I am trying to progress with my Carter line of ancestry...or trying to. I'll post everything I know so that I don't waste anyone's time.
I have traced back and verified with certs, censuses, etc. to a Catherine Carter who was baptised in 1823 in Burford, Shropshire to parents John Carter and his wife Frances. John and Frances also had a son Benjamin baptised in 1826. I have been able to trace both Catherine and Benjamin. Catherine had two illegitimate sons before her marriage in 1850 to William James. They were William (1841-1903) and Peter (1844-1933), and I've tracked both down through the records.
The trouble comes with Catherine's parents. In the 1841 census, Catherine is living in Gatmore in Nash, Burford parish (HO107/917, book 3, f 4, p 3). I am confident this is the correct Catherine because though the birth certificate of her son William (later in 1841) only states 'Nash' as the birth place, William's baptism notes his mother Catherine Carter of Gatmore. The thing is that in the household are John Carter (45), Margret Carter (30), Catherine (20) plus 4 younger children age 1-10. All except John are shown NOT born in Shropshire.
So assuming this John Carter is Catherine's father, that means that Catherine's mother Frances must have died before his marriage to Margaret. I have not been able to find baptisms for any of John and Margaret's children, or his marriage to Margaret.
The 1851 census doesn't make things simpler (HO107/2040, f 6, p 5). John and Margaret are living in Burford with 6 children, the eldest son being William Carter (11). I think this must be Catherine's son William who was born in 1841, as there is no sign of a William on the 1841 census. So William was actually a grandson not son.
The 1861 and 1871 censuses show John as a widower in Burford, but helpfully both note his birthplace as Caynham, Shropshire.
So I am hoping to find:
(1) A marriage for John Carter and Frances before 1823 - hopefully in the Burford area.
(2) A death/burial for Frances between 1826 and
1835ish 1837 - presumably in or near Burford.
(3) A baptism for John Carter at or near Caynham around 1798.
Many thanks to anyone who took the time to read all of the above.
Alexander