FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
WILLIAM BONIFONT AND
JOANNE MIDDLETON
 

William Bonifont or Bullivant was christened 25 January 1654 in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, the son of Francis and Fran Bullivant. His name is shown as Bullivant in his christening, and Bonifant at his wedding. His occupation was baker.

The name Bonifant was "English: nickname from a Middle English borrowing of Old French bon enfant 'good child': compare Goodchild and Malinfant. Early bearers: John'e, Will'o Bonefaunt, 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Worksop, Notts); Adam Bonyfaunt, Bonefont, 1395 in Edwinstowe, Thoresby and Carburton Court Rolls (Notts);...In Notts, Bonenfant was a hereditary surname in Worksop and Edwinstowe from the 14th century and had developed to Bullivant by the 16th century. At the end of the 17th century both forms of the name were still current in the same family." (The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland)


Edwinstowe is a town and parish in the heart of Sherwood Forest: "Legend has it that Robin Hood married his sweetheart Maid Marian in St. Mary's church" in Edwinstowe. (www.wikipedia.com)

Edwinstowe

William married Joanne Middleton 24 June 1677 in East Retford. Nottingham marriage licenses show: "William Bonifant of East Retford, baker, 22 and Joane Middleton, of same, spr., 20. (Bond by Francis Middleton, of same, yeom.)" Abstracts of Nottingham Marriage Licenses online at www.ancestry.co.uk. Francis Middleton may be Joane's father or brother.

William and Joanne had the following children:

 

1. William,christened 21 Oct 1677 in East Retford.

 

2. Francis (male), christened 17 October 1678 in East Retford.

 

3. George, christened 26 December 1684 in East Retford.

 

4. Elizabeth, christened 23 July 1689 in East Retford.

 

5. William, christened 21 August 1693 in East Retford.

6. Anne, buried 23 May 1694 in East Retford.

 

7. Mary, christened 19 October 1696 in East Retford.

 

8. Maria, christened 25 June 1707 in East Retford.

 

*9. Sarah, christened 3 April 1708 in East Retford; married George Elliott 3 June 1732 in St. Mary parish.

   

SOURCE: IGI; Edwinstowe parish register.

FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
FRANCIS AND FRAN BULLIVANT
 

Francis Bullivant was christened 3 June 1627 in Edwinstowe, the son of John Bulliphant. He married 1) Fran 8 December 1651. She is shown as widow Lummas at her marriage, and Fran at the christening of the first child. William Lummas had died a few months earlier in Edwinstowe, and may have been her first husband.

Francis is shown as being of the village of Clipston in the parish of Edwinstowe. Clipstone is in the heart of Sherwood Forest, and is the home of King John's Palace ruins. This was the principal hunting lodge in Sherwood Forest.

Francis and Fran had the following children:

1. John, christened 8 June 1652 in Edwinstowe "of Clipston".

*2. William, christened 25 January 1654 in Edwinstowe, "of Clipston"; married Joanne Middleton 24 June 1677 in East Retford.

Baptism record for William Bullivant in Edwinstowe: "Wm the sonne of Frances Bulliphant & ______ his wife borne the 25th day of Januarey de Clipston"

3. Daniell; christened 12 April 1659 in Edwinstowe, "of Clipston".

The mother of the next child born to Francis in Edwinstowe was Margaret, so Fran may have died and Francis remarried, and had a child:

4. Elizabeth, christened 29 October 1661 in Edwinstowe.

Francis "of Clipston" died and was buried 22 December 1680 in Edwinstowe.

Margaret "of Clipston" died two months later, and was buried 8 February 1680/1 in Edwinstowe.

SOURCE: Edwinstowe parish register.

 

FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
JOHN AND JANE BULLIPHANT

John Bulliphant was born in about 1600 of the townland of Clipston in Edwinstowe. He married Jane.


John was appointed to be the parish constable in Edwinstowe. His mark is shown in the Edwinstowe parish register.



John served in the parish up until the time of his death, and then in the 1630s Edward Bullivant, likely John's brother, begins signing the parish registers.


John died and was buried 26 December 1628 in Edwinstowe. Jane must have been about four months pregnant at the time of his death, as their son John was born posthumously, about five months later.


Jane, with a two-year-old son and new baby, married again just three months after baby John's birth, on 24 September 1629 to John Carlill of Clipston in Edwinstowe.


John Carlill died and was buried 24 April 1645 in Edwinstowe. Jane married again, to William Smith of Clipston on 9 February 1646 in Edwinstowe.




John Bullivant and Jane  had the following children:


*1. Francis, christened 3 June 1627 in Edwinstowe; married 1) Fran, 2) Margaret; buried 22 December 1680 in Edwinstowe.


2. John, christened 4 June 1629 in Edwinstowe.



Jane and John Carlill had the following children:

1. Annis Carlill, christened 10 October 1633 in Edwinstowe.


2. John Carlill, christened 14 May 1637 in Edwinstowe.


3. Marye Carlill, christened 28 October 1638 in Edwinstowe.


4. Jane Carlill, christened 26 July 1640 in Edwinstowe.


5. Garthwright Carlill, (also called Gartruda or Gertrude) christened 16 July 1643 in Edwinstowe; buried 24 February 1646 in Edwinstowe.




SOURCE: Edwinstowe parish register; Parish Chest Material for Edwinstowe, 1626-1808, FHL# 504120.

 

Other early Bulliphants in the Edwinstowe parish records were:

• Edward Bullivant who married Anne Bell 26 September 1629 in St. Mary, Nottingham. This may be John's brother.
  
• Anne Bulliphant "of Edwinstow" who was buried in 1634.
• Anne Bulliphant "of Edwinstow" who was buried in 1636. One of these Annes is likely Edward's wife, as he married again a few years later to Jane.
  
• Edward and Jane Bulliphant "of Edwinstow", who had children christened in the parish between 1642 and 1658. Edward died and was buried in 1669 in Edwinstowe.
  
• John and Elizabeth Bullivant "of Budby" in the parish of Edwinstowe, who had children christened in the parish starting in 1657.
  

SOURCE: The Registers of Edwinstow in the County of Nottingham, 1634-1758; Parish Chest Material for Edwinstowe, 1626-1808, FHL# 504120.
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