Finding George Church who married Phoebe Bendall in 1823 - Chewton Mendip

[redvanman]

I am trying to find which of three men named George Church (occupation carpenter) married Phoebe Bendall on 5 May 1823 at Chewton Mendip, Somerset.
He and his family appear in census records from 1841 to 1871 but these are inconsistent regarding his birth date: allowing for the five year range on the 1841, they show that he could have been born from 1792 to 1801; His (probable) burial record shows that he was aged 79 in 1874 which puts his birth date as 1795.

Potential births are
* Baptised  20 Sep 1797 at Chewton Mendip, Somerset; son of Robert Church and Mary Palmer who were married in Bath on 9 May 1780
* Baptised  9 Mar 1800 at Litton, Somerset, son of Richard Church and Betty Filer who were married in Litton on 31 December 1798
* Born 23 March 1802, baptised 28 Mar 1802 at Chewton Mendip; son of William Church and Sarah Bendall who were married 29 May 1793 at Litton, Somerset

They were all born within a few years of one another, in the same locality. Baed on dates alone, the first seems most probable, but I would like to be more certain.
Does anyone have any suggestions about how I could pin down the correct George?

Thank you
Alyn

[jomcd967]

Hi Alyn,

You could look for an apprentice record that sometimes shows the fathers name, you could also look for wills of the possible parents/and siblings to see if he is named, if you have the names of the witnesses at their marriage you can see if there are any familial connections.

Good luck, Jo 

[emeltom]

Also consider the names of his children. Often children were named after their grandparents.

Emeltom

[redvanman]

Thank you both for your responses and your useful suggestions.

Jo - I hadn't thought of searching apprentice records, and I will certainly look into this. And I'll also see if I can find family wills that help me. I do have the witnesses at George and Phoebe's marriage, but no clues there, unfortunately.

Emeltom - George and Phoebe seemed to have named their children after kings and queens of England, rather than using names of relatives. I have found this approach very useful in the past for other branches of the family, however.

Alyn

[bicker]

Hi Alyn
There is a burial for a George Church at Stowey, Somerset, 16 July 1878 aged 76. The register gives his abode as Clutton Workhouse. He was also at the workhouse at the time of the 1871 census. His age at death gives his birth as 1802, so I think you may be able to rule his out as 'your' George as I think possible the one baptised 28 Mar 1802 at Chewton Mendip; son of William Church and Sarah Bendall. It looks as if this George married Martha Broad 2 October 1843 at Stowey, they were widow and widower. George was the son of William Church, labourer.

I just wondered out of interest where you found the burial for George Church in 1874.

Regards Heather

[jomcd967]

Hi Alyn,

I know you said you had checked the witnesses, but it is interesting that one of the witnesses was a Matilda Clark....there is a marriage at Hinton Blewett in 1828 of a Matilda Church Clark to Henry Candy of Blagdon. It may be worth looking at her a bit closer?

Heather, Somerset Burial Index has the burial of George Church, age 79, buried 2 Jul 1874 at Hinton Blewett.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

Baptism of Maria Frances Church, 19 Jun 1842, d/o George & Pheobe, at Hinton Blewett, note says maternal grandfathers last name is Bendal.

Also....Henry Church, 24, bachelor, labourer, of Hinton Blewett, s/o George Church, Carpenter, married Katherine Barwell on 7 Dec 1852, witnessed by Charles Bendall & Betsy Barwell.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

Children of George & Pheobe baptised at Hinton Blewett:
Matilda 1826 (bap at Litton)
Henry 1828 (bap at Litton)
George 1831
Ann 1834
Elizabeth 1837
Maria Frances 1842
Alfred 1843
John 1846

Jo 

[jomcd967]

Looking at the children of Robert Church & Mary Palmer...
Mary Palmer 1780
Robert 1782 (Litton) edited
Gabriel 1784
Dorindah 1787
Charles 1789
John 1792
George 1797

Going now to Mary Palmer Church....

Noting the witnesses to George’s marriage were a Zephaniah & Matilda Clark...

Matilda Church, baptised 14 Apr 1806 at ChewtonMendip, d/o Mary Church...

Then.....A Mary Church married Zephaniah Clark from Litton, 25 May 1806 at Chewton Mendip (witnessed by Samuel Hand & Gabriel Church)

So most likely George’s brother in law and niece Matilda are the witnesses?

Jo