus born about 1725].

Butson may not have been her maiden name but her married name, although that was much less often the case. But in 1793, Peter Butson (1768-1816) named his oldest son Isaac. The first son was normally named for the husband's father, but in this case it was Peter's second son (in 1795) who was named Thomas, after Peter's father. So it seems likely that Peter had named his first son Isaac after the 1770 Isaac Butson. And this would indicate a strong family connection between Peter Butson and Margory Butson. So I am proceeding on the assumption that Butson was Margory's maiden name.

Margory may not have been how she was baptized. Spelling in the old records was not fixed as it is in modern usage. In fact, it could be highly variable. Thus Marjorie or Margery or Margaret or Margret or Marjery might also have been written for the same person.

No baptism of any variant is found in the CFHS DB in the 1725-1753 period. There are in fact only three baptisms found prior to 1827:

BUTSON Margaret Dau BUTSON Peter--St Agnes 24 Nov 1716

BUTSON Margaret Dau BUTSON Peter--St Agnes 28 Oct 1693

BUTSON Margery Dau BUTSON John & Mary--Padstow 19 Mar 1721

The suspicion among researchers into the early Butsons in Cornwall has long been that the St Agnes Butsons originated as a branch from the St Merryn/Padstow Butsons and that some "missing link" would most likely someday be found that confirmed this connection. But the Padstow Margery is not the missing link. She married Richard Ould at St Merryn 1 May 1750 and had many children there.

While no baptism is found for Isaac's mother, it is clear that the names Margaret and Margery were used by both the St Agnes and the Padstow Butsons.

But this is about all that I can say at this time.

Who was Isaac's father?

Isaac's father is not given in the baptismal record. And no other record has been found that gives any clues. The only clues are his name, Isaac, and the date and place of his baptism. Were there any men named Isaac who were baptized at St Agnes in the period 1725-1753?

There are a few in the CFHS DB.

1740 Feb 27 - Isaac NICHOLAS, son of John

1745 Jan 20 - Isaac PROUT, son of Abraham & Mary

1748 Feb 18 - Isaac TAMBLYN, son of Nicholas & Joan

It is impossible to know if any one of these was Isaac Butson's father. But these men are candidates for further research.