James Whiting c.1754-1827

Parents: Daniel Whiting and Ann Spackman (nee Wilson)(2, 3)
Born: c.1754
Baptised: 11th Feb 1754 at the Congregational Church, Haverhill (2, 3)
Married: Catherine Hilsdon, widow, on 12th Nov 1775 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill (1)
James Whiting, Single, and Catherine Hilsdon, Widow, Banns on 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd Oct 1775 (4)
Children: James Whiting b.1782, John Whiting b.1785, Stephen Whiting b.1793 and Hephzibah Whiting b.1795.
Died: 1st March 1827 in Burton End, Haverhill. Buried on 4th March 1827 at St Mary's Parish Church, Haverhill.(5)

Bio: The James Whiting who married Catherine Hilsdon in 1775 is most likely to be James son of Daniel and Ann Whiting. His brother, Daniel Whiting, married an Elizabeth Hilsdon in the same year. James' wife Catherine was a widow and had previously been married to Samuel Hilsdon. Her maiden name was Maskell, and she had married Samuel on 4th November 1774.(6) There is record of Samuel and Catherine Hilsdon's daughter, Elizabeth, being baptised on 6th August 1775 and also of Samuel Hilsdon's burial in 1775. Samuel may well have been Daniel Whiting's wife Elizabeth's brother.

It seems that James died on 1st March 1827. An interesting extract from Barnabas Webb's other diary 'Chronological Account of Deaths, Murders, &c.', which covers c.1820-1850 and is kept at Essex Record Office, gives the following extract "James Whiting, a labourer, he formerly was a tennant under me, and when he left the Kitchens, he did not pay the rent that was due to me. March 1st. 72"(7)

This extract gives James' age as 72, which is more in keeping with his baptism date and different from the age given in the burial entry.

The burial records of St Mary's show James Whiting, 75, of Burton End was buried on 4th March.(5)

Sources:

(1) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p18 of 37
(2) Haverhill Non-Conformist Registers LDS Film: 825404
(3) Barnabas Webb’s pocket-book, Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds. HA553/1, p161
(4) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p16 of 37 Marriage banns 1754-1795
(5) Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds, Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Haverhill. Fiche 578/4/p32 of 37
(6) SFHS, Suffolk Burial Index, issue 2, 1538-1900
(7) Essex Record Office, Chelmsford, SEAX, Estate and Family Records, Deeds and Manorial Records of West and North West Essex, Miscellaneous, 'A Chronological Account of Deaths, Murders, &c., by B.Webb' [of Haverhill, Suffolk], Ref: D/DWv Z7, p.9