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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: karenbrown669 on Friday 01 September 17 04:03 BST (UK)
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Can anybody shed some light on a problem I've had for a longtime. I have tried to find where my ancestor William Gower abt 1765 family originated from. I cannot find any records of his parents .
He married Sarah Ridley in Crowhurst, Surrey in 1783 although his children are with Mary. He had 10 in all.
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Hi, Think you may be looking in the wrong county, Crowhurst is in Sussex but I can't find a marriage to Sarah Ridley in 1783. There is one to Sarah Morley in 1821 in Brighton, Sussex. William may have been born 1763, Westham, Sussex. or 1764, Cuckfield, Sussex.
What details have you for Mary? There is a William Gower m Mary White. 1820 Brighton, Sussex. and William Gower m Mary Shoosmith. 1815 Hellingly, Sussex.
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Thanks for replying. I feel William Gower was born around 1765 as I have a marriage at Crowhurst Surrey to Sarah (Mary) Ridley and his death again in Crowhurst Surrey in 1823 age 63. I feel Sarah maybe a spelling error as only text and no transcript for the entry. I have had other matches with trees on Genes Reunited and they all say Mary Ridley.- I have the family ,children of Henry Ridley and Alice and there is no Sarah among the siblings just Mary. All the children are at Crowhurst Surrey parents William and Mary. Further more I have a 1841 entry for Mary Gower living with a Ridley which again would be correct. By the way you are correct there is another Crowhurst in Sussex but ours is definately the Surrey one. Im desperately trying to find his birth- feel the family moved from another county. I have seen all the William's you mention but can't prove if its a particular one
There are lots of Gower's at the same time living in Crowhurst Surrey and Lingfield which is close by. I'm also looking at Benjamin and Jeremiah who I feel must be connected. Hope this is of help
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Hi again,
I lived in Surrey for 25 years and never knew that there was a Crowhurst there, some of my ancestors came from the Crowhurst area but that was the Sussex one.
On the marriage banns for William and Sarah it says William was "Of this parish" and Sarah "Kent - Edenbridge". Not sure about the Mary theory, on FamilySearch it show William and Mary with their 10 children which I assume was the one you mentioned. The first child Mary was born in 1787 which seems a long time after the said marriage of William and Sarah in 1783. I can't find the 1841 with a Gower-Ridley connection, what area was it?
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Hi there
They were living at Lewisham in the 1841 census. William had already died in 1823 so presumably now living with her sister. All the surrounding areas of Crowhurst ie Oxted, Tandridge, Godstone, Lingfield,Horne have Gowers from my tree.
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I've looked at all the surrounding area's for Williams birth but can't find any thing. Got a suspicion that the PR's for that period have gone missing. If he was born in Crowhurst then I think he would have been baptised at St. George, now trying to locate the records.
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I hope you have more luck than I have. Ive looked at every options but cannot link him. I dont think he was born in Crowhurst because surely it would be easy to find him but he definately ended up there and had his family
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Wonder if William Gower, 1760 Edenbridge Kent is our man? Father John Goward m Sarah Welfare 1758 Edenbridge. William Goward (Gower) married Mary Ridley 21 Sept 1783 Edenbridge Kent. Probably then moved to Crowhurst Surrey where they brought up their 10 children. William Gower was buried at Crowhurst Surrey 1823 aged 63
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Looks like you will have to find the originals of the banns and marriage to see if there is a transcribing error as both online transcripts say Sarah.
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I have an Elizabeth Gower Marrying into my Pattenden Family in East Grinstead on the 30th October1774. The Gower's and Pattendens all seem to have been in and around East Grinstead, Sussex. (Don't know if there's any link though).
Romilly.
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Hi Karen.
A bit late but..
From the Will of Elvy Dean Ridley,a son of Henry and Alice Ridley.This Will is dated July 18,1838 and proved on Sept.9,1843.
Extracts.
"my two sisters Mary Gower of Crowhurst Surrey and …"
"10 children of my said sister Mary Gower"
He then lists the 10 children as,
William Gower of Lingfield
John Gower of Crowhurst
Edward Gower of Croydon
Stephen Gower of Beckenham
Thomas Gower of the same place
Elvy Gower of Brixton
Maria ?Henning? of Poplar
Diana ?Berree? of Barnes Surrey
James Gower at present in ?France?
Amos Gower
It was possible that the first known child,Mary Gower had died when Elvy wrote his Will.There was a burial for a Mary Goward at Crowhurst on April 27,1837.
But there was an extra child named as William.As the names are in date order(apart from Elvy and Maria,who are reversed),William takes precedence over all which suggests he was the firstborn,although I do not know where or when.
I hope this may add to your research.
Dave.
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Thanks for all that Dave. never too late!
I actually have the will of Elvy Dean Ridley but had not looked at it properly. I wonder what James was doing in France ? More research