Hi all those who got involved. I reviewed what had been discussed over the last few weeks and tried to make some sense out of it. This is what I came up with
Roy G
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RICHARD ADAMS UPTON
The movements of Richard Adams Upton are known from 1841 (when he was a servant) to his marriage in 1845 and thereafter.
None of the censuses were thought to show him living with other relatives.
It has now been verified that he was born on January 15th 1818 in Southwick, Sussex and baptised there on 22/02/1818. The records add that his parents were John Upton (a labourer) & Virtue. His father’s name and occupation (John Upton a labourer) is repeated on Richard’s marriage certificate.
PARENTS
Father John Upton
The only known John Upton of Southwick of about the right age to be Richard’s father married a Rhoda Sturt of New Shoreham in 1828. The record of that marriage says John Upton was a bachelor so his was not that John’s second marriage.
So was Richard the illegitimate son of John & Virtue, and if so, are there any Bastardy records for Southwick?
Another, or the same John Upton of Southwick is thought to have married a Frances in 1833. Was this John a widower and if so, was there a burial record of his Rhoda Upton between 1828-1833?
In 1871, a John Upton, born Southwick c1798 was in the Parish Workhouse in Shoreham. He was of about the right to have been Virtue's lover and then Rhoda’s and later Frances’ husband, but was he?
Another suggestion that John was born circa 1778 in Brighton has so far been dismissed because he would have been some 20 years adrift from Virtue’s probable age. Similarly, resulting information that he had a brother James born circa 1771 in Brighton (married to a Hannah) also has been put on hold, but this couple does reappear in someone else’s research. (See Supplementary notes)
It is thought that the John Upton, son of Thomas and Sarah Upton baptised Southwick 18th Nov 1798 was probably him. So the following Southwick burials may also be important.
Sarah Upton of Southwick age 54 buried 9th Jan 1829
John Upton of Southwick age 83 buried Sep 1852
Southwick baptisms also show a Lucy Adam(s?) Upton, daughter of Henry and Maria, baptised there in 1852. So we also have to consider whether the John above had a brother or cousin Henry.
The 1841 census of Brighton shows a Henry Upton born in Southwick c1808 who appears to be lodging with an unrelated family. This Henry married Maria Cripps in Brighton on 24 Nov 1846.
Supplementary notes
A person was found who also had Richard Adams Upton in her tree and recorded that John Upton (father of Richard) had a brother James Upton, adding there was a Norfolk connection. She said the 1861 census showed Richard Upton with his family in Brighton with a widowed Aunt called Hannah Upton, born in Norfolk living with them. The 1851 census shows the same Hannah Upton (nee Websdale) living with her husband James Upton who the census stated had been born c1771 in Brighton. Hannah Websdale & James Upton married on 29 March 1839 in Brighton, the groom’s father was given as a John Upton.
Virtue and her possible parents.
There seem to have been two females in Southwick called Virtue.
In October 1796, a Virtue Adams married a John Martin of Southwick who then produced a daughter Virtue Martin who was baptised in Southwick in Sept 1798.
Note This couple also had a son called Richard Martin,
Richard, who is recorded as the son of John Martin Smuggler and Virtue his wife, was baptised in Southwick on 26th Oct 1800
Unfortunately, there are too many Richard Martins on the censuses to be sure which Richard he was in later years.
The 1841 Southwick census (ref HO107 F1/6 p 7 Steyning) shows a John Martin aged 73 ag lab and Virtue Martin age 70 living together.
So a death entry found on FreeBMD (Mar quarter 1843 MARTIN Virtue, Steyning district (Southwick?) ref 7 346) probably refers to the elder of the two Virtue Martins, (nee Adams).
There are no other references to Virtue Martin junior, so was she Richard’s mother and if so, what happened to her?
Suggestions range from her dying elsewhere, marrying another first name, or joining the thousands that went voluntarily or forcibly to Australia or Canada.
Supplementary notes
Ancestry shows that A John & Virtue Martin may also have had a daughter Martha Martin who married a John Upton in 1832 in Patcham, Sussex. This John Upton was born c1808 in Pyecombe, and Patcham, like Southwick, is known to have had smuggling connections
