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December 23, 2014

No. 6 of My Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries (Charles Fuller)

A Facebook friend recently posted her top 10 Genealogy Mysteries.  They aren't brick walls because there is probably an answer somewhere, just waiting to be found.

I thought this was a great idea and I am following suit with my Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries. Of course any help or suggestions for further research are welcome. You can read my other Genealogy Mysteries at Top 10 Genealogy Mysteries

Here is my Number 6 of 10 Genealogy Mysteries: My great-great grandfather Charles Fuller. When and where he was born is anyone's guess. Here is what the U.K. census takers recorded during his lifetime spent in Lenham Kent England:

1841 census Lenham - Charles age 14 (b. 1825) - no birth location given in 1841 but I believe this is my ancestor
1851 census Lenham - Charles age 23/25 b Faversham (b 1826)
1861 census Lenham - Charles age 32 b. Milton (b 1829)
1871 census Lenham -  Charles age 44 b Faversham (b 1827)
1881 census Lenham -  Charles age 52 b. Lenham (b1829)
1891 census Lenham-  Charles age 60 b Frinsted (b 1831)

THE KNOWN

Here is what I know about Charles:

Marriage of Baptisms in St. Mary's Parish Church, Lenham. Entry #221:

Oct 17, 1858: Charles Fuller, of age, bachelor, labourer in Lenham. Father: John Fuller, labourer. Charles married Georgiana Golding, minor, spinster in Lenham.  Father of Georgiana given as George Norris, labourer. Married in the Parish church after banns. Witnesses: George & Sarah Earl. Neither groom, bride nor witnesses were literate, all signing with their marks.Marriage Cert. Parish of Lenham, Hollingbourne District, Kent.

1861-1891 census is definitely my ancestor. 1851 is almost certainly him as he is living quite near Georgiana Golding who later became his wife

THE NOT YET PROVEN

I believe Charles died in the last quarter of 1892. His age was given as 68 giving him a year of birth of 1824. 

MY THEORY

I suggest my ancestor is the  Charles FULLER, baptised 31 Oct 1826, Faversham, Kent to John & Winifred FULLER 

MORE ABOUT JOHN & WINNIFRED

In 1830 Winnifred died. In 1839 John Fuller remarried to Sophia. In the 1841 census where I found the boy I believe is my Charles, he is living with a "mother" Sophia and a younger sister Harriet. 

One of the clues that led me to formulating the theory that my Charles was the Charles baptised to John and Winnifred is the name "Mene" and others which repeat in the generations. John and Winnifred named their children

  • Mene 
  • Mary Ann 
  • Sarah 
  • Joseph 
  • John
  • Philadelphia
  • Henry
  • Edward
  • Harriet
  • James
  • Frederick
  • Charles
My ancestor Charles and his wife Georgiana named their children
  • Frederick
  • Elizabeth
  • Harriet
  • Martha Ann
  • Charles
  • Alfred
  • Mene
  • Edward John
  • Walter
  • Albert Henry

For some of the children I do not have middle names but I have highlighted the names that repeat in Charles' children. 

MY GOAL

What I am hoping to find is proof that the Charles baptised in 1826 to John and Winnifred is my ancestor.

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