Smith, Herts. Oh bother, now what?!
 

BK6 updated from this thread

I have just received a marriage cert from the GRO. I had imaginged the groom on the cert was going to be my relative, because I have photos of his family members in one of my my inherited albums and he was born in the same hamlet as some of my other relatives of the same surname. However...........

My relatives I was trying to connect this man to are:

James Smith b about 1770 and his wife Mary who are my 3xg-grandparents. In 1841 they were living in Wadesmill (that's in the parish of Standon) Herts and his occ was tailor.

I already know of three children of this couple:

Catherine Smith b abt 1805 in Standon (married my 2xg-grandfather)
Jane Smith b abt 1807 Wadesmill (married my 2xg-grandfather's brother)
Edward Smith, occ farmer, b abt 1814 Wadesmill Herts

I had found George Smith b abt 1817 Wadesmill Herts on various censuses. I don't have him in my album, but I have his wife and some of his descendants, so had hoped his father would be James Smith tailor. However, it's John Smith baker.

I've now seen a John Smith in Thundridge (next to Standon/Wadesmill) on the 1851 census who is a baker and old enough to be George's father (b abt 1791). He wasn't born at Wadesmill though, he was born at Braughing, Herts (not that that makes any difference particularly.) What is bothering be is that he is married to Mary and has his unmarried sis-in-law in his house too. Guess her surname?


*sigh*

Yep, she is a Smith too! So, it might be Mrs Smith the baker's wife and her unmarried sister (both born Standon) who are the relations.

What shall I do next?

I've just realised I have some documents (erm, not sure what they actually are - something about transferring the ownership of property with sitting tenants? And something about copyhold tenancy and something about surrendering a property?) dated 1806 and after. One of them is titled:

Manor of Thundridge: Mr Philip Grout and Sarah his wife to Mr James Smith (my 3xg-grandfather) Absolute Surrender 12th July 1806

So that's another Grout/Smith connection. *sigh* My brain is hurting!

Could John Smith be James Smith's son?

Anyway, I suppose what you need to do is look at Hertfordshire baptisms but I don't think that's easy to do?

They are too close in age to be father and son.

You are very right about Herts baps!!

That Hertfordshire Names site has a marriages section with a marriage at Standon 22 May 1811 between John Smith of Hatfield and Mary Smith.

Cripes! lol Thank you.

On one of my other threads I've been discovering what happened to the various children of one William Grout, harness maker who was living in Buntingford in 1841 and whose children were born there. In 1841 he was listed as aged 70.

Above on this thread I have my ancestor James Smith having a business transaction with a Philip Grout and his wife Sarah in 1806.

I am thinking it's possible Philip and Sarah are parents of William Grout as there is a baptism as follows (on FS pilot)

William Grout (trancribed Groat) bap 17th Sept 1769 at Thundridge, the son of Philip and Sarah.

Other children of Philip and Sarah at Thundridge are:

Thomas 1770
Joseph 1776
James 1780
George 1783


It was William Grout's daughter Jane, who married the 'wrong' Smith.

Merry, if you need me to do any sleuthing at the Herts Archives, just yell!

I might manage a trip fairly soon. After a month or so I shall probably be immersed in last-minute wedding preparatons!

http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/...beth_Herts.jpg

http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/...beth_Herts.jpg

I don't think I did Standon.