I wonder if there is anyone out there who can help me with putting some flesh on James CHESSON (c1783-1865) and his family? From 1841 onwards I have quite good records but if anybody can help on the earlier period I would be very grateful James doesn't appear to have left much of a trail of his early life in public records. He said in the 1851 and 1861 censuses that he was born in Bow MDX and the various ages quoted in the censuses and his burial implied he was born about 1783. Unfortunately there is a gap in the Bow registers around that time so I don't have a date for his baptism/birth, always assuming he was baptised. I also don't have proof of his parentage but think it likely he was the eldest child of Joseph CHESSON (c1758-1804) and Elizabeth FULLER (c1753-1797) who married at St Mary Whitechapel on 14 Sep 1782. From 1804 for about 10 years he was a private in the West Kent Militia and I have found him in militia records in many different parts of the country (Jan 1804 Brabourne Lees, Aug Ashford, Nov-Q1 1805 Ramsgate, Q2-Q4 1805 Colchester, Q1 1806 Weeley, Q2 1806-Q1 1808 Woodbridge, Q2/3 1808, Newcastle/T, Q1/2 1809 Sunderland, Q3/4 Tynemouth, Q1 1810 Sunderland, Q4 1810-Q1 1813, Hull, Q2 1812 Leeds, Q3/Q4 1812 Ipswich, Q1/Q3 1813 Norman X, Q4 1813 Knightsbridge, Q1 1814 Chatham, Q2 Maidstone.) I know of five children who I believe to be his but have not been able to find any trace of the baptism of the three I believe to be the eldest - George (b 10 Feb 1809 in Sunderland) Frederic (about 1811, not in Kent), and John (some time between 1806 and 1812, in Woodbridge SFK.) The two youngest, Mary Ann and Caroline, were born after he left the militia and had settled in the Medway towns and their parentage is known from baptismal and other documents. His first wife and the presumed mother of all the above children, died in Rochester on 22 Sep 1842 age 66. In the 1841 census said she wasn't born in Kent. Her forename was Ann. It is possible her maiden name was BEAUMONT as a Thomas BEAUMONT was living in the same household in 1841 who may have been an elder brother. After her death James married a widow Mary Ann HOSMER née BARRETT in 1846. I am also not clear what religious denomination the family had. Mary Ann was baptised and married in C of E churches. Caroline was baptised in St Mary Chatham but died at the age of 3 and was buried in the burial ground of Bethel Wesleyan Chapel in Rochester. There were other links with Methodism as George became a Methodist minister. On the other hand James' 2nd marriage was in an Anglican church - St Margaret's Rochester. What I would like to find out is: 1. Were James' parents Joseph and Elizabeth 2. When exactly was he born and where 3. Might he have been baptised in a church or chapel other than Bow 4. Where and when did he marry his first wife. 5. What was his first wife's maiden name 6. Were George, John and Frederic(k) their children A big 'shopping list' but any help greatly appreciated Nick, member 4108 CHESSON and variants