5
Alan March’s Family History
This site is a work-in-progress. There is a massive amount to cover. I have included both male and female lines, and some go back many generations. Keep coming back for more.
I have numbered the generations working backwards from Alan’s as (1)
March Tree
WILLIAM MAPES and SARAH KING (7)
WILLIAM MAPES. We find the Mapes family in a group of villages in Essex, west of Chelmsford.
William was born the year after George III came to the throne.
Baptism. Abbess Roding,
1761 Mar 23 John Mappes of Bolcham Rooding had a son baptised named William.
“Bolcham Rooding” is Beauchamp Roding..
William was the third of the three children of John Mapes and Ann Skruby.
His two elder brothers were baptised at the parish church of St Botolph in Beauchamp Roading, but William was christened in the Independent church in neighbouring Abbess Roding. He remained a member of this church throughout his life, having his own children baptised there.
This Independent Church was built in 1729 and was very popular in the 17th and early 18th centuries. It had one of the largest Free Church congregations in Essex.
Nothing of the building now remains, but to the east of the site is Anchor House. This was given to the church by a local landowner Joseph Springham, who also donated land for the church. It was later converted into a public house for the refreshment of the congregation.
At some point, William appears to have moved to Abbess Roding, whose parish borders Beauchamp Roding to the north.
William was 24 when he married his first wife, Elizabeth Doe.
Marriage. St Edmund, Abbess Roding.
1785 Oct 24 William Mapes bachelor of Abbess Roding and Elizabeth Doe spinster of Writtle.
Writtle is just east of Chelmsford.
There was one child of this marriage, baptized at the Independent Church in Abbess Roding. By then, William appears to have moved to White Roding. This is two miles north of Abbess Roding.
Baptism, Independent Church Abbess Roding.
1788 Apr 17 William Mapes of White Rothing had a daughter born Apr 17 and baptized named Elizabeth.
Four years later, his wife died, giving birth to son, who also died.
Burial. St Martin , White Roding.
1792 Dec 31 Elizabeth wife of William Mapes and their infant son.
Four years later, William married again. By this time, he was back inbbess Roding.
SARAH KING. William’s second wife was also from the Independent Church.
Baptism. Independent Church, Abbess Roding.
1774 May 24 Samuel King of Abbess Rooding had a daughter baptized named Sarah.
Sarah was the second of five children, one of whom died in infancy, and the only girl. All the children were baptised at the Independent Church.
Her mother was Jane Patient.
Marriage. St Edmund, Abbess Roding.
1796 Nov 16 William Mapes widower and Sarah King spinster both of this parish.
Christenings could take place at the Independent church, but weddings and burials had to be at the parish church.
They had more children baptised at the Independent Church.
Baptisms. Independent Church, Abbess Roding.
1797 Martha
1798 Nov 17 John. John may have been buried on 20 Dec 1809
1800 Dec 25 William
1803Apr 18 Sarah
Sarah senior did not long survive this fifth birth.
Burial, St Edmund, Abbess Roding.
1803 Sep 20 Sarah Mapes. She was only 29.
William, now a widower for the second time, survived her by another 5 years.
1807 Apr 7 William Mapes.
He lived long enough to celebrate the British victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar, but not the final victory at Waterloo,
NEXT GENERATION: 6. MARCH-MAPES
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS: 8. MAPES-SKRUBY
8. KING-PATIENT