Stuck with lots of conflicting info

[CJurkow]

Hi,  I have a James Digby married to Margaret Cooke in 1746 in Castle Hedingham.  Margaret was born in Castle Hedingham.  Their children were born there and I can trace them.  I am now stuck with James as there are no birth records for him in Castle Hedingham.  There is only one option voting up gor a James Digby but he was born in Belchamps Otten, but I think this isn't him as I found a James's Digby, maybe his father in Castle Hedingham in 1682.  I am wondering if this James of 1682 of Castle Hedingham had his son James in Belchamp but they went back to Castle Hedingham to continue life.  James who married Margaret Cooke birth record is a mystery.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you

[QueenoftheWest]

Just thought I would mention that I can see there is another user on here called Kells (https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=77531) who is also researching this line.

Related threads in which James is mentioned by Kells:
- https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=691840.msg5755206#msg5755206
- https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=385623.0

These threads are dated several years ago, but Kells is still an active user of the forum, so perhaps worth reaching out to her to see whether her research has turned up anything since she last posted?

[teragram31510]

I haven't yet looked at any potential baptism records for James Digby (you won't find a birth record in the early 18th century) but I have looked at a map. I see that the two villages you mention Castle Hedingham and Belchamp Otten are at most 5 miles apart. I would think it quite likely that the James you have found presumably baptised (not born) in the latter village is the James who married Margaret.

Right I have just now looked at FreeReg and see there is a James baptised in Belchamp Otten 1722, parents James and Sarah.
James and Sarah later 1729 baptised a William in Belchamp Walter.

It may have been a question of getting the child baptised wherever the priest was (not necessarily in the village of birth) or, as frequently happened, the baptism taking place in the grandparents' village. You perhaps need to look for a will or land records to check place of abode of potential grandparents, or even a sibling who may have been a godfather/godmother.

James and Margaret baptised a child Sarah in 1748 so more than likely she was named for her paternal grandmother.

[CJurkow]

Thank you for your help.  I'm going to do some map research. 

[CJurkow]

Thanks again, it's starting to look better.  It's a fascinating line.  I think it goes back connecting to royalty as do most I think.  I'm going to keep going tonight.

[CJurkow]

I think James and Sarah are my James's parents but the only marriage for James and Sarah is in 1727 which is 5 years after my James was born.  I did find another James and Sarah (not Beerman) but can't find the record now.  Thanks

[teragram31510]

Hmmm, just spent another moment looking at Digby BMDs in Essex 1715-1740 on FreeReg.

I think your James and Sarah who baptised a James in May 1722 had no other children baptised in the same area.

It's quite possible that they baptised James in 1722 (though he isn't mentioned in the transcription as being a base child) then married in 1727 and had the rest of the family (William in 1729, a James in 1730, Joseph in 1732, John in 1734 and Benjamin in 1738).

The problem is the second James in 1730 - his first name would imply that the James born 1722 had died - but I can't see a burial on FreeReg for this earlier James. Haven't looked elsewhere. 

I think this must be a completely different James and Sarah, the parents of the family in brackets above. If their first child was William born 2 years after their marriage then it's likely that William was the name of the paternal grandfather, which might be traceable.
 
The second James born 1730 would only have been 16 if he is the one who married Margaret in 1746 - but in any case there is a burial of an infant James in 1733....

Looks like a great deal more crosschecking is required !