Ah! Slowhands - you may have caught me in a genealogical sin - assuming with no proof!!! I was thinking about that after replying to some of these posts. I think I may need to slow down a bit - I got excited after finding my great grandfather's baptismal record under the Drybrook Baptisms here.

In that record, it shows his parents as Edward and Elizabeth. When I exchanged e-mails with the Forest of Dean Register's Office, they noted his parents on the birth record were Edward and Betsy. I know that Betsy can be a nickname for Elizabeth, but it was the first time I had come across it in the records for this family. She also found a marriage for an Edward and Betsey Waite in 1867. I decided to order both records, even though the marriage date was later than I expected.

In the 1871 & 61 information that you pulled for me, Elizabeth is listed as the wife. The same with the 1881, which I had had previously.

That is why, when I was looking at the 1841 that was pulled, I was looking or hoping to see an Elizabeth, not an Emma. I was also unsure as to how to interpret the Census ID, Box, Piece, and Folio numbers - I found an Eliza with the same information except for the folio number. I do believe that with the difference in ages, Edward may have been previously married. This confuses me because the baptismal records that seem to coincide with the Census data (Drybrook) all list "Elizabeth" as the mother. Maybe they didn't get married right away? I don't know.

I guess I need to take a deep breath and go slowly through the next steps.

The birth and marriage record should arrive some time this week.

Aren't you glad you asked? ;)

I haven't "lost it", I promise. I was just a little overcome with excitement!

OK, Slowhands...

I have one more question, if you are up to it.

I found this in 1841 Census...
In the 1871 information that you provided, it shows "Sendly" could "Sewdley" be the same?

29 WAIT Elizabeth 3 Sewdley Green 3 364/9 43

The age seems to make sense - should I bother getting more info or Should I pull the birth record of one of the older children to see what Edward's wife's name was?

Ideas???

Wendy

Hi Wendy,
A mystery surrounds my Edward Morgan. He appears as a witness to the marriage of my putative gg grandfather Henry Morgan to Hannah Haines on the 2nd of January 1847 in the Parish Church of Newland. A second witness is Ann Morgan whom I thought might be Edward's wife. This hypothesis is supported by the 1851 census where an Edward appears married to Anne:
1959 1851 CENSUS HO107/1959 FF.0294-0306 ED.4F NEWNHAM 1

Piece: 1959 Folio: 0299 Schedule: 018

Address: Dockham

MORGAN Edward HD M 36 Coal Miner GLS West Dean (c1815)
MORGAN Ann WI M 47 GLS Littledean (c1804).

However, this could be an entirely unrelated Edward and I have not found the marriage certificate of Edward and Anne Morgan which would give Edward's father and settle the matter. I cannot find Edward and Ann in subsequent censuses so the trail went cold.

Speculating, it is possible Anne died and Edward married your Elizabeth. If you could find the marriage certificate of Edward and Elizabeth this would likely state Edward's father and put the matter to rest.

For the record my EDWARD MORGAN was born in the “Forest of Dean” on 11th February 1816 and the birth was registered in the Lydney Parish records (PFC 209 IN 1/3 Fiche 1 Bap 1813-1821); SAMUEL his father was a coal miner and his mother was Hannah nee Prout.

Chris Morgan.

Hi wendy,

Just to provide you with the data that I have on Edward:

15. SAMUEL MORGAN Christening: 18th October 1789 Newland, Gloucester, England; died 14th March 1846 Moseley Green, Gloucestershire, at the certified age of 57 (which complies with the 1789 date of birth); m1 on 11th April 1814 in Newland, Gloucestershire HANNAH PROUT (christened on the 14th of August 1785, Lydney, Gloucester died between 18th July 1831 and 1837 , Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire). They were both of the Hundred of St Briavels at the time of their marriage. Had issue:

15.1. EDWARD MORGAN born in the “Forest of Dean” on 11th February 1816 and registered in Lydney (PFC 209 IN 1/3 Fiche 1 Bap 1813-1821); SAMUEL his father was a coal miner.

15.1.1. This may be the EDWARD MORGAN mentioned in the 1841 census . EDWARD is living with MARY MORGAN who is 85. This may be his grandmother MARY NEE JAMES who was born on 9th June 1754 giving an age in 1841 of 87 which is correct given the rounding of ages in the 1841 census. Also living in the same household is MARY MORGAN age 60. There is a MARY MARSHALL, (born about 1783), who married JOHN MORGAN on 12th of January 1804 in Newland. She was baptised 22nd December 1771, Newland (P227 IN 4/3) and would therefore have been 58 in 1841. JOHN MORGAN is EDWARD MORGAN’S uncle.

15.1.2. EDWARD married ANN U/K . The date of the marriage is after 1846 but before 2 Jan 1847 since ANN is not mentioned in SAMUEL MORGAN’S Last Will and Testament of 1846 but ANN and EDWARD MORGAN attend HENRY MORGAN’S wedding on 2 Jan 1847. EDWARD and ANN also appear in the 1851 census:

1959 1851 CENSUS HO107/1959 FF.0294-0306 ED.4F NEWNHAM 1

Piece: 1959 Folio: 0299 Schedule: 018

Address: Dockham

MORGAN Edward HD M 36 Coal Miner GLS West Dean (c1815)
MORGAN Ann WI M 47 GLS Littledean (c1804)

However, this could be a completely different Edward and I have failed to find a marriage certificate for Edward and Ann which would likely state Edward's father and settle the matter. Nor have I found Edward and Anne in censuses subsequent to that of 1851.

It is possible Anne died (after 1851) and Edward subsequently married Betsy.

Chris Morgan.