Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Thomas WEDGE (1750-?)

and Ann GIBBONS (c1750-1790)

Thomas Wedge was probably baptised on 18 November 1750 in South Bersted, Sussex, the son of William Wedge and Love.  He may have died between 1774 and 1779, although no burial has been found for him in the St. Pancras burial register, which is where his daughter was baptised in 1774 and his widow had an illegitimate son baptised in 1779.

Ann Gibbons was my 5x Great Grandmother.  (Click here to see her place in my pedigree chart.)  She was born about 1750/1 and may have been a daughter of William Gibbons and Catherine Griffin.  She was buried on 13 March 1790 at St. Pancras, Chichester and her name was recorded in the burial register as Ann Hamilton alias Wedge.

As Ann Gibbins she married Thomas Wedge by licence on 3 December 1770 in Donnington, Sussex.  The witnesses to the marriage were Samuel Pelley and Joseph Harris.  Their marriage licence was issued on the 1 December 1770 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It recorded that Thomas was a 19 year old bachelor and labourer of Pagham and that he married with the consent of William Wedge of South Bersted, who was a labourer.  Ann was a 19 year old spinster of Donnington and married with the consent of Catherine Gibbins of Merston, Sussex.

As a widow, Ann Wedre married James Hamilton by banns on 10 March 1783 at St. Pancras, Chichester.  James was then described as a soldier and they were both of the parish of St. Pancras.  The witnesses to the marriage were William Walker (named as curate and minister in other marriage entries), John Riddell and William Scale (who may have been a church warden as he witnessed many other marriages).

James Hamilton may have been the son of James Hamilton and Sarah Barns who married at St. Peter the Great in Chichester on 30 November 1744.

Ann Gibbons had an illegitimate daughter:

1. Jane Gibbons was baptised on 9 November 1770 in Donnington, Sussex.  Only her mother's name was recorded in the baptism register.

   As Jane Wedge she married Joseph Taylor by banns on 8 October 1792 at St. Pancras in Chichester.  They were both then of St. Pancras and were married by the officiating minister, John Heap.  The witnesses to the marriage were James O'Bryan and Jane Taylor.

   Joseph and Jane had the following children:

   1. George Shadrach Randal Taylor was baptised on 13 January 1793 at St. Pancras, Chichester.

   2. Thomas Taylor was baptised on 24 July 1795 at St. Pancras, Chichester.

   3. Joseph Taylor was baptised on 21 August 1795 at St. Pancras, Chichester.

Thomas Wedge and Ann Gibbons had 1 known daughter:

2. Ann Wedge was baptised on 25 July 1774 at St. Pancras in Chichester, Sussex.

   Ann had 4 illegitimate children:

   1. Emily Churcher Wedge was born on 1 March and baptised on 21 April 1799 in Sidlesham.  She died in 1877.  Emily was said to be the first cousin of Thomas Churcher (1791-1865) of Chichester.

      Emily married William Clayton on 26 February 1816 in Selsey.

      William was baptised on 5 April 1796 in Selsey and was the son of Matthew Clayton (1757-1831) and Elizabeth Duke (1759-1845).  He died in 1882.

   2. Daniel Wedge was baptised on 27 November 1803 in Sidlesham.

      Daniel married Jane Baker on 17 April 1827 in Sidlesham.  Daniel and Jane had the following children:

      1. Daniel Wedge was baptised on 8 February 1829 in Sidlesham.

      2. William Wedge was baptised on 11 September 1831 in Sidlesham.

      3. Charles Wedge was baptised on 8 August 1834 in Sidlesham.

      4. Thomas Osgood was baptised on 8 November 1838 in Sidlesham, as the son of Daniel and Jane.

   3. Mary Ann Wedge was baptised on 18 January 1807 in Sidlesham.

   4. Charlotte Wedge or Osgood was baptised on 26 November 1809 in Sidlesham.

   Ann married James Osgood by banns on 6 May 1811 in Sidlesham.  They were both then of Sidlesham.

   When the 1841 census was recorded a 70 year old James Asgood was living in Selsey, Sussex where he was an agricultural labourer.  He was not born in Sussex.  The death of a James Osgood was registered in the first quarter of 1848 in the Westhampnett registration district.  The death of another James Osgood was registered in the fourth quarter of 1838 in the Petersfield registration district.

   James and Ann had the following children:

   5. Harriet Osgood was baptised on 29 September 1811 in Sidlesham.  As Harriett Asgood she married Cornelius Perren on 9 April 1831 in Sidlesham.

   6. Eliza Osgood was baptised on 28 August 1814 in Sidlesham.

Ann then became the mother of 2 illegitimate sons:

3. William Wedge was baptised on 3 March 1779 at St. Pancras, Chichester and buried there on 31 December 1779.  Only his mother's name was recorded in the baptism register and he was described as baseborn.

4. John Widge, my 4x Great Grandfather, was baptised on 11 October 1781 at St. Pancras, Chichester.  Only his mother's name was recorded in the baptism register and he was described as baseborn.  He married Mary Freeman in Ashurst, Sussex in 1807.  (They have their own page.)

Samuel Pelley was a witnesses to the 1770 marriage of Thomas Wedge and Ann Gibbins (as mentioned above).  Samuel most probably married Jane Upton by licence on 23 September 1762 in Donnington.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were Thomas Rasell and Henry Upton.  In addition to witnessing Thomas and Ann's marriage, Samuel was also a witness to the marriages in Donnington in 1765, 1771, 1779, 1780, 1787, 1788, 1790 and 1795.

Joseph Harris was also a witness to the 1770 marriage of Thomas Wedge and Ann Gibbins.  Joseph had most probably married Anne Fogden by licence on 23 June 1768 in Donnington.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were Henry Calmen and Humphary Coppar.  On 25 March 1773 in Donnington, Joseph Harris, junior, was a witness to the marriage of Thomas Harris and Mary Harris.  The other witness to their marriage was Humphary Coopar.  As a widower Joseph married Mary White by licence on 30 January 1783 in Donnington.  She was a spinster.  The witnesses to their marriage were William White and Thomas Harris.

GIBBONS          WEDGE