Hephzibah Shelomith Hannant

[ocgotme]

I am searching for either baptismal records or records of birth for one Hephzibah Shelomith Hannant. She is listed on most documents including census records and her marriage certificate as being born in 1837. Place of birth is listed as Horsford, Norfolk.  The closest match in the birth index that I’ve found is in Aylsham, Norfolk, for a Female Hannant in the first quarter of 1840. Not sure if this is her or not.

She is adopted by her uncle William Hannant (listed as William Clarke Hannant on his son’s marriage certificate) b.1808 in Buxton, Norfolk. She appears on the 1851 census and 1861 census  records as his “niece.” The family is living in Aylsham.  She marries George James Day in the parish of Lakenham at St. Marks on November 22, 1865. On this document her father is listed as ________ Hannant.  I have a feeling this means that she was illegitimate.

I have been unsuccessful in finding her parents. If I have the correct William Clarke Hannant,  her father could only be either William Clarke’s father, William Ward Hannant, or his brother Richard Hannant, but as Richard was living away from the area, I’m leaning to it not being him. The only other explanation could be that William Clarke or one of his sisters are one of her parents but that doesn’t resolve why her father is listed as a Hannant on her marriage certificate. Here is William Clarke’s parental line and siblings as best as I can outline them:

William Ward Hannant b. Buxton 1768 d. 1843
His wife, Sarah Smith b. 1762 (not listed on 1841 census so probably dead by then)
•  Martha Hannant
1790 –
•  Robert Smith Hannant
1794 – 1802
•  Richard Hannant
1799 – 1881
•  Elizabeth Anne Hannant
1802 –
•   
William Clarke Hannant
1808 – 1885
•  Sarah Hannant
1810 – 1885
•  Sophia Hannant
1814 – 1841
•  Matilda Hannant
1817 –
If anyone can help me out on this one, I’d appreciate it.
Thank you,
Tonya Fisher

[Craclyn]

Have you tried just searching on the first names in the right area? Maybe she didn´t take the Hannant name ubtil she moved in with the uncle.

[ocgotme]

Yes. Unfortunately, no hits on the first names.

[Craclyn]

I would not rule out the possibility that the uncle was her mother´s brother and that the marriage certificate just shows Hannant because she was raised in a Hannant household.

[Pejic]

google shows a few interesting hits for Hephzibah Shelomith, especially on Ancestry and associated with Hannant and Norfolk

[ocgotme]

Unfortunately, those hits are all to my tree. 
But I appreciate you taking the time to look.

[avm228]

Female Hannant born Aylsham Mar qtr 1840 may well be the Female Hannant who also died Aylsham Mar qtr 1840.

Unfortunately Hephzibah is likely to have been born shortly before civil registration started on 1 July 1837.  She was enumerated as 14 in the 1851 census (30 March 1851) which if accurate corresponds with a birthdate of 31 March 1836 - 30 March 1837.

No doubt it would help you a lot if she could be found in 1841.

I see that her birthplace (Hainford per 1851) corresponds to that of William Hannant's wife Mary.  Has Mary been investigated - perhaps the link is through her? I agree with the others that the use of the name Hannant, including on her marriage re her (otherwise unnamed) father, is not reliably indicative that she came from that side of the family.  On the marriage the minister may well have assumed that as she was a spinster using the surname Hannant her father must have been a Mr Hannant.

[ocgotme]

William's wife was Mary Hubbard b. abt. 1806 to Henry Hubbard/Hobart b. 1765 and Anne Dyke b.1766. She had the following siblings:

Simon Hubbard/Hobard
    1793 – 1873

Nathaniel Hubbard/Hobard
    1797 –

Amy Hubbard/Hobard
    1800 – 

John Hubbard/Hobard
1803-1884

They all appear to have lived and married and had children in the Hainford area. There doesn't appear to have been any reason for their sister to adopt one of their children. I have Amy, her sister married to a Gabriel Bane in 1846. I've searched for Hephzibah Hubbard/Hobard as well as Bane and haven't located any info.

[Annette7]

Have the Horsford baptisms actually been checked?

As far as I can see not on familysearch pre. 1837 and not on FreeReg for the time in question either so don't appear to be online.

Having googled, if I've read it right it sounds like the records for the time in question are still with the church so it could be worth contacting the current vicar and asking if a check can be made.

Annette