william Gott...'soldier'

[Colchester]

I hope someone can put me in the right direction! I've been quite successful researching my Gott family but am now 'head scratching'. A direct ancestor, William Gott (born 1781 married Mary Bee in Penshaw, Co. Durham, 28 June 1803) recorded his occupation at marriage as 'soldier'. By the time his first child was born in 1809 he is a 'pitman' (as were his descendants for many generations thereafter).I'm intrigued with the soldier entry and would appreciate any help on the way forward. I live in Devon but will be spending a few days in Durham next month so could do some hands on research....if I know what to do! Many thanks

[diddymiller]

Hi & welcome to RC!

William could have been a soldier in the Napolionic wars. I cannot find his name on the Forces website though.

Diddy

[km1971]

You should hope he was in the Militia. The Durham record office may have details of the 'census' they took for all adult males and those selected by ballot.

If he was a Regular - they had 7 year enlistments during the wars with France and the USA - but did not receive a pension, so no individual records have been kept.

Ken

[bevj]

I should think the Napoleonic Wars is a good bet.   If it's certain that his first child wasn't born until six years after his marriage, he was obviously away somewhere.

Bev

[Colchester]

Thanks for your advice,  I'll contact DRO and DLI museum. I'm quite sure that I have the first child so the six years from marriage to birth is strange now that it's pointed out! Particularly when he went on to have eleven children and two wives.

It's an odd period of my ancestry as his father, another William Gott married Esther Drummond, daughter of James Drummond, the alleged Earl of Perth. I can't identify him so no origin or age but Esther was around 22 when they married in 1778. He died in 1781 and recorded as a Chaise driver but no age given.

Oh; the peaks and troughs of research! 

[sak]

Hi,

I was interested to read your information about William Gott. I would like to learn more about him as I am descended from his sister, Elizabeth Gott, if you would like to share.

Sue.

[Colchester]

Hi Sue,

I'm happy to share whatever I come up with, though I'm afraid I'm no further forward with the military question. I've now got back into research and am concentrating on their parents, William Gott and Esther Drummond. Esther is well documented but William is something of an enigma. All I know for definite is that he was buried in Durham in 1781 and was a chaise driver.
I've gone round in circles for quite some time but now believe that Esther may have been his second wife and that he moved from Darlington to Durham following the death of his first wife. I have a lot of circumstantial material that I will investigate but still have nothing to demonstrate the link!
There are quite a few people with Gott/Genery trees so where is your link?
Cheers, Colin
 
 

[paulinemackie]

Hi Colchester

Have you researched James Drummond,as he is highly possibly a family ancestor I have researched his tree and its fascinating.

A lady I work with decided to do her tree and asked for help,as I was trained as a Family History Consultant with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I helped her until she could research for herself.

She too has James Drummond in her tree,having left my own research alone for quite some time I thought I would have another crack at it,this lady told me a few days later that she had found she was related to James Drummond and she went on to say that she knew the detail of him marrying in Biddick County Durham and his daughter marrying a man named Gott,well my ears pricked up and after some checking and re-checking discovered that its highly probable that myself and my co-worker are related,thats a lady from Airdrie and myself,originally from Durham are related.

Like yourself I am having great difficulty finding William Gott and his parents,looks as if the Soldier theory could be correct,happy hunting,if I find anything I will post it.

        Kind Regards