Bates/Kershaw/Smith conundrum!

[Happy Time Traveller]

Hi
I'm tracing Kershaw Bates, b 1803 Leeds St Peter/Holbeck father listed as Henry Bates
There are several other children born at same time in same place, same father: Henry Bates b1805 and Deborah Smith Bates b1808
I cannot find a marriage record or wife for Henry Bates prior to 1803
However, I have found Henry Bates marrying Deborah Smith in 1808 at Leeds St Peter. This has to be him because of name of daughter. BUT were they having children before they were married or was Henry married previously and widowed.
And now the fun bit - the witness to Henry and Deborah's wedding is Joseph KERSHAW. So this must a link to where my Kershaw Bates name came from. But how are they related? I can find no marriage of Henry to a Kershaw. I've looked up Joseph Kershaw but there are loads of them in that area. I've tried to find if Henry's mother was a Kershaw but can't find a birth record for him.

Any help or lookups to find more details would be very gratefully received.
Thanks

[garstonite]

27th jan 1800 at Elland ,Yorkshire
Elijah Bates to Betty Kershaw ??
on www.familysearch.org
could this be the connection ?? 

are Elijah and Betty the parents of Kershaw Bates ??.....where did you find Henry as Kershaws father ??

[Happy Time Traveller]

I'll look into it. Kershaw's birth record says father Henry.
through census records he was married to Ann Childs and puts his birthplace as Holbeck, Leeds 1803
I found a Kershaw born 1803 at Leeds, St Peter with Father Henry. They were also married in Leeds, St Peter
But now I've done another search there are a few callled Kershaw born around Leeds. Elland seems too far away from Holbeck for them to be the same. But I might trace the Kershaws and see if I can find Joseph. There must be a Kershaw in the family for them to have named their son after him?

[garstonite]

I'll look into it. Kershaw's birth record says father Henry.
Thanks

in 1803 there were parish records ...I presume you found the birth on Familysearch - if so - there are TWO types of record
EXTRACTED - these are taken from parish records and are taken as correct
SUBMITTED - these are put in by descendants - who CAN get it wrong ...
so if your record for Kershaw  b 1803 states Extracted - take it as Henry is the father
if the record states Submitted - I would not accept it as fact ....hope this helps
allan

[Happy Time Traveller]

I found it on ancestry and doesn't say extracted or submitted. It says WEst Yorks, Baptism, Marriages and Burials

[garstonite]

I would take it that it is correct then if it is taken from West Yorkshire BMD records ...always best to check though
allan