Towel / Low Mystery

[DaveT]

I have a direct ancestor a Matthew Towel who I easily found in the census apart from 1841 until someone on Rootschat found him as Low.  Correct address wife children etc.
Tracking his children was easy till the 1881 census when they disappeared.  I then decided to search for the surname Low and hey presto found them all.  One of the children, William and his family were down as Low yet his children are on the BMD as Towel. 
Another child John kept the Towel name but his children changed to Low and married under that surname.

Any ideas what's going on?   Matthew can't be found in the parish registers where he said he was born on the census as other people on Rootschat have tried.

Any advice much welcome

Regards
Dave

[GeoffE]

IGI has (batch C030871 North Thoresby)

Baptism 14 Feb 1799
Matthew LION, son of Mary

This was apparently the only Matthew bap there 1790-1810 (of 255 baptisms)

I wonder if his mother later married a LOW (or a TOWELL)?

The only TOWELL/LION/LOW burial I can see at North Thoresby in the period 1813-60 is

31 Oct 1836 Mary TOWELL aged 76

The only TOWELL bap in the Nth Thoresby batch was 1793, Elizabeth, dau of Mary.

Just a few random jottings really, no idea if anything links.  Once people start changing names it gets a bit tricky

[linclinks]

Matthew and Elizabeth Kingswood settled in Ludford and they are both buried there.

A Mary Towel married a John Low in Louth in 1771

A John Low is buried in Ludford in 1819 age 80 and a Mary Low in 1818 age 94

This info probably nothing to do with anything..........

Jacky

[Richard Knott]

He was calling himself Towell in 1831-35 as the IGI has baptisms for three of the children.
Richard

[DaveT]

Thanks to all for their comments.
Matthew married, had children and died as a Towel as did his wife.  The only time he appeared as Low was on the 1841 census.  His children had different ideas, some changed some didn't.
Jackys comment on a Mary Towel and John Low looks good.  I can't find that many Lows around Ludford apart from mine.
The mystery continues....
Dave

[hadenmaiden]

My in laws have a link to Towel's baesd in Brotherton area. Interestingly all the males have a middle name beginning with M.  Sorry I don't know this one, but if you have a Hepsibah I'd be interested to hear about her!!