Samuel Balls. 1756 from Worlingham area Suffolk

[lesleyd183]

Hi there,
I'm looking for a distant relative called Samuel Balls. He lived in the Worlingham/Wrentham area of Suffolk and was born in 1756. His partner/wife was called Sarah possibly Scarnett. He died in Wrentham and was buried in Benacre in 1844. I'm having difficulty finding out whom his parents are. I'd really appreciate any help please.

[Guest]

what about this one Samuel Balls
Baptism 15 Aug 1756 Dalham Suffolk
Parents George and Elizabeth Balls

[Katarzyna]

There is this one at Sotherton (a bit closer to Wrentham) between Halesworth and Wangford.

29 April 1753 - Samuel Balls - Base born - mother Mary Balls
Suffolk Baptism Index (part 1)

[Katarzyna]

Mary Balls baptised 21 Nov 1736 Sotherton,
Daughter of William and Francis

Suffolk Baptism Index (part 1)

[lesleyd183]

Thank you for this info. �� I'll definitely check it out. I've got a horrible feeling that he was probably illegitimate, I wonder if there's any records of this type?

[lesleyd183]

Thank you so much for this info. �� It looks interesting and I'll definitely check it out. I'm wondering if there is any records for illegimate children in this Suffolk area? I'm working on there theory that maybe Samuels sons maybe had the same name as his father or grandad. I'm a newbie at this so thanks again for helping me ��

[Katarzyna]

There is a marriage at Worlingham for Samuel Balls 17 Apr 1795 but unfortunately no spouse's name. Could this be one of Samuel b 1753's sons perhaps?

Have found a twin for Samuel:
Thomas Balls baptised 29 April 1753 at Sotherton - Illegitimate son of Mary Balls
Suffolk Baptism Index (part 1)

[Katarzyna]

Thank you so much for this info. �� It looks interesting and I'll definitely check it out. I'm wondering if there is any records for illegimate children in this Suffolk area? I'm working on there theory that maybe Samuels sons maybe had the same name as his father or grandad. I'm a newbie at this so thanks again for helping me ��

There are no separate records for illegitimate children.
A legitimate birth would read "X the son of Joe Bloggs and his wife Mary" or "Joe Bloggs and his wife Mary late/formerly Bell.

An illegitimate birth might read "X the son of Joe Bloggs and Mary Bell". I would assume this to mean an illegitimate birth where the father was known and agreed to be named. Otherwise there is no other way that the father's name could be known to us.
Perhaps Samuel knew his father's name from his mother but we will never know unfortunately. If he himself kept his name as Balls I doubt any of his children would have taken their grandfather's name but of course that is a possibility albeit a slim one.

I see you have Samuel on 1841 census - Park Farm, Wrentham. He is
with John and Anthony Folkard. Are these two related to Samuel?

I cannot find a marriage for a Samuel to a Sarah other than the one above. Where did you find find Samuel's wife/partner?

[jenoco]

Samuel Balls bc 1756 was my 4x great grandfather - I don't have a baptism for him. I had found the Dalham one, but not the Sotherton one (thank you Kat). Much of the research on this family was done in Suffolk by distant family members and they have him married to Sarah Scarnell, although no marriage date (they may have supplied it but if so, I've lost it or her name may have come from a baptism - I'll have to check my notes). Samuel's son Samuel (bap 1782) married Martha How in 1806 - he is my 3x gg.

In 1841, Samuel is living next door to his daughter Maria Barnaby and her husband John. I don't know who the Folkards are.

[lesleyd183]

That's the same Samuel Balls whom searching for that was married to Martha How ��. His baptism in 1782 at Worlingham says his parents are Samuel Balls and Sarah. Sarah's name isn't mentioned sadly. There seems to be a Sarah Scarlet, scarham, scarnet and scarnel with Samuel Balls children at that time. I'm wondering if this is the same person? The Everett name seems to be a clue as it's been passed down through the family. There was a Thomas Balls born 1768 who was married to Mary scarnet. They had a child called Charles Everett born 1795. This is strange as the Samuel Balls and Sarah also had a child with exactly the same name born the year before that died after a month. Makes me wonder if Mary and the unknown Sarah were related?

[lesleyd183]

Thank you very much Kat btw. �� It's interesting that there is another Samuel Balls born nearer to Worlingham area than Dalham. The only confusing me is the 1841 census. There is a 3 year difference in the age on the census.

[Katarzyna]

All ages were rounded down to nearest 5 for adults on 1841 census.
His age of 85 (rounded down??) on the 41 census gives his birth year as 1756.
However he could have actually have been aged 85 - 89. The baptism therefore fits - baptised 1753 - age 88 in 1841.

[lesleyd183]

Sorry I mistyped in the last message..... Samuel (not Thomas)born in 1768 married to Mary Scarnet.!
in answer to your question, I found a Samuel Balla buried in Benacre in 1844 and Sarah Balls too buried in Benacre. I think it's the Samuel in the census. But Samuel seems to be a common name, except when trying to his birth or parents 😄

[Katarzyna]

Yes it is possible that Mary and Sarah Sarn??? were sisters - but- parents of Charles Everet Balls were Samuel and Sarah not Samuel and Mary.

I think Samuel b 1753 and Sarah are probably the parents of at least 11 children.

1. Stephen - a maybe - b 1774 Branfield - Samuel and Sarah
2. John .........b 1777 Wrentham - Samuel and Sarah
3. Elizabeth....b 1779 Wrentham - Samuel and Sarah
4. Samuel .....b 1782 Worlingham - Samuel and Sarah
5. James .......b 1785 Barnby - Samuel and Sarah Scarnet
6. William......b 1787 Barnby - Samuel and Sarah Scarnham
7. Sarah........b 1789 Barnby - Samuel and Sarah Scarnham
8. Lucy .........b 1792 Barnby - Samuel and Sarah Scarlet
9. Charles E...b 1794 Barnby - Samuel and Sarah Scarnal
10 Francis ....b 1796 South Cove - Samuel and Sarah Scarnett
11 Maria ......b 1801 Wrentham - Samuel and Sarah

Just a possible scenario but see how nicely they are spaced and not a child's name repeated.
It is true that some vicars/curates recorded the spouse's maiden name but many didn't.

From about 1780 onwards farm labourers moved around from farm to farm due to land enclosures and the introduction of the yearly 'hiring fairs' where contracts, which started as employment for a year only, were gradually reduced to monthly or even weekly contracts by the time of the Swing Riots in 1830.
My Ag labs were affected in the same way moving from village to village, farm to farm, for work at this time around north of Ipswich - some of whom ended up in the workhouse.

[Katarzyna]

Maybe the Samuel b 1768 (and married Mary Scarnet) was the son of Thomas - brother/twin of Samuel- both baptised 29 April 1753 at Sotherton - sons of Mary Balls.

[jenoco]

Yes it is possible that Mary and Sarah Sarn??? were sisters - but- parents of Charles Everet Balls were Samuel and Sarah not Samuel and Mary.

I think Samuel b 1753 and Sarah are probably the parents of at least 11 children.

I lost a lot of info a few years ago when my hard drive crashed and I haven’t followed up on this line for a long time; however, I have a note that Sarah Scarnell’s parents could have been John Scarnell and Elizabeth Everitt. No marriage found, but there’s a burial of Elizabeth Everitt Scarnell (bc 1733) in Ellough, Suffolk in October 1788. There’s also a burial for John Scarnell (bc 1710) in the same place in 1796.

Thomas and Samuel Balls could have been brothers who married Scarnell sisters, but these names don’t seem that uncommon and I don’t know how you would prove it unless they married on the same day in the same church LOL.

At the time I did my original research, there was very little Suffolk information on line, but someone on this site (Glen) found all the children of Samuel and Sarah, except Elizabeth and the possible Stephen (there is also a Stephen in the next generation). I’ve also noted that Samuel and Sarah married in 1777 in Wrentham – information from another researcher, but no location – probably just wishful thinking on their part.

I should probably get back into it now that there's more available.

[Katarzyna]

I, too, owe a lot to Glen for research done on my behalf at the Ipswich RO. What is online for Suffolk and Essex (for me) is still very hit and miss :(

[lesleyd183]

Samuel and Mary also had a child called Charles Everett born 1795., the year after the other baby died. I think that Samuels parents were Robert and Rebecca. So maybe the link between these families was through the sisters?
It looks like he had a big family though. I was very interested in the work regime as it makes sense looking at the different locations that the children were born in, as they did move around quite a lot. It sounds quite a hard life! Is there any mention of George at all as I can't seem to find him on the site? x

[lesleyd183]

Hi jenco btw I think we are related as Samuel is my great grandfather +4 ����

[Katarzyna]

Who would this George belong to? He hasn't been mentioned before.