#1
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Mary Saunders was bp 8 Feb 1795 in East Wittering.
She was a sister of Best Mate's ancestor and there are lots of DNA matches. BUT, the received wisdom is that she had a baby 24 Jan 1816 in Isle aux Noix, below Quebec, Canada and then married Thomas Knight 8 August 1816 in Quebec. The trees quote sources, but I do wonder whether they are retrospective in any way? Would sks with a worldwide subscription please check the Ancestry trees/sources, to see whether the sources are contemporary? I am sure that there were courageous, resourceful females who travelled abroad as very young women, got pregnant and married over a year later, but it seems unlikely.
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#2
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There are so many trees to look through. Not sure which ones in particular to look at.
The Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection) has the marriage record of Thomas Knight, stocking weaver, and Mary Saunders, spinster, by licence, 8th Aug 1816, at the Anglican Garrison, by Geo Jenkins, chaplain to the forces. I would guess that this Mary was the daughter of a soldier given that Thomas wasn't one. |
#3
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That's fascinating, Kite.
This tree has a link to Canadian military service in 1803: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tr...73964372/facts But unfortunately, that chap was born in Hampshire.
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The chestnuts cast their flambeaux |
#4
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I suppose Mary's father could have been conscripted, but his children were born in Sussex between 1793 and 1808, so he would have had to have been mid thirties at the very youngest, with a young family. Militia men were usually exempted if they had several small children - lest they be a charge on the parish.
Thomas's headstone helpfully says a native of Nottinghamshire, which fits with his occupation.
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The chestnuts cast their flambeaux |
#5
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And also in the Drouin Collection: 1816, Thomas, son of Thomas Knight private in the 76th Regiment and Mary his wife born 24 Jan and baptised 13 Feb 1816. By Geo Jenkins, chaplain to the forces. Sponsors Richard Sheldon, Wm Usher, Catharine Hallaman. Both parents made their mark.
Looking back at that 8th Aug 1816 marriage, both parties also made their mark, and Richard Sheldon was a witness. (The other one I think is Saml Trumans.) The tree I was looking at also has a link to the 1851 Canadian census, which has the following household at Horton, Renfrew County, Canada West (Ontario): Thomas Knight Farmer Notingham Ed (not sure if that's what it says) 63 Mary Do Mrs Sussex England 56 Mary Do Drummond, CW 20 Hannah Do Horton, CW 16 Ruth Do Horton Do 12 James Do Farmer Drummond, CW 22 Janet Do Mrs Lanark, CW 22 Ruth Do Horton Do 2. The ages are "age next birthday". |
#6
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So Thomas was a soldier when Thomas jr was baptised, but a stocking weaver by the time of the marriage. Confusing! I suppose that means Mary's father might not have been a soldier after all.
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#7
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That is brilliant! Thanks, Kite.
I did see that Mary gave Sussex as her birthplace on the 1851 census, but it was not clear from the transcript whether that was original information, or added. I need access to "In search of the Forlorn Hope", which lists where army units were at any given time. However, since it is selling on Amazon for nearly £100, I'll curb my enthusiasm. Quoting from Wikipedia: "In 1807, the regiment was deployed to Jersey in the Channel Islands for garrison duty, remaining there until 1808, when it was deployed to Spain to take part in the Peninsular War.[5] The regiment took part in the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 and was evacuated from the Peninsula later that month.[5] The regiment took part in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign in autumn 1809 and, having reverted to the title of 76th Regiment of Foot in 1812,[1] returned to the Peninsula in 1813 seeing action at the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813[9] and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813.[10] It then embarked for North America for service in the War of 1812 and saw action at the Battle of Plattsburgh in September 1814.[11] The Victorian era The regiment did not return from North America until 1827.[5]" That sorts out Thomas (apparently most of the recruits came from Nottinghamshire) but how on earth did Mary get out to Canada?
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The chestnuts cast their flambeaux |
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