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Author: m1chellestone
Surnames: HUMPHREY, HUMPHREYS
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.wales.mer.general/830/mb....
Message Board Post:
I have a question for the experts here:
In looking at the old Mallwyd parish book, I have found what I believe was the baptism of
an ancestor, Catherine, daughter of David HUMPHREYS Clerk and Margaret his wife, baptized
16 November 1806.
I also found the notation that "David Humphrey was made Clerk at Mallwyd Oct. 15,
1797," which seems to be pretty obviously the same man as my ancestor's father.
My question is, was being made Clerk as notated in the Mallwyd church parish book a
strictly religious connection (i.e. he became the Clerk for the parish and kept the church
records), or does that mean his entire occupation thereafter was as a clerk? (Which I
assume means a bookkeeper or recording secretary of some sort)?
The reason why I ask is because there are other entries for baptisms of children of David
and Margaret Humphrey/s in the book, sometimes with the father's occupation not noted
at all (1782, 1792, 1804), and sometimes with the father's occupation noted as
"joiner" (1796, 1797), and one other baptism that is clearly the same man
("Richard the son of David Humphreys Clerk by Margaret his wife baptized 29 December
1799").
How am I best to interpret these entries? I realize it is a large stretch of years for one
couple to be having children, but not impossible for it to be the same family. How would
you make sense of this? How certain should I be that all of these children were siblings?
And am I correct in disregarding the importance of the different spellings of Humphrey and
Humphreys in the parish register?
Thanks very much for any advice.
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