Humphrey Keam of Lanivet and Luxulyan, Cornwall, c 1680

Research Note by Wesley Johnston - begun 3 Sep 2014, last update 3 Sep 2014

Overview

Three marriages (one of which I have not yet found) and several baptisms with the husband or father as Humphrey KEAM (spelling varies) appear in the records of Lanivet and Luxulyan. Was this one man or more than one man?

The parish registers thus far found do not provide a definitive answer. But I find the evidence strong enough to believe that the references are all to one man. And thus I am carrying him in my database. If new documentation refutes this, I will gladly change my database. This research note presents the evidence and the basis of my conclusion.

The Records at Lanivet

The Lanivet parish registers contain the earliest records for Humphrey.

• 1700 Oct 12 - baptism of Humphry KEEN to Humphry and Agness
• 1704 Apr 30 - baptism of Anne KEAM to Humphrey and Agnes
• 1705 Feb 5 - baptism of William KEAM to Humphrey and Agnes
• 1708 Jun 6 - baptism of Robert KEAM to Humphrey and Agnes
• 1716 Apr 8 -burial of Agnes KEAN

I have not found the marriage record of Humphrey and Agnes.

The Records at Luxulyan

Humphrey apparently married another Agnes, Agnes ROSEVEAR, in Luxulyan, who soon died. He then -- if my conclusion is correct -- married Elizabeth DAVY, and they named their first daughter Agnes.

• 1717 Oct 9 - marriage of Humphrey KEAM "of Lanivet" and Agnes ROSEVARE (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11664-8223-12)
• 1720 Oct 1 - marriage of Humphrey KEAM and Elizabeth DAVY (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11664-8223-12)
• 1722 Jun 19 - baptism of John KEAM to Humphry and Elizabeth
• 1724 Aug 1 - baptism of Agnes KEAM to Humphry and Elizabeth
• 1726 Sep 24 - baptism of Humphry KEAM to Humphry and Elizabeth
• 1730 Sep 26 - baptism of Elizabeth KEAM to Humphry and Elizabeth
• 1733 (modern, 1732 at the time) Feb 11 - baptism of Elizabeth KEAM to Humphrey and Elizabeth (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11664-7382-6)
• 1736 Sep 15 - burial of Humphrey KEAM
• 1738 (modern, 1737 at the time) Feb 11 - baptism of Robert KEAM to Humphrey and Elizabeth (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11664-6301-41)

Clearly there is a conflict between the 1736 burial record of Humphrey (the only Hu* Ke*m* burial in Luxulyan for any year) and the 1738 baptism of Robert. Either Robert was the son of the Humphrey who died and his wife Elizabeth and was baptized a year or two after his birth or else the 1736 burial is not the Humphrey born about 1680. I think the former is more likely - a delayed baptism for Robert, which has implications for the consideration of which Robert Keam married Mary Phillips in 1775.

Conclusion

Here is the scenario that seems to me to best fit the evidence.

The earliest records place Humphrey at Lanivet, married to Agnes and fathering at least four children with her from 1700 to 1708. After her death in April 1716, he was left with the children. He remarried 9 Oct 1717 at Luxulyan with Agnes ROSEVARE, with the marriage record stating he was "of Lanivet".

The couple apparently had no children, and Agnes apparently died. Humphrey then remarried 1 Oct 1720 with Elizabeth DAVY, with whom he had five children from 1722 to 1738 (modern calendar). They named their first daughter Agnes, after Humphrey's prior wives.