Hi guys, I'm new to the forums and need advice with my Bodman research.
I received a GED file from a GR contact, unfortunately he can't remember the author and I wonder if I should accept the information as presented.
Here is the branch I'm interested in...
1 George Bodman b: 06 Mar 1820 d: Jul 1896
+ Jane Eliza Watts b: 08 Apr 1818 m: 21 Aug 1838 d: 15 Jan 1892
..2 John Watts Bodman b: 03 Jun 1839
..+ Sarah Hobbs
...3 [1] Herbert William Bodman b: 1866 London Middlesex England
...+ [2] Ester Sophie Bodman b: 1865 Devizes Wiltshire England m: 26 Sept 1891 West End Sth Brisbane QLD Australia
..2 Job Bodman b: 07 May 1844
..+ Esther Shipton b: 1846 m: 28 Jan 1864
...3 [2] Ester Sophie Bodman b: 1865 Devizes Wiltshire England
...+ [1] Herbert William Bodman b: 1866 London Middlesex England m: 26 Sept 1891 West End Sth Brisbane QLD Australia
(Cousins Herbert and Ester emigrated to Australia, in 1884 and 1889 respectively, where they married).
By the dates provided, I'm certain that George Bodman and Jane Eliza Watts, and John Watts Bodman and Sarah Hobbs are my Gtx2 Grandparents and Gt Grandparents respectively (my Grandfather was Nelson Hobbs Bodman).
I found a marriage index entry for Job Bodman (Devizes/Q1/1864/5a/137 - Ancestry Beta) and the certificate has these details...
28 Jan 1864: Poulshot, Devizes Wiltshire
Name: Age: Condition: Profession: Residence: Father/Profession
Job Bodman: 19: Bachelor: Tradesman: Poulshot: George Bodman/Tradesman
Esther Shipton: Full: Spinster: - : Poulshot: John Shipton/Waiter
Witnesses: George Bodman and Martha Shipton
This is the census trail for Job Bodman...
JOBE Bodman/1851/HO107/1842/165/10
Job RODMAN/1861/RG9/1912/89/3
Job Bodman/1871/RG10/414/24/42
Job Bodman/1881/RG11/1309/14/21
Job Bodman/1891/RG12/241/74/1
Job Bodman/1901/RG13/944/32/10
I think this is a likely candidate for Job's wife...
Esther Shipton/1851/HO107/1654/357/25
Esther Shipton/1861/RG9/37/59/19
I found a birth entry for Job and Esther's daughter, Ester Sophie Bodman, under Esther Sophy Bodman (Melksham/Q4/1864/5a/91) and the birth certificate has these details...
Born: 01 Sept 1864. Registered: 03 Oct 1864
Where: Martins Slade, Seend, Melksham, Wiltshire
Father: Job Bodman. Occupation: Shoe Maker
Mother: Esther Bodman. Formerly Shipton
Residence: Martins Slade, Seend, Melksham, Wiltshire
The thing is, there's no evidence of an Esther Sophy Bodman from Seend in Job's census trail. Could it be that daughter Sophia in the 1871 census is Esther Sophy, and her place of birth has accidentally been dittoed the same as the mother?
To further confuse the issue, Job's father George Bodman 1871/RG10/1913/18/3 has a granddaughter Julia Bodman age 2 born Seend. I have browsed the 1851/61/71 census images for Seend, and can find no Bodmans at all. I get the impression that after marrying in Poulshot, Job and Esther spent a few years in Seend, between the 1861/71 censuses, before moving to London.
Thanks for any help unconfusing me.
