James was of Dalton (a village five and a half miles from Wigan) at the time of his marriage in 1798. The baptism records of his children show that he worked as a stone mason. He was living at Millgate, Wigan in the early 1800s. In 1821 he was living in Haigh (a village about two and a half miles from Wigan). At the time of his death, he was living in Chapel Lane, Wigan.
Events
Date of Birth: about 1777.
Place of Birth: unknown (probably Aspull).
James’s age was given as 21 on his 1798 marriage allegation and his age at death as 57 in his 1834 burial record.
Date of Baptism: 1 January 1778.
Place of Baptism: Wigan, Lancashire (All Saints).
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Burial: 30 June 1834.
Place of Burial: Wigan (All Saints).
The burial is recorded in the parish register. The burial is likely to be the correct one, as the age at death given for James agrees with that given on the marriage bond, and an Elizabeth Molineux, also of Chapel Lane, wife of James Molineux, was buried at Wigan All Saints in 1831. Her age was given as 50.
Relationships
Father: James Molineux.
Mother: Alice Baneford.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Betty Almond (1781 - 1831). Married 8 October 1798 in Wigan (All Saints).
The marriage is recorded in the parish register. The marriage allegation also records the names of the couple and of Betty’s father.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. All children were baptized in Wigan, All Saints.)
Roger Molineux (born 19 April 1799 - died 1856) married (1) Mary Dickinson 21 January 1821 in Wigan; married (2) Frances Mercer 19 August 1841 in Wigan. Roger was a stone mason.
William Molineux (born 14 September 1800 - buried 18 April 1877) married (1) Catherine Weeks 16 November 1823 in Wigan; married (2) Margery Turner in 1858. William was an engine pattern maker.
James Molineux (born 27 December 1802 - buried 14 February 1860 in Southport) married Jane Ball 19 May 1823 in North Meols, Lancashire. James was a house painter.
Sarah Molineux (born 2 September 1804 - died 22 August 1876) married Henry Greenough 23 December 1827 in Wigan.
John Molineux (born 12 July 1806). John seems to have been a stone mason.
Hannah Molineux (born 29 July 1808 - buried 26 June 1809 in Wigan).
Betty Molineux (born 19 May 1810).
Hannah Molineux (born 7 August 1812) married James Bannister 16 November 1834 in Wigan.
Margaret Molineux (born 7 November 1814).
Mary Molineux (born 22 January 1818) married (1) Robert Hart 22 May 1836 in Hindley, Lancashire; married (2) Samuel Melling 21 February 1859 in Wigan.
Alice Molineux (born 4 September 1821) married William Hart 7 November 1847 in Hindley, Lancashire.
Evidence
James Molineux baptism (Wigan All Saints, January 1778):
1 James Son of James & Alice Mollineux of Aspull
James Molineux - Betty Almond marriage allegation
The seventh Day of October in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety eight
On which Day appeared personally James Molineux of Dalton in the Parish of Wigan County of Lancaster & Diocese of Chester, Stone Mason, and being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, alledged and made Oath as follows That he is of the Age of Twenty one Years, and upwards and a Batchelor and intends to marry Betty Almond of Wigan aforesaid aged Seventeen Years and upwards, and a Spinster with the consent of Roger Almond her Father not knowing or believing any lawful Let, or Impediment, by reason of any Præcontract, Consanguinity, Affinity, or any other lawful Cause whatsoever, to hinder the said intended Marriage; And he prayed a Licence to solemnize the said Marriage in the Parish Church of Wigan aforesaid. In which said Parish the said James Molineux further made Oath, That the said Betty Almond hath had her usual Abode for the space of Four Weeks last past.
The same Day the said James Molineux was sworn before me, and Licence issued, James Molineux [signature]
And appeared personally the said Roger Almond & being also sworn on the Holy Evangelists made Oath that he is the natural & lawful Father of the said Betty Almond & that he is consenting to the abovesaid intended Marriage.
Roger Almond [signature]
Jno: Gibson Surr.
James Molineux - Betty Almond marriage (from the parish registers of All Saints, Wigan)
James Molineux of Dalton & Betty Almond of this Town were married in this Church by Licence this Eight Day of October in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-eight, by me, John Libson.
This marriage was solemnized between us James Molineux
Betty Almond
In the Presence of Wm: Bancks
John Atkinson
Baptisms of Children (from the parish registers of All Saints, Wigan)
1799
Infant’s Name and Seniority: Roger first son of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate, Stone Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 19th of April
Baptism: 2nd of May
1800
Infant’s Name and Seniority: William second son of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate, Stone mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 14 of September
Baptism: 28th of September
1803
Infant’s Name and Seniority: James third Son of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 27th of December
Baptism: 2d of January
1804
Infant’s Name and Seniority: Sarah first Daur of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 2d of September
Baptism: 9th of September
1806
Infant’s Name and Seniority: John fourth Son of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 12th of July
Baptism: 27th of July
1808
Infant’s Name and Seniority: Hannah second Daur of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 29th of July
Baptism: 28th of August
1810
Infant’s Name and Seniority: Betty first (sic) Daur of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Betty his Wife Daur of Roger & Betty Almond
Born: 19th of May
Baptism: 17th of June
1812
Infant’s Name and Seniority: Hannah fourth Daur of
Father’s Name, Abode, and Profession: James Molineux of Millgate, Stone Mason
Mother’s Name and Descent: & Elizabeth his Wife Daur of Roger & Elizabeth Almond
Born: 7th of August
Baptism: 30th of August
1815
When Baptized: 13 Febr
Child’s Christian Name: Margaret of (5 Daur )
Parents Name. Christian: James & Betty
Parents Name. Surname: Molineux
Abode: Millgate
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Stonemason
By whom the Ceremony was performed: [illegible] Curate
1818
When Baptized: 7 June
Child’s Christian Name: Mary Daur of
Parents Name. Christian: James & Elizabeth
Parents Name. Surname: Molineux
Abode: Millgate
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Stonemason
By whom the Ceremony was performed: Bary Powell Curate
[Born] 22 Jany
1821
When Baptized: 12 Novr
Child’s Christian Name: Alice 7 Daur of
Parents Name. Christian: James & Elizabeth
Parents Name. Surname: Molineux
Abode: Haigh
Quality, Trade, or Profession: Stonemason
By whom the Ceremony was performed: Edwd Hill Curate
[Born] 4th Sepr
Hannah Molineux burial (from the parish registers of All Saints, Wigan)
1809
Christian Name: Hannah
Surname: Molineux
Abode, Profession, and Descent: Daur of James Molineux of Millgate Mason
When, and where buried: 26th of June
Age: 10 months
Disease: Small Pox
James Molineux burial (from the parish registers of All Saints, Wigan)
1834
Name: James Molineux
Abode: Chapellane
When buried: 30 June
Age: 57 years Weakness
Commentary
James’s parentage:
James’s 30 June 1834 burial record gives his age as 57, and his 1798 marriage allegation gives his age as 21. Taken together, this points to a birth in about 1777.
I have located three baptisms in 1776-1778 in the Wigan area:
20 July 1777 in Westhoughton, to James and Elisabeth;
1 January 1778 in Wigan, to James and Alice, abode Aspull;
29 May 1778 in Wigan, to Robert and Ellen, abode Pemberton. (An earlier baptism 20 February 1776 to Robert and Ellen, abode Pemberton, presumably records a child who died as an infant, although I haven’t see the burial record.)
Wigan burial records provide evidence that the 1 January 1778 baptism is the correct one:
1 March 1829: Alice wife of James Molineux, abode “Scholes”, age 74. [Presumably the mother of the 1 January 1778 baptism.]
17 November 1831: Elizabeth wife of James Molineux, abode “Chapellane”, age 50. [The wife of the James of this page.]
30 June 1834: James Molineux, abode “Chapellane”, age 57. [The James of this page.]
26 February 1837: James Molineux, abode “Chapellane”, age 83. [Presumably the father in the 1 January 1778 baptism.]
A little more remote, but still relevant, are these Wigan burials:
18 January 1828: William Molineux, killed, age 66, abode “Chapel Lane”. [Probably the uncle of the James baptized 1 January 1778.]
2 December 1846: John Molyneux, age 43, abode “Chapel Lane”. [William’s son. John had several children baptized in Wigan between 1829 and 1842, where the abode is given as Chapel Lane.]
From these records it seems that the James Molineux of this page was living in Chapel Lane at the time of his death, as were the father, uncle, and cousins of the James Molineux of the 1 January 1778 baptism during the same time.
The James Molineux baptized 29 May 1778 in Wigan to Robert and Ellen (abode Pemberton) very likely married Lidia Gaskell. The James Molineux of this marriage was of Pemberton, and James and Lidia’s first two children were named Ellen and Robert.
I am not sure what happened to the James Molineux baptized 20 July 1777.
Taken together, I think it is very likely that the James Molineux of this page was the one baptized 1 January 1778 to James and Alice.
The baptism records of some of the children of James and Alice make clear that Alice was the daughter of John and Margaret Baneford.
References
James Molineux - Betty Almond marriage allegation, in Cheshire Marriage licence bonds and allegations 1606-1905; digital image Findmypast.co.uk (accessed 1 April 2014).
Wigan Anglican Parish Registers. Wigan Archives Services, Wigan, England; digital images Ancestry.com (accessed October 30 2014).