Zebulon Harling, Madras Artillery, India - 1830s/40s

[EHarling]

I'm currently researching my ancestor Zebulon Harling, born in Warlingham, Surrey in 1809, son of Thomas Harling. I am having trouble finding the identity of his wife, who he married and had a child with while serving in the army in Madras, India. I was wondering if anyone could help me find her?

Zebulon Harling traveled to India some time after 1832 (when he was discharged from Fleet Prison). On 10th Jan 1838, he married Elizabeth Death in Madras, India. On 18th October 1840 his son Joseph Zebulon (later Joseph Alfred) Harling was born and baptised at St Thomas Mount, Madras. In 1842, he took part in the China Campaign as Brigade Searjeant in the Madras Artillery. In 1842, Elizabeth died in Madras and is buried at St Thomas Mount. By November 1849, Zebulon has come back to England and re-married Ann Marchington in Kennington.

Elizabeth was a widow when she married Zebulon Harling, so Death must have been her married name with her previous husband. I can't find her maiden name anywhere and so can't find out anything about her. I also can't find her marriage to her first husband and don't know if it was in England or in India, or who the identity of her first husband (Mr Death) is. According to her death register, she was born around 1810.

Another mystery is that a William Harling is baptised at St Thomas Mount on 19th December 1838 to Zebulon and Elizabeth Harling. However, according to the record he was born on 17th November 1831 - before Zebulon was in India and presumably while Elizabeth was with her first husband. Could William actually be the child of Elizabeth and her first husband? Or is it just a mistake?

If anyone could give me any pointers as to where I could go from here to find out more about Elizabeth, I'd be very grateful. Also, if anyone has any idea how I could find out more about Zebulon's time in the army in Madras, I'd love to know, as I can't find out much about his time there or service.

Thanks! Ellen Harling

[nanny jan]

I've just looked at the baptism image and I read William's birthdate as 17 November 1838 with the last figure a bit cramped.   There is a similar style with the other entries.

The transcription also records the birthdate as 17 November 1838.

[EHarling]

Oh that makes a lot more sense, it must have just been the transcription on Ancestry that was wrong! I haven't been able to find the scanned document myself, where did you find the image?

[ShaunJ]

The baptism register image is on FindMyPast: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BL%2FBIND%2F005137614%2F00533&parentid=BL%2FBIND%2FB%2F303864

[nanny jan]

Found the image on FindMyPast.

Also found the burial of a Jeremiah Death in January 1837 at St. Thomas Mount and in March 1837 the burial of Abraham Death, son of the late Gunner Jeremiah and his wife Elizabeth; again St. Thomas Mount.

Father and son both dying of dysentery.

[ShaunJ]

Possible marriage: Jeremiah Death and Elizabeth Adams at St John, Hoxton in 1831

[MaxD]

Families in British India (FIBIS) lists him in B Company 2nd Battalion Madras Artillery in the 1842 China Campaign medal roll I/MIL/5/67 at the British Library.  He is likely to be listed also in IOR/L/Mil/11 the muster rolls.

FIBIS has links to a number of publications which may help with the history:
https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Madras_European_Foot_Artillery

This history of the Madras Artillery will also be useful:

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.284948  (This is volume 2 - Volume 1 is earlier than his arrival)

MaxD

[ShaunJ]

Duplicated thread ! https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=833482

[EHarling]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Unfortunately most of the military records aren't online, so I can't access them at the moment.

The marriage in Hoxton does look promising!

From some research a relative did into this line, he seems to think that Elizabeth's husband was Jeremiah Death, a baker from Suffolk. This all seems to tie up, however it seems that Jeremiah Death, a baker from Suffolk and his wife Elizabeth are living in Hoxton after he supposedly dies in India. This seems as though it can't be them.

I can't seem to find any Jeremiah Death marrying an Elizabeth in England that doesn't end up staying in England! Very confusing!