Identity of Daniel Boucher
The evidence for Daniel Boucher is largely circumstantial but there is sufficient of it to make a good case.
Samuel (60) and Maria (61) were married at Hampton Lovett because Elmley Lovett church was being repaired. Samuel’s father was Daniel Boucher a labourer.
Later censuses show that Samuel was born in Elmley Lovett. The only suitable baptism around this time gives his parents as Daniel and Mary Boucher alias Butcher. (Boucher is the old anglo-saxon word for a butcher.)
Thus the identity of Daniel and Mary as the parents of Samuel seems fairly certain.
There are only three marriages for Daniel Boucher and Mary around this time in England with two being in Worcestershire.
3 Feb 1812 - Clent - Daniel Boucher married Mary Highley.
26 Feb 1815 - Ombersley - Daniel Boucher married Mary Jones.
Copies of both the register entries have been obtained.
There is a Daniel and Mary Boucher in the 1841 Census in Wolverley.
This Daniel was apparently born in 1778 and Mary in 1783.
This Daniel is in the 1851 Census in Wolverley, he was apparently born in Areley, Staffordshire in 1778. He is aged 73, a retired cordwainer.
There is a possible death register entry for Mary in 1850-Q2.
There is a possible death register entry for Daniel in 1853-Q1 in Kidderminster district which includes both Upper Arley and Wolverley.
Note that Arley was in Staffordshire at one point and then became part of Worcestershire.
There is also a Daniel Boucher who died in Elmley Lovett, in 1837 apparently aged 51.
This must therefore be a different Daniel to the one in the Wolverley census.
The date on the Bishops transcript and the IGI is 57. However, although at first sight the number looks like 57 it is more likely 51. All the numbers on this page slant. The seven on the following entry is very different. And what appears to be the top stroke of the 7 is in fact the top stroke of the 5.
Therefore the Daniel who died in Elmley Lovett was born about 1786.
There are two possible baptisms of Daniel Boucher.
20 Apr 1778 to Daniel and Hannah Boucher at Wolverley.
27 Jan 1787 to William and Susannah Boucher at Elmley Lovett
On the basis of the Census and Burial data cited above it is the latter who is the relevant Daniel.
With regard the wife of Daniel matters are not so clear. There are two possible marriages in Clent and Ombersley.
Wolverley is just north of Kidderminster, Clent is 6 miles to the east. Upper Arley and Arley are about 4 miles west of Wolverley.
The witnesses to the marriage of Daniel and Mary Highley were Sarah Boucher and Sarah Boucher.
At the time of writing I am not aware of any suitable Sarah's let alone two.
It appears that Daniel and Mary from Wolverley both died in the district of Kidderminster.
Elmley Lovett is 5 miles south east of Kidderminster and Ombersley is 4 miles south west of Elmley Lovett.
The witnesses to the marriage of Daniel and Mary Jones were John Boucher and Ann Boucher.
Therefore it seems most likely that Daniel married Mary Jones at Ombersley. But this is far from certain.
Our Daniel was a labourer (from Samuel’s marriage certificate and the baptism register for all three of his children.)
This Daniel was baptised in Elmley Lovett in 1787 to William and Susannah Boucher.
Susannah, Samuel’s grandmother, was living with Samuel (60) and Maria (61) in Elmley Lovett in 1841 together with another Susannah, his unmarried aunt, so evidently her daughter. Samuel’s brother John was also with them. Susannah is listed as 85 years old.
It appears very likely that William Boucher (240) died before 1841.
It also seems likely that both Daniel (120) and Mary (121) Boucher died before 1841.
The burial of Daniel in 1837 seems to be the correct person.
No obvious death for Mary has been found, it is possible that she remarried.
Daniel and Mary had three children baptised in Elmley Lovett, Samuel, John and William, the latter died just a couple of months after birth.
It therefore seems reasonably certain that this is the correct Daniel Boucher.
However, the identity of Mary Jones as his wife is slightly less certain.
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