Eversfield family & the mystery of my Great (x4) Grandmother

[rsel]

Hi all,
    I am looking to see if anybody has any bright ideas on identifying my great (x4) Grandmother Benedicta (or Benney as she seemed to go by).  I had previously belied her maiden name was Eversfield, based on what relatives had said and various family trees on Ancestry, and was listed as such when she married Walter Sellens in 1815 at Sedlescombe.  But i had never been able to find any mention of her birth and parents other that the census records suggesting around 1786 in Battle.
   However recently i have looked at the actual parish register for the marriage (now that its available on ancestry) and that is showing she was a widow at the time of the marriage (and she would have just been old enough to have had a prior marriage).  So i have been hunting for an earlier marriage in and around the Battle/Sedlescombe area, but no luck there either.   

   Any thoughts on other options i could try to locate her birth and family ? 

Thanks

Richard

[Cas (stallc)]

Looked for a birth around date in Battle this is a good possible but not locating marriage.  One for the file maybe...

Name   Benny Harden
Gender   Female
Event Type   Baptism
Baptism Date   1 Feb 1786
Baptism Place   Battle, Sussex, England
Father   Thomas Harden
Mother   Mary Harden

Added - Maybe not for the file..

1841 census has Thomas Harder/Hardn age 87 with family
Piece   1109 Book   12 Folio   18 Page number   5

Transcribed as Benny Lelline on Anc

Cas

[AMBLY]

That Baptism is a super good find Cas!   A  great fit for the 1841 Census, which  laid out as per the Rules - Benny Sellens  widow, 57, who is head of the family, followed by the rest of her Sellens family (Thomas 23 and Henry 13) then after the mark  / is Thomas Harder 87 and James Ovenden 45 //

1841 Rules "......Set down one after the other those who have the same surname, beginning with the heads of the family.....At the end of the names of each family draw a line thus / as in the Example.  At the end of the names of the inmates in each house draw a double line thus //.

I note the Census - the enumerator didn't apply the "age round down" rule, which is a bonus, and Benny is stated as Widow (crossed out as it wasn't an occupation, but still, it's there )

So in 1841, it does very much look like her Father is in her household, as Cas says. Obtaining his death cert - very possibly Benney is the informant and it may state her relationship to the deceased..

Was your Benney ever documented as "Benedicta"?

Cheers
AMBLY

[rsel]

Thanks both, i will have a closer look at Harden family.

Ambly, yes on a couple of her childrens baptisms, she was Benedicta and also she used the full name for one of her daughters, so my assumption has been that was her formal name but she perferred the shortened version :-)

Richard

[omega 1]

Hello Richard

From the SMI cd

Walter Sellens married  Bennett Eversfield , 10 May 1815 at Sedlescombe,Sussex.

omega

[Pheno]

No marriage on the Sussex Marriage Index for either a Ben* Harden/Harding however there is this:

Thomas Harden m. Mary Eldridge (bach & sp) at Battle 27 Mar 1780, both oftp.

These appear to be the baptisms at Battle for this couple:
Elizabeth 1781
William 1783
Benny 1786
Thomas 1789
Ann 1791
Sarah 1794
Edward 1796
James 1798

there is also a baptism for a Sarah Harding to Thomas & Mary Harding at Battle in 1801. 

Pheno

[Cas (stallc)]

When looking for Benn* Bena* around the Battle area I did come across a baptism for Benne Eldridge/Aldridge who looks a possible sibling for mother..

Also a marriage for Thomas Harden to Lucy Wemham..they baptised a daughter Benny, if I remember so it could be a family name.

Hopefully Pheno can confirm if they have index

Cas

[rsel]

Walter Sellens married  Bennett Eversfield , 10 May 1815 at Sedlescombe,Sussex.

Thanks Omega, i had those details originally :-)  But looking at the images which are now available that's what has shown she was a Widow

[rsel]

No marriage on the Sussex Marriage Index for either a Ben* Harden/Harding or an Eversfield however there is this:

Thomas Harden m. Mary Eldridge (bach & sp) at Battle 27 Mar 1780, both oftp.

These appear to be the baptisms at Battle for this couple:
Elizabeth 1781
William 1783
Benny 1786
Thomas 1789
Ann 1791
Sarah 1794
Edward 1796
James 1798

there is also a baptism for a Sarah Harding to Thomas & Mary Harding at Battle in 1801. 

Pheno

Thanks Pheno,
    I had found that marriage this morning on ancestry as well :-)  and have just started on the baptisms.

Richard