Susanna Underdown (1774-1834)

Baptism
Susanna Underdown was born in 1774 and baptised on the 11th September 1774 in Northleigh to parents Thomas and Joan Underdown (nee Cox).

She was their 17th child and 7th daughter. Her elder siblings were Sarah, Jane (Jenny), Robert, Abraham, Thomas, James, Philip, Samuel, Benjamin, Joseph, Elizabeth, Mary (Molly), Agnes, Noah, Emanuel and Anne.

Witness to sister’s marriage
Susanna was witness to her sister Agnes’marriage in 1794. She signed the register, along with brother Emanuel.

Marriage
Susanna married a Thomas Underdown on the 27th April 1795 in Southleigh. His origins are unknown, although he is likely to be some sort of cousin who we have not yet found a record of.

Children
5 known children have been found for Susannah and Thomas at this stage – Richard, born 24/7/1805 and baptised 22/9/1805 in Coltyton; Mary, baptised in Coyton in 1807; Stephen, born 20/1/1809 and baptised 22/5/1809 in Colyton; Robert James, baptised in Colyton in 1810 and Benjamin baptised in Whitchurch Canonicorim, over the border in Dorset in 1812

Move to Dorset
The move over the border to Dorset appears to have occurred in the latter half of 1812, because not only was son Benjamin baptised there in August, but the following article in the Exeter Flying Post-dated 1/10/1812 refer to the sale of the land on which Susannah and her family occupied. Her husband Thomas was showing the farm to potential purchases. The farm was called ‘Great Coome Farm’.

Return to Devon
Susanna moved back to Devon at some point, but when this occurred is unknown.

Death
Susanna died and was buried in Widworthy on 14th September 1834, aged 60.

She must have died while her brother Thomas was in the process of drafting his will, which was later signed in 1835. The reason for this is that it appears that Susanna’s name was recorded in the will, and then blanked out, indicating that she was alive when he started writing it and dead by the time that he signed it. The name of her husband Thomas is readable in the will, along with him being from the parish of Offwell.

Children

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