Halberton baptism - Susannah Didham

[CaroleW]

Finding a death for William would tell you for certain if she was illegitimate.

Looking at the 1841 for James Baker in Halberton shows 2 possibles

One aged 40 - possibly single or a widower - occ farmer.  Age could be up to 44 and Mary would have been approx 47 in 1841
HO107 Piece 222/4 Folio 7 Page 8

The other is 35 married with a 4 mth old son - a bit younger but would have been single when Susannah was conceived.  Occ agricultural labourer

HO107 Piece 222/3 Folio 8 Page 9

[mike175]

I have found what appear to be William and Mary and their family on two Ancestry trees, but Susannah is not mentioned. William's death is 1836 on one but 1842 on the other, both at Tiverton, so not much help really    Mary's stated birth date of 1794 makes her 6 years older than shown in both the 1851 and '61 censuses, which sows seeds of doubt.

The marriage is shown as 1818 between William Didham and Mary Jutsum, from Pallot's Index.

So it still looks as if the original register is the only hope of clearing up the confusion.

[mike175]

After all that I think I've solved my own puzzle, with much assistance . . . thanks again CaroleW

I bought some FindMyPast credits when I discovered they had the actual register image available. Still not sure why I couldn't find it before. She is listed as:

Susannah =
James =
Baker
base Dr. of Mary Didham, Halberton, Farmer

So it looks as if William must have died in 1836 and James Baker was the father. I can't think of any other reason for his name to be there

Mike.

[CaroleW]

That at least confirms she was illegitimate which puts one puzzle to bed.  Susannah was baptised May 1837 and Samuel 1836

Depending on her actual birthdate - say April 1837 - she was conceived approx July 1836. Have my doubts that William died 1836 - think it was before then

[mike175]

Susannah's birthdate: 11th May 1837

These look like the family, all in Halberton:

Samuel baptised 17 Jan 1836 to William & Mary
William buried 18 Jan 1836 age 39
Samuel buried 20th Mar 1836 age 6 months

It seems strange, but I suppose there's no reason why she couldn't have baptised her son the day before his father was buried He presumably died at least a few days before the burial.

Mike.

PS: No mention on Samuel's baptism that his father had died.

[CaroleW]

I've found them in 1841 - indexed as Denham living in Somerset and all shown as not born in county

Mary 35 charwoman
Charlotte 13
Eliza 10
Jane 9
Benjamin 7
Susan 4
HO107 Piece 972/1 Folio 6 Page 4

[mike175]

Thanks yet again. Nice bit of detective work. I'd searched Somerset but obviously not as well as you did.

Mike