Caleb Cotton STEVENS 1842 Winsford Somerset UK

[christyb]

Caleb Stevens was born on 10 October 1842 at Winsford, Somerset.  I attach his Birth Certificate which shows his mother was Mary Stevens and father William Cotton.
His baptism record at Winsford on 22 January 1843 states his name as Caleb Cotton Stevens and his mother Mary Stevens, spinster of Winsford (no father's name)
On his marriage record at St James Taunton on 18 November 1868 to Jane Louise Peppin, his father's name is written as William Stevens.
I cannot find him on the 1851 or 1861 census.  He appears on 1871 census at Kingsbrompton (now Brompton Regis) saddler aged 28.
It is a mystery to the family where he was in 1851 and 1861, what happened to his mother Mary and who was William Cotton.
If anyone can shed any light on this I would be pleased to hear from them.

Certificate Removed

[stanmapstone]

Just to say that between 1837 and 1875 if the mother informed a registrar of an illegitimate child's birth and also stated a father's name, the registrar could record him as the father, although he may not have actually been the father

This applied until The Registration Act of 1875 which stated:
"The putative father of an illegitimate child cannot be required as father to give information respecting the birth. The name, surname and occupation of the putative father of an illegitimate child must not be entered except at the joint request of the father and mother; in which case both the father and mother must sign the entry as informants"

Stan

[christyb]

Thanks for that Stan.  It seems strange that Mary would have told the registrar a name if he was not the father, but who knows?
Maybe we will never discover the truth but it would be interesting to know.

[Tom_Faggus]

Caleb Stevens was born on 10 October 1842 at Winsford, Somerset.  I attach his Birth Certificate which shows his mother was Mary Stevens and father William Cotton.
His baptism record at Winsford on 22 January 1843 states his name as Caleb Cotton Stevens and his mother Mary Stevens, spinster of Winsford (no father's name)
On his marriage record at St James Taunton on 18 November 1868 to Jane Louise Peppin, his father's name is written as William Stevens.
I cannot find him on the 1851 or 1861 census.  He appears on 1871 census at Kingsbrompton (now Brompton Regis) saddler aged 28.
It is a mystery to the family where he was in 1851 and 1861, what happened to his mother Mary and who was William Cotton.
If anyone can shed any light on this I would be pleased to hear from them.

Certificate Removed

Hi
Not sure if I I have a huge amount definite to add as I dont have my documents with me, but....my Stevens family come from the Winsford Dulverton area and also moved to Brompton Regis.

I will try and have a look!

[Mort29]

I wonder why he uses EXTON as his birthplace in 1881 and 91?

[Tom_Faggus]

Caleb Stevens was born on 10 October 1842 at Winsford, Somerset.  I attach his Birth Certificate which shows his mother was Mary Stevens and father William Cotton.
His baptism record at Winsford on 22 January 1843 states his name as Caleb Cotton Stevens and his mother Mary Stevens, spinster of Winsford (no father's name)
On his marriage record at St James Taunton on 18 November 1868 to Jane Louise Peppin, his father's name is written as William Stevens.
I cannot find him on the 1851 or 1861 census.  He appears on 1871 census at Kingsbrompton (now Brompton Regis) saddler aged 28.
It is a mystery to the family where he was in 1851 and 1861, what happened to his mother Mary and who was William Cotton.
If anyone can shed any light on this I would be pleased to hear from them.

Certificate Removed

Hi Are you sure the name wasnt Coomer or Comber? Would be much more Exmoor !!!

[christyb]

I wondered why he had put Exton instead of Winsford as birthplace - perhaps he just guessed!
There is a family rumour that he was brought up by a well-to-do family. but would he end up as a saddler/harness maker if that was the case?
It might explain why I cannot find him in 1851/1861 but he must have worked with a saddler to learn his trade sometime before 1871.
The birth certificate definitely states William Cotton as his father (the certificate has been removed from this site for some reason) and I am sure his name on baptism record is Caleb Cotton Stevens although the name has been transcribed as Coomer on the WS Parish Transcriptions website.  I agree it would be more 'Exmoor' to be Coomer.
Surely Mary would have known the father's name, even if she was of low intellect? (not saying she was of course!)

[Tom_Faggus]

Hi
There was a William Comer born 1819 in Withypool

Sorry to be a pain !!!!

[Tom_Faggus]

 obviously not having seen the certificate cant tell if it is obviously Cotton or something else !!