Samuel and Mary Athawes, Boxley

[Top-of-the-hill]

   I have a bit of a puzzle here, that needs some fresh eyes. Samuel Athawes (and slight variants) married Mary Dawson in Canterbury by licence 4th Dec 1728, his parish Boxley. 3 children were born in Boxley 1729, 1733 and 1735. Then there are 6 children between 1755 and 1762, parents Samuel and Mary again, born Boxley.
    They cannot possibly have the same mother. There is a death in 1736 of Mary, which could be either the mother of the first children or the 3rd of that family. I can find no remarriage of this Samuel or a marriage of a younger one. My children are descended from one of the later family, so I would like to be clearer on this. I have been going round in circles all day!

[maddys52]

There is a will for a Samuel ATHAWES of Boxley dated 10 Jan 1758. It names children Edward, Samuel (who apparently owed his father debts which were forgiven in the Will), Peter, Thomas, Elizabeth, William. Also mentions children of his son Samuel and other grandchildren. Is this your family? Can you fit those names with the baptisms you have? 

I'm not very good at reading the writing on Wills, there is possibly quite a bit of info to be had. 

[maddys52]

Of possible interest - there are a number of mentions of the ATHAWES in newspapers including:

" STOLEN, on the Second of December, 1733, out of
the Stable of Samuel Athawes of Boxley-street, near Maidstone in Kent,
a bright Bay Pad, 14 Hand and an Inch high, comes 5 Years old, with a
bob Tail newly trimm'd and shod, a thick Mane and Fore-top, his Mane
lying of his Side, with a large Crest and light Muzzle: Whoever
shall give Intelligence of the said Pad to the said Samuel Athawes, or to
Thomas Athawes at Mr. Dugdale's in Token-house Yard, London so that
he may be had again, shall receive a Guinea Reward, and reasonable Charges."

 Dec. 4, 1733,The Whitehall Evening Post

A number of mentions of Thomas ATHAWES (attorney) of Token-house Yard who is elected Clerk of the Cordwainers Company. He died in August 1764:
"Friday, at his House in Mortlake, in Surrey, Mr. Thomas Athawes, attorney of this City, and Clerk of the Cordwainers Company"

August 4, 1764 - August 7, 1764, St. James's Chronicle or the British Evening Post

[maddys52]

There is a public tree on Ancestry for Samuel ATHAWES, but it has his marriage to Mary DAWSON in 1748 and 1760 - so I don't think it's very accurate!


As well as the marriage you have to Mary DAWSON in 1728, there is also a marriage of a Samuel ATHAWES to Mary HOPKINS on 26 May 1760 at High Halstow. He is a bachelor of High Halstow. Witnesses: George GULVIN and Richard WOODGATE.

[trish1120]

The Samuel/Mary (nee Hopkins) mentioned by madys52 bapt only 1 child at High Halstow on FreeREG;
WILLIAM Athaws 6 Oct 1761
(2 possible deaths on Anc same year at High Halstow and Boxley for a William so hard to know if he died young as no age given)

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Thanks for the input, I will come back and study it when I have done some chores. First thing - not a chore - is to write and post a card for my son's 50th birthday!

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I have been making more lists of BMDs, and I have downloaded the will. There is a marriage of Samuel in Rochester 1697, and births of Edward and Samuel 1698 and 1700 in Boxley, mother Elizabeth, which fits the will, but then it goes astray a bit. The next batch of children, sort of matching the will, have mother Ann.
   It is possible that the Samuel who married in Canterbury was the errant son, but there is still the problem of who the family born in the 1750s were, including my childrens' ancestress.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I am slowly sorting out these earlier families, and I have all the children named in the will. But it is not easy! I can't sort out the link to the later family yet.