I am seeking the ancestors of James SMITH, who married Elizabeth WORGAN on 21 Oct 1833 in Newland.

Glos BMD index Amos born 1849 to SMITH and WORGAN

1851 James SMITH 40 Head Bailey Hill sawyer Amos (son) 1

1861 48 Head Bailey Hill Crown and Anchor beer house sawer

1871 54 Head Yorkley Bailey sawyer

1881 70 Head Yorkley timber sawyer

1891 Head is James' son James, Elizabeth (mother of his son) widow

James burial at Viney Hill resident Yorkley on 24 Mar 1883 aged 71 years

Thus his birth appears to have been between 1810 and 1816, with a bias towards earlier dates. The obvious one is a baptism on 01 Nov 1812 to John and Mary at Bream, with the marriage between John SMITH and Mary KEAR on 03 Aug 1812 (Newland).

But a James SMITH married Hephzibah HOOK on 16 June 1838 Sarah KEAR witness. The KEAR connexion implies that this is the James SMITH baptised on 01 Nov 1812, not the sawyer who married Elizabeth WORGAN.

Having discounted 01 Nov 1812, the only other baptism possibilities at about the right time, except around the edges of the Forest, are

20 Aug 1809 to William and Hannah at Coleford resident Ellwood
20 Aug 1809 to William and Anne at Coleford resident Ellwood

which are presumably the same. However this is earlier than indicated by the census and death data.

Has anyone else tried to sort this out, or is there other information which would help that I have not accessed?

1841 Census Dean Forest
Ross
Yorkley

SMITH

James - 25 Sawyer, (later census says born Newland)
Betsey - 25
Hiram - 4 - christened at Parkend
William - 3
Ester - 2
Betsey - 8 months

Amos SMITH born in 1850

Bit of a long shot ? family name and occupation + Parkened connection

Amos SMITH - Sawyer, Bachelor, age 28 (father Thomas SMITH, Sawyer)
married
Mary Ann WILCOX - age 21 - at Parkened on 2 October 1851

1861 Census, Glos West Dean
Coalway Lane End

SMITH

*Amos - age 38 - Sawyer - born Newland
Mary Ann - 29
Frank - 7
Howard - 6
Master Henry - 2

1851 Census, West Dean, Lane End

SMITH

John - 32 Grocer & Sawyer, born St Briavels
Charlotte - 29 - born Newland
Rhoda - 4- Newland
Bertha - 2 - Newland
Emma - 2 months - West Dean
Amos SMITH - Lodger, unmarried, Sawyer, age 30 - born St Briavels

1851 Census, Lane End

SMITH

George - 33 - Sawyer, born West Dean
Elizabeth - 24 - Newland
Mary Ann - 2
Elizabeth - 7 months

1841 Census Coleford

SMITH

Thomas - 55 Sawyer - born in County
Elizabeth - 55 - not born in County
George - 20 Sawyer (married Elizabeth BUCKSHAW - 25 May 1847, Newland) - father Thomas SMITH, Sawyer
John - 20 - Sawyer (married Charlotte BEACH - 10 November 1845, Newland) - father Thomas SMITH, Sawyer
*Amos - 20 - labourer
Joseph - 15

Thank you very much, this has been most helpful.

It looks like timber sawing was very much a family occupation, and so James was most likely Thomas's son. They seem to have moved around a bit, possibly to set up sawpits in different parts of the Forest. There is a baptism of James SMITH on 27 Mar 1812 at Staunton to Thomas and Elizabeth. This is the date expected from the death and census data so I think that must be him.

Again, many thanks for your help.

In my family tree - around these date, but in Berkshire, males in the same family group were all Sawyers, hence it seemed plausible for your family.

The Gloucestershire Baptism Index CD starts are 1813