Elizabeth Smith, born 1819, Orsett

[jonw65]

Yes, Benjamin Smith seems to have been airbrushed out of the picture altogether. With daughter Elizabeth not even knowing his name!

[LizzieL]

If they're the same and age was off in 1841, but correct in 1851, it makes her birth year about 1776. I would expect a first marriage early in 1800s when she was in her twenties. When Elizabeth was born (assuming she was her mother) she would be 43. Sounds possible.

Perhaps she and Benjamin separated acrimoniously then disappeared and she couldn't marry Thomas Bray because she thought Benjamin might still be alive,

[jonw65]

Perhaps she and Benjamin separated acrimoniously then disappeared and she couldn't marry Thomas Bray because she thought Benjamin might still be alive,

I think that could be the likeliest explanation for what's going on here.
But I am still bugged by Enfield!

[LizzieL]

marriage at  Chadwell - Benjamin Smith bach and Rebecca Rush widow on 21 Dec 1818, so looks like George Rush is Sarah's son.
9 Oct 1831, Joseph Groves bach married Rebbeca Rush sp - They were witnesses at Elizabeth's marriage

Found Joseph Groves and Rebecca in 1851
They are living at Blue Anchor West Tilbury, he was born Chadwell abt 1806, She was born Enfield abt 1807, Children Caroline 8 b Chadwell, George 4 b Chadwell and Margaret 1 b Orsett.

So Enfield crops up again. Langley to Enfield seems feasible either via Hertford on the predecessor of the A10 or via Bis Stortford on the old route which runs west of M11. But no M25 to go on to Chadwell then.

Maybe a military connection, Chadwell isn't far from Tilbury Fort. Maybe Mr Rush was in the army, stationed at Tilbury anthat's how the family came to the area.

[LizzieL]

The story so far.......

Rebecca Xxx b abt 1776 Langley
married (John) Rush between 1794 and 1807 somewhere
Had children
Rebecca about 1807 Enfield
George abt 1817 Chadwell
... and maybe others
John Rush died between 1816 and 1818 assuming that George was his and not the result of a relationship long after his death.
married Benjamin Smith (bac) 21 dec 1818
Elizabeth Smith b 1819 bapt 19 dec 1819

Thomas Bray and William Goddard also come from Enfield.

[MacGrigor]

It is very confusing  but yes that summary of the last post I follow. And it appears she never married Mr Bray, probably what we would now call a common-law marriage (I think that's what it's called). And a separation from Benjamin would account for why she reverted to her first married name (if she ever did marry a John Rush).

[LizzieL]

hope I'm not posting this twice - got a couple of error messages when I pushed post
marriage at  Chadwell - Benjamin Smith bach and Rebecca Rush widow on 21 Dec 1818, so looks like George Rush is Sarah's son.
9 Oct 1831, Joseph Groves bach married Rebbeca Rush sp - They were witnesses at Elizabeth's marriage

One of the witnesses to Rebecca Rush jnrs marriage was Samuel Staines. Looking at Samuel in 1851 shows his wife Mary was born Enfield in 1818. Can't find marriage but birth of their youngest child James has mmn Rush.

In 1841 Mary Staines birth year is 1816 likely to be rounded so looks like she's older than she appears in 1851, so could be another child of Rebecca snr.

Think it may have tried to modify yesterdays post rather than quote it and add the extra about Staines family

[MacGrigor]

Curiouser and curiouser  Enfield, Chadwell and Orsett, Hertfordshire, Rush/Smith/Bray/Staines. This is far too complicated for my liking 

[LizzieL]

Samuel Staines married Mary Rush at Chadwell on 30 March 1834, wit Joseph Prentice and Mary Wood