Talk:William Field (minister)

Mary Wilkins
According to the ODNB reference "In 1803 Field married Mary Wilkins (1784?–1848), the daughter of a Baptist minister who had previously married one of Field's sisters.". Information is sparse, but it seems likely that she was the daughter of William Wilkins who was assistant to Benjamin Beddome.

That William Wilkins is described as follows here:


 * Wilkins, William, came from a family of devout Baptists in Cirencester. He studied for the ministry at Bristol Baptist Academy and in Scotland; shortly after this letter he began a lengthy service (1777-1795) as assistant to Benjamin Beddome (1717-95), Baptist minister at Bourton-on-the-Water, 1743-95. In 1777 he was an unsuccessful suitor of Mary Steele of Broughton. Wilkins had three sisters, two of whom married sons of the Baptist minister Benjamin Beddome, Boswell and Samuel; a third sister married the business partner of Samuel Beddome, Hewitt Fysh. All had settled in London by 1797. After the death of Benjamin Beddome in 1795, Wilkins was not chosen as Beddome’s successor. Apparently he removed to London at that time and joined in business with Mr. Reynolds. Martha Steele, sister of Mary Steele, stayed with the Reynolds family during her visit to London in 1804 (see below, letter 117). For Reynolds and Wilkins in London, see Universal British Directory, vol. 1, part 2, p. 266.

What is here gives on Letitia Field 1778-1844:


 * Her parents were John Field (1719-196) [sic] and Ann Tidman Cromwell (1727-1797). She married Beddome's assistant Rev William Wilkins (c 1752-1812) from Cirencester in 1800. She was Wilkins' second wife His first wife was Elizabeth (possibly Alice) North, who he married November 30, 1779. She was a Presbyterian from Overthorpe near Banbury, Oxfordshire. She died May 8 1798 in Bourton.

That makes Letitia a sister of William Field, and the second wife of the same William Wilkins. The implication is that Mary Wilkins who married William Field was the daughter of William Wilkins by his first wife. That all fits but requires consolidation. Charles Matthews (talk) 20:51, 2 February 2023 (UTC)

The Geni.com item https://www.geni.com/people/Letitia-Wilkins/6000000000076299437 makes Letitia Field the mother of Mary Wilkins who married William Field, who would have thereby married his niece. This can be ruled out, I think! Dates are also wrong/inconsistent for that. Geni.com can have some serious errors. Charles Matthews (talk) 21:08, 2 February 2023 (UTC)

This family tree, together with the reference by George Eyre Evans now in the article, clarifies much of the above. Charles Matthews (talk) 15:36, 4 February 2023 (UTC)