Hello, I'm just wondering if anybody can help me make sense of my Rice family Please. Apologies for the long post but this is a complicated brick wall regarding my 5x great grandfather Thomas Rice. I believe he married twice.
Mary Orme (my 5x great grandmother) married John Abbot in 1792 in Bretby. Their children baptised in Bretby were: Joseph 1793, Mary 1795 John 1797 and Elizabeth 1799. John Abbot's will was proved in 1799.
Mary Abbott (nee Orme) then remarried Thomas Rice by Licence in Burton upon Trent in 1800. Thomas was a bachelor, a farmer, aged 23, abode Burton. Mary was a widow, aged 22 years, abode Repton.
They had the following children that I know of in Bretby: Ellizabeth 1802, William 1804 (my 4x great grandfather), Thomas 1806, Sarah 1808, and Ann 1810.
I have found the following documents to show Thomas Rice settled in Repton:
1. Rootsweb - Newton Solney with year of examination William Rice aged 27 born Bradley (Bradby). Parents legally settled in Repton 1830.
2. Rootsweb - Newton Solney Bastardy Orders. Q3/40 Mary Dicken (my 4x great grandmother), William Rice in 1824. Thomas Rice surety, Repton.
3. Rootsweb - Thomas Rice of Newton Solney aged 19 born in Bradby (Bretby). Father acquired settlement in Repton. Hired to Joseph Orme (brother of Mary Orme) of Bradby. Mary wife of Thomas Rice says she hired her son to Joseph Orme 1825.
There is a marriage licence for Thomas Rice marrying another Mary Abbott 1813 in Derby. Thomas Rice a bachelor aged 21 upwards, abode Repton, farmer. Mary Abbott, 21 and upwards, spinster, abode Saint Peter, Derby.
I believe this is Thomas' second marriage. The children from this marriage baptised in Repton are: Catherine 1820, Emma 1822, Richard 1824, Rose 1826, Lucy 1830, John 1832, Zilphah 1834 (in Newton Solney) and Joseph 1838.
Thomas Rice was buried 31st August 1843 in Repton, abode Cockey, aged 69.
These are the problems I have:
- The first Mary (nee Orme would have been too old to have children in the 1830s.
- Thomas Rice was in the 1841 census in Repton with wife Mary. In the 1851 census onwards, Mary is a widow. She states she was born in the mid 1790s in Bradby.
- The only baptism in this time/location is Mary Abbott in 1795 to John Abbott and Mary (nee Orme and Thomas' Rice first wife). This makes me suspect he married his stepdaughter.
- If he did marry his stepdaughter, I haven't found a burial for his first wife Mary (formerly Abbott and nee Orme). Did they separate?
If you have read this far, I appreciate it. Thank you in advance for any help/advice you can given for this complicated leg!
Kind regards, ALewis