Genealogy Chat

My husbands Gt Gt Gt Grandfather,Thomas Edwards was born abt,1830, he married Mary Ann Hostler, both aged 35 in 1865. 4 of the children where born previous to the marriage, is it possible it was a second marriage and how do I find out, My husbands Gt Gt Grandfather Reuban Thomas was born 2 years after the marrriage. Beth

If you get the marriage cert it will tell you if either or both were previously married - if they told the truth, that is! OC

I think you are going to have to get a birth cert for one of the older children to see what is going on here!!! If this is your family, with Reuben, in 1871: Arthur Edwards abt 1859 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Caroline Edwards abt 1857 Halstead, Essex, England Daughter Halstead Essex Maryann Edwards abt 1830 Halstead, Essex, England Wife Halstead Essex Reuben Thos Edwards abt 1867 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Sarah Ann Edwards abt 1859 Halstead, Essex, England Daughter Halstead Essex Thomas Edwards abt 1830 Halstead, Essex, England Head Halstead Essex Walter Edwards abt 1855 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex and this is the same family, before Reuben's birth and before his parents marriage: 1861: Arther Edwards abt 1861 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Caroline Emmily Edwards abt 1857 Halstead, Essex, England Daughter Halstead Essex Henry Edwards abt 1848 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Mary Ann Edwards abt 1831 Halstead, Essex, England Wife Halstead Essex Sarah Ann Edwards abt 1858 Halstead, Essex, England Daughter Halstead Essex Thomas Edwards abt 1831 Halstead, Essex, England Head Halstead Essex Walter Edwards abt 1856 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex then, the mother appears to be the same person!! However.....from experience I can say that when a man looked for a new wife, he would be careful to find one with the same forename as that of the previous wife, to save the embarrassment of calling her by the wrong name......This Mary Ann born the same place at roughly the same time, could be a different woman! So....you will need an earlier birth cert to work out what they were up to! Merry

I just had a thought! If Mrs Edwards in 1861 was not Mary Ann Hostler, then Mary Ann Hostler should be on the census.... and she is!: 1861: Ann Bowles abt 1813 Halstead, Essex, England Wife Halstead Essex Henry Bowles abt 1824 Halstead, Essex, England Head Halstead Essex Henry Bowles abt 1852 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Mary A Hostler abt 1831 Halstead, Essex, England Daughter Halstead Essex Reuben Hostler abt 1843 Halstead, Essex, England Son-in-law Halstead Essex She is unmarried. On the actual census page she and Reuben are both ''in-Law''....so they will be step-children to Henry Bowles. (son/dau-in-law was often used to describe step children) Merry

There is a big gap between Henry and the next child listed in 1861......... could there have been still another marriage? Reg

Well I wondered that, but was keeping quiet!! I see that Thomas was still single in 1851 (after the birth of Henry) So I don't know who he is??!! I'll check the 1861 image for henry's age, just in case it's a mistranscription. Merry

Well, Henry is def listed as 13 in 1861. I can't see him in 1851??? Stuck with that! Merry

1851......... Ann Bowles abt 1811 Bocking, Essex, England Wife Halstead Essex View Record Henry Bowles abt 1823 Halstead, Essex, England Head Halstead Essex View Record Hannah Mills abt 1825 Sudbury, Suffolk, England Lodger Halstead Essex View Record Mary Ann Ostler abt 1831 Halstead, Essex, England Wifes Daur Halstead Essex View Record Matilda Ostler abt 1836 Halstead, Essex, England Wifes Daur Halstead Essex View Record Reuben Ostler abt 1843 Halstead, Essex, England Son Halstead Essex Reg

Marriage reg'n......probably!! Henry Bowles 1850 Apr-May-Jun Halstead Essex Anne Hosler Volume: 12 Page: 142 Reg

lol!!! Just for a second I thought, ''Who are they??''!!!! (1851 Ostler!) Merry

I'll put 50p on that! Merry

Mary Ann can't have had a baby aged 6 surely???!!! LOL (or am I looking at the wrong one? Can't see another??) Merry

Time for Grace to get her credit card out, methinks???!!!!! LOL - It does look like something that can be resolved though!! Merry