Although we do not know (yet!) where Francis originates

from, we do know that his second wife, Elizabeth Cupin,

was a daughter of a family living in Bosham.

 

Elizabeth’s parents were Stephen and Rose Cupin.

Elizabeth was the youngest of four known children and

born in 1671. She had two sisters, Mary (b 1666) and Ann

(b 1669) and one brother, Richard (b 1663). It would appear

that Elizabeth’s father, Stephen, did not live long and died

some time before 1676 leaving his widow, Rose, with four

young children. Not surprisingly, Rose remarried to one

Thomas Cheeney in 1676. They had one child, Robert, born

in late 1676 before Thomas passes away in 1679, leaving

twice widowed Rose to bring up a family of five ranging in

ages from 3 to 16. I can not help but think that Rose must

have been quite a formidable lady and I would not be

surprised if one day we turn up evidence of a third marriage!!

 

Elizabeth Kervil (nee Cupin) died in 1707 shortly after the birth of her last child, Thomas leaving her husband, Francis, to bring up a very young family – Francis 12, Elizabeth 6 (if still alive - no marriage or death record found) and newborn Thomas. There is no evidence that Francis married again and, without evidence of marriages for Elizabeth’s sisters, Mary and Ann, we can speculate that perhaps one or other of them became surrogate mother to their young niece and nephews.

Meet the In-Laws of Francis Kervil

17th Century costume