John Nye and Anne Randall

John Nye was christened 26 January 1784 at Leigh, Kent, England, the son of Thomas Nye and Ann Walker (click on the link for a list of siblings).

On 26 December 1806 he married Anne Randall, who was the daughter of George Randall and Sarah Cotton. George had been married previously to Mary Denman and they had three children:

• William Streetfield Randall born in 1775, 
• Sarah Randall born in 1777 
• and Mary Denman Randall born in 1779. 

After the death of his wife Mary, George married Sarah Cotton on 15 November 1781 and they had only one child, Anne Randall who was christened 1 August 1784 at Penshurst in Kent.

To the right is shown the ornate Baptistry inside the Penshurst Church where Anne and her half brother and sisters were christened or baptized.

John and Anne's youngest son Thomas Cotton Nye was also christened at Penshurst.

In the land tax assessments for Penshurst 1780-1832 George Randall and family occupied land owned by the Honorable Mrs. E. Perry between 1781 and 1801 in the town of Upland. In 1784 the land was owned by the executors for Mrs. E. Perry. In 1793 George was renting from John Sidney who appears to then own all of Mrs. Perry's properties. Then in 1795 rent no longer shows, only the assessment.

George Randall was probably born about 1750 and wasn't christened until 18 May 1758 in Thanet, Kent.

The children of John and Anne Nye were:

• John Nye christened 12 July 1807 at Leigh
• Thomas Cotton Nye christened 4 August 1811 at Penshurst
• Ann Nye born 3 October 1813 at Hadlow
• Sophia Nye christened 6 April 1817 at Hadlow.

John Nye senior was a farmer and by the time the daughters were born was probably farming the area in Hadlow. They were living at 92 Higham Lane (click for photos).

The 1841 census of Hadlow has John Nye age 55, a bailiff, Ann age 56, Ann age 25, dress maker and Sophia age 20 dressmaker.

John Nye was a registered elector and his farm was named Winchester Farm.

In 1851 the family was listed as John Ney(sic), age 67, farmer, Anne, age 66, Ann, unmarried daughter age 37 and Sophia unmarried daughter, age 34, John Nye, grandson age 15 and 4 laborers and another boy all living and working on the farm.

John Nye died 1 May 1853 at Hadlow. His will states that his wife was to be taken care of first as was the custom, then his son Thomas Cotton Nye was bequethed fifty pounds, his son John Nye was bequethed five pounds and the balance of his property and estate were left to his two daughters Ann and Sophia.

His wife Ann Randall Nye died 31 May 1858. Their graves can be found at the Borough Green Baptist Church in Kent, England.

We don't know if the two John Nye's didn't get along or what but the younger John definitely could have used far more than fifty pounds.

The two sisters Ann and Sophia continued to live in the Higham Lane house along with their mother who died 31 May 1858. In 1861 the two daughters had their cousin Henry Nye living with them as the farm bailiff and were farming 89 acres.

The 1871 census shows that Ann Nye was visiting her brother Thomas Cotton Nye and his family in West Maidstone, while Sophia was listed at home farming 90 acres and Henry was there as manager of the farm. They employed five men and two boys.

In 1876 Sophia died and by 1881 Ann had gone to live with William Fermor and his family who promised to take care of Ann until her death. Ann was listed as an annuitant but family members of that time felt that there had to be some money that Mr. Fermor kept after Ann's death in 1882.