Henry Matson of Wingham born 1823 or 1814?

[Valda]

doverrog

Elham was a parish and later a civil registration district was named after it which included the parishes adjacent to Elham.

'When civil registration began in July 1837 the Registration Districts were based on the Poor-law Unions; groups of parishes based around a workhouse.'

Elham RD  Records now kept at Ashford Register Office 
                           
Acrise St. Martin
Cheriton St. Martin
Elham St. Mary the Virgin
Elmsted St. James the Great
Folkestone  St. Mary & St. Eanswyth
Hawkinge St. Michael
Hythe St. Leonard
Lyminge Saint Mary & St. Eadburga
Lympne St. Stephen
Monks Horton St. Peter
Newington-next-Hythe St. Nicholas
Paddlesworth St. Oswald
Postling St. Mary & St. Radegund
Saltwood St. Peter & St. Paul
Sellindge St. Mary
Stanford All Saints
Stelling St. Mary
Stowting St. Mary
Swingfield St. Peter

http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.uk/famhistory/oldregdists.htm

Elham was one of other parishes in the vicinity of Swingfield. Why do you think Robert Matson born Swingfield and in Rochester by the early C19th had a specific connection with Elham parish? Do you have a time period for Robert's connection with the parish?
Like Swingfield, Elham parish registers do not appear to have any coverage on the IGI or BVRI.
Robert's possible sister Elizabeth gave her birthplace as Swingfield on the 1851 census as did Elizabeth's sister Mary. Elizabeth's age in 1851 was given as 67 which if accurate would place her birth year as circa 1784. Why do you think she was really born 7 years earlier - circa 1777 and baptised in a different parish away from Swingfield?
The surname Matson is not rare in Kent and a first name like Elizabeth would of course be quite common so why are you sure the 1777 baptism must be that of the Elizabeth Matson who married John Knott?
Mary Matson, Elizabeth's sister was aged 63 in 1851 and so her birth year would be circa 1788.
You would expect to find other Matsons in Kent who do not necessarily have any close connection to these Swingfield Matsons and it would be logical to first search Swingfield parish registers before looking for other Matsons in a wider and wider search pattern away from that parish. Why do you think the three Matsons who gave their birthplaces as Swingfield on the 1851 census were not actually baptised in Swingfield? Have you checked Swingfield parish registers and not found their baptisms?
The only Matson born Whitfield on the 1851 census was James an 81 year old pauper in a Dover workhouse. He was an agricultural labourer. He was still alive in Buckland union workhouse on the 1861 census, an unmarried 90 year old, formerly an agricultural labourer.
Since the Matson surname was not uncommon in Kent you would expect to find other Matsons in important towns like Rochester where it would be quite likely they might have arrived from different places e.g.

1851 census HO107 1610 folio 265
3 Star Hill St Margaret Rochester Kent
Edward Matson 79 Head Widower Land and fundholder Eastry Kent
plus 2 servants

Edward left a Prerogative Court of Canterbury will. When he died in 1855 he was late of Battersea then in Surrey and on the 1841 census he appears in Clapham (Surrey) as an agricultarlist with what could be his three adult daughters - the younger two born Surrey.

 
Gentleman's Magazine September 1844
At River Kent John Matson esq of the Admiralty, third son of Robert Matson esq of Rochester Kent to Catharine-Witherden only daughter of the late Simon Horton of Ewell Surrey.

Canterbury Marriage licences 10th November ?
Robert Matson of Swingfield aged 40 yeoman bachelor and Eliz. Pilcher spinster of the same parish aged 30

Taken from Canterbury marriage licences volume 1 but I can only see a snippet - I don't have access to the full entry in the book (Google books) and so can't see the actual year the marriage took place.

Regards

Valda

[bearkat]

                         
Canterbury Marriage licences 10th November ?
Robert Matson of Swingfield aged 40 yeoman bachelor and Eliz. Pilcher spinster of the same parish aged 30

Taken from Canterbury marriage licences volume 1 but I can only see a snippet - I don't have access to the full entry in the book (Google books) and so can't see the actual year the marriage took place.

The date was 10 Nov 1781.

[doverrog]

Hello.
Valda -
1) "Why do you think Robert Matson born Swingfield and in Rochester by the early C19th had a specific connection with Elham parish? Do you have a time period for Robert's connection with the parish?"
The only reason I thought that there might be a connection to Elham Parish is from the 1851 census data you sent in which Robert is recorded as born in Swingfield.
"1851 census HO107 1610 folio 138?
Upper Delce Maidstone Road Rochester Kent
Robert Matson 65  Head Married Farmer 160? acres employing 11 labourers Swingfield Kent"
According to the list of places I got from Free BMD Swingfield was in the Parish of Elham. I don't have anything else to show a connection for Robert, except that you have also found the 1851 census record with Robert's possible sisters Elizabeth and Mary also being recorded as born in Swingfield.
"851 census HO107 1621 folio 320
Bridge Street Ashford Kent
John C Knott 68  Head Married Superintendent Gas Works Ashford Kent
Elizabeth Knott 67 Wife Married  Swingfield Kent
Mary Matson 63 Sister-in-law Unmarried Annuitant Swingfield Kent"
So the Elham Parish connection is purely based on 1851 census records coupled with the list of places which says that Swingfield is within Elham Parish.
The record of Robert's marriage however records him as bachelor of Ringwould'.
"Robert Matson b Ringwould  Elizabeth MOON  spotp  L St Mary Dover Aug 11 1808"
The Ringwould area is between Dover and Deal near East Langdon and seems much more likely.

2) As to Elizabeth's age I am pretty confident of the record I have for both her marriage and her christening.
The record of christening is taken from the registers at Canterbury Cathedral. Whitfield number 454 - 1760 to 1800. There are the following Matson entries:-
Burials - Mary Matson 20th March 1791
Christenings -  Mary, daughter of James and Ann Matson 23rd September 1787
                Richard, son of James and Ann Matson 14th March 1783
                      Susanne, daughter of James and Ann Matson 9th April 1780
                   Elizabeth, daughter of James and Ann Matson 23rd March 1777
                  James, son of James and Ann Matson, Parishoners of St. James, Dover, 6th November 1774
These children seem to fit correctly although I agree the dates don't fit exactly with the 1851 census.
I have the James and Ann Matson above as James Matson (3rd September 1738 Westcliffe - ?) and Ann Arnold (dates unknown) who were married 7th December 1767 at East Langdon
"James Matson botp  Ann ARNOLD spotp   B East Langdon  Dec 7 1767".
This couple seem to have had 8 or 9 children. In addition to those above Sarah (1768-?), Susannah (1770-1770 died an infant), Ann (1772-?) and possibly another Mary as we have a burial 20th March 1791 and a burial June 1858.
The main problem is that there doesn't appear to be a Robert born to this couple about 1786!

The marriage of Elisabeth Matson and John Cullen Knott is from Parish records at Dover Library and from Canterbury Marriage Licenses.
"Elizabeth  Matson  spotp   John Cullen KNOTT b Ashford L East Langdon Apr 22 1813
Witnesses at marriage were Stephen Gibbons and Elizabeth Gibbons."
The name of Elizabeth's husband fitting exactly with the 1851 census record as do the locations with the couple living in Ashford where John worked and Elizabeth recorded as from East Langdon which is just outside Dover. However East Langdon, although towards the Deal direction from Dover is not significantly far from the Swingfield village in the Elham Valley.
Unfortunately I have not been able to look at the Swingfield/Elham Parish registers.

I have Edward (from Star Hill, Rochester) as the son of John Matson (1730-1776) and Elizabeth Wanstall who lived at Eastry and Borden. So not connected with Robert as far as we know.

John Matson, who married Catherine Witherden Horton in 1844, I am taking as John (26th January 1812 -?) another son of Robert and Elizabeth Moon, the couple we are trying to find the parents for.

The Robert Matson who married Elizabeth Pilcher in 1781 at Swingfield seems as though he must be connected somehow. However I can only find this about two possible wills so far and nothing to tie him in anywhere.
'Possibly died in 1810. A will of Robert Matson of Walmer was proved 6th January 1810 and his wife was named Elizabeth.'
There is another Will record at Archdeaconry Court 1820 163 Book 106 Robert Matson Swingfield."

I hope this may have helped a little. It seems as though Robert Matson may have come from the area of Ringwould so perhaps that may bear more fruit.

Fingers crossed, and as always my sincere thanks for your help.

[doverrog]

It looks like there were TWO Henrys. One was Henry MOON Matson who founded the quarry and the other named Henry Matson who travelled out with him.
Valda has already found -
"The first New Zealand website I quoted also states
'Henry Matson, was born in Kent in 1814 and emigrated with his brother to Australia in 1835.'"

I have this new information from my New Zealand contact:-

W.J. Manifold has written of his family's settlement in Victoria in "The Wished for Land" He includes some material about Henry Manifold MATSON s/o of Henry (1814-1885) who managed their farm for some time. I don't know if the book would be available in UK. I managed to get a second hand copy in Melbourne. No copies available in NZ libraries.
From the book -
Alice MANIFOLD d/o William MANIFOLD and Mary (BARNES) born 06 Sep 1813
Family arrived Tasmania 09 Dec 1831 on ‘Brenda’ Alice aged 18
Married Henry Matson 21 Mar 1837 in Tasmania
In 1844 Alice MATSON and her children came to stay at Purrumbete. Her husband Henry Matson had first gone with his Uncle James Matson to Bacchus Marsh and the first three children, Mary Elizabeth, Henry Manifold and Alice Barnes had been born at Kelso. [Tasmania] A fourth child Robert William had been born in Geelong but sadly had died within a year of his birth, in January 1845.
John Thomas was born at Purrumbete in March 1845
Alice died of apoplexy 1861
In 1851 Henry Manifold Matson went to Mr Butterfield’s school in Melbourne  … after a while he went to school in Tasmania through his Uncle George Matson who was manager of the Bank of Australia there for something like 30 years.   
The Matson stone quarry was started by Henry Moon MATSON, Henry Manifold MATSON's uncle who wrote -
' ....took some land in Bacchus Marsh in 1854 ...My Brother Henry then joined me ...'

So it seems we have some further questions.
Why two Henrys in one family? Did they have different mothers?
Henry Moon MATSON suggests parents Robert MATSON and Elizabeth (MOON).
We also have mention of  James Matson who was an Uncle of Henry. As such could he be a brother of  Robert Matson, who was the father of both Henry Moon Matson and Henry Matson?

[Valda]

Part 1

FBMD FreeBirths, marriages and deaths is a transcript of the General Registry Office civil registration index. Civil registration districts were made up of a group of parishes in the case of Elham registration district 19 parishes (registration districts were often named after one of the parishes usually the one that had the local workhouse)
Swingfield is a an adjacent parish to Elham parish. It is not a place in Elham parish, but it is a parish in Elham civil registration district formed only on 1st July 1837.
Swingfield St Peter surviving parish registers at Kent Record Office date from 1698 but Archdeacon transcripts (copies of the yearly register sent to the Archdeacon) survive from 1563 and Bishop's transcripts from 1603. If you were born and lived in Swingfield parish then the most likely parish you would be baptised in (if you were not non-conformist) would be St. Peter's church Swingfield. St Peter Swingfield parish registers are not indexed on the IGI or BVRI or even on the National Burial index, so unless they have been searched it is unknown how many Matson baptisms can be found in the registers. However because there is an index to marriage licences we do know that in 1781 Robert Matson and Elizabeth Pilcher of Swingfield planned to marry in Swingfield.

What we know from the 1851 census is
Elizabeth Knott nee Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1784
Robert Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1787
Mary Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1788

It would therefore be logical to check Swingfield parish registers to see whether Robert Matson did indeed marry Elizabeth Pilcher in Swingfield in 1781 and whether their subsequent children were baptised in the village including Elizabeth, Robert and Mary with Robert named for his father.

When you marry you of course only needed three weeks residency in a parish to be of that parish. So adult Robert of Rochester'marriage in 1808 when he was of Ringwould is merely stating that thatwas where he had lived for the three weeks prior to his marriage, but gives no indication how long he had lived there prior to those three weeks. Between birth and marriage people could move quite a distance. Swingfield is close to Folkestone which is just around the coast from Dover.

Directions taken from a modern map

start:Swingfield, Folkestone, Kent via:end:Dover, Kent
total distance: 10.84 miles (17.45 km)
est. duration: 19 minute(s)

The distance of 10.84 miles is using the modern A road going via Folkestone, on older B roads the distance is much less. The same  for Ringwould

start:Swingfield, Folkestone, Kent via:end:Ringwould, Deal, Kent
total distance: 15.83 miles (25.48 km)
est. duration: 31 minute(s)

Hardly big distances for a farmer who would likely move around, farming bigger and bigger farms as he got older, if he was successful as Robert Matson appears to be (though if he was a brother to James Matson born and baptised Whitfield then according to the censuses he would seem to have abandoned James Matson the ag lab and pauper who for so long was lodged in the workhouse in Dover - though from your second message you seem to be saying that this James was in Australia!!) Ag labs and yeoman farmers usually came from a different families). Unmarried sisters of course often lived with their unmarried or widowed male relatives acting as housekeepers for them or with their married brothers helping to look after any children, so Elizabeth being in the vicinity of her possible brother Robert or another male sibling (without checking Swingfield parish registers you can't know) is again not unsurprising.

Regards

Valda

[Valda]

Part 2

It would not be surprising in this area of Kent to find another Matson baptism of an Elizabeth Matson since the first name is one of the most common in English history and the surname Matson seems relatively popular. It doesn't really fit that three Matsons all claiming to be born in Swingfield circa 1784-1788 would all be baptised somewhere else when a Robert Mattson seems likely to have married in the village in 1781 and probably died there circa 1820 and if he had a son would be more than likely to have named him name Robert. If I was you without checking Swingfield parish registers I could not be so confident that Elizabeth baptised Whitfield (but born Swingfield) was the Elizabeth who married John Knott.

Since it may be more difficult for you to access Swingfield parish registers I would suggest you email Kent Record Office and request a copy of the 1820 will of Robert Matson of Swingfield. By 1820 you know the Robert you are interested in was in Rochester so if he is named in the will there could be little doubt which Robert it was. The fact that Robert Matson who died circa 1820 left a will makes it more likely he was a man of some property (a yeoman farmer on his marriage) as we know Robert Matson of Rochester was. Elizabeth Knott nee Matson (named perhaps for her mother Elizabeth nee Pilcher) married a superintendent of the Gas works whereas James Matson born Whitifield was an ag lab in Dover workhouse (and therefore couldn't actually be the uncle of Henry, the James in Australia). Robert Matson of Rochester has his son John's marriage announced in the Gentleman's Magazine. His sons were educated men. Henry an officer in the navy, John a clerk for the admiralty, George a banker and Robert a farmer. Not the sort of family to necessarily have an ag lab and pauper uncle though nothing without proof can of course be ruled out.

I think the book you quote is probably incorrect and the uncle of Henry Manifold Matson was more likely James Moon Matson not Henry Moon Matson. Certainly by 1860 James Moon Matson was appointed secretary to the board of agriculture in Victoria. Though James was on the 1851 census with his parents in Rochester he was missing from England thereafter and before 1851 from the information of  the wrecking of the Isabella, in Melbourne in 1844 at the time of the shipwreck - published in the Port Phillip Herald). Was Henry Matson's 'uncle' James at Bacchus Marsh actually his brother James Moon Matson?

'Bacchus Marsh is located mid-way between Melbourne and Ballarat, in a rich and fertile valley that consists of orchards, market gardens and pastoral fields.'

Regards

Valda

[doverrog]

I've tried to find the Swingfield registers via the Kent County Council, but they tell me that they are only available at Canterbury Cathedral. Unfortunately I can't get there to look and they only have one person who can research who has a huge backlog over many many months.
The KCC did however have copies of both Robert Matson wills. Once again we draw a blank except that I think we can now confirm which is which.
1) Robert Matson of Walmer wrote his will 2nd August 1800 and it was proved 6th January 1810. The only person mentioned is his wife Elizabeth. (Ref. PRC 17/104.283).
2) Robert Matson of Swingfield wrote his will 19th March 1783 and it was proved 17th October 1820. He refers to himself as 'Yeoman'. The only person mentioned is wife Elizabeth. (Ref. PRC 17/106.163)

So I believe we can now consider that the relevant Robert is Robert of Swingfield whose will was proved 1820 although the will didn't mention anything about Rochester.

In our search for:-
Elizabeth Knott nee Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1784
Robert Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1787
Mary Matson was born in Swingfield circa 1788

We don't seem to have confirmed anything though as Robert of Swingfield simply bequeathed everything to his wife Elizabeth.
On reflection I agree with your comments - "It would not be surprising in this area of Kent to find another Matson baptism of an Elizabeth Matson since the first name is one of the most common in English history and the surname Matson seems relatively popular. It doesn't really fit that three Matsons all claiming to be born in Swingfield circa 1784-1788 would all be baptised somewhere else when a Robert Mattson seems likely to have married in the village in 1781 and probably died there circa 1820 and if he had a son would be more than likely to have named him name Robert. If I was you without checking Swingfield parish registers I could not be so confident that Elizabeth baptised Whitfield (but born Swingfield) was the Elizabeth who married John Knott."

If, for the moment, we go with Robert  (1786 b.Swingfield - 1865 d.Rochester) being a son of Robert (1741 b.Swingfield - d.1820 Swingfield). then it would be logical to find a record for Elizabeth (b1784) and Mary (b1788) as well as Robert the son within the near Dover area.

At the moment I can find only one Matson family in the very near area who may be the possible parents.
James  Matson botp  married  Ann ARNOLD spotp   B East Langdon  Dec 7 1767   
East Langdon being adjacent to Swingfield.
However I  may have wrongly assumed that they were the parents of the children recorded at Whitfield, and perhaps the East Langdon records might have something which would give their children and/or help with confirming if they are connected?

Burials - Mary Matson 20th March 1791
Christenings -  Mary, daughter of James and Ann Matson 23rd September 1787
                Richard, son of James and Ann Matson 14th March 1783
                      Susanne, daughter of James and Ann Matson 9th April 1780
                   Elizabeth, daughter of James and Ann Matson 23rd March 1777
                  James, son of James and Ann Matson, Parishoners of St. James, Dover, 6th November 1774
(The record of christening is taken from the registers at Canterbury Cathedral. Whitfield number 454 - 1760 to 1800.)

It could be that the above Christenings are from another family or from more than one family.  As well as seeming  unable to identify Robert around 1786/87, we don't have an Elizabeth about 1784 or a Mary about 1788, other than the Mary above in 1787.
Robert's possible sister Elizabeth gave her birthplace as Swingfield on the 1851 census as did Elizabeth's sister Mary. Elizabeth's age in 1851 was given as 67 which if accurate would place her birth year as circa 1784. .....Mary Matson, Elizabeth's sister was aged 63 in 1851 and so her birth year would be circa 1788.

I have found another marriage for a Mary in Swingfield -
Mary  Matson  otp  Richard ROGERS   Alkham     B Swingfield        Mar 25 1775 

If we assumed Mary was about 20 when she married then her dob would be around 1755 which could make her an elder sister of Robert 1741-1820?

Also this marriage -
John Matson  b Swingfield   Elizabeth BOXELL  spotp    L St Peter Sandwich Apr 18 1776

If we assumed that John was about 20 when he married then his dob would be around 1756 which could also make him a sibling of Robert 1741-1820?

I have to admit that after sorting out the Henrys we seem to have arrived at a 'Robert' problem, which at the moment seems to be an impasse  with no Matson family having the 'right' three children.

I have emailed my source of the W. J. Manifold book quote re the possible error, which I certainly agree seems much more logical than a family having two surviving sons named Henry, and am hoping to hear more.

[Valda]

Though the parish registers are held at Canterbury at least the microfilms of the Bishop and Archdeacon transcripts are at Folkestone.

SWINGFIELD

Parish Church: St Peter
Archdeacons' Transcripts MFM 1563-1812 at Folkestone Library, Heritage Room
Bishops' Transcripts MFM 1603-1872 at Folkestone Library, Heritage Room

Folkestone Library is at 2 Grace Hill, Folkestone CT20 1HD - Tel: 01303 850123

If Robert Matson of Swingfield had a brother John who married then equally he could be the father of Robert Matson of Rochester. This source might be a red herring or a possible record indicating this was a likely possibility.

'Source: Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury Vol 106 f.260, Probate 20 Jan 1821
Richard Rogers of Elham, gent, will dated 18 May 1812
Sarah wife of Joseph Harvey of Dover, victualler
Stephen Knott late of Mongeham, labourer
Benjamin Bullard of Ewell, cordwainer
Mary Matson of Sandwich daughter of the late John Matson
Mary Dunn of Wootton daughter of David Dunn
Sophia Hollands wife of John Fletcher of Dover
Benjamin Agar of Acrise, blacksmith.'

Or if Robert Matson wrote his will in 1783 shortly after his marriage and never updated it, if he did have children it is not surprising they are not mentioned in such an early written will.

Regards

Valda

[doverrog]

Thanks for the info on Folkestone Library. I will try to get there as soon as I can.

In the meantime I have this from New Zealand contact -
1) . George Matson
    ~Archives, Hobart, People Index~
      George Matson married Frederica Christine Sievwright, Holy Trinity  15.7.1858
 
       Mrs George at the Bank of Australia, a son 12.11.1860 (Pioneer  Index)
       Pioneer index
       Tasmanian Archives

BDM
George MATSON m 1858 Hobart Frederika Christina  SIEVEWRIGHT
Children
Charles George MATSON 1859                     no chdn listed
Frederick Manley MATSON 1860                  no chdn listed
Robert Stephen Cliss MATSON  1863           no chdn listed
 
Major Cricket teams Tasmania  George MATSON 1853-1859 born 5 Dec  1817 Rochester, Kent England. died 22 July 1898  Brighton, Sussex England  (Which you had already found at http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2/2626/2626.html)
 
I  thought I had seen an early death date for Frederika Christina so below could  be the same George with a 2nd wife.
 
BANK OF AUSTRALASIA - Auckland  Branch - Manager - George MATSON 1 Mar 1864
1867-8~New NZ Directory~G Matson, Manager Bank of  Australasia, Auckland; residence Remuera
1898 George Matson Brighton, Surrey Gentleman d  22.7.1898
Probate 6158 W AK filed 20 8 1898 h/o Louisa f/o  Charles George Matson of Watford England
 
Owned South Western portion of allotment 131 of parish  of Tautaroa County of Whangarei 40 acres valued at £40 left to wife Louisa 

2)  Was Henry Matson's 'uncle' James at Bacchus Marsh actually his  brother James Moon Matson?
      Probably Henry Manifold  MATSON's uncle and Henry MATSON's brother.
 CD-Rom State Library Melbourne - Pioneer index
Sarah Jane d/o James Matson and Martha Graham    b Edge              1870
James Graham s/o “     “                       “           “           b Malmsbury    1873
Margaret Marie d/o     “                       “           “           b Tr Ar                         1875
Isaac Carroll     s/o         “                       “           “           b Tr Ar                         1878
Martha Catherine d/o    “                      “           “           b Morw            1885
 
So it seems we have agreement that the book by W. J. Manifold looks wrong and it was indeed James Moon Matson who had the family in 2) above.
So many thanks Valda on a great piece of detective work!

The will of Richard Rogers seems unlinked as far as I can tell.
I have found a Mary Matson of Sandwich, daughter of a late John Matson. She was christened 29th October 1776 and the daughter of John (1746-1805) and Mary Roberta Harvey (1750-1812). However there is a  Will for a Mary Matson of Sandwich at Archdeaconry Court 1810. 532 Book 103 which may also refer to that Mary. For the moment I will leave that to one side.
Incidentally, I know it's not her mother Mary Roberta's as her's is 'Will of Mary Roberta Matson, Widow of Sandwich, Kent. 19th November 1812. (Prob11/1538)'

My focus is to try to identify the father of Robert (1786-1865). As we have already said, it seems that common practice is to name eldest son after father and so we need to try to find the christening of Robert (1741-1820) who married Elizabeth Pilcher at Swingfield in 1781. All we know is that he seems on the older side (40) and from the marriage licence - Canterbury Marriage licences 10th November 1781-
"Robert Matson of Swingfield aged 40 yeoman bachelor and Eliz. Pilcher spinster of the same parish aged 30".
Taking in to account your earlier comment about residency (when you marry you of course only needed three weeks residency in a parish to be of that parish. So adult Robert of Rochester'marriage in 1808 when he was of Ringwould is merely stating that that was where he had lived for the three weeks prior to his marriage, but gives no indication how long he had lived there prior to those three weeks. Between birth and marriage people could move quite a distance. Swingfield is close to Folkestone which is just around the coast from Dover.) has made me wonder if the same could have applied to the husband of Elizabeth Pilcher?
I wonder if there is a birth for a Robert Matson about 1741 in another parish? At the moment I don't have one.
Do you by any chance have anything about East Langdon where we have a James Matson marrying Ann Arnold in 1767?
I hadn't thought about the date when Robert wrote his Will, (if Robert Matson wrote his will in 1783 shortly after his marriage and never updated it, if he did have children it is not surprising they are not mentioned in such an early written will. and that's a good point. So it again seems reasonable as a fit.