Before descendants of this family cut me off, I was provided with details of whom was supposed to be my 7X Great grandfather - Jacob - who married Martha Gudge in St. Mary Bridport 30 Sep. 1717. Given circumstances of the last 12 months or so, I am starting to doubt the information provided - even though it it is supported by baptism, marriage and burial records. Maybe, I am becoming a 'doubting Thomas' about all the information provided, but I currently have 65 Ackerman's + their spouse and parents etc. of spouse in my tree.
I doubt that I have provided enough detail to 'whet the appetite' but what is here right now is all I am comfortable with posting publicly.
Sorry, I will have to admit defeat on this one, Colin. I am finding it very difficult to help based just on the information in post #1. Hopefully someone with better developed knowledge will come along shortly. Meanwhile I shall go off in search of a consolatory bar of chocolate . . .
Colin, if you are in doubt about Ackermans for whatever reason, I may have to start doubting my own lineage too, as I have every reason to believe that Jacob is my 8x great-grandfather And I am sure it's been said before, but other descendants do not have prior claim and have no right to stop your research because of a falling out -- though I understand negative responses may put you off for a while. What is the nature of your concerns? does it affect the feasibility of a significant trunk of my tree? aren't we cousins anymore?
Of course we are still cousins and Jacob is still tight as my 7X great-grandfather who married Martha Gudge 30 September 1717. Their son - John - bapt. 26 April 1723, had 4 siblings Jane [1715], Joseph [bapt. 25 Dec. 1717], Elizabeth [bapt. 10 Apr. 1720] and Mary [1727]. It is the siblings and what did Jacob do after the death of Martha was buried 7 April 1727? I can't find verification of the information provided by my ex-contact.
Colin I have never come across a baptism for a Jane (I'll take another look) Joseph and Elizabeth -- all the information I have is baptism and nothing further John is my 7x ggf and I think you know about him too ; Mary is my 7x ggm and I do have information on her, she married Jonathan Mabey No idea what Jacob did after Martha died but I do have a burial for him 7 Jul 1778 in Bridport (aged 81) If you don't want to discuss this on the forum you can always pm me or email me -- if you can tell me what your previous contact said I can also try and confirm it, after all some people tell me that two heads are better than one
Have just seen a marriage in Bridport for a Jacob Akerman to Ann Munden 31 July 1728, which I had previously missed
This looks very promising since Mary [who incidentally I cannot locate a baptism for] was born about the time that Martha died [who I was told was buried 7 April 1727] but again cannot find confirmation of the date. Do you have Mary's baptism? I have her marriage to Jonathan Mabey but that is all so far.
I do have Mary's baptism (it is in Ancestry's "Dorset, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812" collection) Bridport 8 Oct 1730, parents are given as Jacob and Mary, so there is a question mark, but I can't find a Jacob/Mary marriage until the 1770s, and it would be an easy enough slip of the pen. Also the mother is not indicated as deceased -- but it is always possible that these images are Bishop's Transcripts rather than actual Parish Registers [?] -- and therefore contain less information, or that the vicar just didn't record the fact I've not been able to find Martha's burial before now, but maybe I'll get somewhere armed with a date ..
I found it!!! Martha ARISMAN wife of Jacob buried 7 Apr 1727 in Bridport make sure you are in data set "Dorset, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812", search for a Martha, put in the exact date [tick the 'exact' box] and it will be the only result p.s. I think the clerk meant to write Acreman but got the c and r around the wrong way and has written Arceman
I thought it was a Joseph that married Mary Turner -- as I was looking at that wondering if it was Jacob's son Joseph, but since he was baptised in 1717 I don't think it can be -- will double check [sorrry, definitely Joseph]
back to Mary Ackerman and Jonathan Mabey; I have found 4 baptisms for children; the first is in Mapperton (there are two in Dorset, the one near Beaminster [you often find the burials for Mapperton people here] is the one you need -- I don't think the other one was ever big enough to be it's own parish) and the rest in Poorstock/Powerstock; 1. Jonathan 1748 Mapperton ; m. Ann Dennett in 1770, 6 children 2. Rebekah 1751 Poorstock 3. Lydia 1754 Poorstock; m. John Way 1777 in Allington, 3 children 4. Mary 1757 Poorstock
And with Martha's and Jacob's now confirmed, there just remains the question of Mary's baptism - 3 years after the burial of Martha doesn't add up. So who is this girl? Did the original Mary die with with Martha? I can't find any baptisms for children of Jacob and Ann can you? Mary married Jonathan 20 September 1748 - so she was either 18 or 21.
Colin, I haven't found any children for Jacob and Ann either I don't see any reason to think that Mary is not Martha's daughter [though, perhaps it is one of those occasions where a note mentioning your doubts is called for]; I am not sure we can make any assumptions about a three-year wait for a baptism; I have baptisms 3 days after birth, 3 weeks, 3 months, 21 years, 14 years, complete [apparently] absence of baptism ... He married quickly after Martha's death and that should not be taken as anything other than a pragmatic arrangement for (1) companionship and (2) a mother for the children -- not only giving them the love and attention they need but enabling him to get on with work However, he may still have been deeply mourning the loss of his first wife; he may have felt some resentment/antagonism towards the baby for 'causing' the mother's death; he just may not have been ready [financially/emotionally] for another church intervention in his life (he'd just buried one wife and married another); he was probably just trying to get on with things ... there are so many reasons why he might have delayed He might have meant to arrange the baptism sooner and then forgot It's easy to come up with scenarios, but we can't really know what was [or is!] going on in another person's head/life, it's a dangerous game to play at times (though I do understand the temptation ) -- can lead to all sorts of complications; why not keep it simple ... Mary was Martha's child and she had a late baptism ... of course, you and others may disagree with me, and that's OK ...
I wasn't implying anything negative about Jacob and Ann. The late baptism given what well could have been happening is quite understandable. Quite possibly the curate wrote down what he thought he heard or possibly was confused as Ann was probably in attendance as well. I'll go along with you that Mary is Martha's daughter and baptised 8 October 1730. Thanks for your help so far. I may have other items if you care to assist.
Here is what I've been told about Rebekah and Lydia Rebekah was baptised 26 Dec. 1751 and buried 16 Aug. 1761. Lydia married John Way on 2 May 1777 and had 2 children - Elizabeth [born 14 Dec. 1777, bapt. 28 Dec. 1777]. She was born in Netherbury, lived her entire life there, never married and was buried 29 Nov. 1856. & John [born 6 Jan 1780, bapt. 4 Feb. 1780] He was born in Netherbury and married twice - Hester Bartlett [20 May 1816] and Jane Paul [20 Apr. 1824]. Who was the 3rd child you found Lydia and John?