Zoar Chapel Strood

[jeanharris]

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone has the records for the Zoar Chapel Strood.

I was looking for a marriage c 1815 of a William Rolfe to a Martha Topley.

I am begining to think William Rolfe first married a Martha Topley 1802 Rochester,then she died c 1814 and he married another Martha Topley c 1815!

There were two Martha Topleys born about the same time in Rochester!Found this on Cityark!

William and ? the first Martha had their children baptised at All Saints Frindsbury but after 1815 they were baptised at the Zoar Chapel.

On IGI there are two marriages for William Rolfe 1802 and 1815 both to a Martha Topley!
               Thanks Jean.

[casalguidi]

Hi Jean

Prior to 1837, non-conformists had to marry in the parish church (excepting quakers and jews) so I'm afraid you won't find that they married in the Zoar Chapel.

Casalguidi

[jeanharris]

Hi Casalguidi.

Thanks for the info.I spent most of the morning looking for the 1815 marriage on Cityark,I could not find it at All Saints Frindsbury.
                 Jean.

[casalguidi]

Hi Jean

I can't find any reference to an 1815 marriage William ROLFE to Martha in the IGI - can you enlighten us?  If it's the William ROLFE & Martha "about 1815 Frindsbury" with batch number F508494, this is only a guess submitted by a private individual

Children batised to William & Martha ROLFE (can you add to this list?):

Martha 1811 Frindsbury
Mary 1814 Frindsbury
Sarah 1816 Zoar Ind. Strood
John 1818 Zoar Ind. Strood
Abigail 1821 Zoar Ind. Strood
James 1824 Zoar Ind. Strood
Hannah 1828 Part. Baptist Chatham

These baptisms on the IGI look very much to be the following family in the 1841 census (another of your posts) http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,66385.0.html

ref HO107 457-13 folio 42: Wainscott, Frindsbury
William Roffe age 60 ag lab
Martha do age 55
Jane do age 30
Sarah do age 25
Abigail do age 20
Hannah do age 12

1851 says Martha born Dartford (not Rochester)

ref HO107 1609b folio 435: Gun Lane, Strood
Martha Rolfe widow age 67 gardener born Dartford
Jane do dau un age 43 born Frindsbury
Hannah do age 22 born do
William Smeed grandson age 13 born do

 - what is your source for the surname TOPLEY

Who are William SMEED's parents - will they confirm another of this William & Martha's children?

Casalguidi

[Jebber]

The second marriage says Mrs Martha ROLFE, it does not say Martha Topley, since it is a member submission and looks to be purely guesswork on their part, I think you can discount it, just go with the first confirmed marriage.

Jebber

[jeanharris]

Hi Casalguidi and Jebber.

Thanks for your help.Someone on this site contacted me as she was reseaching the Topley family of Kent too.We think we have found our family connection!
I have a Martha Topley baptised 1883 St Margarets Rochester daughter of William Topley and Abigail Topley nee Betts and she had a Henry Topley baptised 1880 to the same parents.

William Topley was baptised 1750 St Margaret's Rochester the son of William and Sarah Topley.

My Martha Topley married William Rolfe 1802 St Nicholas Rochester.He was baptised 1777 Shorne the son of James and Jane Rolfe.

You have found all the baptisims of William and Martha Rolfe's children apart from Jane,who would have been baptised c 1808, I have not found it. Maybe other children before this? But I have not found any,may have died?

William Smeed the grandson was the son of Thomas Smeed and Mary Smeed nee Rolfe(Mary bapt 1814 Frinsbury)

I donnot know why in the 1851 census Martha said she was born in Dartford.
I must have the right Martha as the children's names are family names.

On Cityark for St Margaret's Rochester I have found the Topley family going back to a Matthew Topley who married an Ann Brown in 1717!

Like you I now think the marriage 1815 on IGI is wrong but why did they go from having their children baptised at All Saints Frinsbury to Zoar Chapel?

           Thanks again Jean.