Please can you help with Benjamin Bolton's (b OCT 1744 • Thatcham) father Ruben

[emjsw]

Hi,

I wondered if someone would mind looking up Benjamin's father please? I would guess his birth year was around 1700 to 1718. I can find a death of Ruben Bolton in Thatcham 1777 but I can't find a birth.

He marries in Thatcham and has children there but there is no birth records, either because he came from outside or ancestry have not transcribed it yet.

The only Ruben Bolton I can find in Berkshire is born 1712 in East Ilsley but only the mother is named (Ann) the father is 'Bolton'. Maybe he was illegitimate? Ruben is quite rare in my searches but common in the Boltons.

Can anyone suggest a Thatcham birth or any other birth that might be relevant please (or if possible check if there is a father named at East Ilsley that might give me a clue please)?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Best wishes
Emma

FYI
Ruben married 30 Jul 1735 • Thatcham,Berkshire,England Mary Adams (1709–1789)

Together they had..........
Ann Bolton
1739–

John Bolton
1742–

Benjamin Bolton
1744–1779

Phoebe Bolton
1758–1837

Edit
Elizabeth Boulton
1766–1812

[jomcd967]

A note on the baptism of Ruben Bowlton 13 Jul 1712 at East Illsley has him as the son of Ann Bowlton, widow.

So most likely an illegitimate birth.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

There are the following children baptised to Thomas & Ann Bolton at St Mary Illsley
Ann 1695
John 1697
Thomas 1699
Richard 1702
Benjamin 1703
Joseph 1709 (as Boulton)

Then the burial of Thomas Bolton Snr, 24 Feb 1709 at St Mary East Ilsley, “buried in wooden”.

Jo 

[CarolA3]

May I suggest that the burial entry probably reads 'Buried in woollen' or 'woolen'?

There was a law at that time making the use of wool compulsory for shrouds.  I don't have access to the details on this phone, but the subject has been discussed on RootsChat before so someone else will probably be able to explain.

Carol

[candrjm]

A little info here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burying_in_Woollen_Acts

[CarolA3]

Thanks candrjm, that's exactly what I was referring to

(Slightly off-topic - has anyone seen a burial entry marked 'naked' as per Wikipedia?

Carol

[jomcd967]

Whoops! Auto correct changed woollen to wooden, thanks Carol 

[emjsw]

Many thanks for the births of Ann and Thomas's children and Thomas's death info and for clarifying what 'wollen' means.
I guess this means that either Ruben was born just after Thomas died but his baptism took place later when Ann was more able or he was illegitimate and carried no Bolton blood.
I can see from the marriage record that Thomas married Ann bentford 1698 easy Ilsley but can find no baptism of Ann so maybe she came from outside the county. If Ruben is not Thomas's then I have to research the Bentford line for my past.
Many thanks,
Emma

[jomcd967]

Hi Emma,

Son Joseph was baptised a couple of months after Thomas’s burial with Thomas named as the father, Ruben was baptised 3 years later, no father named, only noting Ann as a widow, safe to assume that he was illegitimate.

Jo