my father's father's mother's father is unknown!
 

my father's father's mother's father is unknown!

Father's father's mother was Ruth Barnes born 1845 in Langham, Norfolk to Susanna Barnes who died 5 years later.

Ruth's baptism entry and birth certificate show no father and her marriage cert shows in the father column "illegitimate daughter of Susanna Barnes".

that's such a shame - you would think the vicar might have made a note in the register "reputed father".

Did Susannah marry anyone soon after Ruth's birth ? He might have been her father, but I guess it will only ever be speculation.

Di

Nope. I've seen the original register. Susanna died a spinster. I think when I have time I'll have to go through the quarter-sessions papers at Norfolk RO to see if Susanna ever claimed any maintenance, but I don't think so.

There are no clues that Ruth ever knew her father. She had 8 sons and they all had regular family or Biblical names, one of them had her surname as the middle name and another was named after the vicar who performed her marriage ceremony.

On the one hand, its a big gap - but on the other, fewer people to trace!

Don't worry I am sure GR can find you a few hot matches!!

My father's father's mother's father is unknown too ;)
My great grandmother, Emma Gumbert, was supposedly adopted by a 'Pennsylvania Dutch' couple, which I take to mean German settlers in Pennsylvania, but she married in Ontario, Canada. I have no hope of ever finding out the truth from North American records :( I can't even find out where & when she died :(

As you say Nell, fewer people to trace :D


Anne, I can honestly say I have never had a 'not match' for Emma. I think they must be slipping :D