Thank you all for your help and particularly to John for all the information from Stagsden ect. I wonder if you mind if I ask your guidance/help for a couple of ideas I have ‘running around.
I was particularly drawn to look at James Cave marriage to Mary Pickering as, potentially, his mother Elizabeth was nee Pickering.
William Cave and Elizabeth Pickering married 1746/47 in Biddenham both of Stagsden
William was baptised in 1721 at Biddenham, Elizabeth Pickering baptised in 1723 at Stagsden
Both William and Elizabeth were buried in Wotton in 1786 and 1787 (where their children were christened)
William and Elizabeth Cave had three sons, two who may have married in Stagsden;
(My) John baptised 1748 in Wootton married about 1769 to Mary Unknown
William baptised 1761 in Wootton married 1783 to Jane Handscome (he was buried the next year in Stagsden).
I have not found any children, burial or remarriage for Jane.
William and Elizabeth’s youngest son James Cave was baptised 1763 in Woottton.
Did James marry in Sept 1798 Stagsden to Mary Pickering? Was she related to his mother Elizabeth nee Pickering?
I have not found any children for James and Mary but did find a Army Pension record for James Caves born 1765 in Wooton, Bedford, which could link Wootton to Stagsden.
James Caves by trade a Labourer aged 33 served 13 years 3 months. Discharged at London 19 May 1798. James Caves made his mark (X) (attested 1785 aged 19/20)
James may have served a second period of 51 days from 25 Dec 1802 to 14 Feb 1803 was 51 in Royal Garrison Battalion before being discharged as unfit for service. (According to TNA there appears to be a third record for James which is not on FindMyPast which they are investigating)
There is a burial in Stagsden in 1801 for John Caves no age given on NBI which may have been for an unbaptised son but also may have been for his brother John baptised in 1748 at Wotton which would ’muddy my puddle’. I have also found a reference to a Joseph Cave registering his home in Wooton as a baptist meeting house perhaps as early as 1826 which raises the MC problem!
If James Caves left the army in May 1798 and returned home he may have married later that year to Mary Pickering (a family member?).
Mary Pickering may have been buried as Mary CAVES Birth year 1776 Age 48 Buried 2 Sep 1824 at Stagsden
James does not seem to be buried at Stagsden but there is a Cave burial at Goldington, Beds
James CAVES born 1761 age 64 was buried 1 May 1825 at St Mary the Virgin Goldington, Beds
There are no Caves in Goldington but there were a couple of Mary Pickerings!
