I have Elizabeth Harmer who married William Upfield baptised at Heathfield on 2 May 1777.
Do you have details of William's birth or baptism?
Hi Kerry,
I've nothing on William Upfield's birth/baptism so far. I have his will and know from the grant that he died 22 November 1840. A death registered at Hailsham in Q4 1840 is probably his, but the index around that time doesn't give age at death (as you know). An accurate (big assumption that) age at death on the certificate would give me his year of birth (obviously) but just now my budget doesn't stretch to buying it.
His will names his children, including a few who pre-deceased him, and what I know about them fits very well with him marrying Elizabeth in 1795. A number of Harmers are mentioned in the will (witnesses and the married surname of one of William's daughters).
His wife Elizabeth was alive when he made his will in 1832 but had died before early November 1840 when a codicil was added. I've not found an entry in the civil registration index for Elizabeth's death - she may well have died before 1837 with the addition of the codicil being prompted by William's imminent demise, not hers.
As Elizabeth Harmer was a minor when she married in 1795, the baptism at Heathfield in 1777 looks very much like hers. Were the parents Joseph & Elizabeth?
The additional information on Chris's marriage data (viz. "md 1766") now causes me to doubt that the 1775 Burwash marriage of Joseph Harmer and Elizabeth Cane is that of the parents of William Upfield's wife. This is especially so when Joseph's surname is read as "Jarman" - the misreading is possible, but then "Jarman" isn't too unusual a name, so could just as well be right.
One day I'll visit ESRO and check all this stuff for myself.
Thanks for your interest, and all the help you've given me in the past.
Stovepipe
