Assuming that a Joseph Boswell is named as nephew of Zachariah Lee at his death in June Quarter 1875, Registered Eton, the 1881 census does show a Joseph Boswell living at St Luke with his wife, Sarah, and four children. Three of the children, including the eldest, Rosina aged 12, have births registered at Holborn and therefore Joseph and Sarah were more or less settled there as early as September Quarter 1869.
However, Joseph Boswell, son of Levi and Mary Ann, was still living with or near his family in 1871. He may have been entered twice [0041/72/32 and 0091/22/38]. There is no child called Rosina with him as there should be if he was the same as the one at St Luke in 1881 so that particular Joseph is not connected.
But this does not mean that Levi and Mary Ann's son, Joseph, was not the witness at Zachariah Lee's death. In fact there is supporting evidence for this and much more.
Both Zachariah and Mary Ann Lee gave a place in Bucks as their birthplace and when Mary Ann married in 1869 her father, Charles - tinker, had the same profession as Zachariah in 1861 (tinman & brazier). The given birthplace for Mary Ann is either Cowley (MDX) or Drayton (BKM). Her given ages are 42/61MDX, 48/71LON, 59/81MDX and 73/91LON which means she was born about 1811-1823.
Supplied by TL is this reference which fits the facts. Mary Ann's first child was born in 1839 and she could easily have been aged 6 or over in 1829 since the parents named in the baptism are the same ones whose two [other?] daughters were baptised as adults.
MDX Cowley St Lawrence bp17/5/1829 Martha d/o Charles/Anne LEE Gipsy of Cowley
BUT the folklore gives such a Martha Lee as wife of John or Jonathan SMITH [1881HAM-1256/66/22] whose age in 1881 (45) makes her less likely than Mary Ann to be the person named in the above baptism. The ages of Martha Smith's children in 1881 do not support an older Martha although there is some further contradictory evidence.
The promising news (from TL) is that several of the features of Zachariah Lee's family are consistent with those found in the family of Charles and Ann Lee such as the marriage of their daughter, Diana, to John Gregory (father of the Thomas who married Britannia Draper in December Quarter 1859, Registered Watford). Diana married John 2 November 1846 at Eversley Hants where the family were based. The occupation of the father of Diana, Charles Lee, was given as knife grinder which is consistent.
This family of Charles and Ann Lee are well known although no evidence seen, so far, that there was a Zachariah among them.
As is always the case, this particular line of research has reached the point where armchair genealogists need not apply. The next step is the 'multiple theory' stage where only those with an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject feel comfortable. You have to accept being presented with several possible solutions and be prepared to repeat your work looking for more clues to accommodate all the apparent contradictions.
Moderator Comment: References to a living person removed at that person's request.
