Jacob John & Sarah Hays

[Asa]

Jacob John Haas/ Hays/ Hay was born abt 1770/2 in Stettin, Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland). He served in the English navy from 1800 until 1805. He was wounded in the leg while serving on HMS Theseus and was admitted into the Royal Hospital, Greenwich as a pensioner in 1807.

Jacob married widow Sarah Cockee 28 Sep 1807 at St Leonard Shoreditch, London. Both made their mark and the witnesses were George McDonald and John Sergeant. I've never been able to identify Sarah before the marriage.

Jacob & Sarah had three children baptised at St Alfege Greenwich, Jacob being described as a collegeman and a pensioner in the Royal Hospital. Both were living in 1829 when they witnessed their daughter's marriage.

I think Sarah died in 1830 but I can't lay my hands on the burial at the moment. Jacob is a pensioner in the Greenwich Hospital in 1841 and died there 6th Dec 1845 (Chronic Bronchitis long standing). He was buried at the hospital 9th Dec.

[Shona]

What if Sarah was using her maiden name when she got hitched to John Hays?

There is a marriage of a Sarah Cockey to William Forde on 4 March 1798 at St Leonard's, Shoreditch. Also a burial for a William Ford, 25 years, on 29 October 1800 St Leonard's, Shoreditch. It looks as if he died in the workhouse.

[Asa]

Thank you Shona - that sounds definitely worth a look at

[Asa]

Shona, there could well be something in it but I don't think at the moment I have anything to prove or disprove it.

The Sarah Cockey who married William Forde signed her name and mine didn't - but the signature looks like a lot of work to me so that doesn't mean too much.

There are a couple called William and Sarah Ford having children baptised at Shoreditch up until 1811 or more but they could quite easily be the other couple of the same name who married a couple of years earlier.