Richard BESS 1779 Ottery St Mary, Mystery

[joolesbarr]

Can anyone help.
I am confused over a date for a marriage for my ancestor Richard Bess.
He was born 21 Sept 1779 in Ottery St Mary, Devon his parents were John Bess B1751 Ottery and Mary Solamon B1756 Ottery.
I have found a couple of trees (including the familysearch website)  that says Richard Married Bridgett Gale B1779  Ottery,  in Exeter, Devon in 1793!! This would of made them both 14!! Their first child was called Richard Bess and was born 1796 Ottery St Mary.
Surely this info is wrong somewhere, did people marry that young back then, why if they both came from Ottery did they marry in Exeter, can anyone unravel this problem or at least give me pointers. Unfortunately their last child George Richard was born in 1819 so I can't even get a birth certificate to check the mothers maiden name.
Thank you in advance for any help or advice
Jooles

[Vixen60]

Hello Jooles

This is part of my family too.  While there is a Richard Bess shown in the transcripts as

" 1779 Richard Bess  son of John and Mary Bess born 21st Sept last bap 27th Dec"  ,

I don't think this can be the one who married Bridget as he is at least 80 in the 41 census and Bridget is 70.  This would put Richard's birthdate between 1757 and 1761.

Bess family baptisms recorded in the transcripts that I can find at that period are to Simon and Elizabeth nee Walrond.

Simon in 1757
William in 1760
Elizabeth in 1765
The igi also has a Joan bap in 1766

Simon and Elizabeth married in March 1749

Slightly earlier are the children of Richard and Ann nee Anning who married  about 13/7/1746

Their children were

(probably) Bass Edward s of Richard and Anne b 27/4/1746 (or possibly 1747)  bp 8/6  (Edward was Richard's father)
Bess Mary 1749
Bess John 1751
Bess Ann 1753


So either of these families could have had Richard in the late 50s.

Richard and Simon were brothers so either one of them could have called his son Richard after his grandfather.

That also begs the question as to whether he might have been the son of another brother/cousin.

It would be very useful if we had a will or two!!

He did call his second son Richard and Simon came a long way down as 5th son, so it is likely that Richard was his father.  I can't see any other James in the Bess family before his eldest son - perhaps it was a Gale name.

I transcribed these from the Registers of Births Marriages and Deaths of Ottery St Mary transcribed by H Tapley Soper.

I could find no trace of  Gale family births in my notes until later.  Looking at the igi there are quite a lot of Gales in the surrounding villages.

Looking further, we know that Richard and Bridget baptised their earlier children at Harpford and there was a Thomas and Grace Best with a family in the 1750s at Harpford
Thomasin 1757
Alice 1750
They also baptised three children at Venn Ottery; 2 x Thomas and a James (Bess)

and we know from the igi that Richard variously was recorded as Best for the baptisms of his children, William,  Elizabeth and Sarah at Harpford.

Incidental information
Richard Bess and Bridget Gale were among the witnesses to the marriage of Francis Bastone and Sarah Gale in 1791 in Ottery St Mary.

You have made me rethink my tree.  I am quite intrigued by the Thomas Best line.  It looks as if he married a Grace Preston in Woodbury but there seem to be no Richards or Simons in his family but there is a James who might have been Richard's brother.

I hope this isn't too confusing and it helps a little.

Regards
Barbara

[joolesbarr]

Thank you so much for your information and time - I was thrilled. I have printed a copy and will see if I can add something into my tree.
Thank you again