I'm hoping someone with access to the West Hoathly Parish Records will be able to help sort out some conflicting information I have on one of my branches. One set of information I have gives a Meschach LEPPARD (or could be LEPARD or LEOPARD) born 1804 in West Hoathly who married Amelia GOACHER (no date) and then married Mildred GOACHER 8th December 1864. The second set of information I have gives Meschach married to Amelia and one of their children was also Meschach born 1829 and it was this second Meschach (1829) who married Mildred GOACHER in 1864!! The basic census records I have only make things more confusing; 1841 - Meschach living with Amelia GOACHER & 6 GOACHER children, one is Meschach aged 12 1851 - Meschach living with Amelia GOACHER (listed as Housekeeper) and 3 GOACHER children (listed as sons & daughters) plus 2 GOACHER grandchildren 1861 - Meschach (age 51) living with Mildred GOACHER a Widow (possibly sister of Amelia) 1871 - Meschach (age 66) living with Mildred LEPPARD, wife 1881 - Meschach LEPPARD (age 54) a widower - son of Meschach and Amelia? - Meschach LEPPARD (age 76) a widower I'd be grateful if someone could check the records to see if ages etc are given at marriage and as both Meschach's were widowers in 1881, who did they marry. Incidently I also have a James LEOPARD marrying a Sophia GOACHER in 1867 in WH & another James LEPPARD who married Mary GOACHER in 1855 in WH. I wonder if all these GOACHER's were related. Any help would be much appreciated. Nick Leppard

Dear Nick Meshach Leopard & Amelia Goatcher are my great great grandparents. The story is that Amelia ( who was sometimes called Mildred or Millie) was bp 1.12.1799 at Cuckfield d.o. Edward Marchant & Sarah Butcher. She firstly married James Goatcher 1.1.1821 at West Hoathly and they had children - William 1820, Thomas 1822, Sarah 1824 & Frederick 1827. Sometime thereafter she went to live with Meshach Leopard 1804-1891 and they had the following illlegitimate children - Meshach 1830, Itisha 1831, Mary 1835, Ellen 1837, Priscilla 1840, William 1841 & Sophia 1849. I do not know what happened to James Goatcher - possibly he died or perhaps Amelia simply had an adulterous relationship. Meshach Leopard, however, did finally marry her 8.12.1864 at West Hoathly when he was 60 and she was 65. She died 14.08.1871 at West Hoathly. Regards Phil Baker ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nick Leppard" <n.leppard@dsl.pipex.com> To: <SUSSEX-PLUS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 9:23 PM Subject: [SXP] LEPPARD/GOACHER; West Hoathly > I'm hoping someone with access to the West Hoathly Parish Records will > be able to help sort out some conflicting information I have on one of > my branches. One set of information I have gives a Meschach LEPPARD (or > could be LEPARD or LEOPARD) born 1804 in West Hoathly who married Amelia > GOACHER (no date) and then married Mildred GOACHER 8th December 1864. > > The second set of information I have gives Meschach married to Amelia > and one of their children was also Meschach born 1829 and it was this > second Meschach (1829) who married Mildred GOACHER in 1864!! > > The basic census records I have only make things more confusing; > 1841 - Meschach living with Amelia GOACHER & 6 GOACHER children, one is > Meschach aged 12 > 1851 - Meschach living with Amelia GOACHER (listed as Housekeeper) and 3 > GOACHER children (listed as sons & daughters) plus 2 GOACHER grandchildren > 1861 - Meschach (age 51) living with Mildred GOACHER a Widow (possibly > sister of Amelia) > 1871 - Meschach (age 66) living with Mildred LEPPARD, wife > 1881 - Meschach LEPPARD (age 54) a widower - son of Meschach and Amelia? > - Meschach LEPPARD (age 76) a widower > > I'd be grateful if someone could check the records to see if ages etc > are given at marriage and as both Meschach's were widowers in 1881, who > did they marry. > > Incidently I also have a James LEOPARD marrying a Sophia GOACHER in 1867 > in WH & another James LEPPARD who married Mary GOACHER in 1855 in WH. I > wonder if all these GOACHER's were related. Any help would be much > appreciated. > > Nick Leppard > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SUSSEX-PLUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >