Baptism of older person

[lydiaann]

In OPRs, almost every baptism of infants refers to the parents...very handy for tracing purposes!  Also, most people baptised their children at just a few weeks old although occasionally an 'older' child (but still an infant) would be baptised alongside later arrivals.  I know sometimes delay occurred because of illness.  I have an OPR which shows a 19-year old female baptised in 1812, but with absolutely no other information and the one child baptised on that same day bears no relationship to her.  Some questions:  is this unusual?  And, as a 19-year-old in those days was still 'under age' (in fact, in law, classified as 'an infant'), why would she appear on her own (i.e. no parents' names) and so long after birth?  Should I be looking for a marriage shortly after the baptismal date...I'm not sure if someone had to be baptised before they were married in those days?

Just a note:  I am not giving out names and places as I know how you Chatters love to help and would start looking for the family.  Believe me, we have discounted everyone that could be found in Ancestry and beyond and I would hate to waste your collective time!  If I could get a sense of what I should do next, it would be helpful - pretty please!

[Milliepede]

I would say it might have been done because she was about to get married yes, have seen that before.

[Rena]

lydiaann said:
"And, as a 19-year-old in those days was still 'under age' (in fact, in law, classified as 'an infant'), why would she appear on her own (i.e. no parents' names) and so long after birth? "

She may have been baptised and as vicars; priests; clerics of the various religions weren't as friendly as they are these days, it could be that your ancestor had to be baptised (again) because one christian vicar didn't think much of another arm of christianity. e.g. Church of England -v- methodist; or established Scottish Presbyterian -v- Scottish Free Church, etc.

I don't have many early marriages where the vicar has bothered to write down the names of the bride and groom's parents.


I have more or less the same situation. My gt. grandmother Lucywas born in the West Riding of Yorkshire where her father was a foreman in a mill.  The first time I found sight of her after her Yorkshire county baptism was many miles away in the county of Derbyshire working as a housemaid.  Her mother had already died but there was still her father to assure her that she'd been baptised, when she removed to East Yorkshire and married my gt.grandfather.  I'm presuming your ancestor wasn't able to confirm with her parents that she'd been baptised. 

[youngtug]

Changing religion, CoE to Wesleyan could account for a adult baptism.

[Viktoria]

More likely to becoming a Baptist ,adult baptism is the norm in that branch of Christianity, as it involves total immersion in a tank of water which is usually under the floor of the Chapel.Also Baptists believe a person must be fully aware of what they are doing and what is implicit upon them thereafter.
John The Baptist baptised adults ,I think that in the New Testament is the  first instance of baptism.
I am open to correction.
I attended a Baptist Chapel as a child, when with that branch if the family ,
otherwise a Methodist Chapel with the other branch!
The baptism “ pool “ was a lead lined tank with steps into and at the other end steps out of the deep water,a few paces wide .
It was dark and sinister to a young child and I would never walk over the
floor covering the tank.I wonder if the water was heavily lead contaminated ,
lead can leach into soft water .
People being baptised wore a robe and walked down the steps a pace or two under the water ,or ducked under by the Minister and out at the other end .
The minister got wet too!People waited with towels and the baptised person
changed in the vestry out of the wet robe and into their own clothes.
If an outside baptism ,then usually just a ducking .
A good example in a film Gone to Earth ,from a book by Mary Webb.
The outside tank specially dug as the Chapel elders did not think it proper to film inside .
I was there back on holiday when that was filmed in the exact locations mentioned in the book.
My  family  graves are in one shot.Lordshill Baptist Chapel.
South Shropshire,
Viktoria,

[DianaCanada]

My Quaker ancestor was baptized in the C of E church the same day she married her husband, my other ancestor.  They married in the parish church.  This was in Hornby, Lancashire, don’t have the date at hand, but ca mid -1760s.  She was a young adult.

[turramurra]

I have been to the Baptism of person age 14 before they were Confirmed into the Communion of the Anglican Church In Australia.
It is not unusual if the person has not been baptised as an infant.

Confirmation in Anglican church is at the age of 14 when the participators confirm the Baptism vows which were made by their Godparents.

People can be Baptised at any age.
Turramurra

[a chesters]

One of OH's ancestors was baptised 1855 at All Saints, Elton, Lancashire, parents named. She was about two weeks old

I then have her baptised 6 Nov 1882. Her parents are named, and she is also noted as "now wife of..."

She died in December 1882, so it is possible that she was re-baptised as "insurance".

AC

[lydiaann]

I thank you all for those ideas.  I am guessing that marriage was probably looming.  I have tried to find an infant baptism under the same name; perhaps I should start concentrate on the Non-Conformist registers where they are available.  But thanks again, Chatters.  I appreciate your efforts on this