John Bicket (1780 - 1848)

Born 1 Jun 1780 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Jennett (Anderson) Bicket — married 17 Nov 1804 in Nileston, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 1 Oct 1848 at age 68 in Norwood, Asphodel, Peterborough, Canada West

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Biography

This profile is part of the Beckett Name Study.

John Bicket migrated from Scotland to Canada.

This profile is part of the Paisley, Renfrewshire One Place Study.

Surname Spelling Convention: The family surname on all Scottish records appears primarily as Bicket, with some variations as Bichet, Bisket, Becket, and others. After migrating to Ontario, Canada in 1820, the family spelling appeared in 1851 as Beckett, in 1861 and 1871 as Bicket, in 1881 as Bickett, and exclusively Beckett from 1891 forward. Most other Canadian vital records show either Becket or Beckett from 1851 forward. To establish a consistent convention that better yields search results in both Family Search and WikiTree, the 'First name at Birth' in Scotland is shown as 'Bicket', with births after arriving in Canada shown as 'Beckett'.

• John, son of Hugh Bicket & Mary Twedale, was born on 1 June 1780 and baptized on 15 June 1780 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[1]

• John Bicket married Janet Anderson in Scotland in 1804.
  Transcribed from the Original record at Scotlands People 13 Aug 2023: [Renfrewshire; Neilston; 1804] John Bicket in this Parish [Neilston] & Janet Anderson in the Parish of Mearns [Renfreshire] gave up their names for Proclamation in order to Marriage 17 Nov 1804 and gave to the poor 3/6.^[2]

The arrival of the Becket family in Asphodel, Peterborough, Ontario in 1820:

• 'Asphodel [Peterborough, Ontario] was surveyed early in 1820 by Richard Birdsall, and the first family to settle was John Becket with his wife Jeannett, his six children, and a younger brother, James. His eldest child was James; the youngest child, John; and in between were four girls. [Once settled] John and Jeannett had three more children. including Hugh, who was born in 1830. Of their six daughters, three married sons of John Fife, one of the earliest settlers in Otonabee. Jane Becket married David Fife and was the wife in the story of Red Fife Wheat who had the responsibility of looking after the five stalks of new wheat which had resisted rusting. These were carefully harvested by hand, the seed planted the next year, and repeated until enough was grown that they could provide the neighbors with this coveted new seed. The fame of the wheat spread and its use increased, spreading to the Western States and up into western Canada. It was the forerunner of many strains developed from it which have made the West the 'breadbasket of the world'. Mary A. Becket married William Fife, and Janet Becket married Thomas Fife.'^[3]

• They emigrated from Renfrewshire, Scotland to Asphodel Township, Upper Canada (Ontario), and were the first to settle, in 1820, in newly surveyed Asphodel. p. 410, and where, by 1835, John was one of the few settlers in the township to own a horse.^[4]

• John's daughter Janet Bicket was baptized on 1 May 1814 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[5]

• John's son John Becket was baptized on 21 April 1816 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[6]

• John's daughter Margaret Bicket was baptized on 2 August 1818 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[7]

• John's daughter Margaret Bicket was baptized on [Alternate date] 3 August 1818 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[8]

• John's son John Bicket was baptized on 9 April 1820 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[9]

• [Military Service, 1838]: John's household is described in a Militia Muster Role of 1838: According to the Muster Roll of Captain Birdsall's Company of the 4th Regiment Northumberland Militia, residing in the Township of Asphodel, January 4, 1838: John Beckett Sr., age 57, married, with 6 others at home; and John Beckett Jr., age 17, single were mustered while both were resident at Lot 7, Concession 2. By this time he had sold or leased part of his lot to at least 3 others who were mustered in this record and residing on the same Lot 7, Con2. Pat Foley and his assistant Arch Fulton, both aged 21 and single, were operating a distillery; Peter Anderson, age 40 and single, [Note that in the Census of 1851(2), Peter was age 52 and 'Widowed', with a presumed son, David Anderson, age 25, on the same page. No relationship has yet been found with Jennett (Anderson) Beckett.] Peter Anderson was operating there as a tailor.^[10]

• John Bicket died on 1 October 1848 and was buried in Norwood, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.^[11]

• John's son Hugh Becket married Agnes Barron on 30 March 1887 in Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.^[12]

• John's daughter Margarett Cuber [Culver] died on 20 July 1909 in Colborne, Ontario.^[13]

• John's daughter Annie Beckett Jackson died on 29 June 1911 in Port Hope, Durham, Ontario.^[14]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007908520; FHL microfilm: 1041285
   FamilySearch Record: FMSX-DSQ (accessed 13 August 2023)
   Transcribed from the Original record at Scotlands People 13 Aug 2023: [Renfrewshire; Neilston; 1804] John Bicket in this Parish [Neilston] & Janet Anderson in the Parish of Mearns [Renfreshire] gave up their names for Proclamation in order to Marriage 17 Nov 1804 and gave to the poor 3/6.
2. ↑ Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQD-Q6T : 8 December 2014), John Bicket and Janet Anderson, 17 Nov 1804; citing Neilston, Renfrew, Scotland, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,041,281, 102,070.
   Transcribed from the Original record at Scotlands People 13 Aug 2023: [Renfrewshire; Neilston; 1804] John Bicket in this Parish [Neilston] & Janet Anderson in the Parish of Mearns [Renfreshire] gave up their names for Proclamation in order to Marriage 17 Nov 1804 and gave to the poor 3/6.
3. ↑ Asphodel: A Tale of a Township by Jean Lancaster Graham, published by the Township of Asphodel, copyright 1978, 271 pages. pp. 13-14.
4. ↑ Mulvany, Charles. History of the County of Peterborough, Ontario. 1884, pp. 410-412; The book is still in print and appears readily in a Google Search by Title: accessed on 16 Jul 2023 and viewed as a pdf version at Google_eBook https://www.google.com/books/edition/History_of_the_County_of_Peterborough_On/-9AOAAAAYAAJ?hl=en
5. ↑ Baptism of daughter Janet Bicket: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 7; FHL microfilm: 1041281
   FamilySearch Record: VQW5-VXF (accessed 13 August 2023)
   John Bicket's daughter Janet Bicket baptism on 1 May 1814 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
6. ↑ Baptism of son John Becket: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 7; FHL microfilm: 1041281
   FamilySearch Record: VQWR-973 (accessed 13 August 2023)
   John Becket's son John Becket baptism on 21 Apr 1816 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
7. ↑ Baptism of daughter Margaret Bicket: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007908517; FHL microfilm: 1041282
   FamilySearch Record: X1SF-CHQ (accessed 13 August 2023)
   John Bicket's daughter Margaret Bicket's baptism was on 2 Aug 1818 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
8. ↑ Baptism of daughter Margaret Bicket: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 7; FHL microfilm: 1041281
   FamilySearch Record: VQW5-VXV (accessed 13 August 2023)
   John Bicket's daughter Margaret Bicket's baptism was on 3 Aug 1818 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
9. ↑ Baptism of son John Bicket: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007908517; FHL microfilm: 1041282
   FamilySearch Record: X1WP-W81 (accessed 13 August 2023)
   John Bicket's son John Bicket baptism on 9 Apr 1820 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
10. ↑ Graham, Jean Lancaster, "Asphodel: A Tale of a Township", Published by The Township of Asphodel, 1978, p. 51.
11. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
    citing record ID 240760385, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
    FamilySearch Record: 6ND5-QNCV (accessed 13 August 2023)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #240760385
    John Bicket's burial (died on 1 Oct 1848) in Norwood, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
12. ↑ Marriage of son Hugh Becket: "Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927"
    citing registration, Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,870,218
    FamilySearch Record: FMJY-65P (accessed 13 August 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 9Q97-Y39R-6QZ Image number 00532
    John Becket's son Hugh Becket married Agnes Barron on 30 Mar 1887 in Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
13. ↑ Death of daughter Margarett Cuber [Culver]: "Canada, Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947"
    citing Colborne, Ontario, yr 1909 cn 21081, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,854,492
    FamilySearch Record: J6YR-Z3B (accessed 13 August 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TX-YQJ4-1
    John Beckett in death record for daughter Margarett Cuber 20 Jul 1909 in Colborne, Ontario.
14. ↑ Death of daughter Annie Beckett Jackson: "Canada, Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947"
    citing Port Hope, Durham, Ontario, yr 1911 cn 22883, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,854,736
    FamilySearch Record: JF37-ZQS (accessed 13 August 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TX-B69W
    John Becket in death record for daughter Annie Beckett Jackson 29 Jun 1911 in Port Hope, Durham, Ontario.