More Maynard/Bedfordshire Qs

[Merry]

I have linked to this thread from BK6, Wm Maynard and Elizabeth Crawley

I was just looking at snippet views on Google books in this publication:

The publications of the Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Volumes 54-56 (1975)

And found these two entries:

Page 198:

Sarah Saunders and Mary Dunham were taken into the Church. John Cooper and William Maynard were propounded for communion.

Page 223: A list of people including these two listed next to each other:

John Cooper
William Maynard. Cut off.

Others in the same list have years written next to their names all in the 1760s.

My Wm Maynard of Kempston wrote his will in 1765 and one of the witnesses was a John Cooper (I realise it may not be the same person/people as John Cooper must be a fairly common name)

Also on Page 223 is listed James Whiteman of Cardington. He married my William Maynard's daughter Mary in 1764.

On page 197 James Whiteman (don't know if this is the same James) was proposed for communion.

Other entries in the book refer to people as Brother this and Brother that.

So, questions!

What does "propounded" mean in the above context?

Whats the book about?

I'm imagining it's regarding some sort of non-conformity, but I need to know more!

[Merry]

James Whiteman also seems to appear in this book:

The minutes of the first Independent Church (now Bunyan Meeting) at Bedford 1656-1766

but when I search the publication for Maynard I mostly can't see the right part of the snippet.

[kiterunner]

propound = "to offer for consideration".

[Merry]

So, the same as proposed? Or is there a subtle difference?

[kiterunner]

Searching for the first snippet that you posted (Sarah Saunders and Mary Dunham), it also comes up with the Minutes of the First Independent Church (now Bunyan Meeting), so that must be where it came from.

[kiterunner]

So, the same as proposed? Or is there a subtle difference?

I think it means about the same thing but maybe someone else knows a difference?

[maryphil]

Sorry Merry I never gave it a thought to look in volume 55 for you, I could kick myself.
On page 199 it says John Cooper and William Maynard were taken into Church and Sarah Kitchiner was proposed for communion. The date is interesting because it was June 30th 1763, a couple of years before your William died. In the list of the Church of Christ at Bedford taken 1st January 1761 on page 223, as you mention it says cut off after William Maynard's name, also there are a few others who have suffered this fate. I need to read the book a bit more thoroughly to see what heinous crime they committed lol.
The Dunham surname is very interesting for me because for several months I've been doing research for an American group whose Dunham's went to the States just after the Mayflower. They are interested in any male descendants of the Dunham line for DNA purposes.
I think I'll need to look more thoroughly into this book, it may be an answer to a few of your queries, unfortunately sometimes the members were only known as Sister or Brother.
I've got to go now but I'll be back in touch later this evening

[Merry]

Hi Mary!

Thanks for checking this. When you said

On page 199 it says John Cooper and William Maynard were taken into Church

is that the Independent Church at Bedford?

My William did have a son William who was probably just about adult by 1765 (he married in 1770, but I don't know when he was born.), so I guess ant ref to William could be him. it was just being paired up with John Cooper that rang bells re Wm senr's will!

[Merry]

I really should check out the names of the other two will witnesses to see if they appear in those publications, but I'll have to do that later (supposed to be cooking!)

[Merry]

Ah, I do have the other witness names to hand! These are from May 1765 and other than John Cooper the witnesses are Richard Lovesey and John Reynolds.

[Merry]

Richard Lovesey was an attorney in Bedford. He died in 1798 by the look of it. (Monthly Magazine 1798)

[Merry]

I've just been reading about John Bunyan. One biography says:

In 1653 he joined the newly-formed Independent church that met in St John's Church, Bedford, south of the river, where he became friends with their pastor John Gifford.

Interesting that in the early years the independent church met in St John's, Bedford as that is where my Wm Maynard was married - though a fair bit later, in 1737!

[maryphil]

I've had a look at the registers that I have for Bunyan Meeting but they are all too late and there is no reference to the surname Maynard.

The book mentions a Mrs Maynard a couple of times.3rd June 1741 "Mrs Maynard's recommendation [for occassional communion with this Church] from Mr Webb of Hitchin was read and approved of. [note 144] James Webb pastor of the Independant Church at Hitchin, 1738-1758 . This same recommendation was read out again this time by a Mr Needham.

Do you think there is a vague chance that the childen were baptised in Hitchin?

[tenterfieldjulie]

Merry, Are you talking about the same John Bunyan who wrote "Pilgrim's Progress"? Julie

[Merry]

Yes Julie!

Mary - Goodness knows! William M's wife, Elizabeth Crawley had four siblings who were buried at Hitchin (C of E though) as children/infants, but I don't have baptisms for any of them or for Elizabeth herself.

When looking for baptisms for William's children I do tend to rely heavily on the fact one was called Nathan (not Nathaniel) which is fairly rare! I think he was the eldest boy and possibly the second child, so maybe born about 1740.

[Uncle John]

Seeing the connection to John Bunyan, I wonder what records may still be held at the Bunyan Museum (attached to the present premises of Bunyan Meeting in Mill Street, Bedford) or indeed at the church itself. And the museum may know what records have been deposited in the county archives at BLARS.

[maryphil]

I've got tons of info about Bunyan himself. I did quite a lot of research for an American lady several years ago. I've got family trees and all sorts on file that I took images of in the Beds Record Office, before they started charging. Also there is an out of print book all about him and I took copies of that.