Jane Underdown (1752-1836)

Baptism
Jane Underdown was born in 1752 and was baptised on 8th October 1752 in Northleigh, Devon to Thomas and Joan Underdown (nee Cox). It appears that she was also known by her family as ‘Jenny’.

She was their second child and second daughter. She had an older sister Sarah.

Siblings
Jane was the second eldest of 18 siblings. Like elder sister Sarah, it is imagined that she spent much of her younger life assisting her mother with raising the younger children.

Children out of wedlock
Jane had two children out of wedlock with a man called William White. His origins are currently unknown, but the name White is common around this area of East Devon and it is likely that he is related to Jane’s uncle Richard White (the husband of her aunt Joan).

The first child was a son called John Tuckett, baptised in Bideford in the north of Devon on the 1st April 1781. It is likely they went to Bideford for the baptism due the child being born out of wedlock.

The second child, a daughter called Agnes, was born just over a year later, and was baptised in Ashburton on the 17th March 1782.

Marriage
Jane eventually married William White in Southleigh on 1st April 1783.

Children
Jane and William had 5 more children after their marriage – Mary baptised in Bideford in 1784, William baptised in Bideford in 1786, John Tuckett baptised in Bideford in 1790 (indicating that first child named John must have died), Richard baptised in Dartmouth in 1793 and Samuel baptised in Northleigh in 1799.

The reason for the different locations for the children’s baptisms is unknown, but it could have been due to the nature of William’s work.

Tenant farming
Jane’s husband William was a tenant farmer by the year 1798. He is recorded as an occupier of land owned by the Marwood family according to the UK Land Tax Redemption records for that year. This was in the parish of Southleigh.

In 1819, the Exeter & Plymouth Gazette and Exeter Flying Post dated 21/10/1819 lists him as the largest occupier of land on the manor of Northleigh, a property that had previously been owned by Jane’s brother Robert. The pieces of land he farmed included Pearces’s, Burknole and the Breaches, land that was previously occupied by her uncle Philip.

Death of Husband
Jane’s husband died in 1835 and was buried in Northleigh on the 30th January 1835.

Brother’s will
Jane was still alive on the 27th June 1835 when she was referred to in her brother Thomas’s will of that year. She is referred to as ‘Jenny White’ and a widow.

Death
Jane died in 1836 and was buried under the name of Jenny White in Northleigh on 19th February 1836. She was aged 84 years.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of William and Jane White
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of William and Jane White