First post. I see a lot of references here regarding Evans lineage, one in particular caught my attention. Referred to George and Mary Evans of Redbrook, Newland, circa 1784 to 1795. Got me to wondering if there's an overlap here...?

History: My Great Grandfather x 3 is John Evans, who was married to Susannah Scholes Fletcher in Prestwich, Lancashire in 1819. In the 1851 census he apparently wanted to be very specific about his place of birth, as the census taker wrote the following, which took me some time to decipher in order to correct other interpretations that didn't stand up to scrutiny...

"Redbrook, to/e (to the east) of Standedge, near Marsden, Yorkshire". Marsden is just down the road from Oldham and Manchester in Lancashire.

Subsequently, I lucked out and found the actual baptism record, Marsden, St. Bartholomew, Church of England register, which read: "John son of George Evans of Redbrook, miner" dated Dec 23, 1797, which also essentially lines up with John's age as given in the census.

Clearly, this is an entirely other "Redbrook" from that of Newland in Gloucestershire.

Having a very tough time trying to pin down my Great Grandfather x 4 George Evans of Redbrook in Yorkshire, compounded by the reality that there seems to be an almost infinite number of "George Evans" in the records, a great many of whom also were coal miners!

Family history has it that our Evans family tree originates in Wales, but I've yet been able to establish this.

If any other Evans ancestors have had similar challenges, or have come across this particular confluence of Georges in Redbrook, would be interested to hear anything that might help sort this out!

Thanks in advance for your interest and any help!

Al in British Columbia, Canada

Freereg has a transcript of the Marriage which lists witnesses

County: Lancashire
Place: Prestwich
Church name: St Mary the Virgin
Register type: Parish Register
Marriage Date: 10 February 1819
Groom forename: John
Groom surname: EVANS
Groom abode: Oldham
Bride Forename: Susannah Scholes
Bride Surname: FLETCHER
Bride Abode: Oldham

Witness: * EVANS
Witness: Travis COCKER (brother-in-law??)

(so another family member was around to witness the wedding - unfortunately no christian name - just a *)

Church of Latter Day Saints

Travis COCKER married Ann EVANS 19 May 1816 Prestwich Lancashire

Family Search

Children of Travis COCKER & Ann(e) - nee EVANS

Shaw, Lancashire, England

James Cocker: 15 November 1818
Sarah Cocker : 26 November 1820
Harriot Smith Evans Cocker : 1 December 1822
Esther Cocker: 18 February 1827
Jemima Smith Cocker : 2 August 1829
Eliza Travis Cocker : 15 July 1832

(if you belong to Ancestry; the children's baptisms are on Ancestry and Travis was a Gentleman)

Here is the 1851 census : where Ann COCKER has remarried and is now KENYON and born BED BROCK, YORKSHIRE - As transcribed on Ancestry - written down as two words.

1851 census: Oldham Below town, Werenth Ward, Lancashire

Ann KENYON 50 - born Bed Brook Yorkshire
Ann COCKER - 26
Esther COCKER - 24
Jemima S COCKER - 22

etc etc

Ancestry has her second marriage

at Manchester: 7 July 1834

Ann COCKER (Widow) to James KENYON
witnesses: John CLEGG and Thomas PARRY

I have a family tree on Ancestry.ca, under the name "Blow". I've attached records for the marriage of John Evans to Susannah Scholes Fletcher, including marriage in 1819. Bit of controversy on this one, but that's another story!

There was an Edward Evans who married Jamima Smith, and had 8 children, including Harriet Smith Evans you mentioned. His will is attached to another tree...he certainly was a wealthy man. Contractor by trade, and inventor. Died in 1835. This is where the name "Jamima" enters the Evans lineage with descendants.

There was a George Evans who was a contractor on the tunnels near Marsden from 1796 to 1798, one of which was named "Red Brook". This coincides with birth of John Evans in Red Brook in 1797. I also found in a search of the Marsden, St. Bartholomew register the baptism of Jane, daughter of George Evans - Sojourner in Almondbury, part of Huddersfield, in 1795. Was this the same George Evans just prior to assuming his new role in the construction of the tunnels??? I'm starting to think that the register entry for John stating that George was a "miner" might be an oversimplification of his greater role as a contractor for construction in coal mining. Notably, there are no other records in the ten years leading up to and after 1797 for George Evans specifically in Red Brook. Oddly enough, there was another entry for a "George, son of George Evans of Puleside, miner, in Nov. of 1797, about a month before John was born, and maybe five to ten kms from Red Brook. So many people named George Evans!!!

There is a suggestion been made that this George Evans, the contractor/miner may have been a brother to the afore mentioned Edward Evans, and also a John Evans, another contractor, all of whom are the sons of a John Evans from Wales, and who apparently may have died in Royton in 1805. Trying to sort out the fiction from the facts has been a nightmare of sorts...and nobody has any idea of whereabouts in Wales John the senior Evans might have originated.

When I saw the post here regarding George and Mary Evans in Red Brook, Newland, Gloucestershire, it got me to wondering if there might be any confusion about which Red Brook and George Evans might be the one being sought after? Sadly, back in those days, mothers of children being baptized apparently weren't somehow important enough for mention in the registers...a name would certainly shed some light on this!

Going to pass along the info you posted to my cousin, whom I'm working with to solve this mystery! Thanks!

Also wanted to mention...

One of the witnesses to the marriage you referenced was a "John Clegg".

This is relevant to me in that: Susannah Scholes Fletcher was born to William Fletcher and Lucy Ramsbottom. William Fletcher was born to John Fletcher and Susannah Scholes. John Fletcher was born to James Fletcher and Susannah Clegg. And on my tree you'll find the Clegg lineage traced back to 1627.

That a John Clegg was witness to this marriage involving the daughter of Edward Evans, Ann, is certainly intriguing! Does this speak to a direct connection with John Evans and Susannah Scholes Fletcher?

Hmmmm...

Had to read your post several times before it finally dawned on me that Ann Evans listed her birthplace as Red Brook, Yorkshire, roughly about 1800...!

Now, that's interesting!!!

Thanks!!!