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The Light Family

Posted by Beccy Noall on 17/7/2021, 4:48 pm

My 4x great grandmother, Rebecca Light, was born approx. 1796 in Revelstoke, and was baptised in Newton Ferrers to Philip and Mary on 6 November 1796.

She was married to John Garland Williams on 7 July 1819, at St Andrews, Plymouth. Witnesses were John Mildren and Sampson Light. She then moved to St Ives in Cornwall, where her name was transcribed as "Knight" and had 10 children, one of whom she called Philip Knight Williams.

If anyone is connected to this family, I would be most grateful to hear from you, as I cannot get past Philip Light and Mary (unknown). I have started to research a Sampson Light, as he appears to have been born 2 year's before Rebecca, so may be her brother, but I haven't yet found his baptism.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Beccy

Re: The Light Family

Posted by Deborah O'Brien on 17/7/2021, 5:33 pm, in reply to "The Light Family"

A possible marriage is shown in Revelstoke in 1784 between a Philip LIGHT & Mary FORSTER. A Philip LIGHT was baptised at Newton Ferrers 5 Jan 1752, son of Philip & Mary. (I have NF PRs indexed).
There are then several baptisms at Newton Ferrers to the Philip & Mary who married in 1784, with one being Robert Forster LIGHT which may be confirmation that the 1784 marriage is the correct one.

Re: The Light Family

Posted by Beccy Noall on 19/7/2021, 12:29 pm, in reply to "Re: The Light Family"

Thank you so much for your reply Deborah

I did look at that marriage, but Mary Forster's parents were Robert and Thomasine, and neither name features in the many children of Rebecca Light. However, there is a marriage of a Philip Leight to a Mary Roe on 8 April 1785, at Newton Ferrers, and her parents may be Samuel Roe and Mary - interestingly, there are two of Rebecca's children that I can't place in any naming pattern, those being William and Samuel. Might be a clue? At the marriage of Rebecca Light to John Garland Williams, one of the witnesses was called Sampson Light; I have traced him through the census, and he was born 2 years before Rebecca; his second marriage states that his father was Philip Light, Sailor. Frustratingly, I cannot find a baptism for him! Am going around in circles at the moment, with no definitive "proof" of which Mary is the right one.

Re: The Light Family

Posted by Deborah O'Brien on 19/7/2021, 3:18 pm, in reply to "Re: The Light Family"

Philip LEIGHT described as a 'Gent.' was buried at Newton Ferrers 9 Aug 1799 with Mary LEIGHT aged 81 buried 17 Dec 1799. He left a will which may be useful http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D332876 In it he mentions his wife Mary, Mother Mary (possibly the one who died in 1799 aged 81), his sister Mary Anthony, nephew Philip Leight ANTHONY and others. The will is some 8 pages long and hard to read. You can download it from the National Archives. He was obviously a man of some wealth and standing.

Re: The Light Family

Posted by Beccy Noall on 19/7/2021, 7:13 pm, in reply to "Re: The Light Family"

I downloaded the Will a while back and, you're right, it's definitely hard to read. I'm thinking that this isn't my Phillip, but I'll have to research from Mary Anthony, nee Leight, to see if I can find a connection.

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