Abraham FENN [9145]

   Other names for Abraham were FFENNE, FFYNE and FYNN.

  General Notes:

Abraham was born during the years of the Commonwealth and Protectorate (1642-1660) at a time parish records were not always maintained. This may account for no known parish of birth and baptism date.

Notes by Mike Fenn
Probably brother of Thomas Ffenne. Both Abraham and Thomas married in St Matthews, Ipswich and both had children baptised in Coddenham in 1687

Abraham son of Robert Fynne and Mary. Wherstead: no Ffennes/Fynnes found until 1682 and nothing after 1694 so it seems that the family lived in the Parish for no longer than about twelve years.

It seems likely that the young Abraham and his widowed mother Hannah returned to Baylham where she died in 1708 (widow). Young Abraham may well have continued living in the village after his mother's death or moved to St Mary Stoke, his abode at the time of his marriage to Alice Glanfield in Woolverstone. He and Alice then returned to Baylham raising their family and dying there" See Emails in research Notes.

  Research Notes:

Research into the early family done by Fenn family members Mike Fenn, Paul Scully, and Colin Fenn:

From: Paul Scully
Sent: 06 December 2007 20:55
To: 'Mike Fenn'
Subject: RE: Visit to Ipswich SRO 5th December
Mike,
You've been very busy well done!
How about Akenham? I thought about that yesterday but of course it was too late to let you know. Whoever goes to the SRO next could check that out. We'll eventually cover all parishes!! (well, in Suffolk anyway!)
I need to read your detail below again when I've got some spare time.
Many thanks for info,
Regards,
Paul

From: Mike Fenn
Sent: 06 December 2007 11:44
To:
Subject: Visit to Ipswich SRO 5th December
Dear Paul
A very interesting day spent at Ipswich. It was not entirely satisfactory but at least I found nothing that opposed our conjectures concerning Abraham and Hannah Aldred and also I have narrowed our area of search.
In an all day effort I went through the fiche, copy film and Bishops transcripts for St Mary Stoke and Coddenham up to 1700. The early fiche in the 1500s was difficult to read but the film (in transcript) and the Bishop's transcripts (typed) were straightforward. Also looked at Boyds marriages, but no help.
St Mary Stoke
Interestingly apart from 2 early Fenn marriages Michael in 1632 and Will in 1663 there were no BDM of any other Fenns and no sign of a marriage for Abram Ffenne and Hannah Aldred in 1686. Marriage of Stephen Glanfield=Susan Fairbrother confirmed as 13 May 1679.
Coddenham
No sign of the marriage for Abram Ffenne and Hannah Aldred in 1686 although like you I found the baptism of their son Abraham Fynne in 1687. I also found the marriage of Richard Aldred and Katherine Browne on 5 Dec 1643 and the birth of Hannah on 23 November 1656. Richard and Hannah also had another daughter Elizabeth who was baptised on 26 April 1649. There was a John and Alice Aldred who had several children between 1681 and 1700 but no sign John's birth or a marriage in Coddenham. Possibly a son of Richard and Katherine? The only other Aldred found was a Joseph Aldred baptised 11^th July 1641 son of Joseph and his wife Joana daughter of Robert Bloomfield of the East End in Aspall Stonham. Possibly Joseph Senior was Richard's father? I could find no Aldred marriages or births before 1641 so the family must have arrived in Coddenham from elsewhere. Richard Aldred was clearly a man of substance as he was Churchwarden 1680-1692 and possibly earlier. He was probably the Richard Aldred recorded as buried on 11 June 1699.
The Aldred family continued to flourish in Coddenham in the 1700s with several family gravestones and at least two further Richards one of whom was married to a Hannah!!
Whatfield
Examined the fiche, film and Bishops transcripts but surprisingly found no reference to Samuel Rich 1723-1807, Thomas Rich 1733-1816 and Thomas Rich 1761-1837 either under baptisms or burials. Their burials were shown as Whatfield on the Suffolk Burials CD. The only Rich I found was the marriage of Sarah to William Fynne of which we are aware.
Wherstead
May hold the key but ran out of time. See Wherstead Scenario below
IGI Misleading and conficting.
1) Abram Fyn=Hannah Aldred 13 Nov 1686 Ipswich. Probably correct as marriage not found in Coddenham nor in St Mary Stoke. (Wherstead?)
2) Abraham Fynn=Hannah Aldred 1668 Coddenham. Date transposed? Marriage not found in Coddenham.
3) Alice Hanfield=Abraham Fynne 8 October 1714 Woolverstone Alice born about 1688 Woolverstone and Abraham born about 1688 Baylam see 4 below.
4) Abraham Fynne=Alice Hanfield 8 October 1714 Woolverstone, Abraham born Baylam about 1688. We now know that it was Alice Glanfield and that Abraham is probably the Abraham born in 1687 in Coddenham. Woolverstone parish record has Abraham as of St Mary Stoke and Alice as of Bentley and marriage 13 October 1713.
5) Birth of Hannah Aldred 13.11.1668 No parish listed. Date transposed and probably date of marriage rather than birth.
Also:
6) Robert Fene baptised 25 Sep 1677 in Wherstead parents Robt. Fene and Joanna
7) Hannah Fynn baptised 24 Oct 1682 in Wherstead parents Fynn (no first name) and Joanna
It is difficult to extract fact from fiction!!!
Probable Scenario
Richard Aldred=Katherine Browne 1643 - Coddenham Parish Register
Hannah Aldred born 1656 Coddenham Parish Register
Despite the IGI anomalies it seems reasonable to suppose that Abra(ha)m Fyn=Hannah Aldred 1668
Parish Register entry still to be found Wherstead?
Abraham Fynn born 1687 parents Abraham & Hannah Coddenham Parish Register. Probably the
Abraham Fynne who married Alice Glanfield dates fit.
Wherstead Scenario
Suffolk Burials CD
Mary Fynn 12 June 1685 daughter of Robert and Hannah (probably Joanna see IGI above)
Hannah Fynn 28 April 1690 wife of Robert
Robert Fynn 16 May 1690 father or son (see IGI 6) above)
Abraham Fynn 11 Feb 1691 Hannah Aldred's husband?
Hannah Fynn 14 Jan 1695 daughter of widow (a child of Abraham and Hannah Aldred?). Not baptised in Coddenham
Baylham
Hannah Fynne 13 April 1708 widow (Hannah Aldred?) Baylham transcripts
Interestingly a Robert Fynne=Joan French in 1675. Probably the Wherstead family see above
Robert would have been born in about 1650. Could he and Abraham (Hannah Aldred's husband) have been brothers?
The above updates and revises earlier thoughts. Wherstead may hold the key that unlocks the door.
Happy searching
Mike

Good Morning Paul/Edward (evening?)
I thought you might like sight of recent research undertaken by Paul Scully.
Mike.
Dear Paul
A fantastic effort well done. Sadly after a quick glance I don't see any of these easily linking into the Baylham Fynnes (*that said see below) and so our search for Abraham's birth may be more difficult than we thought? I also don't see any of the Thomas's linking in to the Thomas Ffenne who married Elizabeth Skinner in 1670 in St Matthews. I therefore am still inclined to think that Abraham and Thomas, both married in St Matthews, are brothers. The answer may be in Ipswich rather than surrounding villages?
*Two couples who appear out of synch with Akenham
Robert Fynne of Somersham and Mary Snelling of Flowton married in 1639 might be the Robert Fynne and Mary who died in Baylham 1692 and 1671 respectively.
Also John Ffynne son of John and his wife could be the John who married Mary ? in Baylham about 1675 and died there 1679 and 1697 respectively. Their daughter Mary was born in Baylham in 1677.
I have copied your report to Colin Fenn who may have other information on the Ffennes of Akenham.
Happy researching in 2008
Mike

From: Mike Fenn
Sent: 16 December 2007 12:35
To:
Subject: Abraham-Ffenne=Hannah Aldridge
Hi Paul
Good news our theories are all falling into place. Yesterdays visit to the SRO ended on a high albeit luck played its part.
I went through the Wherstead fiche up until 1715 although couldn't read the old English until about 1664. Also Bishop's transcripts.
No Ffennes/Fynnes found until 1682 and nothing after 1694 so it seems that Robert and Abraham Ffenne lived in the Parish for no longer than about twelve years.
1682 Hannah Ffynn daughter of Robert Fynne and Joanna his wife baptised 24 Oct (known)
1683 Thomas Sebsby=Anne Ffenn 30 October (new possible sister to Robert and /or Abraham senior)
1685 Mary daughter of Robert Ffynn and Hannah buried 12 June (known)
1690 Hannah daughter of Abraham Fynn and Hannah baptised 23 March (new)
1690 Hannah wife of Robert Fynne buried 28 April (known)
1690 Robert Fynne buried 19 May (known). According to IGI baptised 25 September 1677 to Robert & Joanna Fene. (baptism confirmed by Bishop's transcripts for Wherstead J426/101)
1690 Abraham Fynne buried 11 Feb 1690 ((known)
1694 Hannah daughter of widow Fynne buried 14 Jan (known)
It would appear that the sole survivors were Robert, Hannah and her son Abraham who we know was born in Coddenham in 1687. It seems likely that the young Abraham and his widowed mother Hannah returned/moved to Baylham where she died in 1708 (widow confirmed). Young Abraham may well have continued living in the village after his mother's death or moved to St Mary Stoke, his abode at the time of his marriage to Alice Glanfield in Woolverstone. He and Alice then returned to Baylham raising their family and dying there. I am mindful that we have a Robert Fynne=Joan French in Baylham in 1675. No sign of children in Baylham and therefore there is a high probability that this is the family that were living in Wherstead moving there shortly after their marriage as son Robert was baptised in Wherstead in 1677.
So far so good, but where were 'our' Abraham and Hannah Aldred married? No sign in Wherstead. Turned to Boyds Marriage Index and again no sign under Fen/ Ffenne/Fynne. By pure chance I rolled the film forward a few pages and found:
Fin Ab and Han Aldred Ipswich 1678 St Matthews
Fin Ab and Han Aldred Ipswich 1686 Ipswich M & L
1686 was the rough date so Iooked at the fiche for Mary Le Tower for both dates with no joy. The St Matthews and agin no sign in 1678 but low and behold 1686 Abraham Fynn=Hannah Aldred single persons 13 November. Confirmed on Bishop's Transcripts J426/51 Aldred Hannah & Abram Fyn and Finn(e) Abm & Hannah Aldred
Also found on Boyds:
1655 Fin Thomas & Mary Taster Coddenham
1671 Fin Wm & Fran Osborn M & L
1675 Fin Rob & Joan French Baylham
So I think we can say with some certainty that Abraham Fynne and Hannah Aldred were another generation back in our family tree. The next question is from whence did the family arrive prior to their settling in Baylham? The earliest Fynne burial in Baylham is 1671, earliest baptism 1677 and the first marriage 1675. Could it have been St Matthews, Ipswich?
We have four Fynne marriages in Baylham between 1669 and 1683. Possibly brothers and sisters?
1669 Elizabeth Fynne=Nathan Chenery
1675 Robert Fynne=Joan French. Robert is probably the Robert who was buried in Baylham in 1649.
1679 James Fynn= Elizabeth Level. Elizabeth was buried in Baylham in 1685 wife of James. James was buried in Baylham 1727
1683 Mary Fynn=Robert Benningfield.
Parents of the above children would have been born in about 1650. This could well have been a Robert Fynne and Mary ? Mary Fynne wife of Robert was buried in Baylham in 1671 and also their daughter Sarah in the same year. Robert is probably the Robert who was buried in Baylham in 1692.
There is also
1675 John Fynn=Mary in unknown parish daughter Mary born in Baylham 1677. Probably the Mary Fynn widow who was buried in Baylham in 1696, John having been buried in 1679. Their daughter Mary was probably buried in Baylham in 1700.
1682 Thomas Ffenne=Elizabeth in unknown parish children born in Coddenham 1683-1691
1683 Anne Ffenne=Thomas Sebsby in Wherstead
1686 Abraham Ffenne=Hannah Aldred in St Matthews, Ipswich.
We are getting there slowly. The Baylham scenario is slightly difficult to follow so I will redo the Baylham Tree later to-day, but I think I have now satisfactorily tied in all the Fynne extractions from the Parish Register and Suffolk burials CD.
Mike

From: Paul Scully
Sent: 01 January 2008 20:56
To: Mike Fenn
Subject: Akenham Ffynne Records
Mike,
Happy New Year to the Kent Fenns!
I've nipped in to the SRO a couple of times recently to look up solely the Parish records of Akenham. Some of them were difficult to read but I've noted them down in chronological order on the attachment. I did not copy down the variations in the Ffynne spellings as faithfully as I could have and in some cases could not make out names which were written so you'll see a few ???
BUT where's Abraham? Date-wise he'd fit in c1655- 1665 to Thomas (the Younger) & his wife Margaret? (Margery) Davy? In which case he'd have probably 4/5 brothers & sisters. He can't be far away, surely.
The two hearth record Thomas's are there (junior/senior i.e. the younger & the elder). I've drawn a couple or so descendant charts but will leave you to sketch them out for yourself to see if you come to the same conclusion as me. Also you'll see some Ffynnes are, at the moment anyway, unattached.
Good Luck,
Paul

Dear All
I have been trawling through my records and came across a further item of interest re Akenham (Paul S. - this Robert would be the last burial on your Akenham extracts). received from Colin Fenn last March.
Mike
1666 Robert Ffenn=Elizabeth Coxing 25 September
Could the name "Coxing" be an illegible version of "Copinger" ?
If so then this may an entry found in the A2A index: "inscription on a table monument, erected in memory of a daughter of
Francis, in the nave of the Church of Akenham, in Suffolk : Under this marble stone resteth the body of Elizabeth Fynn, late wife of
Robt Fynn, of this parish, and daughter of Francis Copinger, of
Bramford, gent., who departed this life September the 14th, 1683.
For nineteen yeares I liv'd a virgin life,
For seventeen more, being marryed, liv'd a wife;
At thirty-six, pale death my life assail'd,
And as I liv'd, I dy'd, belov'd, bewail'd."
Here resteth the body of Rob Fynn, who departed this life the 6th of
July, 1686."
Incidentally, this Robert Fenn of Akenham appears in the Hearth tax
records of 1666, as a fairly wealthy man.
Also Akenham has had a lot of a research, after being the subject of a
popular village history book a few years ago. I haven't seen the book
but I suspect there may be a few Fenns mentioned.
Colin

Paul
Yes, I particularly like the inscription (epitaph).
Paul Scully and I got drawn to Wherstead, St Mary Stoke and Ipswich churches through the very misleading and incorrect IGI on Abraham and Hannah Aldred. Fortunately with a piece of luck we now have enough evidence, I believe, to confirm that generation. And yes we are now trying to get back that one further. Paul had long thought Akenham as a possibility especially as the Wherstead Fenns were spelt Ffenne and this compares favourably with the spelling found on the Suffolk burials index for Akenham. The link with the Robert of Baylham is me playing around with possible scenarios from known information but I suspect highly unlikely. Copy of my early doodling attached.My interest in genealogy started 3 years ago on the death of my uncle Tommy Fenn sadly too late to pick his brains. Another difficulty was that there had been a rift in the family so I had very little contact with him when alive but subsequently his wife Joan has provided a great deal of information including handing over various family heirlooms which she had always thought should have come to me as the son of the eldest son. Tommy and my father were brothers but sadly my father was killed in the war. I am on the Old Boys Committee at my old school in Ipswich and travel back some 6 times year. Meetings are in the evening and so I spend all day first in the Ipswich Record Office. It was a complete fluke that I met up with Paul Scully. I arrived at the SRO early one day and stood outside waiting to get in at the 9am opening time. I started making pleasantries with another couple and found that we were both interested in the Fenn family and indeed related. It was meant to be. It was a million to one chance that we should be there on the same day and indeed if the SRO had been open we would probably worked away on the screens without speaking to one another. Strangely we have met there twice more again by complete chance, Wednesdays being the day that we both tend to go to the SRO. The rest is history as we now work together independently but as a team.
In the 1800s my family all lived in Somersham and it was whilst trawling through Somersham on the internet that I discovered Colin Fenn and his 'Fenns of East Suffolk'. Colin is a fountain of knowledge and he and I have worked very closely over the past 2-3 years and often meet up in Suffolk. We still have not been able to link our two trees other than indirectly through the Kitson sisters. One married into his Fenn line and one into mine. Somehow he must be linked to the rest of us especially as his Great Grand father x 4 Samuel Fenn was born in Coddenham and married an Elizabeth Farthing. You will find him on my tree as Colin's family tree has been amalgamated with mine. Interestingly you will have seen from one of my earlier SRO visits (2 December 2006) that an Elizabeth Farthing featured as a witness at the marriage of Simon Fenn and Ann Garrold in Baylham as well as other 'Fenn' marriages at that time.
I was aware of Edward Fenn through Colin but had failed to establish contact through Genes Reunited. It was Paul and the Ipswich Record Office which led to the start up of this new link with you and Edward. I was not aware of you until the first e-mail was received from Edward.
Rather a long winded explanation but I thought you might be interested.
Hopefully between us we should have further success. If either you or Edward wish us to follow up a particular avenue of enquiry at the Ipswich SRO please let Paul and I know.
Best wishes
Mike

Dear Colin
You know how I like to play with possible scenarios so here is my latest offering on the early Fynns of Baylham/Wherstead/Coddenham
Some of the strands of 'evidence' are fairly thin but possible.
1) We are aware of the family connection with Baylham in the early 1700s through the family of Abraham Fynn and Alice Glanfield
2) We are aware of Fynnes living in Baylham mid late 1600s through a series of successive marriages and burials but strangely no sign of baptisms so where did they come from? (Still to be resolved)
3) It seems reasonable to suppose that some if not most of the Baylham marriages between 1669 and 1686 are of the same family
4) There is a positive link of Robert Fynne & Joan (Hannah) to Wherstead
5) We know that between 1677 and 1690 there was a Robert, Abraham and Anne Fynne living in Wherstead (possibly related?). None prior or after those dates so 'visiting' families. There is a link back to Baylham with Robert and through Hannah Fynne wife of Abraham who is probably the Hannah (widow) who died there in 1708)
6) Scenario after the death of Joan and Abraham their respective spouses moved 'back' to Baylham, Hannah taking her young son Abraham with her where he lived until the time of her death in 1708 when he would have been 21 years old. He then ended up in St Mary Stoke, next to Wherstead, from whence he went to Wolverstone (Of St Mary Stoke) to marry Alice Glanfield (Of Bentley) in 1713 before they returned to his 'native' village of Baylham where they raised a family.
All very circumstantial but feasible - I am not aware of any Fynnes in neighbouring villages that might upset this theoretical scenario. We may never know the answers unless we can find the link as to how the 17^th century Fynnes arrived in Baylham. I haven't checked but it may be possible that there is a gap in the Baylham Parish Registers and that the baptism records are missing?
Your thoughts would be appreciated especially as you may hold records that support or shoot down my conjectures. I have also copied this to the two Pauls and Edward for their input.
Regards
Mike.

Abraham married Hannah ALDRED [9146] [MRIN: 3160], daughter of Richard ALDRED [8430] and Katherine BROWNE [8431], on 13 Nov 1686 in St Matthew Ipswich SFK. (Hannah ALDRED [9146] was born on 23 Nov 1656 in Coddenham SFK, baptised on 23 Nov 1656 and was buried on 30 Apr 1708 in Baylham SFK.)

  Marriage Notes:

Notes by Mike Fenn 2007
Boyds Marriage Index
Fin Ab and Han Aldred Ipswich 1678 St Matthews
Fin Ab and Han Aldred Ipswich 1686 Ipswich M & L
1686 - looked at the fiche for Mary Le Tower for both dates with no joy. Then St Matthews and again no sign in 1678, but found in 1686 Abraham Fynn=Hannah Aldred single persons 13 November. Confirmed on Bishop's Transcripts J426/51 Aldred Hannah & Abram Fyn and Finn(e) Abm & Hannah Aldred