Genealogy Chat

Hi all, I'm lucky enough that the OPC for Gwennap has transcribed the records that are missing from IGI. My problem is using them to piece together the right ancestors. See below.

A bit of background to start with, hope it's not confusing. James Matthews was married to Martha (both of Gwennap) I found the only marriage for a pairing like this in Redruth in 1822. This ties in with their son being born in 1823. This gives me Martha's surname as Manuel. Now the problem is, it doesn't seem like the Matthews had their children baptised (if they did it wasn't at Gwennap Parish Church), so I don't know how many James Matthews there were and if this James Matthews is *my* James. Following Martha, I get a baptism for her and a sister Mary (possibly a twin) for 1803. Which gives me the parents John & Margaret Manuel. I found a marriage for John Manuel & Margaret Sprague in 1802. She is listed as a widow. While looking for earlier baptisms (for Manuels) I started charting Sprague's too and was able to divide the baptisms into distinct groups. One of them having parents of John & Margaret Sprague. I found a marriage to a John Sprague and Margaret Nichols 1789. (witnesses: Thomas Sprague, John Barnett.) Having not found a baptism for Margaret Nichols on the OPC site (it only went back as far as 1773). It had batch numbers for IGI. I'm getting two Margaret Nicholls. 1. 1767, parents Thomas & Mary 2. 1766, parents Mark & Susann Now assuming that so far I'm following the right line (as there's no guarantee) Would it be fair to assume that the right baptism would be one with parents that have the same name as Margaret's children? The Mark & Susann names don't appear in Margaret or Martha's line where as Thomas & Mary both do. I seem to be operating on a lot of assumptions and guess work, which I know can lead to mistakes. How do others normally piece together the info from IGI and parish registers when precensus? Any tips? Thanks, Liz

Liz I have learned the hard way, that for ME, the easiest way to do it is to go right back to the beginning of the church records and work forwards. Yes, I know, this is completely WRONG, but it works for me. I then finish up with a massive tree I have compiled, but often looking at the larger picture over six or seven, or even more, generations helps to clarify things. And don't forget to kill them off, as you go. Saves you searching for ever for little Matilda, if you establish quickly that she died aged one. OC

Thanks OC, I guess that means I really do need a holiday in cornwall. The deaths are another thing that gets me, it's great if they have an unusual name but what happens if you have 4 John Manuels how do you know which one died? Thanks, Liz

Liz Looking at the original parish registers often clarifies this, from marginal notes the Vicar made, which are rarely, if ever, transcribed! Where children die, the vicar tends to put 'daughter of John and Freda Bloggs', where he may have only put 'daughter of John Bloggs' at the baptism. It is almost as if the Vicar is acknowledging the mother's grief, by adding her name to the records. OC

I have a similar problem and maybe OC can give me an idea how to solve it! I have a James Jones born to - James Jones and Mary Ann in 1827 in Shoreditch. I've been to LMA and checked PRs only to find two James Jones married to Mary Anns in the right timescale! How do I work out which one is the right one? Been puzzling over this for some time now.... Sue

Thanks OC, this is the first time I've attempted to go further back than what I had from centralised registration and the census. I picked that line because of the amount that had been transcribed. All my lines come from hundreds of miles away and migrated to where they all merged in my home town at my g gparents time... most inconsiderate lol.