The Two 1760s Matthew Butsons at Otterton, Devon and Shipwright Matthew Butson
Research note by Wesley Johnston, begun 15 Sep 2023, last updated 19 Sep 2023
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/12001386/person/422516952647/media/bfb5e4f4-f5c6-48dc-a477-8a93ee4867de
Context
At Otterton, Devon, England, two different men named Matthew BUTSON married 3 years apart. We know they are different because they both signed their marriage records in the parish register, and their signatures are very different.
All were listed as "of this parish". All signed their own names in the parish register so that we know how they spelled their own names.
However, I have found no baptismal records for either of these Matthew BUTSONs. I have found that the 1766-married Matthew appears to be the widower of Grace BURGIN who he married at nearby Topsham 15 Sep 1753 ( https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=GBPRS%2FDEV%2F007341707%2F00055 ) where Grace BURGIN was shown as being from Otterton (which is where their children were born and she died in 1765).
And I have found even more Matthew BUTSONs within 10 miles of Otterton. So, I have actually begun by focusing on the family of Matthew BUTSON and his wife Eleanor in East Budleigh, just 3.5 miles from Otteron. I have found no baptism for this Matthew BUTSON but based on his 1716-1723 apprenticeship to a master shipwright (Abell THOMAS of Topsham), I estimate he was born about 1701.
What I have found thus far - Shipwright Matthew BUTSON
I began by focusing on the family of c1701-born shipwright Matthew BUTSON. He is in my tree at https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/12001386/person/422517314290/facts
The earliest record I have found for him is the 1720 payment of apprenticeship duty by his master (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1851/images/GB1337-10044 AND 10045) Abell THOMAS (and Abell's wife Jane) of Topsham. It shows that Matthew BUTSON was the son of John BUTSON, Gentleman of Budleigh. It shows that the aprrenticeship began 8 Feb 1716 and that the term was for 7 years from 14 Feb 1716 -- thus until 14 Feb 1723.
On 12 Nov 1725, Matthew BUTSON married Eleanor/Elender STOCKDEN/STOGDALE at East Budleigh. She was from Otterton. Thus far, I have found baptisms of four of their children, all at East Budleigh, from 1726 to 1736. The children were Elizabeth, Matthew, Eleanor and Margaret - one son and three daughters.
If I have his childhood family correct, he was the son of John BUTSON and Margaret. I have no first person records of John BUTSON; I only have references to him in records of others. Margaret, idenified as the "wife of John BUTSON Gent" was buried at East Budleigh 26 Feb 1715 -- just under a year before her son Matthew began his apprenticeship (8 Feb 1716). I have not found their marriage record, but the three of their children whose baptisms I have found were all at East Budleigh: Samuel (15 Sep 1697), William (23 Jan 1703), Thomasin (18 Mar 1706). In addition to Matthew whose baptism I have not found, it appears John and Margaret also had a son John BUTSON whose baptism I have not found. Thus, I have identified 4 definite and one probable child of John and Margaret.
What I have found thus far - 1753 and 1766-Married Matthew BUTSON
It seems likely that the Matthew BUTSON who married 1753 at Topsham and 1766 at Otterton was the son of one of the four sons of John and Margaret BUTSON.
The only one of the sons thus far who I know was at Topsham was John's c1701-born shipwright son Matthew BUTSON. And this Matthew definitely had a son Matthew BUTSON baptized 25 Dec 1729 at East Budleigh. However there was also the 10 Apr 1733 burial at East Budleigh of "Matt: BUTSON, a Child". There is no way from the burial record alone to confirm that it was the 1729-born Matthew, but I have found no other baptism that could be the child who died. The absence of any other baptisms of any Matthew BUTSON within 100 miles of Otterton (using FindMyPast search) prior to this 1729 baptism leaves a void where we know two Matthew BUTSONs existed who married in Otterton in 1766 and 1769.
It could well be that the Matthew of concern in this section was the child of any of the sons of John and Margaret.
What I have found thus far - 1769-Married Matthew BUTSON
The earliest record I have found for the 1769-married Matthew BUTSON is that marriage record. There is nothing thus far found to connect him to any childhood family. It is possible that he was a son of one of the four sons of John and Margaret, possibly named for his uncle Matthew of his father Matthew.
Bottom Line for Now
The bottom line for now is that I suspect both the 1766-married Matthew BUTSON and the one married in 1769 were sons of different sons of John and Margaret. But I have no evidence to verify that in any way. The Topsham marriage of the 1766-married Matthew does suggest a connection with Matthew the shipwright who is the only family member I have thus far found with records at Topsham.