John Piercy 1724 - 1780 How do I go about finding a possible First Marriage?

[Wiggy]

You'd think I would know by now . . .  but I am quite perplexed.       What's new then?   

I have a John* Piercy/Piersey born 1724 to William and Elizabeth Piercy in Bridstowe, Devon.  This couple also had William, Thomas, Roger, (John*), Elizabeth and Rachel.

I also have John* Piercy marrying Mary Thomas in 1776 in Lamerton - not too far away I think.

 - that seems a long time to wait to get married - he'd have been 52. 

- they only had three children, all born Lamerton,   William, John and Thomas - -  I think I have the right man's death in 1780 - so it is possible/it fits.    The death was in Lamerton.  I haven't yet found Mary's death.

I pretty certain this is a correct partnership as the family names seem correct on the records I've managed to trace.  I've found baptism records for all these offspring, and marriage records for William and Elizabeth, and John and Mary.

(His child, John married Elizabeth Roberts and they had my GGgrandfather, Roger)

I am wondering how to find out if John* Piercy first mentioned was previously married - have found several possibles but not in the right town. Without children to trace back by, I don't know how to whittle the possibles down.

Any help gratefully received.   

Lots of John Piercy/Pearce/Pearse/Piersey in Devon

Wiggy   

[ColC]

Not an easy name to research so many possible variations, there are a number of marriages with a near correct spelling but quite distant from the area, the only one of merit I could find did have the name spelt correctly.

John Piercy m Elizabeth Medland 29 Apr 1761 Inwardleigh.

Colin

[Wiggy]

Thank you Colin - I did find three others - but the Elizabeth concerned would have been a bit long in the tooth to be still having children in 1777,78,80.

I will chase that one up and see what I can find.

I had a look at some Ancestry trees to see if I could get a lead - but none of them help - they all have what I have found - except that they don't have John Piercy jun's date of birth right (I have the Parish record) - and all of them seem to have copied from one another - and they have it 10 years out - maybe the first one made a typo which everyone else copied.  There are several other glaring errors - so I am not going to look there any more.   

Wiggy