Joseph REYNOLDS married Susannah UNDERHILL in Coleshill, Warwickshire in February 1746. Coleshill is the far side of Birmingham (31 miles), but helpfully the Coleshill marriage record confirms that Joseph was from Upper Arley.
They baptised 10 children in Upper Arely, Worcestershire between 1747 and 1772. Susannah died in 1773 and Joseph died two years later in 1775.
They gave some of their children some interesting names including:
- Henry Jevon
- Susannah Jevons
- Joseph Roberts
- Chillingworth - possibly named for Jos. CHILLINGWORTH for minister of Over Arley Parish. Joseph REYNOLDS was a witness of the marriage of Thomas JONES and Mary MILLARD on 17 April 1757 presided over by Jos CHILLINGWORTH.
A reasonable guess is that these were friends of the Richard and Susannah. A family called CHILLINGWORTH was living in Upper Arely at that time, including a Hannah CHILLINGWORTH who married Joseph BALL in Upper Arely in January 1747, 10 months before the baptism of Joseph and Susannah REYNOLDS first child in November 1747. And a family named ROBERTS was also living in Upper Arely, including an Ann ROBERTS who married Thomas HIGGINS in 1749. And while there are no records for JEVON(S) in Upper Arely but there were many in nearby Kidderminster.
Given that the couple baptized a child in 1747 and 1772, i.e. 25 years, a reasonable birth year for Joseph would be 1707-1729, the best baptismal records for Joseph are:
- 17 Aug 1707 in Enville by John and Jane REYNOLDS
Joseph RAYNOLDS baptized with brother Benjamin 20 Apr 1710 in Ribbesford, both being born on 19 Apr 1710. This Joseph died in infancy.- 10 Jun 1717 in Kidderminster (6 miles) by Thomas REYNOLDS and Judith EDWARDS (also baptized Thomas 1711, Mary 1714, William 1720, Elizabeth 1723, Anne 1726)
- 20 Jun 1720 in Rushall, Staffs (24 miles)
- 7 Oct 1722 in Worfield (12 miles, 3 miles NE of Bridgenorth), born 22 Sep 1722 by Peter REYNOLDS of Ac[k]leton (3 miles further) & Elizabeth WHITE (also baptized Mary 1716, Peter 1717, John 1719, James 1720, all in Worfield)
- 9 May 1724 in Bridgenorth by Richard REYNOLDS & Elizabeth (also baptized Richard 1721, Susanna 1726 in Bridgenorth)
The only parent's name using in the above list was Richard. Joseph and Susannah named children Joseph and Susannah perhaps for themselves. But there was no John, Jane, Thomas, Judith, Peter or Elizabeth.
If Joseph had been born in Bridgnorth in 1724 then he would have been married aged 22 to an almost 18 year old Susannah.
A Sarah REYNOLDS of Stottesdon married Richard JONES of Ditton Priors on 15 May 1740. The only baptism for Sarah was by George and Sarah REYNOLDS in 1720 in Bridgnorth.
A few days earlier in the same church John REYNOLDS married Anne STEPHENS.
