Five unknown men buried in Otterton, Devon

As part of my Find a Grave volunteering I sometimes discover burials of unknown men, women and children. Today I found five such burials in St Michael's Church, Otterton, Devon. Here are their stories. May they rest in peace.

A man buried on 4 Jul 1817

I have found no further information on this man.

A man buried on 6 Feb 1834

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette reported:

An inquest was held by Mr Aberdein, yesterday, at Otterton, upon the body of a man who was ashore in Lardrom Bay, when the Jury returned a verdict of 'Found Drowned.' The the face was quite destroyed, so that the deceased could not be identified, nor were there any papers found on his person, nor marks on his body or clothes that could lead to any discovery of his name, but as the body appeared to have drifted from the eastward, we supply what facts we could collect, in case they may enable his friends to trace him. The body appeared to be that of young man, about 5 feet 8 inches high, and to have been two or three weeks in the water. From his dress it was inferred he was the captain or mate of a trader; he had on outside a blue Guernsey smock, beneath which were two waistcoats, one of blue cloth, and the other of black silk, and again under two other Guernsey smocks, one blue, the other white, canvas trousers, worsted stockings, and shoes not much worn; the shoes were without strings, small size, and straight, with a double row of small nails on either side, and at the toes. In his pockets was found only single bladed sailor's knife. The upper button of the black silk waistcoat was gilt, containing in the centre, the crown, and under it, a figure of 3, and around, "Dorset Volunteers, Battalion." 

A man buried on 31 Aug 1837

The Western Times reported:

An inquest was held at Otterton in this county, on the 31st of August, before R. H. Aberdeen Esq., Coroner, on the body of a man unknown, who was washed ashore there. The body of the deceased was found on the morning the 30th inst. on the rock, about a mile westward of Lardron Bay, and appeared to be that of a sailor, being dressed in sea boots, blue trousers, a full Jersey frock, and a spotted Jersey frock inside, and a cotton shirt; the flesh was all rubbed off the face and head, leaving the skull quite bare, and the fingers of both hands gone as far as the knuckles. On searching the pockets of the deceased, nothing was found but a clasp knife about nine inches long, with a black handle and a straight blade; there was hole in the end of the handle as usual in most sailors knives for the purpose of running a string through to bring it round the neck. There were no papers or any other thing but the knife found on the body of the deceased which is very much decomposed, and had apparently laid for a long time in the water. The jury returned a verdict of found drowned. 

A man buried on 22 Oct 1876

The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette printed the following letter:

A DEAD BODY FOUND. 

To the Editor of the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. Sir,—During my absence from home a few days ago, the dead body of a young man was discovered lying on the beach between Larderham Bay and the mouth of the river Otter. The face was much decomposed. The only garment on the corpse was a pair of drawers. Lying near, but not on the person of the deceased, were found two pairs of trousers. Information of the discovery was conveyed to the Coroner, who sent an order for the burial of the corpse. In accordance with this order the body was duly buried by my locum tenems, in Otterton churchyard, on Sunday, October 22nd. The Coroner ought to know his own business, and I do not presume to charge him with neglect of duty. But a case like this demands investigation. A life has been lost. The dead body of some young man has been found, with clothes mysteriously lying by it. Surely some efforts should have been made to ascertain the cause of death and to identify the corpse. Possibly investigation might have thrown no light upon the mystery; but it is possible that anxious friends or relatives are inquiring for a lost one, and it seems a duty to draw public attention to the case. I am, sir, your obedient servant, RICHARD WILLIAMS, Otterton Vicarage, Nov. 3rd, 1876.

A man born about 1829 and buried on 23 Jan 1877

The birthdate is estimated from the following article. The Western Times reported:

Dead Body Found. On Friday the body of man, unknown, was found washed ashore on the beach, near Brandy Head, in the parish of Otterton. Information having been given to P.O. Johns, he communicated with P.C. Courtier, and the two hired a boat and proceeded to the spot, where they found the body, which was in such a decomposed state and so frightfully eaten and injured that it was with great difficulty taken on board. It was, however, eventually removed to the King's Arms, Otterton, and an inquest was held by Mr. Coronor Cox, Mr. Samuel Harding being the foreman of the jury. An unusual interest and excitement had been created in consequence of the report that there was a cut across the neck of deceased, which led to the supposition that had met with his death by other than fair means. It transpired also that P.C. Johns had told Mr. Cox so when he went to request him to hold an inquiry. The first witness called was Walter Bastin, mason. He stated that on Friday afternoon last was walking on the beach near Brandy Head when he saw something in the distance which at first sight he took to be a dead sheep, but going close to it he found it to be the body of a man. He did not touch it but went immediately to the chief boatman, but finding he was not home went in quest of P.C. Johns and told him. That was all he knew about it. —P.C. Johns said the deceased had a red flannel around the neck, a red shirt outside and a striped calico shirt inside. There was a worsted stocking and low laced boot on the left leg outside the stocking ; also there was fragment of brown corded trousers. It was supposed that the body could not have been that of a sailor, as the boot, which was a rivetted one, was so heavily hobbed with strong iron scutes at the toe and steel. At this part of the proceedings the Coroner remarked that he was glad see a representative of the Press present, as by means of publicity they might discover who the deceased was. P.C. Courtier corroborated the evidence of the last witness, after which Mr. Cristopher, M.R.C.S., was examined. He stated he had examined the body, and found that there was great disfiguration. The bones of the face were completely bare; most of the teeth were also gone. The integuments were eaten away. The mark in the throat was due also to the same cause. He considered the deceased was about 48 years of age, and about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches in height. This being the whole of the evidence the following verdict was given: "That the deceased was found dead, but by what means he came to his death there is no evidence to show." About one hour after the inquest the body of deceased was taken to the parish yard for burial. The body was carried to the grave by some of the jurymen, the remainder, with a portion of the townspeople, following as mourners, the corpse being preceded by the two members of the County Constabulary.