John & Frances CARTER - Burford parish

[Alexander.]

I am trying to progress with my Carter line of ancestry...or trying to. I'll post everything I know so that I don't waste anyone's time.

I have traced back and verified with certs, censuses, etc. to a Catherine Carter who was baptised in 1823 in Burford, Shropshire to parents John Carter and his wife Frances. John and Frances also had a son Benjamin baptised in 1826. I have been able to trace both Catherine and Benjamin. Catherine had two illegitimate sons before her marriage in 1850 to William James. They were William (1841-1903) and Peter (1844-1933), and I've tracked both down through the records.

The trouble comes with Catherine's parents. In the 1841 census, Catherine is living in Gatmore in Nash, Burford parish (HO107/917, book 3, f 4, p 3). I am confident this is the correct Catherine because though the birth certificate of her son William (later in 1841) only states 'Nash' as the birth place, William's baptism notes his mother Catherine Carter of Gatmore. The thing is that in the household are John Carter (45), Margret Carter (30), Catherine (20) plus 4 younger children age 1-10. All except John are shown NOT born in Shropshire.

So assuming this John Carter is Catherine's father, that means that Catherine's mother Frances must have died before his marriage to Margaret. I have not been able to find baptisms for any of John and Margaret's children, or his marriage to Margaret.

The 1851 census doesn't make things simpler (HO107/2040, f 6, p 5). John and Margaret are living in Burford with 6 children, the eldest son being William Carter (11). I think this must be Catherine's son William who was born in 1841, as there is no sign of a William on the 1841 census. So William was actually a grandson not son.

The 1861 and 1871 censuses show John as a widower in Burford, but helpfully both note his birthplace as Caynham, Shropshire.

So I am hoping to find:
(1) A marriage for John Carter and Frances before 1823 - hopefully in the Burford area.
(2) A death/burial for Frances between 1826 and 1835ish 1837 - presumably in or near Burford.
(3) A baptism for John Carter at or near Caynham around 1798.

Many thanks to anyone who took the time to read all of the above. 

Alexander

[horse000]

Hi

Wow! Took a while to get my head round your dilemma, though the info is helpful.

Some of this may or may not be helpful to you...

A John Carter & Margaret Lloyd at Hope Bagot (Close to Nash), mar. 30 Jan 1837. Family Search.

A Frances Carter at Shrewsbury, Sep 1848, died. Free BMD, Vol 18, Page 134.

A Catherine Carter & William James or George Fenton at Ludlow, Sept 1850. Free BMD Vol 18, Page 85.

Regards
Geoff

[Alexander.]

Thanks Geoff for having the patience to read through my dilemma. It was a struggle to get this far back - it took the ordering of several wrong certificates to determine that my ancestor was indeed William Carter, Catherine's son.

I did not have the marriage of John Carter & Margaret Lloyd - though I'd searched FamilySearch many times somehow I missed that one. I think it might be the right one. Its a shame they couldn't have waited 6 more months to get married, because then they would have a marriage cert which could tell us John's father!

I'm not sure about the death you found for Frances Carter. I assumed that she probably died before his marriage to Margaret. But now there's the dilemma that if the 1837 marriage of John & Margaret is correct, then whose daughter was Mary age 5 on the 1841 census? Can't find a baptism for any of the children of John & Margaret except for their son George in 1843 in Burford.

That is the correct marriage for Catherine that you found...I think I have that certificate somewhere. William and Catherine James had one daughter, but sadly Catherine died of TB in 1855.

Thanks,
Alexander

[horse000]

Hi Alexander

Just in case you haven't found Frances' death, this may be helpful:

3 Feb 1834 Frances? Carter, 40, Burford, St Mary.

Regards
Geoff

[Alexander.]

Brilliant, thank you for that Geoff. I never found out what happened to Frances. Knowing that she died in 1834 makes it more likely that the 1837 marriage for John to Margaret Lloyd is the right one.

Many thanks

Alexander