Births of DAWSON family

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In an earlier thread

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01j12/

I was doubtful that Martha DAWSON (nee Buckingham) (1791-1854) was the mother of a 1 year old George in the 1841 Census.  I based this on an assumption that the list of the children living with her and her husband William DAWSON (1790-1848) at Wootton were her own issue, while of course the Census makes no such claim.  And I can't find a birth for George DAWSON in Woodstock in 1839-40 anywhere.

I wonder if anyone has information on the baptisms of the children of William and Martha in the period  1811 (they married in 1814) to 1840-most likely at Tackley.  My new theory is that at least one of the children living with them in the 1841 Census were not theirs by birth.  My direct ancestor James was baptised in 1818, and the 1841 Census also gives us Mary (c 1826), William (c 1826), Elizabeth (c 1829), John (c 1831), Henry (c 1836) and George (c 1840).

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Sarah baptised 17 January 1816 at Wootton, daughter of Wm and Martha Dawson, abode Wootton, father's profession Carter

Mary baptised 16 July 1820 at Tackley, daughter of William and Martha Dawson, abode this parish, father's profession Labourer

Elizabeth baptised 17 August 1828 at Tackley, daughter of William and Martha Dawson, abode Tackley, father's profession Labourer

Henry baptised 4 Oct 1835 at Tackley, son of William and Martha Dawson, abode Tackley, father's profession Labourer

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Can't find any likely candidates for a George Dawson at that time. Or any Georges that would fit in that timeframe in Tackley.

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Sarah baptised 17 January 1816 at Wootton, daughter of Wm and Martha Dawson, abode Wootton, father's profession Carter

Mary baptised 16 July 1820 at Tackley, daughter of William and Martha Dawson, abode this parish, father's profession Labourer

Elizabeth baptised 17 August 1828 at Tackley, daughter of William and Martha Dawson, abode Tackley, father's profession Labourer

Henry baptised 4 Oct 1835 at Tackley, son of William and Martha Dawson, abode Tackley, father's profession Labourer

Thanks Decor!  That leaves William, John and George unaccounted for.  I wonder if George ? was Sarah's son?  I might try and find them in 1851.

[ctrunfree]

OK, I've now found the baptisms of all the DAWSON children of William and Martha, and they were all their issue...with the exception of George, who remains a problem.

I can't find any George DAWSONs being born anywhere in Oxfordshire in the period 1837-1841. There's no George DAWSONs in the 1851 Census in that area.  I can't find any George WAITs (Sarah's husband, m 1838), PALMERs (Mary's husband, m 1841 ) or SMITH (Eliza's husband m 1840) either. 

Unless anyone has any other explanations, I guess he'll have to remain a mystery.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Just wondering. On 1851 James Dawson and wife Susan have an 11 year old Joseph. he's not with them on 1841 - they have an 11 day old daughter, so I wonder if he's with his Dawson grandparents about 5 houses away and somehow misnamed on 1841

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Mabel

I think you've come up with the only plausible explanation.

Perhaps the father said "Joe" in response to the question as to the baby's name (neither James nor Susannah could write) and the census taker might have heard it as "Geo".

Thanks for that!