James Milverton and Amy Bailey

James Milverton was born in 1692 in Thorncombe, Dorset, England to parents James Milverton (d 1725) and Anne Palmer. There is a will in 1725 for a James Milverton, miller of Winsham that is believed to be James Milverton’s father.

St Marys, Thorncombe Dorset

James was baptised on 7 December 1692 at St Marys, Thorncombe, just two miles from Winsham, Somerset.

Thorncombe is in north west Dorset but situated close to the borders of both Somerset and Devon. Thorncombe has an Online Parish Clerk for the area with lots of great information.

At the age of 24, James married 22 year old  Amy Bailey. Sometimes her name was spelt Amey.

It is believed Amy Bailey was born in 1694 in Shepton Mallet, Somerset (24 miles away) with only her father’s name of James given on the baptism register. The surname was spelt Bailie. This Amy Bailey was baptised on 4 July 1694 at Shepton Mallet.

There are other Baylee family members born around the time in Winsham – Susanna Baylee in 1695 (father Samuel) and Samuel Baylee in 1697 (father’s name Simon Baylee) which may also be her family. But no Amy with any surname registered around that time in Winsham. The combination of Amy and Bailey/Bailee/Baylee is an uncommon one so perhaps the Shepton Mallet one is correct.

Winsham Marriage Register 1716

James Milverton and Amy Bailey were married on 29 April 1716 in Winsham, Somerset.

James and Amy had eight children –

  1. William b 1718 Winsham
  2. Anne b 1720 Winsham marr John Old in 1755.
  3. Richard b 1722 Winsham
  4. James b 1722 & d 1773 Winsham. Marr Eliz Scriven. 9 children.
  5. Mary b 1724 Winsham
  6. Elizabeth (Betty) b 1727
  7. Amy b 1732 Winsham
  8. Sarah b 1735 Winsham married Joseph Bromfield in 1762. 1 child.

Amy Milverton nee Bailey died in December 1765 in Winsham at the age of 71 and was buried in Winsham on 6 December 1765. The register states ‘Amey, the wife of James Milverton’.

James Milverton died in January 1773 in Winsham, at the age of 81, and was buried on 31 January 1773 at Stephens, Winsham.