Sarah (Anderton) Brown (abt. 1769 - bef. 1836)

Born about 1769 in Lancashire, England [uncertain]

Died before 28 Aug 1836 before about age 67 in Prescot, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Biography

Sarah Anderton married Thomas Browne on 10 Feb 1799 at Farnworth Chapel of Ease in the parish of Prescot, Lancashire. Thomas was a weaver, Sarah was a widow, both were of Farnworth near Prescot. The witnesses were William Parr and Peter Shaw.

Their son Thomas was born on 7 Nov 1799, and christened on 15 Dec 1799 at St Mary the Virgin Church in Prescot, Lancashire. His father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot. Thomas died in 1802; he was buried on 11 Sep 1802 at Prescot St Mary's. The burial record names his father but not his mother; his father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot.

Their son Thomas was born on 21 Mar 1803, and christened on 3 Apr 1803 at St Mary the Virgin Church in Prescot, Lancashire. His father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot. Thomas died in infancy; he was buried on 29 Nov 1803 at Prescot St Mary's. His father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot.

Their daughter Alice was born on 26 Dec 1804, and christened on 20 Jan 1805 at St Mary the Virgin Church in Prescot, Lancashire. Her father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot.

Their son Thomas was born on 10 Aug 1808, and christened on 4 Sep 1808 at St Mary the Virgin Church in Prescot, Lancashire. His father's occupation was given as weaver, and the family's address as Prescot.

Sarah may have died in 1836, aged 67, and been buried on 28 Aug 1836 at Prescot St Mary's, with her address being given as Prescot. Unfortunately there is little there to identify her, and the easily accessible burial records for the area are far from complete, however that is partly due to the difficulty of accessing the Catholic ones, and this family doesn't appear to have been Catholic. Since it is the only burial record found so far that might be hers, and since there is no Sarah Brown who might be her living in Prescot in the censuses, it seems reasonable to take it as being hers unless information to the contrary emerges. This would mean she married at about 30, and was about 39 when her last known child was born, which would make sense of the relatively small number of children born to her.

Research Notes

Children

A James Brown (son of Thomas Brown weaver of Prescot) was buried on 25 Nov 1800 at Prescot St Mary's and might perhaps belong to this family.

Husband's death

Three possible burials have been found for her husband, all at Prescot St Mary with abode given as Prescot: 12 Oct 1819, aged 68; 25 Apr 1827 aged 66; or 22 Apr 1833 aged 54.

Profile history

This profile was previously identified as being the husband of Thomas Brown, who was christened in Westhoughton and whose children were christened there. However, Farnworth near Prescot is 20 miles by modern road from Westhoughton, and unless more evidence is found to support this being the right marriage, it seems more logical to conclude that that Thomas married Sarah Coope on 15 Feb 1801 at All Saints, Wigan, Lancashire. Both of the parties to that marriage were of Hindley, which is only 3 miles from Westhoughton.

There is further support for this in that there are a series of baptism records for children of Thomas and Sarah Brown at St Mary the Virgin Church in the parish of Prescot, beginning with Thomas Brown on 15 Dec 1799. The father in the first baptism record was a weaver, and the family's address was Prescot.

Sources

• Marriage listed on Lancashire Online Parish Clerk

• Children's baptisms listed on Lancashire Online Parish Clerk