DRAGE Baptism in Barkway c1800

[Richard Knott]

Jemima Evans (nee Drage) consistently gave her date of birth as 1799/1800 (51 in 1851; 61 in 1861; 71 in 1871 and 81 in 1881) except in 1841 where she was 45 (so 45 - 49; although the enumerator may have put 45 for 41-45 in error).

She also always gave her place of birth as Newsells/Barkway in Hertfordshire.

There are two Jemima Drages born in Barkway: one born in 1805 who married William Neighbour 1830; and one (mine) who married George Evans in 1820 at St Martin in the Field.

Jemima does not appear in the 1799 census for Newsells, which fits with the census ages, but there are four Drage familes with small children: William and Mary; William and Ann; Thomas and Mary (the future parents of Jemima b 1805); and Joseph and Ann.

The baptisms of the children of William and Mary; Thomas and Mary; and Joseph and Ann appear on familysearch; but those of William and Ann don't. In fact, in the 1799 census their children are listed as 'not baptised'.

It seems likely that Jemima was the daughter of William and Ann (particularly as two of her first four children were called William and Ann). Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can prove this?

Richard

[[Ray]]

Hi

Can any of the witnesses prove/disprove a connection?

In the 1830 Neighbour/Drage marriage, one of the witnesses is "Ann Drage"
Another maybe if "Elizabeth Timms", or "Daniel Springthorp" are related to that Drage line

In the 1820 "Thomas Arrowsmth" and "Ruth Arrowsmith" similarly.

R

[Richard Knott]

Thanks, yes. I have already followed up Thomas/Ruth Arrowsmith and they appear not to be related. The 1830 marriage is of a cousin, so less likely to be relevant.

Jemima Evans had over forty years as a widow, many of those with young children, so plenty of time for a post-1837 marriage which would probably have given her father; but she chose not to: the pension from the East India Company probably helped!

Richard

[YonksAgo]

I'm curious as to whether Jemima Drage might be related to Jane Drage who married in the same parish. I'm still checking that out, but I  found a likely baptism for Jemima:
2 May 1818 - age 18, living at Grosvenor Streeet, St George Hanover Square. Parents William and Ann.

[Richard Knott]

Thanks. I had seen that since my 2011 post, but well spotted. It's curious that none of their other children appear to have been baptised (and that Jemima was eighteen if it was the same Jemima).

I have no evidence that Jane was a relation. Jemima did have a cousin called Jane, but she was baptised in 1823 so isn't the same person.

Richard

[LizzieL]

My OH has an ancestor who was not baptised as a baby by his parents and got himself baptised as an adult shortly before his marriage. He went to a parish some distance from his home parish and also that where he was to get married for the baptism, so it may have been an attempt not to draw attention to the fact he had not been baptised previously.
So it is not unreasonable that your Jemima wanted to get baptised at age 18 when of an age to make her own decisions.