James Sharp and Ann Gee marriage Freiston 23 July 1807

[sharpray]

The birth / baptism of James in 1791 doesn't appear on the face of it to fit with census birth year of 1788 or the marriage year of 1807.
He would have been 16 at time of marriage. With the possible birth of Ann Gee in 1776 she would have been 31.

Two questions I have being rather new to all this - would it be unusual for a baptism to be 3 years after birth? and was it usual for a 16 or 19 year old to marry a 31 year old woman?

To me things just don't appear to fit.

Ray

[Tom Piper]

Ray,

You are right, things like that don't seem to fit, you will need other evidence other than baptism to prove your family history. Unfortunately pre 1837 records are notoriously difficult  unless you have other evidence such as wills to prove relationships.

I think most parents baptised their offspring quite soon after birth  the death rate being  so high.

Tom

[sharpray]

On further digging around I think there may be a connection of James back a couple of generations to a Johnson Sharp.

I have been unable to find a Johnson Sharp's baptism in any of the indexes.

One baptism in the attached is indexed as John but I think it is Johnson.  See son of James and Ann Sharp on June 28 1730.
I think the last letter could be an n - clouded by the d of Edward below.  The s is nothing like the s on James but very similar to the s in Baptisms abobe it and also the s in Susannah a few entries above.

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=724102&iid=105317

Are there any writing experts that would agree to this theory?

Ray

[Geoff-E]

I'm certainly not an expert, but it is certainly Johnso_

[sharpray]

I continue to search!

I have now found a James Sharp baptised on 12 October 1787 in Crowland.
Parents Tobias and Elizabeth Sharp.
October 1787 could fit in with the estimated 1788 on the Census age calculation.
Also the Tobias could explain some of the names of James's children.
His children included Aquila, Priscilla, Apoleos, Alexander and John Raison.

The difference appears to be his claimed bithplace of Butterwick as compared to Crowland.
Are they close? and what is the best way to confirm if this accurate?
It looks like Tobias's father was an Adam and his grandfather Gulielmi.

[Geoff-E]

I continue to search!

I have now found a James Sharp baptised on 12 October 1787 in Crowland.
Parents Tobias and Elizabeth Sharp.
October 1787 could fit in with the estimated 1788 on the Census age calculation.
Also the Tobias could explain some of the names of James's children.
His children included Aquila, Priscilla, Apoleos, Alexander and John Raison.

The difference appears to be his claimed bithplace of Butterwick as compared to Crowland.
Are they close? and what is the best way to confirm if this accurate?
It looks like Tobias's father was an Adam and his grandfather Gulielmi.

A James SHARPE married in Crowland in 1810 (Martha STIMSON) and apparently died there in 1867.

Crowland to Butterwick is about 30 miles.

Gulielmi is the latinised form of William.

[sharpray]

I continue to dig and get further frustrated by it all!

I now rule out the baptism in Freiston in 1791 as there was a burial 2 months later.

See Baptisms and Burials as follows:

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=723227&iid=243335

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=723227&iid=243373

I am now convinced that the James Sharp in Freiston, claiming to be born Butterwick 1788 either was not baptised or went to Butterwick or Freiston at a very young age.

As mentioned above he was buried on 30 December 1875 in Freiston at St James.

Would there be a gravestone and if so would it possibly have his parents names?
Did people just not get baptised?
What is the best way to find how a child moved between counties / parishes?

Given that I am down in Australia where do I go from here?   If I was in the UK I would go there and look or visit archives etc.
I am getting very bewildered but not ready to give up just yet!

Ray

[Lizzie Sharp]

I am in Australia trying to track down births and parents of James and Ann.
Being in Australia I am limited to what I can get through the internet.
I have run into a dead end with these two. Can't find anything conclusive on either - can anyone help?

Have found a James Sharpe in 1851 Census indicating birth around 1788 in Butterwick this record includes a probable second wife also called Ann.
Can find no James Sharp / Sharpe born in Butterwick around that time.
Can find no Ann Gee born around the same time in Butterwick or Freiston.

Marriage record indicates both from the parish.  Also gives witnesses as John Sharp and William Sharp could be brothers?
A couple in Butterwick, Thomas and Mary Sharp have recorded births of several children around the time including a John and a William but no record of a James.

James had a second marriage in Friskney in 1821 to another Ann, he was shown as a widower.
Found and Ann Sharp burial in Freiston in 1816 stating she was 39 years old. Found no others and date fits in with James' children.
If James was born in 1788 and Ann was 39 in 1816 it would have meant she was around 30 at the time of marriage while James would have been about 19.

There must be someting missing in my search or one or both have travelled and I don't know how to track that down from here.

Any suggestions?

[sharpray]

??

Liz ? Just my original post??

Sharpray