Brickwall

[dhwalt]

Hi
Thanks for the info on Walter. His father Robert was from Maidstone, so likely his family were from Sussex before that. Most of them are in Brighton - as Sickelmore - which is where your Robert Walton was born!

Something or nothing? Not investigated further yet.
Baptism of Mary Ann Blanchard at St Peter Leeds, 1st January 1829
Parents Levi + Elizabeth
Father a Private 9th Lancers.
Free transcript and image of BT here
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FYORKSHIRE%2FBAP%2F203361652&tab=this

Then a baptism at Newcastle St Andrew, 14 Nov 1830
Margaret
Parents Levi + Elizabeth Blanchard
Father in 9th Lancers
Transcript of BT here
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/605dd7fef493fdb5c2b492e7

Image
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67F3-K54

Never seen Blanchard in any part of the family history. For 18th & 19th century widows tend to use married surnames. However there is the possibility that Elizabeth and Mary Ann reverted to Walton on Levi's death?? A long shot that would have Elizabeth as Sergeant Joseph's daughter. Elizabeth Walton's death cert. is explicit -"Widow of Levi Walton a soldier"

Margaret Blanchard b.1830 Newcastle
Tried searches in the 1841 Census but found nothing that looks useful.

[jonwarrn]

Well it may just be a coincidence of names, dates and places, it remains to be seen.
I haven't so far found a marriage for Levi and Elizabeth Blanchard, but perhaps that's not so unusual back then with army couples. Or maybe they weren't married?
If Levi died or disappeared Elizabeth may have hooked up with one of your Walton family, or, yes, she may have been a Walton herself.
If Mary Ann didn't name a father on her marriage certificate it does make me doubt that there ever was a Levi Walton. But Levi seems an odd choice of name just to pull out of nowhere and put on Elizabeth's death registration?

[dhwalt]

Well it may just be a coincidence of names, dates and places, it remains to be seen.
I haven't so far found a marriage for Levi and Elizabeth Blanchard, but perhaps that's not so unusual back then with army couples. Or maybe they weren't married?
If Levi died or disappeared Elizabeth may have hooked up with one of your Walton family, or, yes, she may have been a Walton herself.
If Mary Ann didn't name a father on her marriage certificate it does make me doubt that there ever was a Levi Walton. But Levi seems an odd choice of name just to pull out of nowhere and put on Elizabeth's death registration?

Levi Blanchard b. 18 Nov 1798 in Wiltshire? Nothing that looks linked in either Census 1841 or 1851.
As you can see it is Levi Walton, a mystery man.

[jonwarrn]

Levi Blanchard b. 18 Nov 1798 in Wiltshire? Nothing that looks linked in either Census 1841 or 1851.

I think he is in the Army Deserters/Courts Martial Registers online, which I will have to look up later.
The year is 1830.
Levi Blanchard, 9th Lancers. Age 31.

[dhwalt]

Levi Blanchard b. 18 Nov 1798 in Wiltshire? Nothing that looks linked in either Census 1841 or 1851.

I think he is in the Army Deserters/Courts Martial Registers online, which I will have to look up later.
The year is 1830.
Levi Blanchard, 9th Lancers. Age 31.

For the record
Wiltshire OPC Project
Levi Blanchard baptism Berwick St James, Wiltshire, 18 Nov 1798, with parents Thomas+Elizabeth Blanchard
Berwick St James - village not far from Stonehenge, nearest town Winterbourne Stoke on the A303.
1841 Census - Thomas+Elizabeth Blanchard, Berwick St James

[jonwarrn]

Elizabeth could have met Levi in Newcastle.
Newpapers in May 1828 report the 9th Lancers leaving Newcastle Barracks to take up their new station at Leeds.
A few free ones, including The Star in London (7 May) and Newcastle Courant (10 May)
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0002646%2F18280507&page=3&article=015&stringtohighlight=9th+lancers

The desertion record is a transcript
18 August 1830
Levi Blanchard, 9th Lancers, 31, born St James Devizes

The court martial, image may be on Fold3
Levi Blanchard, 9th Lancers
27 June 1832
Court or Trial Place Dublin

So Levi disappeared in 1830, perhaps the regiment found him later(?), but Elizabeth goes back home to Newcastle and has Margaret baptised.
If the Walton theory is correct (we don't know!), Margaret would probably be Walton later. Or she could have died in infancy somewhere (not really any sign of that in Newcastle)

[jonwarrn]

Death announcement of Mary, 4 November 1848, Newcastle Guardian

In Barrack Square, on the 27th ult. aged 70, Mary, widow of Mr Joseph Walton, late Barrack Serjeant at this garrison. She was mother of 14 children, grandmother of 51, and great-grandmother of 10.

WALTON, MARY       
Age at Death (in years): 70 
GRO Reference: 1848  D Quarter in NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE UNION  Volume 25  Page 243

Digital image available for £3, but you may have it already.
Elizabeth goes on living in Barrack Square, in 1851 she may be enumerated as Watson, with her age greatly out. Age 59! School Mistress. Mary Ann with her.
I imagine the enumerator must have had trouble with the handwriting
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG67-MSS

[jonwarrn]

For completeness, the burial of Mary Walton at St. Andrew, 31 October 1848.
Abode Todds Nook
Age 70 yrs
BT here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XX8Y-ZY

[dhwalt]

For completeness, the burial of Mary Walton at St. Andrew, 31 October 1848.
Abode Todds Nook
Age 70 yrs
BT here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XX8Y-ZY

Re. last 3 responses
Thanks for the Mary (Clazey) Walton Death Notice and the descendant count is something to think about! Husband Sergeant Joseph Walton d.1829  has a plain died at the barracks notice in the Courant and Courier.
The early part of this thread mentioned John Walton. Joseph's, possible, son John was a witness at Robert Walton's wedding Gosforth, 1823 i.e. Joseph and John were witnesses and I had John pencilled in as probable son/possibly uncle.

Durham Diocese, Bishop's Transcripts, 1639-1919
Looking for an Elizabeth Walton birth the LDS record throws a spanner in the works:
Register Newcastle upon Tyne St Andrew, Elizabeth Walton b.14 Sep 1811 & bap. 13 Oct 1811 but father John Walton, Allostock, Cheshire with mother Mary dau. of John Clazy, illegible 'Ayton', Berwickshire. John is not abbreviated. It is a transcript so could John be Joseph... or is this really John??

Your fresh thoughts and comments have been very helpful. Please keep them coming.