William Webber (abt. 1770)

Descendants

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Biography

It is not known when or where William Webber was born, and it is not known when he died.

He married Elizabeth Jay in Helland,^[1] Cornwall, on 8 December 1794.^[2]

William and Elizabeth had two children baptized in Helland. In about 1799 they moved to Lanlivery,^[3] where five more children were baptized.

• Susannna Webber was baptized in Helland on 24 October 1795;^[4]
• Nicholas Webber was baptized in Helland on 25 June 1797;^[5]
• Charles Webber was baptized in Lanlivery on 13 July 1800;^[6]
• Grace Webber was baptized in Lanlivery on 15 November 1802;^[7]
• Mary Webber was baptized in Lanlivery on 25 November 1804;^[8]
• Elizabeth Webber was baptized in Lanlivery on 10 January 1808;^[9]
• William Webber was baptized in Lanlivery on 18 November 1810.^[10]

Since Lanlivery is quite close to Helland, and since Lanlivery baptisms of children of William and Elizabeth Webber commence shortly after Helland baptisms of children of William and Elizabeth Webber end, it is plausible that the couple from Helland moved to Lanlivery. The additional fact that adds weight to this conjecture is that a Susanna Webber, quite probably the child baptized in Helland in 1795, was married in Lanlivery on 31 July 1819. (Her husband's name was Pascoe Kestle.)^[11]

Charles Webber, baptized in Lanlivery, was married in Helland. His wife's name was Ann Philp; they were married on 25 September 1823.^[12]

The daughters Mary, Grace and Elizabeth were all married in Lanlivery: Mary married John Treleaven on 15 October 1828,^[13] Grace married William Moyle on 16 June 1829,^[14] and Elizabeth married William Wills on 12 November 1825.^[15]

Since there were several William Webbers who were baptized in Cornish parishes relatively close to Helland and who would have been of marriageable age in 1794, it is difficult to guess which one might have been Elizabeth jay's husband. The problem would be lessened if a burial record could be found that convincingly matches William Webber of Lanlivery and gives his age, but so far this hope has proved elusive.

We can perhaps use the names of the children as a guide for guessing. Charles, second son of William and Elizabeth, was presumably so named in honour of Elizabeth's father, Charles Jay. Since the first son was named Nicholas, it could be that William's father was a Nicholas Webber. Since it happens that a William Webber, son of Nicholas and Grace, was baptized in St Tudy on 16 March 1771,^[16] and since St Tudy^[17] is only about one kilometre from Helland (at the closest points), this William is currently our best guess for the husband of Elizabeth. If this guess is correct then William was about two years older than Elizabeth (who was baptized in 1769).

William and Grace may have named their second and third daughters after their mothers (Grace and Mary), and their youngest two children after themselves (Elizabeth and William). But at present there is no conjectural explanation for the name chosen for the eldest daughter, Susanna.

Sources

1. ↑ Helland: Wikipedia article.
2. ↑ William Webber and Elizabeth Jay, 8 December 1794, Helland: Exeter Bishop's Transcripts for Helland. FamilySearch film # 005749747, image 42 of 66.
3. ↑ Lanlivery: Wikipedia article.
4. ↑ Susanna Webber, 1796: Exeter Bishop's Transcripts for Helland. FamilySearch film # 005749747, image 45 of 66. This image shows only part of the page, but the rest of the page is shown in image 46.
5. ↑ Nicholas Webber, 1797: Exeter Bishop's Transcripts for Helland. FamilySearch film # 005749747, image 47 of 66.
6. ↑ Charles Webber, 1800: Lanlivery parish register. FamilySearch film # 008079135, image 255 of 267.
7. ↑ Grace Webber, 1802: Lanlivery parish register. FamilySearch film # 008079135, image 256 of 267.
8. ↑ Mary Webber, 1804: Lanlivery parish register. FamilySearch film # 008079135, image 257 of 267.
9. ↑ Elizabeth Webber, 1808: Lanlivery parish register. FamilySearch film # 008079135, image 260 of 267.
10. ↑ William Webber, 1810: Lanlivery parish register. FamilySearch film # 008079135, image 263 of 267.
11. ↑ Susanna Webber and Pascoe Kestle, Lanlivery 1819: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010" database with images (FamilySearch, 14 April 2015), Cornwall > Lanlivery > Marriage banns, marriages, 1811-1837 > image 27 of 62; Kresen Kernow, Redruth.
12. ↑ Charles Webber and Ann Philip, Helland 1823: Exeter Bishop's Transcripts for Helland. FamilySearch film # 005750835, image 52 of 98.
13. ↑ Mary Webber and John Treleaven, Lanlivery 1828: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010" database with images (FamilySearch, 14 April 2015), Cornwall > Lanlivery > Marriage banns, marriages, 1811-1837 > image 42 of 62; Kresen Kernow, Redruth.
14. ↑ Grace Webber and William Moyle, Lanlivery 1829: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010" database with images (FamilySearch, 14 April 2015), Cornwall > Lanlivery > Marriage banns, marriages, 1811-1837 > image 43 of&nbsp62; Kresen Kernow, Redruth.
15. ↑ Elizabeth Webber and William Wills, Lanlivery 1825: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010" database with images (FamilySearch, 14 April 2015), Cornwall > Lanlivery > Marriage banns, marriages, 1811-1837 > image 36 of 62; Kresen Kernow, Redruth.
16. ↑ William Webber, 1771: St Tudy parish register. FamilySearch film # 004023051, image 1664 of 1746.
17. ↑ St Tudy: Wikipedia article.