Person:Elizabeth Lewis (180)

Elizabeth Lewis was baptised on 14th March 1773 at Willen in Buckinghamshire, daughter of Sarah Lewis, formerly Northern, and her husband Thomas Lewis, a labourer.

In 1791, aged 18, Elizabeth had a son called Thomas baptised at Willen. He later sometimes gave his name as Thomas Standford Lewis; the middle name may be a clue as to his presumed father. Elizabeth had another son in 1795, called Benjamin.

On 23rd June 1800, aged 27, Elizabeth married John Pateman, an agricultural labourer from Filgrave, about five miles north of Willen. They married at Willen but then settled at Emberton, just east of Filgrave. They had two daughters at Emberton in 1802 and 1805.

Elizabeth died at the age of 35, being buried at Emberton on 9th August 1808. John survived her by over 33 years.

1. ↑ Church of England. Willen Parish Registers, 1665-1981. (Aylesbury: Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies).

   Parish Register
   Eliz[abeth] of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluithis Mar[ch] 14 1773
   Bishop's Transcript
   Christened / Eliz[abeth] Sluithis of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Sluithis Labourer Mar[ch] 14 1773

   Other transcripts have recorded this entry as "Hinthis" or "Smithis". The handwriting is not entirely clear, but having examined both the Parish Register and the Bishop's Transcript, and considered other entries relating to this family, "Sluithis" appears to be the most accurate transcript of what was written for this entry. It also appears that Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" disappear around 1776 to be replaced by a Thomas and Sarah "Lewis" from 1777 onwards who had not previously been there. Thomas and Sarah "Sluithis" had children called John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas baptised at Willen between 1772 and 1776. A John, Elizabeth, Martha and Thomas "Lewis" also appear in Willen from 1777 onward alongside Thomas and Sarah Lewis. It therefore seems reasonable to conclude that the handful of "Sluithis" entries at Willen in the early 1770s were a misheard "Lewis".

2. ↑ Buckinghamshire Family History Society. Buckinghamshire Burials Database.

   bur. 9 Aug 1808, Emberton, Buckinghamshire: Elizabeth Pateman