Elianor Mountfort married Joseph Harvey 10 April 1678 in St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England. If she was 18 to 30 years old at the time of her marriage, then she was born between 1648 and 1660. No christening record has been found for Elianor, but the records in Wednesbury are very sparse during the 1640s and 1650s due to the effects of the English civil war (1642-1651).

Several Mountfort/Mountford families could be possible parents for Elianor:

John, a potter, and Eleanor Mountfort had several children christened in the early to mid-1600s. John was listed in the Protestation Returns of 1641/2 in Wednesbury.

1. Francis, 1 November 1621 in Wednesbury; married Elizabeth; buried 1700.

2. John, christened 11 January 1623 in Wednesbury; married Anne; occupation: potter; had children Elizabeth (buried 8 February 1667), Thomas (born 1672), Anne (born 1676), Elizabeth (1679), Anne (1680), Eleanor (1683), Joseph and Mary, twins (1685), John (who married Esther, shown as John, jr on his children's christening records), and Matthew (1690). John died and was buried in 1701. Since John and Anne had a daughter named Eleanor born after our Eleanor's potential birthdates, they are not likely her parents.

3. Anne, christened 25 February 1626 in Wednesbury.

4. Simon, christened 26 March 1626 in Wednesbury. No record of a marriage or burial for Simon is found in Wednesbury.

5. Eleanor, christened 1629 in Wednesbury.

6. Richard, christened 13 February 1630 in Wednesbury, may have died young.

*7. William, christened 2 February 1633 in Wednesbury; married Anne; had son John (1668, buried 1670). John died and was buried in 1689.

Baptism record for William Mountfort in Wednesbury: "William Mountfort sone of John Mountfort & Eleanor his wife & Elizabeth Harvey daughter of Nicholas Harvey & Elizabeth
his wife were baptized the second day of ffebruarie."

8. Richard, christened 25 December 1636 in Wednesbury; married Joanne, occupation: collier; had children: Eleanor (1666), Thomas (1668), Marie (1670, buried 1671), and William (1673, buried 4 April 1688). Richard died 1710 in Wednesbury. Since Richard and Joanne had a daughter named Eleanor born after our Eleanor's potential birthdates, they are not likely her parents.

9. George, christened 2 February 1639 in Wednesbury; married Mary; had a son, Joseph, christened in 1669 in Wednesbury.

John, the father, died and was buried in 18 April 1679 in Wednesbury.

Burial record for John Mountfort in Wednesbury:
"John Mountfort potter was buried on ye eighteenth day of April 1679
The affidavit testify'd by Anne Rushe Alice Hall
And certify'd by Sr. John Wyrley Justice"

Eleanor died as a widow, and was buried 30 November 1685 in Wednesbury.

Burial record for Eleanor Mountford in Wednesday:
"Elianor Mountfort wid. was buried in woollen only on ye 30th day of Nov."

It is possible that John and Eleanor may have had a younger daughter, Elianor, but it is less likely since Eleanor would have been 48 to 60 when she had Elianor.

It seems most likely that Francis and Elizabeth, or William and Anne were Elinor's parents. Elianor's first daughter was named Anne, so that may mean that William and Anne were the most likely parents.

Francis, a potter, and Elianor had a son:

1. William, christened 1596 in Wednesbury. This is most likely the William who married Elizabeth before 1619. Francis' occupation was listed as a laborer in this christening record.

*2. John, christened 15 October 1599 in Wednesbury. This is most likely the John who married Eleanor in about 1620.

Elianor died and was buried 3 November 1619.

Other Mountforts in the early Wednesbury records were:

William and Elizabeth had the following children:

1. Francis, christened 24 October 1619 in Wednesbury; buried 10 November 1619 in Wednesbury.

2. A daughter, who died and was buried 1621 in Wednesbury.

3. Margarett, christened 14 February 1622 in Wednesbury.

4. Eleanor, christened 13 March 1624 in Wednesbury; buried 1 April 1629 in Wednesbury.

William died and was buried 22 January 1675 in Wednesbury, as "a poor man of ye Almshouse".

1. Edmund, christened 1583 in Wednesbury.

William Mountford, died and was buried 2 March 1593.

SOURCES: Wednesbury parish register online at FreeREGSearch;Wednesbury parish register extracts.