COMPLETED Dunton PR lookup- marriage LEONARD/BROWN

[bedfordshire boy]

There's a member submission on the IGI for a marriage at Dunton on 18 Nov 1779 between Thomas Brown and Elizabeth LEONARD

If someone has access to the transcript I'd be grateful to know if this marriage is real, or figments of three LDS members' imaginations, and if real, if both were otp

Many thanks

David

[johnP-bedford]

Good morning David,

While your waiting; from the MIs for St Mary's, Dunton  surveyed in 1914 & transcribed by the Beds FHS in 2003....

Sacred to memory of Thomas Brown who departed this life 27th September 1824 aged 67 years .................

In memory of Elizabeth Brown relict of Thomas Brown, late of Lodge Farm in this parish, who died September 10th 1833 aged 70 years whom Almighty God blessed with 14 children ..........

Ther are loads of other Browns that departed this life recorded, but this is the closest combination of a Thoms & Elizabeth that fit your couple.


regards John

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks John - you've got the right couple, and the 14 children bit clinches it. Just trying to prove which of two Thomas' he might have been

Regards

David

[johnP-bedford]

The IGI has Thomas Browne, son of Henry & Sarah, baptised at Dunton, on 30 March 1757.

If the MI data is accurate (perhaps it's not) then Elizabeth married at age 16.
Perhaps she's the Elizabeth Leonard baptised Shillington on 5 Jan 1758 daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth.

[bedfordshire boy]

I'm looking at a tree on another board where the Thomas was allegedly born in Roxton, where there's also a baptism on the IGI. But when there's a Thomas in the same village who also fits (the one you found) I'd go for the local boy every time

David

[StevenG]

I did a fair bit of work on the BROWNs of Dunton some years ago.  My notes have got all sorts of bits added, so I must have extracted them from the Parish Register, but, to be honest, I no longer remember having done it!

Anyway, I have the marriage in my notes, so I'm pretty certain that the user sub is completely accurate.

There seem to be two relevant Thomas Browns.
Thomas, bapt 30 Mar 1757, to Henry and Sarah
Thomas, bapt 16 Jun 1759 to William and Lucy (nee Peck)

I have a burial for Henry Brown, farmer, 21 Oct 1784, and ...
I have a burial for William Brown, farmer, 15 Mar 1777, and ...
I have recorded that both these gentlemen left wills.  So, if somebody wants to look at the wills on a visit to the Record Office, that may clarify some things.  It looks as if William died too early to be much use, though.

There are two marriages,
Thomas Brown to Elizabeth Leonard, and ...
Thomas Brown to Mary SAUNDERSON at Biggleswade (not Dunton), 27 Nov 1778 (two of my Saunderson family married Dunton Browns, which is why I did this work).

Henry and Sarah Brown seems to have had a short stay in Dunton, over about three years.  It's quite possible that they weren't resident, but were baptising in Henry's home village.  Given this, I think it quite plausible that the OP (whose posts elsewhere I have read!) does have it correct, assuming of course, that he can corroborate the Roxton connection.

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks Steven. I too think it's likely that it was the Roxton Thomas Brown, if only because the OP doesn't seem to know that Colsden/Colesden is a hamlet of Roxton, nor does he have the Roxton baptism, so it doesn't seem to be an invention. He mentioned somewhere about a family bible, and I suspect that's where much of his information came from.

Feel free to add your two penn'orth to the other board!

David

[johnP-bedford]

David,   as to your original lookup request

From the Dunton PR marriages, this entry does exist, Thomas Brown, bach to Elizabeth Leonard, spin on 18 Nov 1779, both of Dunton. So no additional info.

The Thomas Brown married at Biggleswade to Mary Saunderson on 27 Nov 1778 states he was from Dunton.

Also looked at Roxton PR & marriage licences

If it is the Thomas Brown baptised Roxton 3 Apr 1757 son of Thomas & Mary, they also had daughter Mary baptised there on 9 Oct 1763.

Marriage licence entry dated 17 Oct 1785 for Mary Brown, daughter of Thomas of Colesden in Roxton, minor;  to John West, cordwainer of Sutton, aged 21 upwards; John Smith Innholder of Bedford stood surety. The marriage was at Roxton on 21 Oct 1785.  Another entry has Thomas Brown of Colesden in Roxton also standing surety for the same couple.

If Mary was a minor, that's why there was this licence, then can it be be the Mary daughter of Thomas & Mary, baptised 1763 as she would be aged 22 at time of her marriage & not a minor.   

regards John

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi John

Thanks a lot for checking these - the Biggleswade marriage is interesting. Thomas from Dunton marries in Biggleswade; Thomas from Roxton may have married in Dunton!

Back to school tomorrow, so we had a few days camping in Spain

All the best

David