Parish registers, the IGI and all that...

[Anette Flewers]

Hi

I have a marriage of a Joseph TIMM to a Fanny (about 90% certain her maiden name was MARSDEN and they married in Hope, Derbyshire in 1817.) Fanny died in 1849 and her age was given as 55 on the death certificate.

I've just had a look on the IGI and there are 2 likely looking Fanny Marsdens. One was christened in 1792 and one christened in 1794 both in Hope, Derbyshire. One of them comes from a family of 10 girls with parents Ambrose and Betty Marsden.  The other comes from a famiy of 5 girls with parents John and Hannah Marsden.

My question is this. Once you get back to this point, how do I decide if I have the right Fanny Marsden out of the two and would you "claim" either of them (and their siblings and parents) and enter them into your family tree  or would you check other sources (and if so, what?)

Thanks in anticipation!

netty

[julianb]

Netty

One thing I would try to do is to eliminate one of them.  For example, if I could trace the path the other Fanny took, then I could distinguish between them.

But first of all, I'd try to find the marriage record of your Fanny (in 1819) to see what extra information that provided, eg parents, witnesses.  Also if there's any information available about the brothers and sisters of each of the Fannys and whether this turns up any of them living in the same abode eg in the 1841 census.

There's no right answer for this, and it is immensely frustrating when you get two names the same from different families in the same place, so close together.

I'd be reluctant to claim either of them until I could get some clear blue sea between them.

Good luck

JULIAN

[casalguidi]

Hi Netty

I would agree with Julian that you need to explore both girls and possibly extend this to both families ie. all baptisms/marriages/burials during your Fanny's lifetime.  You could also look to see if either set of parents left wills that may name children.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[JAP]

Hi netty,

The advice from JULIAN and Casalguidi is excellent.

However, I wonder whether you noticed the other marriage of a Frances MARSDEN in Hope?  Frances MARSDEN m Henry HEATHCOTE, 27 Sep 1814, Hope Derby.

This Fanny was alive in nearby Castleton in the 1861 census - Fanny HEATHCOTE, age given as 70 and birthplace as Hope.  That age would tend to suggest that she is the 1792 Fanny - but ages are notoriously unreliable; by 1871 the now-widowed Fanny is aged 78 ...  She is, no doubt, the Frances HEATHCOTE who died, age given as 83, Jun qtr 1875, Chapel en le Frith (which includes Castleton).

It would certainly seem to be a good idea to order in the relevant Hope  film to your nearest LDS Family History Centre just in case there are further clues in the entries for one or both marriages:
Frances MARSDEN = Henry HEATHCOTE 1814
Fanny MARSDEN = Joseph TYM 1817

JAP

[Anette Flewers]

Good morning everyone

many thanks for your thoughts on my Fanny Marsden problem and for the advice you've given me.  Very much appreciated. 

As luck would have it I do have an LDS Family History Center about 3 minutes walk from where I live!   Would I be right in thinking that if I order the films that contains the marriages of the Fanny Marsdens that they might contain more information (such as witnesses) than that given on the IGI online?  I'd assumed that the IGI entries contained the only information given from those registers.  I still have lots to learn! 

As I've never got to this point with any of my ancestors, this is the 1st time I've had to think about ordering parish register films.  How very exciting! 

Netty

[Anette Flewers]

Hi again,
just as a PS to my last post, my Joseph Timm and Fanny go on to have a family which, according to the 1861 census includes a son, Ambrose and a daughter, Betty.  Possibly named after Fanny's parents?  (I hadn't connected this last night - rather tired!)   It will be interesting to follow the life of the other Fanny to see if any of her children are possibly named after the parents. 
Netty

[JAP]

Hi Netty,

That's pretty compelling evidence!  I'd be more than happy with that!  Especially as Ambrose is an unusual name.

Hannah in the 1861 is presumably Joseph's second wife - Hannah BENNETT from the Bakewell marriage in 1850.

Something I didn't mention in case it misled - but certainly will now - is that when Googling I came across a post on a HEATHCOTE forum which indicated that the writer believed that the Fanny MARSDEN who married Henry HEATHCOTE was the 1794 Fanny.  And yes (from the IGI) Henry and Fanny did have a Hannah though I can't see a John ...  And no Ambrose or Betty to them in the IGI.  In the 1871, with the widowed Fanny HEATHCOTE are daughters Ann GLOYNE and Sarah HALL.

So it certainly looks as though Ambrose MARSDEN and Betty are the right parents for Fanny (MARSDEN) TIMM.

And yes - you might find something more in the (film of the) Parish Register.  But it's a bit might!

JAP 

[casalguidi]

Hi Netty

How lucky is that .................. to live 3 minutes away from an LDS family history centre

It would be a great idea to order the parish registers - it might just add a little more to your tree and, yes, marriages 1754-1837 do have witnesses.  Often these were relatives but just as likely one of them was the parish clerk - probably dependant upon the parish at the time - you will soon notice if you come across the same person signing nearly all of the marriages.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[sillgen]

I don't think that anyone else has pointed out that although their coverage is increasing  the IGI do not cover all parishes or in some cases have not filmed the entire record so there may be another Frances Marsden out there - in fact there might be several!     Having said that, my copy of Phillimore's Atlas and Index of Parish Registers shows that Derbyshire is fairly well represented on the IGI.
Andrea