Mary Ardern was supposedly born in Wilmslow in 1806/7/8 (according to the census 1851-71). I cannot find a suitable baptism record for her. The family was rampantly Methodist.
William Jones was supposedly born in Wilmslow in 1805/6 according to 1851/61 census and death certificate. The family which fits closest to him is that of Thomas Jones (b in Wales) and Esther Barlow and the baptism record for him is for 1 Feb 1807 in Wilmslow.
William and Mary's first child was Ruth who was born 7 Sep 1831 according to Wilmslow Methodist records. She died early and does not appear in 1841. The next child was Enos, born 5 Dec 1834 and baptised in Wilmslow Methodist. Helena is the youngest child in this family. Her birth certificate gives her name as Elenor but she is recorded everywhere else as Helena.
Helena married James Garlick in Bedbury on 21 Sep 1861. James was the son of Samuel Garlick and Mary Ann Swindells. James was born in Hadfield, Derbyshire and his father was a Methodist "hedge school" teacher, lay preacher and insurance salesman. This is my main line.
On the 1848 marriage record in Manchester Cathedral, William Jones claims his father's name was Thomas and he was an engineer. This agrees with the 1841 census record for Thomas Jones and Esther Barlow. Mary claims her father was Robert Ardern and that he was a cotton carder. The only Robert Ardern I can find seems to have been the son of John Ardern (a tailor) and Mary Foden. Robert appears to have married Ann/Nancy Shewsbury in 1797. They had Abraham, Sampson and William. If this is the correct family for Mary, her father died about the time of her birth which may?? explain why I can't find a baptism for her in the Cheshire Parish records.
Since Ruth was born late in 1831, the April marriage for 1831 is feasible. William and Mary would have been about 25yrs old. Of course, one of them could have been married previously but I have not found any record which might support that. Neither have I found any record which might indicate William had been in the military. My conclusion was that maybe he had taken an insurance policy with Samuel Garlick's Methodist Insurance people and needed a certificate to prove Mary was his wife, but of course I could be wrong.
Samuel Ardern is a worry. The only one who fits the criteria was married and in another place in 1861 to Mary's supposed brother. The son of Robert Ardern, Sampson, is similarly otherwise placed. Neither can I find Samuel either in the 1851 or 1871 census records, in parish records or BMD records. Following thru the families of Robert Ardern's sons doesn't help either.
Mary Garlick, the daughter of James and Helena, married David Moses Lewis of Bodfari in 1888 in Manchester. David was a grocer. Following him backwards I can link him into the family of Robert Jones of Llansannon in Flintshire. Robert Jones' daughter Sarah married David Lewis, f/o David Moses, as his first wife. This Robert Jones had a brother Thomas. Whether this is William Jones' direct family is not conclusive, but it would not surprise me at all.
That is my sad little tale. I am currently writing up a history of this family and this marriage record for 1831 is a gap in the proceedings. I did not see it or discover it. A descendant of Enos Jones did but despite considerable urging, he cannot remember where he got it from. I just thought I would have a go at tapping into the collective wisdom of Rootschat who have been so helpful in the past. However, this quest seems to present a particularly stubborn brick wall.
Thank you for your efforts on my behalf.
