Esther Evans widows born c1787 Winscombe

[smudwhisk]

I'm trying to ascertain the identity of Esther/Hester Evans born c1787 at Winscombe according to the 1851 Census and mother of Sarah Evans who married John Crow at Bristol St Peter in 1840.  The extracted entry of her daughter's marriage on Familysearch does not, unlike many, give the father's name.

I can find only one Hester/Esther baptised at Winscombe within a year or two of 1787, Hester Hemens daughter of George and Maria.  Her sister Elenor married at Bedminster in 1810 and sister Temperance at Bristol St Philip & St Jacob in 1817 so there are links to the Bristol area (albeit Winscombe isn't far anyway).  George and Mariah disappear out of Winscombe anyway so may well have moved to the Bristol area with their children.

Sarah Crow nee Evans lists her birthplace on the 1851 Census as Bristol St Philip and there is a Sally Evans baptised to a James and Hester Evans on 21 March 1819 at Bristol St Philip.  There are a number of other children to James and Hester so I'm not sure its the same family because Esther is with the Crows in 1851 as a widow and if there had been other surviving children you would have thought one or other may have been with her.  The last child to James and Hester was baptised in 1832.  Sarah Evans had a daughter Sarah born c1837 who is with her and John Crow as Sarah Evans on the 1841 Census and Sarah Crow on the 1851 Census.  Later in 1851 the family moved to London.

I've checked the Post 1754 Somerset Marriage Index but the only marriage I've been able to find is an Esther Harding to James Evans 25 August 1818 at Bristol St Michael.  I'm wondering whether she may have been a widow as if it is the correct Esther/Hester Evans she would have been 30 by then as per the Census. 

If anyone is able to help with the marital status of Esther Harding on the 1818 marriage I'd be grateful.  It could well be a red herring.  Interestingly Hester Hemens did have an Aunt who married a Harding but I've not found a Hester/Esther to them and they moved to Banwell and then Blackford/Mark after the baptism of their first child in 1778 so I don't think she would be their child.

I know I could purchase the 1840 marriage certificate but am somewhat uninclined to do so because it is a very distant sideline and very tenuous.

Thanks

Nicola

[groom]

Have you considered that if there is no father on Sarah's marriage certificate, Esther may never have married? Even if she gives herself as a widow on the 1851 census, that may only be for respectability.

[smudwhisk]

True groom but the transcription doesn't have a father for either so I suspect its one of Familysearch's where they haven't transcribed those details but obviously only seeing the original entry would confirm this.  In any case even if she wasn't a widow, Ester would have given herself a new surname as there is no Esther Evans in Winscombe. Definitely not impossible I accept but I still would have expected some baptism somewhere, unless a fictitious father was added to that too.   The Somerset parish registers are on Ancestry and I have the BAFHS Baptism transcripts for the Bristol area (just not the marriages or burials) and the Sally Evans baptism is the only one I can find.

[Sue15]

Hi
I am going to Bristol record office tomorrow if you want me to do a few lookups

kind wishes

Sue

You will need to let me know by 10pm this evening as I will go out early tomorrow

[smudwhisk]

Hi Sue, thank you so much for your kind offer.  Unfortunately I've not been on RC much today as been getting my central heating fixed so I've missed 10pm.   Oh well, many thanks anyway, I do appreciate the offer.

[Sue15]

Hello
I took some of the details with me to the record office this morning in case you missed my comment yesterday. It was short notice but as I was going to Bristol for another rootschat member I decided to check out if anyone had any queries I could attend to at the archives.

James Evans married Esther Harding on 25 August 1818. She was described as a Spinster. James signed the register but Esther made her mark. Sarah Haynes was the witness and they married by Banns

Sarah Evans married John Crow at St Peters Church Bristol on 25 December 1840 by Banns. Sarah was described as a Spinster and John as a Batchelor. He was shown as a "Smith" and residing at Jacob Street Bristol. Both Father's were deceased. They were described as "Full age" and married by Banns. Witnesses were Jeremiah Garnett and Maria Brooks.

best wishes

Sue

[smudwhisk]

Very many thanks Sue, the lookups are much appreciated.   Very annoying when they just wrote deceased in the father's name section but I've seen it quite a few times.