EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
CRAFT, John
1812 - 1893 (82 years) Has no ancestors but 41 descendants in this family tree.
1815 - 1900 (85 years)-
Name CRAFT, John Birth Between 1811 and 1812 Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, England 
Gender Male Death 1 Sep 1893 Amber Hill, Lincolnshire, England Burial 4 Sep 1893 Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England Person ID I678 Edgoose Last Modified 2 Feb 2026
Family EDGOOSE, Elizabeth, b. 1815, Holland Fen, Lincolnshire, England d. 15 Jan 1900, Amber Hill, Lincolnshire, England (Age 85 years) Marriage 6 Aug 1835 Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England Children 1. CRAFT, William Jonathan, b. 23 Apr 1836, Boston, Lincolnshire, England d. Oct 1907, Wellington, New South Wales, Australia (Age 71 years)2. CRAFT, James, b. 22 Oct 1838, Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England d. 1922, Boston Registration District, Lincolnshire (Age 83 years)3. CRAFT, John, b. 11 Sep 1840, Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England d. 1876, Sheffield Registration District, Yorkshire (Age 35 years)Family ID F413 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes
JOHN CROFT or CRAFT 1810 or 1811-1893
No proof has been seen that he was born or baptised at Old Bolingbroke in 1811 or 1812. There is no reference to him on LFHS's Bolingbroke Deanery CD of Baptisms & Burials 1754-1812.
Elizabeth EDGOOSE and John CRAFT were married by banns at Algarkirk parish church on 6 August 1835. Both she and John CRAFT were single and lived at Algarkirk. Witnesses were William TAYLOR and Richard HANSON.
(Parish Register)
William Jonathan, son of John CROFT (sic), labourer, and his wife Elizabeth of Algarkirk Fen, was baptised at Swineshead, Lincolnshire, on 17 May 1836.
(Parish Register via www.findmypast.com)
From the 1841 census of Algarkirk, Lincolnshire:
*John CROFT (sic), aged 25, agricultural labourer, born in Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth CROFT (sic), aged 25, born in Lincolnshire;
William CROFT (sic), aged 5, born in Lincolnshire;
James CROFT (sic), aged 2, born in Lincolnshire;
John CROFT (sic), aged 1 month, born in Lincolnshire.
(HO107/606/2/7/6)
Elizabeth's 70 year old aunt, Alice EDGOOSE, lived next door with Mathew and Mary TEBB.
In her will made on 11 April 1842 Alice EDGOOSE of Algarkirk, who was baptised at Kirkby-on-Bain on 14 July 1776, refers to her niece Elizabeth, the wife of John CROFT (sic).
(LCC Will 1845)
James and John CROFT (sic) were baptised at Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, on 27 March 1845. The parish register records that:
James, Son of John and Elizabeth CROFT (sic) of Algarkirk Fen, labourer, "Born Octr the 22nd in the year of our Ld 1838".
John, Son of John and Elizabeth CROFT (sic) of Algarkirk Fen, labourer, "Born Sepr the 11th in the year of our Lord 1840".
(Algarkirk Parish Register via www.findmypast.co.uk)
From the 1851 census of Wyatt Drove, Algarkirk, Lincolnshire:
Jonathan and Helen EDGOOSE were living next door to Jonathan's sister Elizabeth CRAFT at Wyatt Drove, Algarkirk, in 1851:
Jonathan EDGOOSE, head, married, aged 38, agricultural labourer, born at Algarkirk;
Helen EDGOOSE, sister-in-law, aged 46, born at Uppingham, Rutland.
Next door were:
*John CROFT (sic), head, aged 39, owner of 9 acres, born at Sutterton, Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth CROFT, wife, aged 36, farmer's wife, born at Algarkirk;
William CROFT, son, aged 14, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk;
James CROFT, son, aged 12, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk;
John CROFT, son, aged 10, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk.
(HO107/2099/761v).
Algarkirk Land Tax records for 1855 list a John EDGOOSE as an owner and occupier of a house and land, rent £3, tax 2s. 7d.. John CRAFT was the owner occupier of a house and land, rent £12. 2s. 6d., tax 10s. 7d..
From the 1861 census of Algarkirk Fen:
*John CRAFT, head, married,aged 49, farmer of 9 acres, born at North Kyme, Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth Craft, wife, married, aged 46, born at Algarkirk, Lincolnshire;
John CRAFT, son, unmarried, aged 20, labourer, born at Algarkirk, Lincolnshire.
(RG9/2340/81/8)
Next door were:
James CRAFT, head, married, aged 22, labourer, born at Hornsby, Lincolnshire;
Eliza CRAFT, wife, married, aged 19, born at Hornsby, Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth Jane CRAFT, daughter, aged 5 months, born at Carrington, Lincolnshire.
(RG9/2340/81/8)
The family were living at Ulyatt's Drove, Algarkirk Fen, in 1871:
*John CRAFT, head, married, aged 59, farmer, born at Old Bolingbroke;
Elizabeth CRAFT, wife, aged 56, born at Algarkirk Fen;
Elizabeth Ann CRAFT, granddaughter, aged 10, scholar; born at Carrington;
James William CRAFT, grandson, aged 5, born at Algarkirk Fen.
(RG10/3346/90)
The 1873 Return of Owners of Land lists John CRAFT at Algarkirk Fen. He owned 9 acres 1 rood and 9 perches with a Gross Estimated Rental of £13.13s.
The 1881 census of Algarkirk and Amber Hill, Lincolnshire:
*John CRAFT, head, aged 69, cottager, born at Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth CRAFT, wife, aged 66, born at Algarkirk Fen, Lincolnshire;
James W. CRAFT, grandson, aged 15, born at Algarkirk Fen;
Emma J. CRAFT, granddaughter, aged 14, born at Algarkirk Fen.
(RG11/3220/152/8)
At the time of the 1891 census John and Elizabeth CRAFT were at Amber Hill. John CRAFT was a 79 year old farmer born at Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire and his wife Elizabeth was 76 and born at Algarkirk. Also present was their 22 year old grandson James A. CRAFT, an agricultural labourer born at Bramley in Yorkshire, and their 24 year old granddaughter Jane CRAFT born at Algarkirk. Jane is probably synonymous with Emma Jane.
(RG12/2576/132/2)
John CRAFT, a farmer aged 82, died at Amber Hill, Lincolnshire, on 1 September 1893. The informant was his granddaughter Emma Jane CRAFT of Amber Hill who was present at the death.
(GRO September Q 1893 Boston [which includes Algarkirk] 7a 294)
According to the NBI a John CROFT (sic) was buried at Algarkirk on 4 September 1893 aged 82.
NOTES & QUERIES:
It is unclear whether he is related to the Sutterton CRAFTS.
According to Averil Stephens and normadiane@aol.com a William CRAFT or CRAFTS, born circa 1786, married a Sarah .......... before 1817. She was buried on 11 July 1826 aged 40. William CRAFTS, widower, married Sarah ALLBONES at Sutterton, Lincolnshire, on 28 September 1828. He was born at Thornhaugh in Northamptonshire, as was his brother Richard in 1785. Averill wrote that some of their children were born in Algarkirk and some in Sutterton. Norma wrote that William CRAFTS born 1786 was her 3 x great grandfather.
A William CRAFTS married Sarah WALKER at Coningsby in 1810.
A William CRAFT was buried at Sutterton on 15 June 1856.
(NBI)
In the 1861 census the CRAFTs of Sutterton, Skirbeck, and Swineshead in Lincolnshire all originated from Sutterton:
William CRAFT, head, married, aged 43, Agricultural Labourer, born at Sutterton;
Eliza CRAFT, wife, aged 36, born at Wainfleet;
Henry CRAFT, son, aged 10, scholar, born at Sutterton;
William CRAFT, son, aged 9, scholar, born at Sutterton;
Sarah CRAFT, daughter, aged 8, scholar, born at Sutterton;
Eliza CRAFT, daughter, aged 6, scholar, born at Sutterton;
Mary CRAFT, daughter, aged 4, scholar, born at Sutterton;
Richard HUGGINS, boarder, unmarried, aged 20, agricultural labourer, born at Sutterton.
(RG9/2331/135)
From the 1861 census of Swineshead:
Charles CRAFT Un'd 18 Farm Servant (Carter) Sutterton
(RG9/2339/9)
From the 1861 census of Skirbeck:
Francis CRAFT, head, aged 29, Laborer, born at Sutterton;
Ann CRAFT, wife, aged 27, born at Sutterton;
Thomas CRAFT, son, aged 3, born at Sutterton;
Eliza CRAFT, daughter, aged 1, born at Sutterton.
(RG9/2338/33)
In an undated letter (probably circa 2003) Mrs. Averil STEPHENS asked where the name CRAFT originated. Her husband's old aunt used to say that they came from the Friesian Islands to help build the dykes and that the original name was CRAFS or KRAFS.
(revised 06.05.2017)