I am struggling to find a baptism for my Gr-Gr-Gr-Gr-Grandfather William RICHARDS. The 1851 Census record shows WILLIAM RICHARDS' birth place as SCOTTERTHORPE (in the Parish of Scotter, Lincolnshire). His death certificate shows he died of English Cholera in Scotterthorpe on 2 November 1860 aged 73 years old.

A baptism entry of a William RICHARDS does exist but some 9 to 10 miles away ifrom Scotter in the Parish of Appleby, Lincolnshire on 26 August 1788 (mother Elizabeth). There is another baptism entry in Appleby on 11 January 1785 for Joseph RICHARDS (a possible sibling whose mother was also called Elizabeth).

What other documents can I research inorder to prove where in fact his parents lived around the time of his birth, Scotter, Scotterthorpe or Appleby? I want to be sure I'm researching the correct RICHARDS' back into the 18th Century. Could his parents have been non-comformists even in this time frame of 1798?