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Thanks to Tony Baxter (Notts) and Michael Baxter (Leics), for directing my attention towards Alrewas, Staffordshire - not far from Burton on Trent. There I found not only the marriage for John BAXTER and Elizabeth CLARE: Matrimonium inter Joannem BAXTER de Stapenal et Elizabetham CLARE de Alrewas, celebrant Mart 3, 1689 - (ie 1698/90) - but also the marriage of their older son and the baptism of his first child.
Stapenhill Parish Register has a baptism, on 23 Apr 1692, for an "illegible" son of John & Elizabeth BAXTER, followed by another, on 7 March 1693/4, for a second son, Thomas. Sadly, John's death followed later the same year, and he was buried in Cauldwell on 12 October 1694.
Fortunately, a probate file exists for him: an Administration for the estate of John BAXTER, of Caldwell, was granted on 16 November 1694, to Elizabeth BAXTER, widow, of Caldwell, Ralph TAYLOR, yeoman of Alrewas, and John CLARE, baker, also of Alrewas. I assume that John would have been a close relative of Elizabeth: her brother or father, perhaps?
But this probate file certainly verifies the fact that John BAXTER of Caldwell, who died in 1694 is, indubitably, the bridegroom of Elizabeth CLARE. The short duration of their marriage left no time for further children, and as the oldest son would have been named for his father, I feel confident that the baptism in 1692 was for John, the husband of Mary STANLEY, also of Alrewas. This is further borne out by the Marriage Licence, dated 23 January 1737/8, for "John BAXTER, of Cawdwell in the Parish of Stapenhill, Taylor, widower, aged forty five years" and Martha BLADEN, spinster, aged 38 years, of St Werburgh Parish, Derby.
The parish register of St Peter, Stapenhill (which includes Cauldwell), shows a marriage for "Elizabeth BAXTER, widow, and John ORGILL, 14 May 1695", both from Cauldwell. Their marriage produced two sons, christened and buried in Stapenhill: Samuel ORGILL, christened 27 December 1696; buried 26 June 1705; and William ORGILL, christened 14 April 1700; buried 11 January 1700/1. Elizabeth was buried in the churchyard of St Giles, Cauldwell, on 20 April 1700, six days after the christening of her youngest son.
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