Genealogy Chat

I have a definite marriage of George Butcher and Mary Rayner-married 5th February, 1793, Gosfield, Essex. Evidence of Son Joseph born November 1st. 1801, Gosfield Essex. Then I find children born to Joseph and wait for it....a Mary Reynor ranging from 1825 to 1836. How can this be possible. Could they both have married a different Mary Rayner-coincidence if that is so. Pulling my hair out over this. Any suggestions. PLEASE.

It is possible - in smaller villages everybody could be related to each other by marriages to cousins, or cousins children or a brother in laws sister. I have one family in Coleorton, v complicated. The man remarried, taking on stepchildren, 2 of who married so had different names (one was called Ann and married Thomas Ayre). I then have the mans son Thomas, marrying Ann Ayre (another one who was the sister of his stepsisters husband) these things are sent to test us, but.. where are you getting your info from? Is it submitted stuff off the IGI - if it is then it is possibly a mistake where someone has their generations muddled. btw, you are not stupid!

To start with some was from IGi but then other places, and some from the Essex records office-I have a 5th cousin who lives there and is checking things out-but it is so very complicated.

Jennifer, Anything is possible in this game - working out these connundrums is part of the fun! Often people did marry a member of their extended family, with liitle notion of how difficult it was going to make it for us a couple of centuries later! I have John Abel marrying Isabella Brown, and a couple of years later, John Abel married Ann Brown The brides were sisters and the grooms cousins. 20 years later Jane Abel (d/o John & Isabella) mar John Tindal, nephew of John & Ann. Jay

How very inconsiderate of them-they could have looked into the future and seen me struggling and pulling my hair out over this one.

Jennifer A couple of ideas. It could easily be two different Mary Raynors. I have Sawreys marrying Kirkbys, and Grants marrying Gordons for over a hundred years. Also where did you get the children's dates from. Either the census or parish records. Parish records would be baptisms, which could be years after the children were born. Some of mine were baptised the day they married. If they are census, I'd say two Marys. If you want me to check census, let me know. Good Luck.

Thanks Elizabeth-any help greatly appreciated.

If you have any more details email me direct if you like. I'm in Australia so time difference is a bit tricky. But I will try. Mine are all hiding at the moment.

Jennifer, didn't you post this up a couple of weeks ago? It must be a different Mary Raynor in each case, but the younger one could well be the niece of the older one or something like that. Kate.

I have been trying to trace these for weeks-have come to the conclusion that there must have been two Mary Rayners-but each time I lay it to rest, something comes up that sets me off again-was interested what other's thought-in case I was missing the obvious.

I think they must be two different ones, firstly, because the first one would have been quite old at the time when the second one married, also, if she was widowed, she's have remarried under married name.

Unless my very blurred eyes are seeing and reading things-guess it will remain a mystery for the next generation-Thanks all for your comments and suggestions.