Gosh, went to sleep thinking my mystery was solved and overnight the family history fairies have visited and... my mystery is still a mystery
Thank you all for your help and your time.
Carole, I overlooked the 'female' bit last night as well. Luckily Rosie is on the ball!
Victor, thank you, I have the marriage details and baptism details of all the other children, just can't seem to tie in Joseph with Annbenjamin (also known around the web as Ann B, although she is Annbenjamin on her baptism details).
I have seen a lot of detail for Joseph (sometimes called Joseph William Merritt/Merrett), including his military history, but I can't find anything to really tie him in with Samuel Goatman and Annbenjamin or to prove his date of birth.
The birth/marriage details imply to me that he is not Samuel's son, so is not 'officially' a Goatman although he may have been part of the family. I have always seen his birth shown as 'abt 1817' so no one else seems to have found a birth either.
Samuel and Annbenjamin died in Utah, along with some of their children, after becoming mormons. I haven't found any mention of Joseph in Utah though, so it is quite likely that the soldier who died in Farnborough is the same Joseph Merritt - I would just like to be able to prove it but can't think how else to do it. Maybe he will have to remain one of my 'question marks'
Thank you all for your interest and help, it is much appreciated. If the Rootschat sleuths can't trace him either then I can at least be sure the information I need is not readily available and I'm just missing it
