Bigamous Marriage

[wiltshire21]

Can anyone tell me if bigamous marriages were common in the early 1800s. My 4 times great grandmother Ann Sellwood married William Bint on 26/08/1827 at St Mary The Virgin church Marlborough Wilts. The had a son Charles born in 1828, but in 1832 she married Elijah Davies on 13 December in Upavon Wiltshire. She describes herself as a widow on the banns but I can not find any record of William Bint's death. A William Bint married Amelia L(H)ooker on 28/09/1840 in Milton ?, Wiltshire parish church but I am not sure if this is the same person.  He died in 1868. All the marriages were in a small part of Wiltshire, would this have been possible ?

[Girl Guide]

You appear to have the exact date that William married Amelia.  Do you have the marriage certificate and if so, what does William say regarding his marital status?  Single or widower?

[wiltshire21]

He describes himself as a bachelor

[PaulineJ]

More likely to be a cousin or other namesake than the same man.

You'll not find a record of a death at that era, only a burial. Not all burials are transcribed.

What age(s) do you have for these names?

[mckha489]

Deleted

[Girl Guide]

Hmm, so probably not your William.  Difficult to know for sure.  I assume that the age was just noted as of full age, i.e. over 21.

There were probably quite a number of bigamous marriages in the early 1800s. 

Have you followed this William with wife Amelia through the census records to see where he says he was born and what sort of birth year is given?

The 1868 death of William gives a birth year of 1803 and Milton Lilbourne is in the Pewsey registration district.  Was that where he was living in the 1861 census?

[LizzieL]

In 1851 William says he was born in Pack or Park Wilts as does Amelia, they have 4 children born in Milton (Ellen Eliza, Thomas and Henry). He says he's 45 (b abt 1806), but that might be to narrow the gap between him and Amelia who says she's 33.

[LizzieL]

The 1868 death of William gives a birth year of 1803 and Milton Lilbourne is in the Pewsey registration district.  Was that where he was living in the 1861 census?

GRO has him as 61 at death, birth abt 1807. Although burial record says 65.

[Girl Guide]

Hmm, still difficult to say if the William with Amelia is the one who married Ann.  If there is no burial record found for William by 1832 when Ann marries Elijah, this brings up the possibility that both Ann and William committed bigamy.

Have to see if William is in the 1841 and with whom.