Samuel and Maria Bennett of Hemel Hempstead

[tenterfieldjulie]

Maria Ware’s parents, Nathaniel and Elizabeth, were Baptist and she was born 25/6/1780 at Chesham. Nathaniel names his daughter Maria Bennett is his will - Samuel Bennett married Maria Ware on 22/11/1802 at Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire.

Samuel and Maria also follow the Baptist faith and their four daughters births are recorded in the Chesham Baptist Old Meeting House register . It states that they were born at Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire – Sarah 4/2/1803, Rebecca 18/2/1804, Sophia 18/2/1809 and Elizabeth 2/6/1811.

There are records on the IGI of NC Burials at Chesham of Maria Bennett Dec 1818 and Samuel Bennett 2/5/1827. Other members of the Ware family were buried at the Protestant Dissenting Burial Ground (I believe around the Baptist Chapel) and so I feel pretty sure that this is my family.

The Bennett sisters however are very hard to track.
There is a burial at Chesham Bois for a Rebecca Bennett on 9 May 1911. I thought this could be Rebecca born 1804, but I am not sure if her birth would have been recorded with her sisters as it was not recorded until after 2/6/1811 when Elizabeth was born.

I have only looked in Herts for marriages where there are 3 marriages in for Sarah Bennett 1825, and 2 in 1832 and 4 marriages for a Elizabeth Bennett in the 1830s. Unfortunately the father’s name is not recorded in the IGI records.

Can anyone see anything obvious that I am missing. I suppose the next thing is to try and find the girls with their husbands in the Census.
Thanks. Julie

[kiterunner]

Have you tried the new FamilySearch site instead of just looking at the IGI, Julie? Although if the marriage was before 1837, it is unlikely to have the father's name anyway.

[tenterfieldjulie]

I use the familysearch site Kate, just am in the habit of putting IGI sorry.:o Julie

[kiterunner]

Oh, right, I see. I have been having a look but nothing yet.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Thanks very much. Kate.
They are being as much trouble for me as for Mr Darcy lol Julie

[kiterunner]

It doesn't help that Hemel Hempstead is near a few other counties, so it's quite possible that they didn't marry or die in Hertfordshire but in another county.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Yes I know Kate they are really frustrating. I seem to have lots of border straddling ancestors all over UK. With the Wares, Berkhamstead and Chesham being so close, half the records are in Herts and half in Bucks. I was just lucky with the girls birth records at Chesham, Bucks it said born Hemel Hempstead, but where they married, if they married is another thing!!

[kiterunner]

Have you looked to see whether Samuel Bennett left a will, Julie?

[tenterfieldjulie]

I haven't properly. I looked on the Bucks Council site which had wills, but Samuel wasn't there. I have no idea what his occupation was, or whether he had property to leave.

I just found a burial for Sophia Bennett at Eton in Bucks in 1871, age 65, which is around the age, but I haven't found her in the Census. There is another at Buckingham in 1854 but no age given. Another burial at Edmonton, Herts in 1895 age 84 which is roughly the right age, I feel she is probably a wife as I should have picked her up in the Census

[kiterunner]

I haven't properly. I looked on the Bucks Council site which had wills, but Samuel wasn't there. I have no idea what his occupation was, or whether he had property to leave. You could check the Index to Death Duty Registers on FMP.

I just found a burial for Sophia Bennett at Eton in Bucks in 1871, age 65, which is around the age, but I haven't found her in the Census. Was she buried before or after the 1871 census?

[tenterfieldjulie]

Sophia death Sep Q 1871, so after the Census.
I don't have FMP as yet. Julie

[kiterunner]

So did you find a burial for Sophia, or just the death reg, Julie? If she was buried at Eton then I would be looking for her in Eton on the 1871 census but if it is just that her death was registered in Eton registration district, there are lots of places she could be on the census.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Only the death reg on FreeBMD Kate. Julie