Ann Harding (c1791-c1840)

The circumstances of Ann's birth and baptism are currently unknown. So are the names of her parents and siblings. It is likely that she came from the East Devon area.

Child out of wedlock
Ann gave birth to a daughter Elizabeth who was christened in the local Southleigh parish church on 15th January 1811, despite being born out of wedlock. The child's father was Thomas Underdown, the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Underdown (nee Bishop) who lived in the local Southleigh area.

Death of Uncle
It appears that Thomas's family was in a reasonable financial position while Thomas was young, until the death of his uncle, Robert. Robert had been well known in the community as the Captain of the East Devon Local Militia, but he appears to have had some debts. Upon his death, he appointed Thomas's father and uncle Emmanuel as executors of his will. A local newspaper advertised that Thomas's father had to sell his house on 3/10/1811 in order to cover his uncle's debts. From this point on, Thomas's father was employed as an agricultural labourer, and their financial position waned.

Marriage
Thomas must have thought that he should leave home as soon as possible in order to put less financial strain on the family. He and Ann married in the local Southleigh parish church on 15th October 1811, only 12 days after his father had to sell his house.

Thomas and Ann raised their family is Southleigh, where it is beleived Thomas worked as a labourer. The couple did not have their next child until the year 1814, so they may have taken time to establish themselves and assist his parents with their financial position.

Death
Thomas and Ann are not located in the 1841 census, so are believed to have died. A burial for Thomas has been located dated 24th February 1833 at Southleigh. He was only 42 years old and the circumstances of how he died are currently unknown. His youngest child, Elizabeth, was only 3 years old at his death, his eledest child was 19.

A matching death for Ann is yet to be located, but if a settlement examination beleived to be held for daughter Sarah is correct, it occured after 1837.

As a result of the early deaths of Thomas and Ann, all their children were sent to be servants to other families in the local area or to join the navy. In the 1841 census, they are scattered on different farms around the local district.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Thomas & Ann Underdown
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Thomas & Ann Underdown