Merging 2 profiles
I believe Elizabeth Fursey b. 1739, ID# M6Z3-XDC should be merged with Elizabeth Fursey b. 1754, ID# KVJ5-PRR with the one born 1739 remaining and the one born 1754 deleted. The only source I could find that would indicate Elizabeth's age is her christening in 3 Feb 1739. All the other sources indicate christening dates for her children and list the father as Leonard Fishleigh, but it doesn't indicate which Leonard Fishleigh. I believe she was married to Leonard Fishleigh b. 17 Mar 78 (KJWF-QQ6) and not the one born 1754 (KJWF-S3W) mainly because of their age differences and the ages of their children. I don't think Elizabeth was born in 1754 because she would have been only 16 yrs old when her first child was born. I am reluctant to make the changes myself because I would like someone with more experience to confirm/deny my assertions beforehand. I don't want to step on anyones toes. Also, there is a 1841 census that shows a 90 yr old Leonard Fishleigh (born abt 1750) living in the same household as Sarah Braund (Fishleigh) which is one of Elizabeth's children.
Please let me know if this is something the community can rectify or if I need to proceed differently.
Thanks,
Larry Dunn
Answers
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I don't see any reason to merge them.
Elizabeth b. 1739 has only her christening record and her parents. This all comes from a christening record source.
Elizabeth b. about 1754 has only a marriage record which does not include either age or parentage. None of the birth records for her children as found on her sources page have any indication of her age. So the "about 1754" is just an estimate. However in the 1770's it was probably far more common to get married and start having children at 16 than at 31.
Looking at that 1841 census, I don't see anything to suggest that Sarah Braund's maiden name was Fishleigh. In fact, that 1841 record in FamilySearch is attached to a Sarah Western ID M6Z7-6ZS.
Basically, you have nothing at all to suggest these two Elizabeths are the same person.
Keep researching! I would suggest as a first step coming forward and learning all you can about Elizabeth's children. Some of them have a lot of sources. Try to find them in every available census and make sure those census records are attached to them. Maybe you will get lucky and Elizabeth will be living with one of them. Contact all the users who have contributed to their profiles and see if they know anything more about Elizabeth. See if you can find out more about her husband. In particular check out that probate that is mentioned and see what it says about Elizabeth. See if you can find a headstone for him and hope that it includes information about Elizabeth, also.
Even if you can establish a earlier birth date for Elizabeth you will still need to establish who her parents are before you even consider merging two people who just happen to have the same name just because their birth years are close.
Assertions without evidence are not worth much.
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Thanks, but just to be clear, I did find a christening record for Elizabeth Fursey b. 1739 which lists her parents, but I could not find one for Elizabeth b. 1754. I also totally agree that assertions without evidence are not worth much, which is why I question the existence of Elizabeth b. 1754. The are no records for her birth. I will keep looking.
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Yes, I saw that christening record attached as a source.
There is no doubt about the existence of Elizabeth who got married in 1770 even though you have no information about when she was born, where she was born or who her parents are. What you need is some records for that Elizabeth that gives information about her birth and parents. Right now, even if you could find a christening record for an Elizabeth born in 1754 you could not assume that is the Elizabeth who married Leonard without something to convincingly connect the two Elizabeths.
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Thanks, Gordon. I agree. The search continues.
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