robert hales

[Ruskie]

There is a tree on Familysearch which takes some of Sophia’s family lines back to the 1500s.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/LHJL-B7S
(You will need to make a free account to view the record)

It is odd that this tree has not included a husband for her. Trees found on the internet always need to be checked for accuracy, but as this is not your family and you are not necessarily looking for accuracy, it is just for interest.

[Ruskie]

On Familysearch I found the family in 1851 with ten children. Miles is 22. Sophia is 43. I don’t know what to make of the anomaly in her predicted year of birth.

The other tree has a link to a parish record with an 1814 baptism for Sophia. Curious.

What exactly is the wording in the Bible regarding Sophia’s birth date? Does it say what her parent’s names are?

Generally I would be looking for an earlier birth of a daughter called Sophia because if a daughter dies, it is common that the next daughter, perhaps born only a year or two later, is named after the dead child. There are often families with very similar names living in the same small areas baptising children with the same names at the same times ..... so it can get confusing and it is easily to mix up the families. (I am still hoping Sophia wasn’t 14 when she had her first child) 

[geoffmartin]

Well, you have done a great job.  My correspondent, Sophia's great, great granddaughter thinks Sophia was born in 1808, which would certainly make more sense vis a vis the date of her first child.  No, there's no indication of Robert's age in the Bible, I'm afraid.   This whole saga has been somewhat of a miracle, so far as I am concerned.  I picked this Bible up in a local bric a brac shop for a fiver and now - as the result of an enquiry I posted on a website - I am able to restore it to a descendent of the lady who, nearly 200 years ago, started recording the births, and in some cases the deaths, of her children.  Amazing and humbling.
thank you again for your part in all this.
kind regards,
Geoff

[geoffmartin]

in answer to your earlier message, the couple seem to have had thirteen children - Miles, Robert, James, Dennis, William, Anna, Mary Anne, Sarah, Eliza Louise, Sophia, Ellen, Edward and Samuel, in that order, from 1828 until 1851.    Sophia's parents were George Sturman (1768-1838) and Mary Batchelor, presumably her maiden name, (1770-1857).
Geoff

[Ruskie]

A great result all round Geoff. This family were unremarkable but their story is still fascinating (as is every family history no matter how humble their lives were).

There are often similar threads on rootschat - more often people trying to reunite photographs with family, but we do see the occasional bible.

This journey may inspire you to start some research into your own family history.  You know where to come if you ever need help. 

[geoffmartin]

Thank you very much, I will certainly remember that. I will keep you posted on future developments with this story.
kind regards,
Geoff

[Ruskie]

Yes, please let us know when the Bible is reunited with family.