Genealogy Chat

How can I identify someone's parents for certain when there are only parish records to go on?

I have William Fentem born c1801 Derbyshire. I have only found him in the 1841 census with his wife Jemimah living in Derby. In the 1851 census his wife is shown as a widower although I have not been able to findhis death registration.

Fentem has been spelt Fentum, Fentam, Fentom and Fenton and Fantom. I came across a baptism for a William Fantom in 1800 at Darley Derbyshire, parents Thomas and Mary. How can I rule this baptism in or out. When he and Jemimah married in 1822 at Youlgreave, Derbyshire both witnesses were members of her family. Darley and Youlgreave are only about 5 miles apart.

Hoping someone can advise me.

Chris

For info.

If age shown on census is accurate, then born 1796-1801.

He is shown as a Labourer

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Eagle Street, St Peter, Derby, Derbyshire, England

First name(s) Last name Sex Age Birth year Birth place
William Fentem Male 40 1801 Derbyshire, England
Jemimah Fentem Female 35 1806 Derbyshire, England
John Fentem Male 15 1826 Derbyshire, England
William Fentem Male 10 1831 Derbyshire, England
Thomas Fentem Male 6 1835 Derbyshire, England
Emily Fentem Female 1 1840 Derbyshire, England

Unfortunately I only have that one census to go on.

View Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812

Name: William Fantom
Gender: Male
Event Type: Christening (Baptism)
Baptism Date: 11 May 1800
Baptism Place: Dronfield, Derbyshire , England
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Map:

Image shows s/o Thomas of Dronfield

Dronfield in North of County though
-------------------------------

and the baptism you found -
William Fantom
in the Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812

Name: William Fantom
Gender: Male
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 22 Dec 1799
Baptism Date: 5 Jan 1800
Baptism Place: Darley, Derbyshire , England
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Map:
View this parish
Father: Thomas Fantom
Mother: Mary Fantom

Ancestry has a possible link to this death - BUT GRO shows that death to be a 21 year old !!

View England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915

Name: William Fantem
Registration Year: 1865
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Chesterfield
Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County: Derbyshire
Volume: 7b
Page: 322

Thank you for your replies.

With his wife stating she was a widow in 1851 I sent for the death certificate of a William Fenton 1849 in Chesterfield but that turned out to be a 2 year old.

the marriage you refer to -

Name: William Fentam
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 22 Jan 1822
Marriage Place: Youlgreave, Derbyshire, England
Search Photos: Search for 'Youlgreave' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Map:
View this parish
Spouse: Jemima Wain
Save Cancel
Source Citation
Derbyshire Record Office; Matlock, Derbyshire, England; Diocese: Diocese of Derby

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Can't be a coincidence? A sister maybe?

Ann Fentam
in the Derbyshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932

Name: Ann Fentam
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 1 Jan 1822
Marriage Place: Youlgreave, Derbyshire, England
Search Photos: Search for 'Youlgreave' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Map:
View this parish
Spouse: Moses Sheldon

witnesses - ? (George) Clark and Hannah ??( )

Use the GRO site - free but you need to register. Buy certificates through the site - pdf's are only £7.25, downloaded to your computer, all that's needed unless for legal purposes

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro

Gives mmn 1837 - 1918 on births and age at death from 1837 through to 2019 but with a gap 1958-1983

Great find for Ann's marriage I'll have a look into that. I think the Fentem/Fentam name was quite common in that area but it may be a lead.

Thanks greyghost yes I use the GRO but it's pre 1837 I'm mostly interested in for William.

Would have saved you the 1849 death cert. lol

1 Moses Sheldon on 1841 and 2 on 1851(both widowers 1851) Bakewell RD. One Bakewell itself and the other Youlgreave.

I wonder if Derek is still a member - very helpful with Derbyshire records. If not may still get him via a PM

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1191073

It's been some years since I ordered the certificate so probably well before the GRO had the search facility for their indexes.

Due to you fining the marriage for Ann Fentam I have found a baptism for an Ann Fentham on 9th Dec 1788 at Bakewell parents were William and Sarah. Bakewell is very close to Youlgreave. There is also a baptism at the same church for a William Fenthem on 6th Nov 1795 to parents William and Sarah.

William Fenton
England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
Collections from
Great Britain, England
Country
England
County
Derbyshire
Year
1849
Event Quarter
4
District
Chesterfield

Chrissie already has that, Malyon.

It's the death of a small child (she says 2; GRO says 0 ):

FENTON, WILLIAM 0
GRO Reference: 1849 D Quarter in CHESTERFIELD UNION IN THE COUNTY OF DERBY Volume 19 Page 341

Thanks malyon and ArgyllGran yes that's the one I sent for.

I've just checked it and I mistakenly thought he was 2 when he died, he was only 2 days old (premature birth) It has been almost 10 years since I last looked at the certificate and it was the 2 that stuck in my mind. As you can tell I've been trying to find his death registration and his baptism for a long time.

Chris

Clutching at straws -
just on the wild off-chance that he might have been away from home when he died, there's this death which I can't find on GRO site to check age:

Deaths Jun 1845 (>99%)
FENTON William Stoke on T 17 130

Thank you ArgyllGran anything is worth looking at.

One of my 2x gt grandma's who lived in Derby almost all her life died aged 26 in Birmingham. That was another death I struggled to find for a while. Her death was recorded the quarter after her burial.

Chris