Caleb SIMMONS, was he a bigamist?

[mareanna]

Short Version:

Only one Caleb Simmon(d)s on 1841 census, b 1824 Loughborough (son of Caleb and Frances?).  Three marriage GROs for a Caleb Simmons in 1844, 1850 and 1861.  On 1851 census he is with wife (Mary Ann) and child (Caleb), the other wife (Mary Jane) a married lodger, with a child (John).  On 1861 a Caleb and a Caleh Simmons (both b 1824 in Loughborough and boatmen) are with wives Mary Jane and Emma respectively.  So he appears to have two wives on the go, first with Mary Ann and Mary Jane on the 1851 census, then with Mary Jane and Emma on the 1861 census.  The pattern is repeated in 1871 and 1881, Caleb and Emma in Loughborough, Caleb and Mary Jane in Mountsorrel.

Long Version:
We were checking an entry for Caleb Simmons in our family tree.  On the 1841 census there is only one Caleb Simmon(d)s from Loughborough born about 1824, parents Caleb and Frances/Fanny.

Caleb Simmon(d)s (B about 1824, Loughborough, a boatman) is on the 1861 census with his wife Mary Jane and brood in Mountsorrel.  So far so good.

By a sheer coincidence, we found a tree on a genealogy site that has this couple, but with more children, two whose conceptions pre-date the marriage (now with a date of 25 December 1850 at Loughborough parish church).  Nothing unusual, but alarm bells starting to ring.

Checking the GROs for the children, we decided to double-check the marriage for Caleb and Mary Jane.  We now have GROs for a Caleb Simmons and Mary Ann Beadsley/Bradsley (yes there are two versions of the surname on the typed GRO list for this page) of 1844 Q4 Loughborough 15 231 AND Mary Jane Wakerley, GRO 1850 Q4 Loughborough.

Back tracking to the 1851 census, there is Caleb and Mary Ann in Loughborough with son Caleb, born in Loughborough (1849 Q3 Loughborough 15 146).  Mary Jane Simmons is a (married) lodger in Mountsorrel with son John, born in Mountsorrel (1851 Q1 Barrow 15 38).  No husband with her. 

Further digging on the 1861 census reveals a Caleh (sic) Simmons (b 1824 Loughborough, boatman) now with Emma (Bamford, marriage GRO 1861 Q1 Loughborough 7a 156) and children (John 1851, Mary J 1853, Caleb 1855, Elizabeth H 1857) at John Street, Loughborough.  Caleb (also b 1824, Loughborough and a boatman) is with Mary Jane and children (Charles W 1853, Walter 1856, Ann 1858, Mary J 1860) in Mountsorrel, North.  [There is a death for a Mary Ann Simmons (GRO 1859 Q2 Loughborough 7a 83) but without an age, I can’t confirm that it was this Mary Ann, it looks likely though]

So was he a dirty rotten two-timer or did have a doppleganger?  We’ve checked for Simmons/Simmonds and wider age spans, and for Calebs in Leicestershire.  Everything points to the one man with two “families”

Can anyone check the parish records for the three marriages for Caleb (1844, 1850 & 1861 in LB, different churches?), and the births of the children Caleb (LB 1849) and John (BS 1851) to check their parents?  If possible the 1824 birth/baptism details for Caleb to confirm his parents (IGI has a Caleb christened 22 Oct 1823 at All Saints, Loughborough, father Caleb, mother Amey – could this be Fanny?)  Just for good measure, the death of Mary Ann Simmons in 1859, too.

PHEW 

[mshrmh]

Mareanna - phew indeed - quite a saga.

I've had a look at the pilot familysearch site and found for Loughborough All Saints

Caleb Simmons baptism 13 Sept 1812 parents Saml and Ann (listed twice - second version has church)


Caleb Simmons baptism 22 Oct 1823 parents Caleb and Amey

Caleb Simmons born 16 Aug 1825, baptised 5 Feb 1836 parents Wm and Elizth.

Caleb Simmons born 26 Oct 1826, baptised 25 Dec 1826, death 21 May 1827 parents John and Sarah.

Caleb John Simmons born 19 July 1849, baptised 15 Aug 1869 parents Caleb and Mary Ann.

Caleb Simmons baptised 21 Oct 1854 parents Caleb and Mary Ann

Caleb Simmons marriage to Amy Holmes 9 Jan 1815.

Caleb Simmons marriage to Mary Ann Beadsley 2 Nov 1844


Also at Emmanuel, Loughborough
Caleb Simmonds marriage to Mary Daubury 20 Feb 1842


I suspect I'm adding to the confusion, but it does seem a local name!

[mareanna]

The 1823 christening appears to be the Caleb I'm following.  I decided to post two versions of the request, fearing that even the most hardened genealogist would have lost the plot before the end of the long version (but included to show what lengths we had gone to trying to get to the bottom of this one). 
Simmons - with or without a "D" doesn't help but we've looked at both versions or soundex to investigate all the possibilities. 

My money's on a bigamist, the doppleganger option gets long odds 

[hanes teulu]

Mareanna,

re death of Mary Ann Simmons -

The Derby Mercury, Wednesday June 1, 1859
Deaths

At Loughborough, on the 18th ult......... Mary Ann, wife of Mr Caleb Simmons, jun, aged 31

regards

[mareanna]

hanes teulu

Curious - why would a death for a Loughborough lass be in the Derby Mercury? 
Unless you didn't want it to be read by the Loughborough locals 

Good though that it confirms Caleb being named after his father.

[diddymiller]

Mareanna,
 i can check any of the Loughborough records this week. dates found on pilot site are useful - there may be more info on full record esp marriages.

Diddy

[Dizzifish]

Hello all....

Just noticed Diddy has kindly offered to do some look-ups.... but you may find some useful stuff out of this lot.

Mareanna...if your local library subscribes to the infotrac newspaper collection you will be able to access them at home with your library card as there are a number of references for Caleb Simmons......no wonder Caleb has been giving you trouble....

All the Caleb Simmons burials I could see were recorded at Loughborough Cemetery
Caleb - 21st May 1827 - inf
Caleb - 29th July 1874 - aged 86
Caleb - 1st Nov 1902 - aged 82

Loughborough All Saints
Caleb - 17th Oct 1852 - aged 41

A slightly different account from the one from hanes teulu .......

The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser), Saturday, May 28, 1859
On the 19th instant Mary Ann, wife of Mr Caleb Simmons; and on the 21st instant. the infant son of the above.


Re the burial for Mary Ann at Loughborough Cemetery - 22nd May 1859 - aged 31
Also William Simmons - 22nd May 1859 - inf

Nottinghamshire Guardian - Thursday, March 07, 1861
Marriage
SIMMONS -  BAMFORD - At Emmanuel Church, Loughborough on Sunday last. Caleb Simmons (widower) to Emma Bamford (widow), both of Loughborough.

Nottinghamshire Guardian , Thursday, October 21, 1852
Deaths
At Loughborough, on the 14th instant, Mr Caleb Simmons, Butcher, aged 41 years.

Nottinghamshire Guardian Thursday, August 20, 1857
Deaths
At Loughborough on the 11th inst. aged 60, Hannah, wife of Mr. Caleb Simmons.

Leicester Chronicle and the Leicestershire Mercury), Saturday, July 22, 1871
Death
At Loughborough, on the 13th inst, aged 64, Fanny, wife of Mr Caleb Simmons, Rushes.

Leicester Chronicle and the Leicestershire Mercury Saturday, August 01, 1874
SIMMONS - On the 20th ult, at Loughborough, Caleb Simmons, gent, aged 86

Leicester Chronicle and the Leicestershire Mercury Friday, March 29, 1884
Deaths
SIMMONS - On the 25th inst, at Loughborough, Emma, wife of Caleb Simmons, Rushes, aged 47

[Dizzifish]

Forgot this marriage.....

The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser - Saturday, March 20, 1841
Marriage
On Monday at Loughborough, Mr Caleb Simmons, coal merchant, to Miss Fanny Hubbard.

[Dizzifish]

These were reported as Simmonds........

Burial - Loughborough All Saints
Amey Simmonds - 12th Oct 1831 - aged 37


The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser Saturday, October 15, 1831
Death
On the 7th instant, Amy wife of Caleb Simmonds, of the Rushes, coal merchant, aged 37, of Loughborough

The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser - Saturday, February 26, 1842
Marriage
At Loughborough - On Sunday, Mr Caleb Simmonds, butcher, to Miss Mary Daubney.


The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser - Saturday, November 09, 1844
Marriage
On Saturday, at the Old Church, Loughborough, Mr Caleb Simmonds, jun, to Miss Mary Ann Beadsley


The Leicester Chronicle: or, Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser - Saturday, December 21, 1844
Death
At Loughborough on Wednesday, Mary, wife of Mr Caleb Simmonds, butcher, Ward's end.