Triple bigamist or what?

[Winterbloom21]

I'm hoping someone may be able to untangle this one for me.

I have a Mary Jane Copp who marries a John Thomas Westlake Lane in April/June 1859 Axminster.

In the 1861 census she is shown living, under her married name, with her parents John and Jane Copp.   No trace of husband.

In the 1871 census, she is shown living under her married name still with her parents and now with three children, Sarah Jane Lane, John Lane and Jacob Lane.   Still no Dad.

She dies in 1875, her mother in '67 and her father in 76, so by 1881 the children are all scattered, Jacob in a reform school in Gloucs, Sarah Jane as an app dressmaker in Bucks and John as an apprentice blacksmith in Luppit.     

I cannot find their father anywhere, other than....and here's the thing:   A man by the name of John Thomas Westlake Lane is shown under three marriage records for the April/June quarter of 1859 in Axminster and only one of them is to Mary Jane Copp.   

Could he possibly have been cheeky enough as to marry three women in the same quarter in the same district or is there another explanation?

Any suggestions welcome.

[avm228]

Do you mean that John appears 3 times on FreeBMD in that quarter? That's just an indexing issue. Three different transcriptions of his details have been offered.  They disagree on whether the page number reads 25, 28 or 38.

Those transcribers who went with 28 appear to have been correct - as it corresponds with the page number for Mary.

[avm228]

Have you got an occupation for John from either his own marriage certificate or any of his children's birth or marriage certificates? If he was a mariner or fisherman, for example, that might well explain his absence on census nights.  Many men in the area where the family lived (Seaton & Beer) would have earned a living from the sea.

[Winterbloom21]

Thanks AVM.  Unfortunately, I don't have the marriage certificate.  I have just started this tree for my sister in law and we are trying to see what is what before we send off for certificates.

If this is three versions of the same marriage, can you tell me why Mary Jane Copp only appears once on the list of (other people on the same page)?

[Winterbloom21]

Well, I've had a look at the other pages and can't understand it - the numbers look quite clear.   I've only been doing this a couple of years and obviously don't understand this transcription system, either.    I always thought that when it said 'on the same page' they were looking at a page that had all of those names on it, but clearly not.  It's just a reference to numbers.

I'd still like to find him in the 1841 census, though.    He wouldn't be old enough to be missing at sea, then!

[cati]

Thanks AVM.  Unfortunately, I don't have the marriage certificate.  I have just started this tree for my sister in law and we are trying to see what is what before we send off for certificates.

If this is three versions of the same marriage, can you tell me why Mary Jane Copp only appears once on the list of (other people on the same page)?

 
It isn't three versions of the same marriage: it is an extract from the indices, showing the person's name and the reference details to enable you to identify the certificate.

As AVM has already said, the index details for the groom are unclear, and that is why his name appears three times - the FreeBMD volunteers have been unable to ascertain exactly what the number is.

The index entry for Mary Jane, however, is clear, which is why there is only one entry - there is no confusion over the page number.

When you order the certificate, use the page number given on Mary Jane's index entry.

[Winterbloom21]

Thank you, Cati.     I suppose if a transcriber is poring over those indices for long enough, the focus is bound to go a little!     

I've found his Mum and Dad now.    Can't find a death for him though.  I expect it's right and that perhaps he was a fisherman, maybe lost at sea.     I know that one of sons became a master mariner, so it's likely.

If anyone can see the record, which would be after 1865, judging by the ages of his children, I'd be grateful.

Many thanks.

[..claire..]

Hi

There is this marriage record in Seaton and Beer

Jacob Lane mar. Sarah Westlake on  6 September 1834.

The couple have a son christened 19 July 1835 Seaton and Beer~ John Thomas Lane.

A death of a Sarah Lane , Dec. qtr 1837 Axbridge.

Then this 1841 census entry, Seaton and Beer

Jacob Lane 65 Mariner
Mary          55
Caroline     18
Ann           15
THOMAS     6             All born in county bar Mary.

Class: HO107; Piece: 214; Book: 16.

Second marriage for Jacob, his childrens baptisms found on familysearch.

claire

[Winterbloom21]

Thank you very much Claire.     I hadn't found Sarah's death until you did and was getting bogged down in various censuses showing him with a different wife.        I'm still not on a totally firm footing here as I have found a Jacob in '71 with a wife called Anne and another in '81 with a wife called Caroline.      Still not sure whether I've got cousins with the same name or not.

I need to go and lie down, I think!