Any ideas anyone?

[Laverdiere]

If anyone has any ideas how I can find the following family I'd appreciate it:

Jonah Brewer, a shoe/bootmaker of King Street, Maidstone,  married an Elizabeth.

They apparently had the following children (the ones with dates were christened at the Baptist Church on King Street according to the IGI)"

Jonah William Brewer (6 Feb 1822)
Jane Brewer
Matilda Eliza Brewer (25 Aug 1827)
Rosetta Brewer

Jonah died (according to Free BMD) Sept 1857 in Maidstone district. His wife died prior the 1841 census. 

I know son Jonah William and daughter Jane immigrated to South Africa. I want to find out more about the family (Elizabeth's maiden name for instance) however the LDS church and the Kent Family History Society only have christening for the King Street Baptist church from 1800-1836.

Any ideas appreciated!  Thanks, Laverdiere

[Hoppity]

hi !

I have found the marriage of the son, Jonah : He married Anne Dalton 30.7.1844 in Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

There are some details on this site for South Africa which might help:

http://www.rupert.net/~lkool/page2.html

You could also perhaps contact: Swale Centre for Kentish Study, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.   Telephone: +44 (0)1622 694363 (for enquiries on the whole of Kent area).  They may be able to help you as to where other resources are. 

It may be that Jonah was of another religion, so its worth looking at other church records. 

Sorry I cant be of more help.

Kind regards
Hoppity 

[Laverdiere]

Thanks Hoppity. I found out a little more about them now through a census.  Laverdiere

[Valda]

It was not until July 1837 with the start of civil registration, that non-conformists (with a few exceptions) were legally allowed to marry in their own church (and then only as long as a registrar was present). Before then marriages had to take place in Anglican churches which is why there are no marriage records for the Baptist church you are interested in pre 1837. Non-conformists might chose to marry by licence out of area, so the service could be done privately and quickly in a sympathetic church (sometimes as far away as London), rather than go through the service in their local parish. Iit might be worth checking with Kent Record Office for the possibility of a marriage licence obtained in Kent for the couple which would tell you where they married if they did obtain a licence.
Baptists do not baptise children. Any dates in a Baptist register concerning children would be about their birthdates and entering them into the church community. They could not be baptised until they were an adult when they were of an age to choose to become a Baptist for themselves. Often in non-conformist registers the names of the parents of children can be given in full, including the mother's maiden name and sometimes her parents' names as well. Though this is less likely in a Baptist register it is still worth checking the actual register itself and not just relying on a summary that appears in the IGI.

They may of course at any time have become Baptists and not started their married lives as such or even remained as members of the Baptist church.

Regards
Valda

[Laverdiere]

Thanks Valda that is very useful information!  I'll look into it.

Laverdiere

[casalguidi]

There are a number of baptisms for children for Jonah & Elizabeth http://www.familysearch.org (select Record Search Pilot)

Casalguidi

[meganbutel]

There's  fairly new website http://www.woodchurchancestry.org.uk/midkentmarriages/results.php

it came up with  Jonah Brewer married a Mary Cruttenden in Ashford, West Ashford on 3 March 1843.

Dont know if related but thought I mention....

[casalguidi]

See http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,140477.0.html for details of marriage for Jonah BREWER and Elizabeth BOULDEN

Casalguidi