Sarah Barden

[MattD30]

I think it really does show it is sometimes worth going over bits again - and even again!

I knew I had a copy of the original record in my files but wasn't able to find it and only found my notes. There's always been something niggling me about the possible Barden/Page connection and no matter how much I researched the Page line I couldn't prove a link [even a minor one] to my Sarah Barden who married John Botting. Hence I took another look at the record.

I have tried to attach a copy of the record image but it won't attach to this message [am I doing something wrong?]. However it clearly states "Sarah Barden [of this] parish Spinster" so we can be in no doubt of this.

You can see the Banns on Familysearch here

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYLH-57X?i=356&cat=215426

The marriage entry is here

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYLH-K67?i=328&cat=215426

Now there are a number of trees on Ancestry which give her birth/christening as taking place in Fletching in 1745 but the parents vary from Thomas and Catherine to John and Mary. I am checking the Fletching PR and BTs for any possible Bardens between 1730 and 1750 and I have also contacted the tree owners on Ancestry to see if they can tell me where the info is from. I am not convinced by the one with Thomas and Catherine as parents though as this has them married in London!

Anyhow I guess I have more digging to do.

Matt

[jonwarrn]

Hi Matt
Thinking about it all, and two years is a long time, does Sarah being a spinster in itself prevent her from being Sarah Page/Barden?
If it was her mother Ann(e) who was widowed? (born Homewood, married Francis Page, then married John Bardin)

Though it isn't confirmed that Anne was a widow when she married John Bardin (if not, then it does seem to rule that Sarah out)
Lewes Sessions: orders relating to poor relief
14 July 1748
BARDEN John, wife Anne; Elizabeth 5 and Frances 1¾; JPs order removing them from Fletching to Maresfield confirmed [Order 30 April 1748 endorsed delivered 2 May, QR/477/46; John BARDEN of Maresfield married Ann PAGE at Fletching 1742].
https://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB179_Q_1_5_19_1748-07-14

[jonwarrn]

a marriage for one of the twins - Jane

John Langridge mar. Jane Page 25 Feb 1770 Fletching, Sussex.

Perhaps Jane Langridge, widow of John, buried 25 Jun 1805, Fletching. Age 65 (FreeReg)
Jane and Edmund Page baptized 27 April 1739, so that's a reasonable match on age.
I don't think there are burials in Fletching for John and Anne Barden.

[MattD30]

Hi Matt
Thinking about it all, and two years is a long time, does Sarah being a spinster in itself prevent her from being Sarah Page/Barden?
If it was her mother Ann(e) who was widowed? (born Homewood, married Francis Page, then married John Bardin)

Though it isn't confirmed that Anne was a widow when she married John Bardin (if not, then it does seem to rule that Sarah out)
Lewes Sessions: orders relating to poor relief
14 July 1748
BARDEN John, wife Anne; Elizabeth 5 and Frances 1¾; JPs order removing them from Fletching to Maresfield confirmed [Order 30 April 1748 endorsed delivered 2 May, QR/477/46; John BARDEN of Maresfield married Ann PAGE at Fletching 1742].
https://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB179_Q_1_5_19_1748-07-14

Hi John

Yes I guess that is still a possibility and was something I have been considering. I need to find some sort of concrete evidence to prove that though, a will would be lovely.

For now I have removed all the info on the Page family and the related families from my tree until I sort it out. It seems that Sarah certainly wasn't a widow so from the term "spinster" we can probably deduce one of two things:

1] She was a spinster in the literal sence of the word

or

2] She was Sarah Page but had "taken" the "Bardin" name. Maybe she had been unofficially adopted by her stepfather?

If the answer is [1] then we should be able to find a christening for her. As mentioned before there are several trees online which show her born in Fletching between 1735 ane 1745 and give parents names. So far I have not found any record of a Sarah Barden/Bardin/Bordan in the Fletching PRs or BTs however.

So if she was a spinster literally, then there is more digging. If she was Sarah Page, well I've got to dig some more for that proof lol!

I guess that's why we love family history.

Matt

[jonwarrn]

Hi Matt
What about this?
Thomas Barden of Balcombe, farmer; registered will with grant of probate
Archdeaconry of Lewes, 8 April 1780
https://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB179_PBT_1_1_64_143

Here it is
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D4V7-HCY

He mentions nieces galore, including Sarah, the wife of John Botten.

[jonwarrn]

Those four nieces he names together, including Sarah Botten, might be sisters?
Ann, wife of John Marten, Mary Barden, and Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Marten, are the other three.
Remembering that a Richard Marten was a witness at the John Botting - Sarah Barden marriage.
Jon

[jonwarrn]

Sussex Marriage Index
Richard Martin + Elizabeth Barden, 5 Oct 1758, Lindfield
John Martin + Ann Barden, 20 Oct 1770, Lindfield

[MattD30]

Hi Matt
What about this?
Thomas Barden of Balcombe, farmer; registered will with grant of probate
Archdeaconry of Lewes, 8 April 1780
https://www.thekeep.info/collections/getrecord/GB179_PBT_1_1_64_143

Here it is
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D4V7-HCY

He mentions nieces galore, including Sarah, the wife of John Botten.

Thanks for that, it may well be a help. Not sure where Balcombe is is relation to Fletching but it's certainly worth looking at.

Matt

[MattD30]

Those four nieces he names together, including Sarah Botten, might be sisters?
Ann, wife of John Marten, Mary Barden, and Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Marten, are the other three.
Remembering that a Richard Marten was a witness at the John Botting - Sarah Barden marriage.
Jon

Now this interesting! John Botting, who married Sarah Barden, was born in Fletching in 1739 to John and Sarah Botting [maiden name Cogan I think].

This John [the father] was born in 1716 and was the son of another John Botting and his wife Elizabeth Martin who married in 1714.

Could the Martens mentioned in that will be cousins of John Botting who married Sarah Barden, or cousins of Thomas Barden? It would make sense in a way if the witnesses to the Botting/Barden marriage were relatives.

More digging needed but this is certainly food for thought.

Matt