Joseph Bennett

[RW1]

Hi

I have two Joseph Bennetts that I've researched:

No 1 - was baptised on 8 March 1818 at East Blatchington, Sussex; father: John Bennett, labourer; mother: Hester Bovis.  At their earlier marriage, Hester had signed her name, but John made his mark.  I have nothing more on this Joseph.  Some trees have a birthday of 7 March 1818, but this isn't on the baptism record.

No 2 - was married in London (father noted as John Bennett, farmer) in 1839 to Sarah Watkins, had two children (John and Ann) and then emigrated to Canada with mother-in-law, Mary Watkins.  He was a farmer, who moved on to Michigan, USA, and later became a United Brethren minister.  He died in 1886, but the parental information column on his burial record is blank.  At the time of his marriage, he was a schoolmaster, I believe, at Manor House, Holloway - at least this is given as his residence, and appears to have once been a school.

Trees on familysearch and ancestry put these two as the same man, but I can find nothing that connects them at all.  I wonder if I have missed something?

Many thanks for any pointers, help, etc.

[CaroleW]

A son John was b Dec qtr 1840 & daughter Ann March qtr 1843 both in East London Union so any emigration must have been after the 1841 census.  Have you found them in 1841?

Unfortunately the 1841 does not show actual birthplaces - but if the 1839 marriage was the Joseph  b Sussex - it should show him as not born in county

[RW1]

The 1841 Census does show Joseph Bennett as "N", ie not born in Middlesex; oddly his wife and first child are not listed on it with him.  Joseph is with his mother-in-law, Mary Watkins.

Obviously not being born in Middlesex doesn't help, nor does being both called Joseph Bennett and having a father called John - which is, at the moment, all I have that connects them.

Joseph must have gone to Canada earlier, (possibly on "Westminster" in 1842) as Mary Watkins, Sarah and the two children (Ann is three months old) are on the "Hendrick Hudson" arriving in New York in June 1843.  Also with them is 79-year-old Henry Watkins - not Sarah's father, who was called James.