PETERSFIELD
We have to announce the death of Mr. John Caplin, shoemaker, an old and worthy man, in the 91st year his age, who carried with him to the grave, as the oldest inhabitant, the esteem and respect of all his fellow parishioners, for his quiet, unassuming, good qualities, daring his lengthened pilgrimage amongst them, never having made an enemy. The deceased, who might be termed "the father of Buriton,” was born at the Sun Inn, Alresford, in the year 1777, which inn his father then kept, who soon after came to Buriton, and engaged himself as butler to "old Squire Gibson,” at the "old Manor House,” when Edward his son was but a child, and years before he started upon his travels to Italy and Rome. At the same period the "good old Dr.,” Philip Barton (of Exeter) was the rector. Daring this length of time the deceased had resided within the parish boundary, and served his appointed pilgrimage, —as a singer of the choir, and ringer of "the merry church bells,” —until he was called to that bourn from which no traveller returns, on Tuesday, the 3rd inst. On Saturday the remains of "Honest John” were interred in the charmingly quiet and rural churchyard of Buriton. The Rev. R. Cole, M.A., curate of Petersfield, impressively read the burial service, which was attended by a large number of his descendants’ relatives, with his late fellow ringers and singers, and sympathizing friends.
Ancestry shows the Burial Register for John Caplen buried on 7-Mar-1868 at Buriton
