I’m trying to verify the origins of my ancestor Sarah Simmons. The only confirmed facts I have for her at present are:
1817 - Marriage to Benjamin Ellis at Mitcham, Surrey. If we were to assume she was ‘of full age’ then she would have been born c.1796
1821 – Birth of son Edward Ellis at Mitcham. Not baptised until 1824 at same location.
1838 – Listed as informant on Benjamin’s death certificate.
Thanks to DNA matches, there is the possibility Sarah was born/living at one point in Sussex, and given her sons name and future movements this does seem to fit. From my research so far the individuals listed below could be Sarah’s siblings/cousins.
1 – Elizabeth Simmons
She married William Masters on 8 July 1794 at Udimore, Sussex (confirmed). Some public trees suggest she was born c.1771 in Warwickshire* but these are not sourced.
2 – Frances Ann Simmons
She married Jesse Eldridge on 14 Mar 1801 at Westfield, Sussex. Some public trees suggest she was born 1785 at Brede, Sussex, daughter of Edward and Ann Bagley, and that the parents were married on 26 Apr 1765 also at Brede. Again neither of these two events are sourced and I cannot seem to find the latter in the Sussex Marriage Index.
*I did find a Sarah Simmins baptised in 1788 at Birmingham, Warwickshire daughter of Edward and Ann but this is probably just a coincidence.
Can anyone help me confirm if any of the above information is correct or locate a possible baptism record for my Sarah that matches the above?
