RootsChat.Com

Trish
Thanks for that marriage record, for some reason it is not in the IGI transcript.

Mike
I've had little joy in finding info on the family except that James is later described as of independent means. His surviving son (by his second wife) was a baker in Husborne Crawley. I know there are others of the same surname in the Newport Pagnell area but have not managed to (yet) find any connection and Bucks archives lacks any relevant wills.

Mary's will provides a clue as to why her brother Daniel (1736) doesn't feature in the Wollaston PRs. Assuming he remained in Stafford after she wrote it, it would seem that he belatedly married there and was buried there. Both at Stafford St Mary

married to Mary Barnit 17 March 1793 and buried there 17 Jan 1803

Mary was buried 3 May 1812 and there is a PCC will for her but not Daniel

The only relevant reference in Staffs Archives online catalogue relates to the surrendering of a mortgage in 1799

The 1736 will of Samuel Charlton names his eldest son Samuel, of Harrold, and his youngest Daniel, of Wollaston, as his executors. Dated 15 October 1735

To Samuel his heirs and assignees receive tenements, arable land and premises in Stopsley and Cowbridge (Luton)
To Daniel his heirs and assignees cottage, tenements, and arable land in Marston
various other bequests split between them

To sister (Elizabeth) Hartwell of Cranfield £5
To kinswoman Sarah, wife of Robert Wills of Newport Pagnell, £5
To my son (in law) and daughter Thomas Blotfod (?) and Mary Blotfod 1s apiece
And a request to be buried in Harrold churchyard
 
That ties things together nicely and shows the problems of people meandering around 3 adjoining counties even within a small area!

My ancestor James SMITH died in Bedford 17 Jan 1845, married in Kempston 1810, lived in Eversholt ca 1813 to 1838 and moved to Bedford by June 1841

Since his eldest 5 children were baptised at Westoning Baptist Chapel between 1813 and 1818 I assume that James (and his wife Ann CHARLTON) were non-conformists.

How many non-conformist chapels were there in Bedfordshire in the 1780s?

I can locate one possible baptism for James at Bedford Old Meeting House Independent
James born 29 April 1785 son of John & Elizabeth

Would this be a likely location if the family came from Eversholt?

I've just discovered that Bucks Archives has a will for Samuel Charlton on Olney from 1736!