Elizabeth Harriet Message - updated

[kerryb]

Elizabeth was born 1822 and in 1840 married my 3 x gr grandfather John Funnell in Herstmonceux.

Until this morning I believed that as I was told she was the daughter of Elizabeth Message and Richard Burgess.  The bit that always niggled me was that a) Elizabeth Message was baptised 1797, so was quite elderly when she had Elizabeth Harriet.  Also Elizabeth Harriet married twice and first marriage certificate has Richard MESSAGE as her father and the second doesn't put one at all.  Also other niggle if her parents were married (1812 according to SMI) why was she named Message and not Burgess??

Anyway this morning because I've never found her baptism by conventional means I thought I would check out bmdregisters.co.uk     There it was   Elizabeth Harriet Message baptised 1 April 1823 at Heathfield Independent daughter of  _______ and Hannah Message of Warbleton.  ie she was illegitimate.

I have searched a2a, ancestry, familyhistoryonline, IGI and I cannot find any records for Hannah anywhere.  No birth, baptism, marriage or burial. 

I don't think it fits that she is the Elizabeth as above.  The baptism record obviously couldn't be found by previous searchers and that rules out Elizabeth married to Richard Burgess doesn't it??

I'm stuck now, does anyone have an ideas as to where I can go now.

Kerry

[indiapaleale]

Hi Kerry 

On the 1851 census, there is a Hannah Message in Herstmonceux....she is 40 years old and says she's a widow and born in Warbleton......she is working for John Cott.

Maybe is is telling pokies about her status as a widow?

What do you thinK?

Indi

[kerryb]

That's interesting! That one didn't come up when I searched the first time probably because I put a more restrictive age range in.  I wonder if they got her age wrong. 

It says she was born 1781 which would make her 41 when Elizabeth was born.   Hmmm possible just. 

I'll check the SMI and see if I can find a marriage that would fit her.

Thanks Indi

[indiapaleale]

Oh dear,

She is on the 1861 - spelled Messaze - and is now 80 years old and the sister of John Cott (Cutt)...Hmmmmm.
They are in Warbleton and there is a granddaughter named Caroline Funner, aged 4. ring any bells?

[kerryb]

Well that's a funny one!

That could well be her!  She would probably have been born in Warbleton and this one appears to say unmarried I think.

The funny bit is that the 4 year old child could have been Caroline Funnell, her granddaughter born in Wartling to John Funnell and Elizabeth Harriet Message, if she wasn't already appearing on the census return with her parents in Warbleton 

Kerry

[indiapaleale]

Ah Ha......

I think we have solved it.......!

Now...if I could just find her in 1841...but can't find anyone named Message anywhere in Sussex!.......Darn it

[kerryb]

Now I've found a death that fits with her on findmypast

Hannah Message age 88 died Dec 1868

On the Sussex Marriage Index there is a Richard Message who married a Hannah Oliver in 1803

So I now need to either connect the Hannah above as her or not whichever the case may be.

thanks Indi you got me on the right track again!

Kerry

[kerryb]

I've found the 1841 for Hannah again on findmypast

HO107 1105 12/17 2

Again with John Catt in Herstmonceux this time!

Kerry

[kerryb]

On Ancestry 1841 she is down as Hannah Page! 

Kerry