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Namesake cousins leading me a merry dance one time

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Benjamin

Benjamin Report 16 Jan 2010 15:40

Hi

My 2xgreat grandfather George Musgrave was born in 1856 to Thomas and Ann Musgrave. He was baptised in April 1856 alongside his namesake cousin George son of Robert and Jane Musgrave on the same day in the same church by the same vicar. Their fathers were brothers.

One birth was registered and one wasn't. One died and one didn't. At first I sent off for the birth of the one that was registered thinking it was that of my 2xgreat grandfather. Born 5th March 1856 registered 7th March 1856, The parents names were wrong as it said Robert Musgrave and Jane Musgrave formerly Ramage. For ages this bugged me and I came up with the huge, huge mistaken assumption that the baby had been given up to his uncle as a baby. How wrong I was.

Through later research I found that he was a totally different person of the same name and a cousin of my 2xgreat grandfather and he died aged 3 in January 1860. Then I found their baptisms which proved they were two different people, cousins. As they were both born at around the same time they were given the same first name by their two fathers who were brothers. One was registered and one wasn't. One died and one didn't. Both baptised 5th April 1856 sons of Robert and Jane and Thomas and Ann Musgrave.

I am so glad I proved the mystery. The parents went on to have more children and one even had twins 5 years later.

That is the thing with two cousins born at the same time of same sex and given the same first names. It can lead you a merry dance. You may even have them born within days of each other in the same village. I think another brother of the two George's parents had a baby at the same time but that was a girl.

I am so glad that I found the truth and their baptisms confirmed this and Robert and Jane's son George dying in 1860 and it saying he was son of Robert Musgrave and Jane registered the death.