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October 4, 2019

Ancestor Most Wanted Charles Fuller

1841 Census Lenham
Here is my Number 1 of 10 Genealogy Mysteries: My great-great grandfather Charles Fuller. When and where he was born is anyone's guess. Here is what the U.K. census takers recorded during his lifetime spent in Lenham Kent England:

1841 census Lenham - Charles age 14 (b. 1825) - no birth location given in 1841 but I believe this is my ancestor
1851 census Lenham - Charles age 23/25 b Faversham (b 1826)
1861 census Lenham - Charles age 32 b. Milton (b 1829)
1871 census Lenham -  Charles age 44 b Faversham (b 1827)
1881 census Lenham -  Charles age 52 b. Lenham (b1829)
1891 census Lenham-  Charles age 60 b Frinsted (b 1831)  

THE KNOWN  Here is what I know about Charles: Marriage of Baptisms in St. Mary's Parish Church, Lenham. Entry #221:

Oct 17, 1858: Charles Fuller, of age, bachelor, labourer in Lenham. Father: John Fuller, labourer. Charles married Georgiana Golding, minor, spinster in Lenham.  Father of Georgiana given as George Norris, labourer. Married in the Parish church after banns. Witnesses: George & Sarah Earl. Neither groom, bride nor witnesses were literate, all signing with their marks.Marriage Cert. Parish of Lenham, Hollingbourne District, Kent.

1861-1891 census is definitely my ancestor.
1851 is almost certainly him as he is living quite near Georgiana Golding who later became his wife

I believe Charles died in the last quarter of 1892. His age was given as 68 giving him a year of birth of 1824.   

MY THEORY

1826 Baptism of Charles Fuller

I suggest my ancestor is the  Charles FULLER, baptised 31 Oct 1826, Faversham, Kent to John & Winifred FULLER  In 1830 Winnifred died. In 1839 John Fuller remarried to Sophia. In the 1841 census where I found the boy I believe is my Charles, he is living with a "mother" Sophia and a younger sister Harriet.

One of the clues that led me to formulating the theory that my Charles was the Charles baptised to John and Winnifred is the name "Mene" and others which repeat in the generations. John and Winnifred named their children
  • Mene 
  • Mary Ann 
  • Sarah 
  • Joseph 
  • John
  • Philadelphia
  • Henry
  • Edward
  • Harriet
  • James
  • Frederick
  • Charles
My ancestor Charles and his wife Georgiana named their children
  • Frederick
  • Elizabeth
  • Harriet
  • Martha Ann
  • Charles *my ancestor - see photo below
  • Alfred
  • Mene
  • Edward John 
  • Walter
  • Albert Henry 
For some of the children I do not have middle names but I have highlighted the names that repeat in Charles' children.

Charles Fuller son of Charles & Georgiana with wife Mary Ann Norman Caspall


MY GOAL
What I am hoping to find is proof that the Charles baptised in 1826 to John and Winnifred is my ancestor.

Do my readers have suggestions, ideas or thoughts? 

6 comments:

  1. Search for Winifred's parents and family ... more naming similarities. Any chance of an obituary for Winifred ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good ideas Robbin but they were poor farmers in a tiny parish, not important enough to be noted in obits. I have looked of course but with no result.

    I think I know who Winnifred's parents are but that hasn't helped (and I don't have 100% proof)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Have you tried using the "My Past" website that has mostly English/Irish records? I also noticed that Charles ages during the census periods either by eight or ten years so you might try finding something like the marriage certificate to see if a date matches one of his birth dates. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Mysticat2011 - Thanks for the suggestion. I do use FMP almost every day, I am addicted to it!

    I have the marriage certificate for Charles, among other items but nothing is 100% proof of his parents who I theorize are John and Winnifred. The discrepancy in ages AND birthplace are certainly complicating my search!

    Appreciate your help!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I cannot offer much help to you, but my wife's 3rd ggrandmother was Mary Fuller born 1806 in Egerton,Kent to Josias Fuller and Martha Boorman. I believe that there was an extended Fuller family in this region (Lenham, Egerton, Boughton Malherbe etc.). I tried to see if I could extend what I had to reach your Charles but so far I have not been able to.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have a Susan BOORMAN b 18 Apr 1819 md to Elias Fuller (born Lenham 1804). I believe Elias was the s/o John Fuller 1779-1864 (bpt and died in Lenham) & Francis Gilbert. That is the same John Fuller who md Winnifred who I believe may be the parents of my Charles.

    ReplyDelete