Person:Elizabeth Males (1)

Elizabeth Males was born on 21st December 1755 and baptised the next day at Cottered in Hertfordshire. She was the daughter of Mary Males, formerly Dearman, and her husband John Males, a farmer. When Elizabeth was still quite young the family moved about nine miles south-west to Codicote, where they were living by 1762.

In March 1774, Elizabeth's father took a lease on Shaw Green Farm in the parish of Rushden, back in northern Hertfordshire adjoining Cottered. When the family moved there, Elizabeth was eighteen years old and pregnant. Her daughter, Mary, was baptised at Rushden on 5th June 1774.

Elizabeth died when she was only 23 years old. She was buried back in her native parish of Cottered on 24th April 1779, described as a spinster of Rushden. Her young daughter Mary was only about five years old when Elizabeth died. Mary appears to have been cared for by the family after Elizabeth's death, being one of the beneficiaries of Elizabeth's mother's will.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Church of Cottered. Parish registers, 1558-1977. (Hertford: Security Microfilms, 1975-1989).

   Baptized at Cottered / 1755 / Mailes / Elizabeth Daug[hte]r of John Mailes Farmer & Mary his wife (born Dec[embe]r 21) Dec[embe]r 22

2. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Cottered. Parish registers, 1558-1977. (Hertford: Security Microfilms, 1975-1989).

   1779 Burials / Mailes {Elizabeth Mailes Spinster of the parish of Rushden Ap[ril] 24