RootsChat.Com

Thanks for that, if it is a local office thing then I won't be able to pursue it, I am from NZ so most the research I do is online or until recently ordering parish records.  Thank you though it is good to know I could follow this avenue.

Yes I hope to find something that will help me identify if the Robert Bell marrying in Strubby to this Sarah is the same Robert Bell marrying Maria later in Saleby... all I have so far from Saleby Parish records is:

This written by hand as a paragraph - not on a form as others were
"Robert BELL of this parish, widower and Maria IREMONGER of this parish, spinster were married in the church by licence this 31st day of March in the year one thousand eight hundred and fouteen by me - Francis Wilson, Rector.   This marriage was solemnised by Robert BELL and Maria Iremonger in the presence of (rest not clear)."

I assume it was by license because he was quite a bit older when he married his 2nd wife Maria.. 65 years old.

Hi people,

I wonder if I am missing something in my research.  I have got back to my ggg grandfather, Eardley Bell born to a Robert Bell and Maria Iremonger in 1815 in Saleby Lincolnshire - that is fine.

I know that Robert Bell was a farmer, I know that he died in Saleby in 1835 age 86 and I know that he was a widower when he married Maria in 1814.

I have estimated his DOB from the burial record age of 86 in 1835 to 1749.  I found a Sarah Bell who died in Saleby in 1813 (1 year before he married Maria) and another family member apparently employed a researcher to investigate and he found Robert was married to a Sarah (how do they know that?), so going with this I looked for a Robert Bell born in 1749 and marrying a Sarah at some point in time.

The most likely is a Robert Bell born in Strubby - close to Saleby found on IGI, who married a Sarah Bullivant in 1773 (I think) in Strubby, I was only able to find the M. record on FREEREG not IGI.

Ok for the question - after all of this I just feel like I am doing a lot of assuming - how do I KNOW this is my guy?  How do I know his 1st wife WAS Sarah and he IS Robert Bell born in Strubby... Do I order the parish records for Strubby and hope for more?  What do people do to feel certain you have your man/woman?

Any tips or help would be appreciated.

Sorry to annoy you, I had a look at this site, it looks like something I could use alot in the future... how did you search it to get the result you found? I see there is search by location, decade or keywords.  I haven't ventured into the directories as yet, mostly just onine IGI, FreeReg, and Census'... I am probably missing out on a huge resource not using directories?