Harris of Ninfield and Mountfield

[sallytay]

Can anyone advise on further information for Samuel Harris b Ninfield 1795. He had a sister called Mary also born Ninfield c1801. She lived with her brother from 1851 and was detailed on census as imbecile / lunatic. Samuel died in 1877 and Mary died 1891. She is buried at St John The Baptist Netherfield. Though I do not have a M I. I cannot find a birth history for Samuel, so any advice would be great. Samuel had a son Elijah, tenant farmer at Rats Farm Mountfield. Samuel was a woodreve from the 1851 census onwards. His marriage to Fanny Weeks in 1816 Herstmonceux does not detatil parents either. Can anyone help? Thanks

[swebby]

Hi,

There is a Mary Harris baptised 16 Mar 1800 at St Mary Ninfield, born 22 Feb 1800 to parents William & Jane.
If this is the one then the following are siblings:
Henry bap 8 Aug 1802, born 28 May 1802
Jane bap 9 Sep 1804, born 27 Jun 1804

No sign of a Samuel though.

This might also be a sibling
Thomas 8 Apr 1798 St Nary Magdelene Wartling (Not too far away)

I cannot find a marriage for William and Janes in the SMI.

Regards
Sean

[swebby]

Possible marriage for William and Jane in Kent:

William Harris m Jane Fuller 20 Nov 1797 New Romney.

Samuels birth is before this marriage so if this is the right couple maybe he is illegitimate?

[Roy G]

Although the above seems much more probable, I thought I would bring to your attention an alternative suggestion that also revolves around illegitimacy.

The IGI states that a Samuel Douch married Hannah Harris in Ninfield on the 27th December 1794.
Their son 'Samuel Douch' was baptised in Ninfield on 14 June 1795, which indicates Samuel Douch was conceived out of wedlock, and to the more pedantic ecclesiastics of those times, even though his parents were now married, he was still only entitled to his mother's maiden surname rather than that of his mother's new husband and his presumed father.  Therefore Samuel Douch born Ninfield 1795, could have also been known to church authorities as Samuel Harris.  I feel it may be worth considering this as another possibility. 

A sister Mary does not seem to fit comfortably into this scenario, but wonder if the William Harris who married Jane Fuller was related to Hannah in some way?         
Roy G

[sallytay]

I will look into both of these scenario's, thank-you. Mary lived with Samuel until his death, and then lived with her neice, Samuel's daughter. I considered her parentage may have been on her headstone, her being a spinster. Is that possible?