The Tempests of Duffield

[Mhairi28]

Was there a marriage between Michael Tempest (1715-1778) and Judith Cator?

Many years ago I was given this information about my Tempest ancestors and at that time I had no reason to question it. I have found the same information repeated many times on Ancestry trees. However I have not been able to find this marriage or anyone called Judith Cator.

I have found baptismal records for his children: William 1737, Michael 1741, Hannah 1744,Elizabeth 1747, Joseph 1748, John 1750 (and possibly Sarah and another Elizabeth). Only on William's record is the mother included as Anne. Some Ancestry trees get round it by calling her Judith Anne Cator.
I have not found a marriage between Michael and Anne either.

Whoever she was she appears to have died in 1753 but is only described as 'the wife of'.

It would be very helpful if anyone has more information about this family. Thank you.

[goldie61]

There would seem to be quite a lot of missing records for your Tempests for the period of time we are looking at here.

You say Michael was born in 1715. Have you found that record, or is this an estimate? I couldn't find this.
Also, as you say, no marriage of a Michael to a Judith Cator at any date. The only 2 marriages that come up on any site for a Michael are later in the 1760s and 1770s.

There was a 'Judith Cater' baptised 5.8.1677 at Allestree, just a couple of miles from Duffield, but this is too early to be marrying and having children in the 1730s and 1740s. At some point may be the same family though.

There is a burial of a 'Mary Tempest' 16th June 1733 at Duffield, wife of Michael. His residence is 'Burley'. Difficult to say if this is a wife of your Michael. He would only be about 18 by then with a birth date of 1715. I suspect a Michael from the next generation.

I expect you have seen the wills of your Michael died 1778, and his father died 1738. They are both of Burley, Duffield. Possibly the Mary that died in 1733 was your Michael's mother.
Interestingly, in the will of Michael 1738, he has a daughter Dorothy married to John Wall of Allestree. They married 7.4.1726. She is given as 'of Burley'. John Wall is one of the appraisers of the Inventory for this Michael (which is worth seeing if nothing else for it's highly unconventional spelling!).

There is a will of a john Tempest in 1759, who is your Michael's brother. He is also of Burley.
Interestingly he has daughters Dorothy and Judith. These would seem to be family names, but it's not evidence for a Judith though.
All these wills on findmypast.

Duffield registers are on film on familysearch. You could browse through them page by page if you think it would be worthwhile. You need to register - free and pretty easy, and then luckily these Derbyshire records can be viewed from home - not always the case at all. Often you have to go to n LDS library to view the films.  (Go to search -> catalog-> place name : Duffield -> church records -> parish registers)

Good luck!

[DRH123]

As goldie61 has said, there are several Tempest wills available but I can't see any clues to Michael's wife in them. However there is some evidence of a Cator connection. In 1761 a William Cater of Quorn had died intestate and administration was granted to Michael Tempest of Duffield. Unfortunately the document doesn't mention their relationship, but brother-in-law or son-in-law must be a possibility. Notice also that Michael's first child, William, was baptised at Quarne. One possible reason for a child to be baptised away from his home parish was that his mother went back to her parent's house for the birth.

(I don't know the area but I guess Quarne/Quorn is modern Quarndon which at that time was a chapelry of St Alkmund's in Derby, but was actually on the other side of Allestree. So this may well be the same Cater family as appears in the Allestree registers. The only matching William Cater burial I can see was at Allestree in December 1760.)

David

PS Just noticed there's more pages to the administration record. William Cater had a widow Elizabeth but she renounced her right to administration and then Michael Tempest appealed for it, as a creditor. He could still be a relative by marriage as well, I suppose.

[goldie61]

I don't know the area but I guess Quarne/Quorn is modern Quarndon which at that time was a chapelry of St Alkmund's in Derby, but was actually on the other side of Allestree.

Yes I think you're correct David.
I had some people from 'Quarne' once, and finally worked out it was 'Quarndon.

[Mhairi28]

Thank you for your interest and information.

Michael Tempest (2) was baptised 28.2.1715 at Duffield. His parents were Michael (1) and Mary Wood.
The burial of Mary Tempest in 1733 would most likely be his mother.

His first son William was baptised at Quarne, so the information about William Cater would seem to tie in. He could have been named after his grandfather. However the parents were listed as Michael and Anne.

I have been able to access the Duffield parish records on Familysearch. I am not sure what other Derbyshire parishes are available

You are correct that Michael's (1)daughter was Dorothy, who married John Wall. I had not looked for wills of this period - I thought most of my ancestors had nothing to leave! I shall certainly look for the ones you suggested.

I'm not sure I will find the answer to the problem of Michael & Judith/Anne however I thank you for your support.

[goldie61]

Michael Tempest (2) was baptised 28.2.1715 at Duffield. His parents were Michael (1) and Mary Wood.

I have been able to access the Duffield parish records on Familysearch. I am not sure what other Derbyshire parishes are available

I had not looked for wills of this period - I thought most of my ancestors had nothing to leave! I shall certainly look for the ones you suggested.

Wills are generally the biggest source of family information when you get back into the 1700s and beyond. It's always worthwhile having a look for any for the families you are interested in.
It wasn't just well off people, (as we might think), who left wills. I've seen many when the total of the goods was just a few pounds, but obviously they still thought it worthwhile to make one.
If you get stuck trying to read them, there is a specific board here on Rootschat for transcribing old documents.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/handwriting-deciphering-recognition/

You can check the registers for other parishes through the 'catalog' on familysearch as I indicated on my previous post.

I am intrigued where you have found the baptism of Michael in 1715.
It is not transcribed on any site, and it is not in the Duffield  parish registers -  I have looked through the actual registers. Where did you find it?

[spendlove]

Hi

The Baptism of Michael Tempest 28.2.1715 Duffield

This is an incorrect date it was actually  28 January 1715/16 Duffield

Michael son of Michael Tempest of Burley.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77XT-2VLN?i=32&cc=1911752

Spendlove

[Mhairi28]

Thank you for the correct baptismal date for Michael Tempest.
The original date came from the old Latter-day Saints site years ago and has been repeated on other family trees. I don't think at that time you could view the original records. I also have baptismal date for his sister Dorothy as 28.2.1715 which is also incorrect, and Elizabeth 21.3.1721/1722.
Now I have the link to the original records I will look again.
Thank you.

[goldie61]

Hi

The Baptism of Michael Tempest 28.2.1715 Duffield

This is an incorrect date it was actually  28 January 1715/16 Duffield

Michael son of Michael Tempest of Burley.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77XT-2VLN?i=32&cc=1911752

Spendlove

well found Spendlove!
I looked backwards to Feb 1714/15, and forwards to 1716, but didn't think about it being a different month! 
'Of Burley' fits with the residences given on the wills.

And no wonder it doesn't appear on a search on any site
 - the transcription of the name is 'Michael ?empes'.
No computer is going to pick that up as an alternative to Tempest!
I have put in a correction to familysearch.

This is a good example of why it's always a good idea to actually go through a parish register yourself, taking note of anything pertinent - like we used to do BC (Before Computers)!