We have this family in Stebbing 1841:

699	William	lagden	65		Ag Labourer	Married before 1797
700	Sarah	lagden		65
701	John	lagden	4
702	Mary	Barnard		20
703	William	lagden	30
704	Susan	lagden		30
705	Sarah	lagden		15
706	William	lagden	14
707	Emma	lagden		12
708	Alfred	lagden	11

This suggests William(699) was born around 1775, and has wife Sarah.

I am looking for a wedding between William Lagden of Stebbing and Sarah ? both born around 1776.  Their first child being baptised 8 Apr 1798.  They are 65 on the 1841 census.

The Thaxted PR show a marriage of William Lagden and Sarah Perry on 23^rd Nov 1795, also furtherchecking showed a William Lagden born 3^rd July 1775 and a Sarah Perry baptised on 1^st Oct 1775, both in Thaxted. Sarah Perry is baptised at the same time as her brother William Perry, but he is two years old at the time. They are siblings of (yes, you guessed it), William and Sarah Perry.

William Lagden is the son of William Lagden, who married Jane Rolfe on 2^nd Feb 1773, and they had two other children Jane born Nov 1773, and Henry born June 1777. All births and wedding took place in Thaxted and are on the Parish Records. I presume there are more births.

Both weddings, of William & Sarah, and William & Jane have then signing by marks.

Chjildren of William (699), shown ias born in Thaxted are:

Sarah – baptised 8^th April 1798

Mary Ann – baptised 17^th April 1800

William - baptised 8^th August 1802

Charlotte – baptised 18^th March 1810

Jeremiah – baptised 12^th January 1812

Rita also states there are Betsy 1805 and Eliza 1807 . You can see all this info in the TreeDraw picture. I am to be concentrating on the earlier families.

Also, their son William (703), baptised 8 August 1802 married Elizabeth Hills born 1793 of Bardfield Saling on 22 June 1824.  Elizabeth was buried 10 May 1836  and it is my (Ritas’) belief that he then married a Susan born 1810 who also subsequently died and was buried 17 June 1852.   I would like to find his marriage to Susan.  William and Susan appear on the 1841 census, living with them are William's children from his marriage to Elizabeth.   He appears to be too young at 30 but on the 1841, they rounded up/down ages, so it is not very accurate

I have a theory that Elizabeth may have died in childbirth.  There is a child of 4, John Lagden living with William and Sarah aged 65 on the 1841 census.  If born when Elizabeth died in 1836 the child would be 4/5.  I think he may be William and Sarah's grandchild and that Mary Barnard also living with them is their granddaughter from their daughter Mary Ann who married Thomas Barnard 6 July 1818.  Her age is given as 20 which would be about right. 

None of this information is relevant to our Stebbing Lagdens at the moment, I believe they are related to a whole otherset of Lagdens until we get back to at least Radwinter in the earlier part of the Century.

We know there is in 1797:

William Lagden of Stebbing, labourer (only s. and h. of William Lagden of Thaxted, hsbdn., decd., who was eldest s. and h. of William Lagden of Thaxted, yeoman), and w. Sarah;

So father and grandfather of a William (xxx) were both dead by 1797 – and both called William.

We have :

The will of William Lagden of Thaxted, yeoman, 16 November 1765 – this must be Williams (xxx) grandfather.

This William has four children mentioned in his will, eldest son is William, also Henry, Rebecca and Elizabeth. Rebecca is a widow (Rebecca Bowtell) and the others are minors. Williams wife (not named) and Rebecca are executors to the will. The property mentioned is in Monk Street , Thaxted.

We know that a Rebeckah Lagden, born / bapt. 13 Nov 1729 to William Lagden and Rebeckah was later married on 23 Feb 1747 to a Charles Bowtell of Lindsell, in Tilty. These are both confirmed from PRs. There is a Charles Bowtwell born in Thaxted to Francis and Mary in Thaxted on 26^th March 1732 , maybe the right one.

But we do know that William Lagden married a Rebeckah Clements in Thaxted on 26^th December 1728, which is perfect.

So, in 1765, Rebecca(Bowtell), who is now a widow – yet to find Charles death – is 36 years old. The others are under 21 , i.e. minors. Quite a big age gap, but the details are perfect.

Interestingly, the mention of Rebecca Clements is in the IGI, and almost correct dates, but the lack of data in the IGI leads me to believe there is a lot of data not recorded in parish records, and that may only be fund through other records like Wills and other legal documents.

The other two possible links, that I proved were of a marriage between William Lagden and Ann Totman on 23^rd September 1700, in Thaxted. I am going to hazard a guess these are the parents of William married to Rebeckah, but that is it.

Also, a gem from the IGI, is a Lydia Lagden , born in 1705 in Thaxted (not proven) and married to Thomas Bowtle in Widford on 20^th Nov 1727 – maybe.

Oh and some other info – (it goes on and on and on) –

In 1739, there is a court case (probably to do with land) with following

1739

John Hills and John Clements v. William Lagden and w. Rebecca and Robert Lagden and w. Sarah

Now, I reckon this is two brothers , i.e. William and Robert . Our William married to Rebecca, and Robert married to Sarah.

Who is Robert?

How about this then?

Robt. Lagden of Great Dunmow, yeoman and w. Sarah (only dau., h. and devisee of John Hills of Thaxted, butcher, decd., and w. Sarah, nee Rust) to John Hills of Thaxted, butcher (eldest s. of John Hills, decd.)

We have the Robert with wife Sarah, who happens to be a Hills, and has a brother John Hills, butcher. It just gets better and better.

Confused, I am!

We also have – in 1797 - Hen. Lagden of Sandon (co.Herts.), labourer, giving to William Lagden of Stebbing, labourer (grands. and h.at law of William lagden of Thaxted. decd.)
Is Henry the brother of William(xxx)? Probably.

Land (10a.), a barn and part of a messuage and granary in Monk Street in Thaxted.

Therefore Henry is giving to William (699) the land in Stebbing in 1797

Taking a step back – in 1774. yet nother set of the family!!!

Eliz. Lagden, widow of William Lagden, deceased (guardian of Wm., Henry and Rebecca, children of the said wm., infants under age) to Robert Brnard, jun.

(Elizabeth not mentioned)