Hello Listers
Just to let everyone know, I visited Somerset Records Office at Taunton last
Friday, in my quest to try and solve the mystery of Sylvester Chant and his
two wives. Before, it appeared that there were either 2 Sylvester Chants,
with 2 different families, or there was one Sylvester with 2 different
wives.
This is what I found out when I looked at the census for 1851-1891-
1851 Census. Chiselborough. Fairplace.
Silvester Chant, Head, 27, Farm Lab, W.Chinnock
Eliza, Wife, 26, Glover, Kingsbury
Thomas, Son, 5, Chiselborough
William, Son, 3, Chiselborough
Jane, Daughter, 11m, Chiselborough
1861 Census. South Petherton. Droveway
Sylvester Chant, Head, 36, Ag Lab, W.Chinnock
Louisa, Wife, 33, Sherborne, Dorset
Thomas, Son, 15, Ag Lab, Chiselborough
William, Son, 13, Ag Lab, Chiselborough
Jane, Daughter, 11, Leather glove sewer, Chiselborough
George, Son, 9, Ag Lab, Chiselborough
Mary A. Daughter, 4, South Petherton
Harriet, Daughter, 2, South Petherton
Robert, Son, 6m, South Petherton
1871 Census. South Petherton. Droveway
Sylvester Chant, Head, 46, Ag Lab, W.Chinnock
Eliza, Wife, 48, Glove sewer,...place of birth looks like P.K.??
George, Son, 18, Ag Lab, Chiselborough
Harriet, Daughter, 12, South Petherton
Samuel, Son, 8, Scholar, South Petherton
Robert, Son, 6, Scholar, South Petherton
Martha, Daughter, 4, South Petherton
Louisa, Daughter, 4, South Petherton
1881 Census. South Petherton. Droveway
Sylvester Chant, Head, 60, Ag Lab, W.Chinnock
Eliza, Wife, 55, Kingsbury Episcopi
Samuel, Son, 18, Ag Lab, South Petherton
Robert, Son, 16, Ag Lab, South Petherton
Louisa, Daughter, 13, Scholar, South Petherton
Martha, Daughter, 13, Scholar, South Petherton
Also living at Droveway -
George Chant, Head, 28, Ag Lab, Chiselborough
Mary, Wife, 27, Glover, South Petherton
Emma A., Daughter, 7, Scholar, South Petherton
Caroline, Daughter, 4, Scholar, South Petherton
George S., Son, 1, South Petherton
1891 Census. South Petherton. Pitway
Sylvester Chant, Head, 67, Retired Ag Lab, W. Chinnock
Eliza, Wife, 66, Shepton Beauchamp
Also, living at Droveway -
George Chant, Head, 39, Ag Lab, South Petherton
Mary, Wife, 38, South Petherton
Annie, Daughter, 18, Glove cutter, South Petherton
George S., Son, 12, Scholar, South Petherton
Henry W., Son, 8, Scholar, South Petherton
Emily R., Daughter, 2, South Petherton
Also, living at South Street -
Samuel Chant, Head, 29, Farm Lab, South Petherton
Selina, Wife, 28, Seavington St Michael
Mary A., Daughter, 7, South Petherton
Robert F., Son, 6, South Petherton
William J., Son, 3, South Petherton
Samuel E., Son, 1, South Petherton
I looked at the 1841 Census, but I couldnt find Sylvester. It was quite
difficult to read though, so I probably missed him somewhere. Also I didnt
look at the 1901 census, but I believe Sylvester and Eliza were still
together then. I looked through most of South Petherton and only came
across one Sylvester Chant, so I don't think there can have been 2 guys with
different families. There was a man called Sylvester Salisbury who I saw as
I was searching through, and then weirdly, he turned up as a witness at
Sylvester and Eliza'a wedding when I checked the marriage registers.
The marriage was between Sylvester Chant (spelt Silvester) and Eliza
Brister. Theres no way it could have read Louisa or Louiza. It took place
on 17th March, 1845 at Martock, he was a Batchelor, she was a Spinster, both
of full age, living at Hinton at the time of the marriage, and married in
the presence of Silvester (full name not written, but it looked like
Silvest) Salisbury and James (second name illegible).
It seems strange that Louisa only turned up once, randomly, on the 1861
census. I thought that maybe it was a mistake on the part of the
ennumerator, that perhaps he wrote the name incorrectly, but it does seem
odd, that not only has Eliza turned into a Louisa, she is also hailing from
Sherborne, which is over 15 miles away, and her age has completely changed!
But then, by 1871, Eliza is back, her age consistent with 1851. Does
anybody have any ideas about what was going on, other than the fact that it
appears to be a mistake?
I did check the marriage registers for Martock, to see if Sylvester had
married a Louisa, but couldnt find anything, even so, they could have
married elsewhere. Between 1851 and 1871 anything could have happened!
Thats all for now!
Regards,
Janine
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