Caleb SIMMONS, was he a bigamist?

[diddymiller]

wow Dizzi, thats great - might have saved me a job.

it looks like there were several caleb Simmons in Loughborough. I will wait until Mareanna has digested that lot (with a large pad of paper i should think) and then await any records she wants checking!

There if needed
Diddy 

[Dizzifish]

Hi Diddy,

I was hoping it might narrow it down a bit.....I got carried away with the Caleb's...

I see there is a Will on the National probate index for Mareanna's Caleb

[diddymiller]

I have found the new probate records fascinating and very useful. Not found pots of money coming to me though!!

Diddy 

[mareanna]

It’s a good job I’ve a pile of scrap paper/GRO envelope backs.  Thank you all for the details so far (I’ve e-mailed a query to see if my local library subscribes to infotrac)

It appears that (no short version here)

Caleb’s parents were Caleb and Amey Holmes, married on 9 Jan 1815.  He died 29 July 1874 aged 86 and is buried at Loughborough cemetery.  Amey died 7 Oct 1831 aged 37 and was buried on 12 October 1831 at Loughborough All Saints.  Caleb then married Fanny Hubbard on 15 March 1841 (they are on the census) and she died 13 July 1871 aged 64.  Fandabbydozee

Next Caleb himself (or his clones) and his partners.  He married his first wife, Mary Ann Beadsley on 2 November 1844, and she died 19 May 1859, with their son (William) on the 21st  I guess she died in childbirth.  Meanwhile he had married his second wife Mary Jane Wakerley 25 December 1850 (according to the other genealogy web-site that started this malarky).  He marries his third wife, Emma (nee Polkey, widow of William Bamford) in Q1 1861 (LB 7a 156) and she died 25th March 1884, aged 47.

The Caleb and Mary Daubney, married at Emmanuel Church, Loughborough and their children baptised there, are not as far as I can tell, part of this.  Nor is the Caleb who died in 1902 aged 82 (who makes no appearances in the censuses until 1901).  Neither Caleb the butcher.  So many Calebs.  Then we have a John Caleb, or was he Caleb John or both?  I don’t think I can bear to look into that at the moment.

There is now a wager between me and hubby.  My money is on bigamist, he is betting on there being more than one Caleb Simmons, both born about 1824 in Loughborough and both boatmen. 

So Diddy, no pressure, can I please ask you check the Loughborough marriages of Caleb Simmons to Mary Ann (2/11/1844), Mary Jane (25/12 1850) and Emma (1861 Q1) to ascertain the groom’s father and any gleanings from the names of the church and witnesses?  And if poss the Mountsorrel parish records for the birth of John Simmons in 1851 Q1 (GRO B-S 15 38)?

Once again, thank you all so much.   

ps couldn't find a probate entry for a Caleb Simmons around 1885 when I think this one died.   

Mareanna

[diddymiller]

can do - have time off this week inbetween music exams!!

Diddy 

[mareanna]

Dizzifish

Thanks, hubby found Caleb (senior) Simmons' probate index entry for 1874.  No inheritors mentioned, just that he left under £100.  Hubby thought he had found the "other" Caleb. 

Bets are still on 

Mareanna

ps Diddy, after buying some family wills and noting the amounts, some would now be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, why am I now not rolling in it (money rather than compost)?

[Dizzifish]

Hi Mareanna,

That was the Will that I meant...it wasn't until later I realised the age at death meant it must be Caleb senior....too many Caleb's and Loughborough boatmen.

I can't wait to see what Diddy finds....I bet there are two Caleb's.....

I have boatmen in our tree who were on the Cromford canals; boatmen are not always easy to find on census night.

[diddymiller]

trouble was with all the children they had the money soon got shared out...

Diddy

[diddymiller]

OK folks eyes down - all betting closed!! 

Mareanne - you loose I'm afraid - hubby is right!!

marriages:
1. 2/11/1844
Caleb Simmons of full age bachelor boatman residing: the Rushes (suspect this would be in the canal basin itself) father: caleb simmons =
Mary Ann Beadsley, a minor, spinster  residing meadow lane  father; thomas beadsly

both signed.  wit: George Hiffords? & Ann Gaine? (name diff to read)

2. 25/12/1850
Caleb Simmons of full age, bachelor . boatman.  residing: Regent Street father: William Simmons,
coal dealer
=
Mary Jane Wakerley, a minor,spinster. residing: Regent Street father: John Wakerley, Tailor

Caleb his mark, Mary Signed.  wit: William Wakerly & Elizabeth Draper (mark)

between Nov 1860 - Nov 1862 All Saints church was closed (couldn't read reason if given) so all ceremonies at Emmanual. hence:

3. 3/3/1861
Caleb Simmons  37, widower, boatman  residing John St.  father: caleb Simmons =
Emma Bamford, widow  residing: John St  father; William Polkey, boatman

caleb signed, emma her mark  wit: John Landbury & Mary Ann Haynes.

transcription index of Baptisms in L'boro 1813 - july 1825

Simmonds
7/7/1815      Ann d/o Caleb & Amey  hosier??
3/4/1817  Amey d/o Caleb & Amey  coal seller
15/11/1818  Elizabeth d/o  caleb & Amey coal seller
2/3/1821 Benn s/o   "         "               "        "
25/3/1821  Samuel s/o  "         "        "
22/10/1823  caleb s/o         "         "

there were other simmonds that were boatmen but won't confuse issue here.

Diddy