James William Kent bap 1800 - 1805

[Harlem]

Hello

I am trying to research James William (or just James, in the censuses) who married Ellen Craig in East Stonehouse, 25 Jan 1829. There is an online transcript for this marriage, but no more detail is given.

There are a number of James Kents baptised in South Devon around the right time, 1800 - 1805, and to see which one is mine I need more information about my James' parents. Does anyone have access to banns or a copy of the marriage that might give more information about his parents please? I cannot see that there is a copy of the marriage, or banns, online.

Many thanks

Harlemswife

[rosie99]

Is this the family in 1851 as both James & Eleanor give their place of birth as Plymouth

James Kent   45
Elenor Kent   47
James Kent   23
Elizabeth Kent   18
Jane Kent   8
Ellen Kent   5
Frederick Kent   17

Marriage transcript has her as Eleanor not Ellen

[Harlem]

Hi Rosie

Yes, that is them. I have found Ellen and Eleanor to be interchangeable, and she seems to have not been able to write. She signed Jane's birth certificate with a mark. I should have been more precise: all The James Kent baptisms 1801 - 1805 were all in Plymouth parishes.

Thank you for your interest.

Harlemswife

[DOB7]

Family Search has Devon BT images available for viewing at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2515875 The image shows:
James KENT, seaman, a bachelor, and Eleanor CRAIG of this Parish, a spinster, were married in this Church by Banns 25 Jan 1829 by Edward Dudley JACKSON, Curate. James signed, Eleanor made her mark. WW: Ann AKHURST (made her mark) and John LAMOUREUX (Clerk)
Unless a witness was a relative there would be very few clues given at this time regarding parentage.

[Annette7]

On  every census (bar one) James Kent states he was bc.1806 Plymouth.

So, surely this must be him:

Jas. Kent bp.1/12/1805 St. Andrew, Plymouth, son of Jas. and Jane (per Find My Past).

Annette

[Harlem]

Very possibly, Annette, but also:

1801 James, baptised St Andrews
1803 Samuel James Stoke Damerel
1804 William James St Andrews
1805 James Philip Stoke Damerel

!!!

You see the problem? I cannot be certain without more information about his parents' names.

Thank you for searching, though.

Thank you , too, to DOB7. That confirms the transcript on FindMyPast. I wonder if those banns are available anywhere.

Harlemswife

[DOB7]

Many of East Stonehouse's records were destroyed in WW2 so the BTs are usually all that remain. If there is a banns register surviving it will probably only contain their names and the three dates banns were called. I must say that I would 'lean' towards the William James baptism in 1804 at St Andrews - were any of your James' children named James or Susanna? However, that would make his birth year 1803.

[Annette7]

As has been explained, there are no records which will have details of their parents when they married.   This didn't happen until civil registration began in 1837.

Actually, I don't see your problem as to which James Kent baptism is yours.

James b.1801 - cannot see him on census but don't know why he'd be considered when 5 years older than your man (bc.1806).
Samuel James 1803 Stoke Damerel - buried as an infant on 26/12/1803 SD
William James 1804 -  bur.17/3/1872 Plymouth
James Philip 1805 - bur.15/10/1820 SD

The only time your man has a 2nd name William is at his death so that could be an error on the part of the informant.   He married as plain James, is plain James on census.

With the exception of the James b.1801 (who is 5 years older than 'your' man) your 3 other 'contenders' all died long before your James did!

Annette   

[Harlem]

Hi Annette and Dob7

I am thinking now that you are right. Yes, Philip and Samuel died young. William James 1804 seems to have become a butcher. He is listed as William James in 1861, though only as William in 1851.

'My' William James was also listed as William James on his son's marriage certificate - that is, James Henry's, who was my direct ancestor.


Ellen/Eleanor's parents were James and Eleanor, just to confuse things. Naming patterns are suggested in Rosie99's transcript of the 1851 census above, and in others that are listed in earlier and later censuses:

1st son - George 1826 - in 1841 census - named after???
2nd son: James Henry 1826
3rd son : William 1831
4th son: Frederick Augustus 1833
5th son: Henry John 1837
1st dau Elizabeth 1839
2nd dau: Jane Ann 1842
3rd dau: Ellen 1846

So there are some possibilities, although a strict pattern was not followed. Jane features, which might suggest she was named after the paternal grandmother. Two Henry's suggests someone important, but I don't know who. No Susans.

Thank you for the information about records having been destroyed.

It looks as though Jas and Jane 1805 are the favourites. Thank you for your help and interest.

harlemswife.