Name Crossed Out

[Andy1966]

I have an ancestor Elijah Leigh, born March 1839 to Hannah Leigh at Chatterley, Wolstanton parish, who from his birth certificate where no father is named appears to have been illegitimate.

I found them in the 1841 census at Peacock Hay, Chatterley:

William Leigh, 55, Agricultural Labourer (presume Hannah's father)
Hannah Leigh, 25, Potter
Mary Leigh, 10 (William's daughter - more likely - or Hannah's?)
Elijah Leigh, 2

On Elijah's marriage cert, to Mary Birks in 1859 at Chesterton, Elijah's father is named as John Cartlege, collier, but this has been crossed through and replaced by 'Unknown'.

I have however noted from Staffs BMD that a Hannah Leigh married a John Cartlich at St Georges, Newcastle/Lyme in 1843, but haven't yet ordered that certificate so could not be certain they are connected.

Does anyone have a view on whether JC is Elijah's father or could he have been a stepfather. Why was the entry on the Marriage Cert subsequently crossed out - would this have been later, or was there confusion in the church?

Andy

[Chasing Caseys]

Hello Andy

Have you found Elijah or Mary on the 1851 census to see who they are with and what relationship they are to the head of house ?

[Lesley Robertson]

I have an ancestor Elijah Leigh, born March 1839 to Hannah Leigh at Chatterley, Wolstanton parish, who from his birth certificate where no father is named appears to have been illegitimate.

I found them in the 1841 census at Peacock Hay, Chatterley:

William Leigh, 55, Agricultural Labourer (presume Hannah's father)
Hannah Leigh, 25, Potter
Mary Leigh, 10 (William's daughter - more likely - or Hannah's?)
Elijah Leigh, 2

On Elijah's marriage cert, to Mary Birks in 1859 at Chesterton, Elijah's father is named as John Cartlege, collier, but this has been crossed through and replaced by 'Unknown'.

I have however noted from Staffs BMD that a Hannah Leigh married a John Cartlich at St Georges, Newcastle/Lyme in 1843, but haven't yet ordered that certificate so could not be certain they are connected.

Does anyone have a view on whether JC is Elijah's father or could he have been a stepfather. Why was the entry on the Marriage Cert subsequently crossed out - would this have been later, or was there confusion in the church?

Andy


There's probably other explanations, but 2 occur to me. Either he knew that JC was his father, but shouldn't have put it on the cert as his parents weren't married at the time of his birth, or he spent much of his life calling JC "father" and so put him on the cert only to be told he couldn't if JC wasn't his blood relative.
Regarding Mary, before you assume that she belongs to Hannah or William, check that William didn't have other children how could have left their daughter with Dad. I have a household with elderly parents, one unmarried daughter, and 4 children. After making assumtions about said daughter, the kids all turned out to belong to a couple of her siblings!
Lesley

[Andy1966]

Hello Andy

Have you found Elijah or Mary on the 1851 census to see who they are with and what relationship they are to the head of house ?

This particular part of the family is notoriously census-shy, at least as far as I have traced. So far I haven't found any of them in 1851, whilst in 1861 Elijah's wife Mary is living in Chesterton with her parents and young son Henry. Elijah not present. Can't find them at all in 1871. I think Elijah died 1873.