Fooks of Symondsbury

[Aussie Roy]

 Can someone help me sort out the enormous number of Fooks in Dorsetshire ? My ancestor Christopher Hussey (1803-1837) was baptised as the illegitimate son of Mary Hussey (1783-1843) Mary married Robert Fooks (1779-1857) in 1805 but had known him for some time as she was present at the wedding of John Fooks ? to Joan Payne ? in 1802 along with Robert and Charles Fooks ?. Therefore in my family tree I count Robert Fooks as the possible/probable father of Christopher Hussey and seek his ancestry. I have as his father Robert Fooks (1749-1827) and mother Betty Yard baptised 1762, married 1773. The banns give his father as John V.----- ?  Betty Yard has parents William and Hannah which I can't find.  Any help appreciated Roy

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Roy,
Source: Somerset & Dorset Family History Society - www.sdfhs.org
St John the Baptist, Symondsbury, Dorset, Burials:-
18/03/1816, FOOKS, Betty, aged 76
17/09/1827, FOOKS, Robert, aged 77
01/07/1843, FOOKS, Mary, aged 62
Victor

[Paco]

Not sure if this will help or not!
All are in Symondsbury; William Hussey married Ann Fooks 15/2/1776-possibly Mary's parents-she as you say was born in 1783.
Also as you say Mary Hussey married Robert Fooks 1805-children which you probably know are; Elizabeth 1807;Ann 1808;Thomas 1810;John 1812;Martha 1814;Eliza 1818;Harriett 1820 and Mary 1822.
Robert Fookes married Betty Yard as you say in 1773 swiftly followed by the birth of John 13/12/1773; also William 1782-couldn't find any between these dates. Betty seems to have been born 27/6/1762 , which makes her age at 11 years when she gave birth to her son, so perhaps something a bit wrong with the dates on line.
John Fookes married as you say Joan Payne 4/11/1802-Joan was from Chideock.
Charles Fookes married Ann Oxenbury 11/8/1772;children Charles 1773;Martha 1776 and Robert 1782.
It is possible that John, Charles and the Robert who married Mary are all brothers, but I can't prove that.
regards.

[Aussie Roy]

Thanks Victor and Paco for your input.

Betty seems to have been born 27/6/1762 , which makes her age at 11 years when she gave birth to her son, so perhaps something a bit wrong with the dates on line.  I have that but 1762 is a baptism date. My problem is the repetition of names and the movement of some to Somerset and Devon, even Kent. Somewhat confusing. I used to use LDS Family search.org a lot but  that site has changed and I go round in circles clicking this that and the other and not getting to the records at all

[Aussie Roy]

I'm starting again from Mary Hussey's marriage. Did she marry Robert, son of Robert & Betty ? or son of Robert & Mary or son of Charles & Ann ?

[Paco]

Mary Hussey was the daughter of Samuel and Ann according to Dorset Family History Society, baptised 4/8/1783, so you can disregard my suggestion that she might be the daughter of William and Ann Hussey.
On the FreeREG site the marriage of Betty Yard and Robert Fooks 16/2/1773 states that Robert's father was John Fooks.
At the marriage of Mary Hussey and Robert Fooks 9/7/1805 the witnesses are Thomas Fooks and Charles Fooks, so it is only a guess but I think Robert must be the son of Robert and Betty with her Uncle Charles as one of the witnesses.
I don't know if you have found them later in census records where you might be able to sort their ages out-the 1841 doesn't give accurate years of birth because they are rounded up.
regards.