This stone is badly broken and now leans against another.
John Beasley was born in 1770 and married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Lenton, whom he married on 20 December 1798 at Stoneleigh, and with whom he had a child, Joseph, the following October. Sadly Elizabeth died, presumably in childbirth, and was buried on 7 October 1799. Their son was baptised on Christmas Day.
Not surprisingly John re-married: his second wife was Ann Haynes whom he married at Coventry Holy Trinity on 28 January 1805. She was from Coventry, he from Stoneleigh. They lived in Stoneleigh for the rest of their lives, John being the Stoneleigh molecatcher and described as such in several censuses and other documents from 1805 until his death; he was buried on 20 December 1855. He was also a farmer, appearing on a voters' list in 1836 for Bishop's Itchington, where he had land called Gipsy Farm; he was registered for Stoneleigh. His wife had died in 1837 and so probate was granted in March 1856 to two of their sons, Alexander and Matthew. He left a lengthy Will, providing well for his sons and daughters.
