Documents

1746 Christening Record for John Harris

John son of James Harris and Eliz. his wife was Bapt Janry 18th 1746
Woolhope, Herefordshire, England

note: James Harris and Elizabeth Peak did not marry until 2 months later, even though Elizabeth is referred to as "his wife" in this baptism record.

Woolhope was a very small village with no resident priest. Traveling priests would have performed baptisms and marriages enmass when traveling through and the priest who performed this baptism likely took them at their word that they were already a married couple. Only one James Harris is living in the Woolhope area in this timeframe.