William Stuttle married Sarah Holland or Wheatley?

[mike175]

William Stuttle married Sarah Wheatley 28  May 1799 at St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury.

However, a newly discovered document written by a family member, possibly William himself, certainly within living memory of the event, says that William's wife was Sarah Holland, baptised at Handsworth Church 25 July 1755. All the other facts in the document agree with evidence found elsewhere so I assume this name is right, especially if it was written by her husband.

If both names are right, the obvious conclusion is that Sarah was a widow, having previously married a Mr. Wheatley, but I have been unable to find such a marriage, although there was a burial for a Joseph Wheatley at Wednesbury in 1798 who might have been the first husband

William & Sarah had only one child, William Westaby Stuttle b.1800, which would be reasonable if Sarah was then 45. Her age was shown as 65 when she died in 1822. They lived at Wednesbury and later near Shrewsbury, working in the iron foundries. There was at least one other person named Wheatley connected with the foundries in the area, but I have not been able to link them to Sarah.

Any help/suggestions would be welcome

Mike.

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
I agree with you 42 would be really late for a first marriage.
Looking at baptisms at Wednesbury on Freereg there seem to be two Wheatley couples in Wednesbury- Thomas and Sarah and Joseph and Hannah Yardley married Wolverhampton and a possible second wife Sussanna.

Thomas and  Sarah have the following -Mary 25/12/1780,William 25/2/1783,Thomas 18.8.1785,Hannah 1788-1790,John buried 1791 ,John 1791,Sarah 4/10/1795 and Joseph buried 1798.
There seems to be a burial for Thomas in 1799.(the website doesn't give firm dates for some entries).

I can't see a marriage but the christening of Sarah Holland at Handsworth 25/7/1755 to Henry and Elizabeth Holland would fit.Sisters Elizabeth 27.3.1756 and Mary 26.12.1750.
Burial for Elizabeth wife of Henry Holland 2.5.1774.

Hope that helps
Ciderdrinker

[mike175]

Thanks Ciderdrinker, that's very helpful. Thomas seems a good candidate for Sarah's first husband, especially if his burial was in 1799. I know there were Wheatleys connected with the foundries so he could have been a fellow worker of William Stuttle, or at least a neighbour. Unfortunately I have found no reference to step-children so far, and the younger ones would surely still have been with their mother for some time after the second marriage.

Looks like a definite maybe  . . . well, at least a good basis for more research.

Henry & Elizabeth Holland are named as the parents of Sarah in the old family papers, so thanks for the extra information on the sisters.

Mike.