Son of John Toone (died 1823, aged 75) and Ann Fisher (died 1833, aged 84), and brother to Mary and Sarah, John was born at Mount Nod, a small farm in Stoneleigh Parish, Warwickshire, England on June 14, 1787.
John's occupation was builder and contractor. His business executed many important works in the town and neighborhoods of Leamington. Some of his building projects included parts of the Parade and Warwick Streets, the whole of Milverton Crescent, part of Binswoods Avenue, the Leamington brewery, Mill Street Chapel, the Weseleyan Chapel on Portland Street, the First Baptist Chapel on Guy Street (now St. Alban's School), the Iron Church Priory Terrace, St. Alban Church, and many other buildings. John also constructed the first main sewer of the town, including the Iron Cylinders across the river.
John gradually acquired considerable property due to his untiring energy and application to business. His imperfect education being greatly compensated for by a most wonderful memory. John boasted that he was unable to forget anything!
On May 4, 1812, John married Elizabeth Watts, who was born on May 10, 1785 in Bishops Tachbrook, Warwickshire, England. They were the parents of 14 children. Although John and Elizabeth lived at Leamington (a village near Tachbrook), some of their children were born at Birmingham and Bishops Tachbrook.
Each one of John's sons received a good education, some were apprenticed as tradesmen to further enhance John's building business. John also expected all his sons to work in his business, but paid them little to no wages. He would build a house for them if they married. John's unmarried sons were expected to live with their parents where they certainly had a good home and plenty of food, but the lack of wages still caused some discontent among the sons.
Abstract of the Will of John Toone of Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, Builder, dated September 14, 1869 and proved at London, April 21, 1875, listed John & Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's surviving adult children as being (not in order of birth):
-Mary Jane, wife of John Dutton
-Elisabeth, wife of George Kent
-Sarah, widow of Thomas Morley Kent
-Ann (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869), wife of Richard Hodkisson
-John (1813-1893)
-William
-Henry (1828-1917)
-George
-Thomas (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869)
John made a big fortune in his early business life and his money was all deposited in the Greenway Bank where he was a shareholder. The bank failed (before the days of the limited liability companies) and John lost all he had and all was taken from him. A leading medical man in Leamington by the name of Dr. Jephson (his statue is in Jephson Gardens) was a great friend of John Toone. Dr. Jephson told John that he could draw on his bank balance for any amount to start his building business again. This faith in John's business gave John a new life and new fortune.
The last two years of his life, John became a semi-invalid and was cared for by his daughter, Sarah Watkins and family. He died March 13, 1875 at Leamington.
(The above information was gleaned from the history book "Life Stories of the Posterity of John Toone and His Three Wives Emma Prosser, Hannah Wardell, and Jemima Cook" compiled by Teresa Dawson Olson and edited by William G. Lyon)
John and Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's headstone is pictured here: http://www.leamingtonhistory.co.uk/the-toone-family-of-leamington-spa/#!prettyPhoto
John's occupation was builder and contractor. His business executed many important works in the town and neighborhoods of Leamington. Some of his building projects included parts of the Parade and Warwick Streets, the whole of Milverton Crescent, part of Binswoods Avenue, the Leamington brewery, Mill Street Chapel, the Weseleyan Chapel on Portland Street, the First Baptist Chapel on Guy Street (now St. Alban's School), the Iron Church Priory Terrace, St. Alban Church, and many other buildings. John also constructed the first main sewer of the town, including the Iron Cylinders across the river.
John gradually acquired considerable property due to his untiring energy and application to business. His imperfect education being greatly compensated for by a most wonderful memory. John boasted that he was unable to forget anything!
On May 4, 1812, John married Elizabeth Watts, who was born on May 10, 1785 in Bishops Tachbrook, Warwickshire, England. They were the parents of 14 children. Although John and Elizabeth lived at Leamington (a village near Tachbrook), some of their children were born at Birmingham and Bishops Tachbrook.
Each one of John's sons received a good education, some were apprenticed as tradesmen to further enhance John's building business. John also expected all his sons to work in his business, but paid them little to no wages. He would build a house for them if they married. John's unmarried sons were expected to live with their parents where they certainly had a good home and plenty of food, but the lack of wages still caused some discontent among the sons.
Abstract of the Will of John Toone of Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, Builder, dated September 14, 1869 and proved at London, April 21, 1875, listed John & Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's surviving adult children as being (not in order of birth):
-Mary Jane, wife of John Dutton
-Elisabeth, wife of George Kent
-Sarah, widow of Thomas Morley Kent
-Ann (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869), wife of Richard Hodkisson
-John (1813-1893)
-William
-Henry (1828-1917)
-George
-Thomas (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869)
John made a big fortune in his early business life and his money was all deposited in the Greenway Bank where he was a shareholder. The bank failed (before the days of the limited liability companies) and John lost all he had and all was taken from him. A leading medical man in Leamington by the name of Dr. Jephson (his statue is in Jephson Gardens) was a great friend of John Toone. Dr. Jephson told John that he could draw on his bank balance for any amount to start his building business again. This faith in John's business gave John a new life and new fortune.
The last two years of his life, John became a semi-invalid and was cared for by his daughter, Sarah Watkins and family. He died March 13, 1875 at Leamington.
(The above information was gleaned from the history book "Life Stories of the Posterity of John Toone and His Three Wives Emma Prosser, Hannah Wardell, and Jemima Cook" compiled by Teresa Dawson Olson and edited by William G. Lyon)
John and Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's headstone is pictured here: http://www.leamingtonhistory.co.uk/the-toone-family-of-leamington-spa/#!prettyPhoto
Son of John Toone (died 1823, aged 75) and Ann Fisher (died 1833, aged 84), and brother to Mary and Sarah, John was born at Mount Nod, a small farm in Stoneleigh Parish, Warwickshire, England on June 14, 1787.
John's occupation was builder and contractor. His business executed many important works in the town and neighborhoods of Leamington. Some of his building projects included parts of the Parade and Warwick Streets, the whole of Milverton Crescent, part of Binswoods Avenue, the Leamington brewery, Mill Street Chapel, the Weseleyan Chapel on Portland Street, the First Baptist Chapel on Guy Street (now St. Alban's School), the Iron Church Priory Terrace, St. Alban Church, and many other buildings. John also constructed the first main sewer of the town, including the Iron Cylinders across the river.
John gradually acquired considerable property due to his untiring energy and application to business. His imperfect education being greatly compensated for by a most wonderful memory. John boasted that he was unable to forget anything!
On May 4, 1812, John married Elizabeth Watts, who was born on May 10, 1785 in Bishops Tachbrook, Warwickshire, England. They were the parents of 14 children. Although John and Elizabeth lived at Leamington (a village near Tachbrook), some of their children were born at Birmingham and Bishops Tachbrook.
Each one of John's sons received a good education, some were apprenticed as tradesmen to further enhance John's building business. John also expected all his sons to work in his business, but paid them little to no wages. He would build a house for them if they married. John's unmarried sons were expected to live with their parents where they certainly had a good home and plenty of food, but the lack of wages still caused some discontent among the sons.
Abstract of the Will of John Toone of Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, Builder, dated September 14, 1869 and proved at London, April 21, 1875, listed John & Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's surviving adult children as being (not in order of birth):
-Mary Jane, wife of John Dutton
-Elisabeth, wife of George Kent
-Sarah, widow of Thomas Morley Kent
-Ann (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869), wife of Richard Hodkisson
-John (1813-1893)
-William
-Henry (1828-1917)
-George
-Thomas (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869)
John made a big fortune in his early business life and his money was all deposited in the Greenway Bank where he was a shareholder. The bank failed (before the days of the limited liability companies) and John lost all he had and all was taken from him. A leading medical man in Leamington by the name of Dr. Jephson (his statue is in Jephson Gardens) was a great friend of John Toone. Dr. Jephson told John that he could draw on his bank balance for any amount to start his building business again. This faith in John's business gave John a new life and new fortune.
The last two years of his life, John became a semi-invalid and was cared for by his daughter, Sarah Watkins and family. He died March 13, 1875 at Leamington.
(The above information was gleaned from the history book "Life Stories of the Posterity of John Toone and His Three Wives Emma Prosser, Hannah Wardell, and Jemima Cook" compiled by Teresa Dawson Olson and edited by William G. Lyon)
John and Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's headstone is pictured here: http://www.leamingtonhistory.co.uk/the-toone-family-of-leamington-spa/#!prettyPhoto
John's occupation was builder and contractor. His business executed many important works in the town and neighborhoods of Leamington. Some of his building projects included parts of the Parade and Warwick Streets, the whole of Milverton Crescent, part of Binswoods Avenue, the Leamington brewery, Mill Street Chapel, the Weseleyan Chapel on Portland Street, the First Baptist Chapel on Guy Street (now St. Alban's School), the Iron Church Priory Terrace, St. Alban Church, and many other buildings. John also constructed the first main sewer of the town, including the Iron Cylinders across the river.
John gradually acquired considerable property due to his untiring energy and application to business. His imperfect education being greatly compensated for by a most wonderful memory. John boasted that he was unable to forget anything!
On May 4, 1812, John married Elizabeth Watts, who was born on May 10, 1785 in Bishops Tachbrook, Warwickshire, England. They were the parents of 14 children. Although John and Elizabeth lived at Leamington (a village near Tachbrook), some of their children were born at Birmingham and Bishops Tachbrook.
Each one of John's sons received a good education, some were apprenticed as tradesmen to further enhance John's building business. John also expected all his sons to work in his business, but paid them little to no wages. He would build a house for them if they married. John's unmarried sons were expected to live with their parents where they certainly had a good home and plenty of food, but the lack of wages still caused some discontent among the sons.
Abstract of the Will of John Toone of Leamington Priors, Warwickshire, Builder, dated September 14, 1869 and proved at London, April 21, 1875, listed John & Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's surviving adult children as being (not in order of birth):
-Mary Jane, wife of John Dutton
-Elisabeth, wife of George Kent
-Sarah, widow of Thomas Morley Kent
-Ann (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869), wife of Richard Hodkisson
-John (1813-1893)
-William
-Henry (1828-1917)
-George
-Thomas (deceased as of Sept. 14, 1869)
John made a big fortune in his early business life and his money was all deposited in the Greenway Bank where he was a shareholder. The bank failed (before the days of the limited liability companies) and John lost all he had and all was taken from him. A leading medical man in Leamington by the name of Dr. Jephson (his statue is in Jephson Gardens) was a great friend of John Toone. Dr. Jephson told John that he could draw on his bank balance for any amount to start his building business again. This faith in John's business gave John a new life and new fortune.
The last two years of his life, John became a semi-invalid and was cared for by his daughter, Sarah Watkins and family. He died March 13, 1875 at Leamington.
(The above information was gleaned from the history book "Life Stories of the Posterity of John Toone and His Three Wives Emma Prosser, Hannah Wardell, and Jemima Cook" compiled by Teresa Dawson Olson and edited by William G. Lyon)
John and Elizabeth (Watts) Toone's headstone is pictured here: http://www.leamingtonhistory.co.uk/the-toone-family-of-leamington-spa/#!prettyPhoto
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