The Importance of Setting yourself Genealogy Goals

[coombs]

Yes, one of my oldest brickwalls is my 20 year long search for the origins of Sarah Bradford (prev Coombs, nee Unknown). She died in Feb 1851 in London and said she was not born in county in 1841 census. What did please me is she witnessed an August 1835 wedding of Wm Smith to Anne Jenkins in Paddington. This was a month after her eldest son Matthew G Coombs married.

Are the people she witnessed getting married family members???

That is what I am thinking, they may have been friends but hopefully family. I have looked through all Paddington marriages 1824-1844 for any other instance of Sarah Coombs (Nee Unknown) later Bradford witnessing marriage and nothing. I have done a blanket search of some of Marylebone 1830s where she lived.

If William Smith or Anne Jenkins was related to Sarah, then it could be a clue to her origins. If one of the was a sibling of Sarah then it may give her maiden name, or one of them was a nephew or niece. Not sure if Wm Smith and Anne had any children, as there are so many William Smith's around, and many married to an Anne. When they married, both signed their names and bachelor and spinster. At least it is something to go on.

[chiddicks]

I think she must be connected to them in some way, otherwise, why should she be there. Whether it's via family or friendship is difficult to say, but like you say it's something to go on. Have you tried DNA?

[coombs]

I think she must be connected to them in some way, otherwise, why should she be there. Whether it's via family or friendship is difficult to say, but like you say it's something to go on. Have you tried DNA?

Hopefully family, as friends of ancestors do not help get you back further, but even so it is good to see they witnessed another marriage. Sarah's eldest son Matthew Coombs had married just a month before in July 1835 and her and her 2nd husband James witnessed the wedding.

The Wm Smith to Anne Jenkins marriage was August 1835 so 2 years before civil reg, and I did find a few Smith births with mmn Jenkins 1837-1840 in the Marylebone area in the new revised GRO index which give mmn from July 1837 onwards but further research has them to a different couple.

DNA seems to be a good step as it could help me break through this barrier. Not sure when Sarah wed her first husband George Coombs, who I descend from, I know he was originally from Dorset. If they did marry it is 99.9% certain it was not in London. That could be a clue to Sarah's origin, she may have been from down Dorset way herself.

An 1810 marriage in Axminster is a likely one but she was a widow, unless she was a very young widow as she was born 1790/1791.

[chiddicks]

I think she must be connected to them in some way, otherwise, why should she be there. Whether it's via family or friendship is difficult to say, but like you say it's something to go on. Have you tried DNA?

Hopefully family, as friends of ancestors do not help get you back further, but even so it is good to see they witnessed another marriage. Sarah's eldest son Matthew Coombs had married just a month before in July 1835 and her and her 2nd husband James witnessed the wedding.

The Wm Smith to Anne Jenkins marriage was August 1835 so 2 years before civil reg, and I did find a few Smith births with mmn Jenkins 1837-1840 in the Marylebone area in the new revised GRO index which give mmn from July 1837 onwards but further research has them to a different couple.

DNA seems to be a good step as it could help me break through this barrier. Not sure when Sarah wed her first husband George Coombs, who I descend from, I know he was originally from Dorset. If they did marry it is 99.9% certain it was not in London. That could be a clue to Sarah's origin, she may have been from down Dorset way herself.

An 1810 marriage in Axminster is a likely one but she was a widow, unless she was a very young widow as she was born 1790/1791.

I know many researchers have reservations about DNA testing but if you are happy about taking a test and the potential discoveries it might bring, then there is every chance that it might help with your brick wall, but like all things genealogy-related there is never a guarantee! I was lucky enough to discover an unnamed Father of my great grandmother, but that was a combination of DNA testing and conventional research that led to a breakthrough. I just look at DNA as another tool in your toolbox so why not give it a go!

[coombs]

When Sarah Bradford died in Feb 1851 at Marylebone workhouse, a fellow inmate, Eliz Mockford registered the death. I researched her and do not think there is any family connection to her, she was just someone who she was in the workhouse with who was present at Sarah's death. Mrs Mockford was from Whittington, Staffordshire, just north of Birmingham.

Sarah may and been a Smith or Jenkins by birth if the William Smith and Anne Jenkins who wed in 1835 were relatives. Unless one was a nephew or niece of a sister of Sarah but at least it is a start. If George Coombs met Sarah in London about 1810, then she could have been from anywhere in England. But I have a feeling she was from down Dorset way like he was.

[chiddicks]

When Sarah Bradford died in Feb 1851 at Marylebone workhouse, a fellow inmate, Eliz Mockford registered the death. I researched her and do not think there is any family connection to her, she was just someone who she was in the workhouse with who was present at Sarah's death. Mrs Mockford was from Whittington, Staffordshire, just north of Birmingham.

Sarah may and been a Smith or Jenkins by birth if the William Smith and Anne Jenkins who wed in 1835 were relatives. Unless one was a nephew or niece of a sister of Sarah but at least it is a start. If George Coombs met Sarah in London about 1810, then she could have been from anywhere in England. But I have a feeling she was from down Dorset way like he was.

Eliz Mockford could have been the workhouse masters wife possibly, if so, she might have registered multiple deaths in the same workhouse.

You at least have some names to possibly work with and I am a great believer in hunches and instinct, she may well have originated in Dorset, sometimes you just need a slice of luck or new records becoming available. Definitely worth giving DNA a shot.

[coombs]

DNA can certainly help with genealogy yes.

The absence of a likely marriage of Geo Coombs to Sarah is why it is hard finding her maiden surname. But that William Smith and Anne Jenkins is a good starting point. If the 1810 Axminster marriage is the right one, then Id have to find a Mr Davey marriage to Sarah.

There were cases of people acting as married when they were not, or they wed in a church which has not yet been indexed online, or the original was destroyed, usually this is for pre 1754 marriages but I am sure a fraction of the 1754-1837 marriages have got mislaid. 1754 was when the witness names were recorded, and they are fundamental unless they were regular witnesses.

[chiddicks]

There was certainly plenty of cases where people went by the name of  “married” when they were probably not married. They could be separated from a previous husband or wife and would therefore be getting married a second time bigamously. Plus there are a whole host of different reasons why respectable people would want to appear to be married when they were not. The list is endless.

That makes our lives even harder. Are you anywhere near Dorset yourself? Are you a member of their local history society? Somebody who is local can offer a bit more local knowledge which sometimes help.

[coombs]

No i live in Norfolk so 200 miles from Dorset.

I am thinking DNA will be a tool, seeing as it is very hard to find Sarah's origins. If ever I was given a choice to ask 1 ancestor where they were born I would ask Sarah. She died in Feb 1851, just weeks prior to the 1851 census.