Being thrown off the scent.

[coombs]

My ancestor Samuel Bush was born c1570. He was the parish clerk of Ringland in Norfolk from 1606 to his 1626 death. He had children and grandchildren called Bridget and Hester. A Samuel Bush was baptised in 1571 in Hardingham, Norfolk, and he had siblings Bridget and Hester. A very likely candidate for my ancestor. Samuel Bush wed a Rose Reynolds in 1600 in Deopham near Hardingham. They had a daughter Lidia Bush baptised in Hardingham in 1602. It seems my Samuel was married to Mary by 1610. A Rose Bush was buried in Hardingham in 1618, widow. However, a Walter Bush in a nearby parish had a wife called Rose and Walter died in 1604. The 1618 burial could be the widow of Walter and not Samuel. I cannot find a burial for Samuel 1602-1618. Shows how when you think you are onto something, then you get thrown off the scent.

[Andrew Tarr]

I would say an unbaptised baby would be rare. 

I found out recently that my gt-grandmother had a second set of twins in the 1840s, one of whom died very soon.  His father registered the birth the next day with a name (Robert), but registered the death three days later anonymously -  I assumed because he had not been baptised.

[pinefamily]

Coombs,
I feel your frustration. I too have had that problem of finding burials and baptisms that throw doubt into the mix.
It took me ages to sort through all of the Jonathan Dowdeswell's in and around London in the 1700's. When you have a will proved in 1756, and a burial in the same year, it must be the right one. Or so I thought; turns out it was his infant grandson born 1755. The testator was buried in 1741. Must have been a to do over the will; he left nothing to his wife who he mentioned was no longer living with him.

[coombs]

Coombs,
I feel your frustration. I too have had that problem of finding burials and baptisms that throw doubt into the mix.
It took me ages to sort through all of the Jonathan Dowdeswell's in and around London in the 1700's. When you have a will proved in 1756, and a burial in the same year, it must be the right one. Or so I thought; turns out it was his infant grandson born 1755. The testator was buried in 1741. Must have been a to do over the will; he left nothing to his wife who he mentioned was no longer living with him.

Yes, the pesky burials, marriages and baptisms that seem to make you doubtful as to whether the man your are tracing is your ancestor. You pray that it is a coincidence. They do happen as we have all experienced. Some not to our advantage but some to our advantage. You try and find anything to see if you can eliminate the burial or marriage etc.