Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Stephen COMBER (1733-1798)

and Elizabeth MICHEL (?-1766)

and Elizabeth RAPLEY (?-1795)

Stephen Comber married Elizabeth Michel by banns on Monday 9 January 1758 in Slaugham, Sussex.  At the time Stephen was a labourer and Elizabeth a spinster.  They were both of Slaugham and both made their marks in the register.  The witnesses to the marriage were James Phillips and William Hale, who both signed their names.  The banns were published in Slaugham on 25 December 1757 and 1 and 8 January 1758.  They were married by J. Bristed, Rector.  (They were not my direct ancestors.  Stephen was the nephew of my 6x great grandmother, Anne Comber.  I also have a 5x great grandmother named Elizabeth Michell born about the same time as Stephen's wife.)  Stephen Comber also married Elizabeth Rapley by banns on 22 November 1767 in Slaugham.  They were then both of Slaugham and both made their marks.  The witnesses to the marriage were William Hale and John Mitchell, who both signed their names.  The banns were published in Slaugham on 25 October and 1 and 8 November 1767.  They were married by the Curate William Hopkins.  Might John Mitchell have been Stephen's brother in-law?

Stephen Comber was baptised on 14 August 1733 in Balcombe, Sussex.  He was the son of Stephen Comber (1705-1786) and Mary Peters (c1710-1770).  He was buried on 25 April 1798 in Slaugham and was described in the burial register as an "aged man".  According to a pedigree in the Sussex Genealogies (Ardingly Centre) for the Combers of Ardingly, Balcombe, etc., 1733 Stephen was said to have married Mary, although it doesn't say when, nor have I found their marriage in the IGI or in the Sussex Family History Group's marriage index.  I believe that 1705 Stephen married Mary Peters in 1729 in Nuthurst and that their son was the one who married Elizabeth Michel.

Elizabeth Michel's date and place of birth/baptism is not certain, as there are at least 5 possible candidates - see notes below.  She was buried on 13 June 1766 in Slaugham.

Elizabeth Rapley's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  She was buried on 14 June 1795 in Slaugham, when she was described as the wife of Stephen Comber.  (The Comber Genealogies say she died in 1796 - need to double check the registers.)

Stephen Comber and Elizabeth Michel had 6 known children:

1. Stephen Comber was baptised on 20 August 1758 in Slaugham.  He or another Stephen Comber born in 1768 may have married Ann Bartley on 6 September 1792 at St. Nicholas in Brighton, Sussex.  (They have their own page.)

2. John Comber was baptised on 2 September 1759 in Slaugham.  He died aged 82 years on 18 April 1840 in Patcham, Sussex.  He was a labourer.

3. Mary Comber was baptised on 9 December 1760 in Slaugham.

4. William Comber was baptised on 4 April 1762 in Slaugham.  He died aged 86 years and was buried on 30 March 1845 in Slaugham.

5. Bet Comber was baptised on 4 September 1763 in Slaugham.

6. Sarah Comber was baptised on 16 September 1764 in Slaugham and buried there on 26 January 1766 or 1767.

John and Elizabeth named their children:  John, James, Bette, William, Edward and Mary.

NOTES

Elizabeth Mitchell may have been baptised on:

My guess is that 1736 Elizabeth married Stephen Comber and 1735 married John Tullett (1734-1809).

Some other Stephen Comber marriages:

COMBER          MITCHELL