COATES,William; YKS,ENG; -1800 Can anyone out there help please: Looking for my ggg father WILLIAM COATES. My gg father JOHN COATES's birth shows he was born in York St Leeds on December 18, 1825. His parents are WILLIAM and ALICE COATES - William is a farmer (I have John's marriage certificate and a record of his birth). A check of the IGI, census records and parish records for WILLIAM and ALICE show a marriage between WILLIAM COATES and ALICE NORTON (nee BRITAIN). The marriage took place in Tadcaster on December 23, 1824 by banns. The parish register shows 'WILLIAM COATES of the parish of Stillingfleet, Bachelor, age 24 years and Alice Norton of this parish, widow aged 27 years were married by banns. A check of the records show that the banns no longer exist. Other checking shows: 1861 census for Bishop Wilton - WILLIAM COATES retired farmer, married aged 61 and ALICE COATES wife aged 64. The 1881 census for Bishop Wilton shows WILLIAM COATES aged 81, retired farmer, widower. Checks for Alice's birth show she was born in Ryther, but that her brothers and sisters were born in Tadcaster. Another check shows Alice's marriage to FRANCIS NORTON in Tadcaster in 182, so far I have been unable to find a record of FRANCIS' death. I checked the IGI for WILLIAM COATES born in Bishop Wilton in 1880 without luck. I also checked the parish register for WILLIAM but could only find a WILLIAM COATES son of THOMAS and ELLEN Coates born August 21 1798. I also found a WILIAM COATES born in 1800 in Bossall, and a kind member of this list found a WILLIAM COATES born in 1800 in Hook. On contacting the Rector of the church at Bishop Wilton and asking him to check records I was given the follow death memorial: WILLIAM COATES of Bishop Wilton died April 20, 1883 aged 85 years, also Jane his wife who died 1875 aged 60 years. They had a daughter Ellen who died when she was 8 years. The above record would lead me to believe that this is the WILLIAM I found on the IGI, BUT NOT my William. Another kind member of the list searched Stillingfleet but could find no record of a WILLIAM COATES being born there. Given the above details and places, where do I look now to find WILLIAM? There is a WILLIAM COATES born in 1800 in Bossall and one born in 1800 in Hook. How can I check and prove which one of these is my William? Does anyone have any connections to these people? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks - June in Cairns. mai-ling@internetnorth.com.au (June E A Chan)