Hi
I'm hoping someone here can help me resolve a puzzle and identify the christening of my ancestor Mary Ashdowne.
Mary Ashdowne married Willam Ovenden in Rotherfield on 24 Apr 1683. As far as I know they only had two children:
William Ovenden - chr 14 Feb 1683 Rotherfield [my ancestor]
Elizabeth Ovenden - chr 27 May 1688 Rotherfield
William Ovenden [senior] died in 1690 leaving a Will. He appointed his brother John Ovenden and his brother in law William Ashdown as Executors. He appointed his uncle Joseph Moon and father in law William Ashdowne as overseers.
This suggests that his wife Mary was the daughter of a William Ashdowne, and that she had a brother named William - both of whom were still alive when the Will was written.
Given that Mary and William were married in 1683 it seems likely that Mary was born in the 1660s. However I have so far not found a Mary Ashdowne who is the daughter of a William Ashdown and who has a brother named William.
The only Marys I have found so far as follows:
Mary Ashdowne - chr 10 May 1663 Rotherfield - d of John Ashdwne
Mary Ashdowne - chr 17 Sep 1665 Rotherfield - d of John and Mary Ashdowne [possibly the same parents as in the previous case]
As regards William, there is a William and Mary Ashdowne having children in Rotherfield in the 1660s and 1670s who have a son named Willliam.
William Ashdowne - chr 1 Jul 1666 Rotherfield - son of William and Mary Ashdowne
The problem is that this appears to be the only William Ashdowne who had a son named William in the right time period, however I can't see any christening for a daughter named Mary associated with this family. Given that William Ashdown [senior] was married to a woman named Mary I suspect he would have named a daughter Mary. Interestingly there is a gap of about 7 years between the christening of William and the next child I have found [Elizabeth Ashdowne chr 21 Sep 1673 Rotherfield] so Mary could have been born between 1666 and 1670.
Any ideas welcomed.
Many Thanks
Matt
