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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Derbyshire => England => Derbyshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: forestchild on Tuesday 31 August 21 11:29 BST (UK)
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My 4X gr grandparents were William Beresford and Jane Mycocke who married at Longford in 1759. I have traced Jane's line but am having problems with William. He died in 1801 at Snelston age 65 which makes his birth 1734/5 but there is more than one possibility. I wondered if the actual marriage registration might show his father or witnesses that could give me a clue. Can anyone look it up for me?
Sylvia
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Transcript has
witnesses
Ann Hulland & John Hellaby
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Thanks Rosie
It's interesting that Ann married the following year and John in 1865. Unfortunately neither name connects to my tree at the moment.
I haven't found a baptism for William at Longford and there are several possibilities in nearby areas.
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There is virtually no chance of you finding parents' names on marriages in 1759. Occasionally you might come across one on an application for a licence (more likely the bride's father), but there is no mention on the transcripts that this marriage was by licence.
Have you looked for wills? They are one of the best areas of research for family connections.
You say you have several options for the birth of William.
Look for a burial of the father of each, and then a will.
Wills for Derbyshire and Staffordshire came under the Diocese of Litchfield.
These will are on findmypast.
Remember to check the name variation box, and I'd suggest you spread the net quite wide. The Derbyshire/Staffordshire border runs close to here. I have people that continually moved across the borders!
If William was a husbandman or farmer, he may have had to move some distance from his parents' home to find a farm of his own, especially if he was one of several brothers.
There are several births of their children at Snelston although the first one I can see is Jane in 1766. They were married in 1759. Have you found any prior to this?
I presume Longford was her parish, and she may have gone back there for the birth of their first child, (this often happened), but I can't see an earlier baptism.
The hope is that a will of William's father may mention the grandchildren, and you can tie them in this way.
Also look at the names of William's children. He may well have called a son after his own father.
If you know JAne's parents, you might find children named after them too.
You could also check for a will for Jane's father. You never know what clues might be written in them. william's father may have been an executor, or a witness of the will, or taken the inventory, and you can make a connection this way.
Good luck!
Added:
There is a will for William Berrisford 1802, of Snelston. At Lichfield Episcopal Consistory Court on findmypast. His place of residence lovingly transcribed as 'Indstone' on the entry for the actual will! (Snelston on the index book entry).
Interestingly it actually names some of the land he has, and that part of his house 'is used as a preaching house by the Methodists'. You might be able to track down the exact house.
His wife Jane also left a will. 1813. She names many children, and sounds quite assertive standing up for herself!
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Thank you for the information and your advice Goldie. I didn't know those wills were at Find my Past as I haven't checked there for a while.
So far I have found 2 William Beresfords of the right age in Derbyshire and one in Staffordshire. I found William and Jane's eldest child. He was William born Doveridge 1763. I have Jane's father's line but not her mother's. Hopefully the wills may give me some clues.