Events
Date of Baptism: 22 May 1642.
Place of Baptism: Wigan, Lancashire.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Burial: 9 February 1723/4.
Place of Burial: Wigan, Lancashire.
The burial is recorded in the parish register.
Relationships
Father: James Wigan.
Mother: Margery Houghton.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Elizabeth Critchley. Married 13 January 1664/5 in Upholland, Lancashire.
Elizabeth is named in the marriage record. Elizabeth was possibly the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Critchlowe of Standish, baptized 8 April 1637.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
James Wigan (baptized about 28 January 1665 in Wigan) married Margery Anderton 21 April 1685 in Wigan.
Jane Wigan (baptized 31 March 1668 in Wigan - buried about 9 July 1670).
Margery Wigan (baptized 15 May 1670 in Wigan).
Jane Wigan (buried 22 December 1672 in Wigan).
Ann Wigan (baptized 26 October 1673 in Wigan).
Thomas Wigan (baptized 22 October 1676 in Wigan - buried 5 March 1723/4 in Wigan) married Ann Mitton 19 February 1704/5 in Wigan.
John Wigan (baptized 13 June 1680 in Wigan) married Alice Ryding in June 1702 in Wigan.
Elizabeth Wigan (baptized 18 May 1684 in Wigan).
Evidence
from the Wigan Borough Court Leet Rolls :
1656(?)
Thomas son of John Townley, Thomas son of James Wigan and Barnaby son of Hugh Wood for throwing snowballs on the Lord's Day.
1662:
Roger Wood feltmaker and Thomas Wigan - assault
1665:
Thomas Houghton feltmaker for assaulting Thomas Wigan "And that James Yonge did Rescowe the said Thomas Houghton from the gatewaiters as they were Careying him before Mr Mayor"
Thomas Wigan for assaulting Thomas Houghton and the said Thomas Houghton for assaulting on James Layland gatewaiter in the execution of his office - Thomas fined 6s. 8d.
1672:
...Thomas Wigan labourer... [and many others]... for tippling in Oliver Bibbie’s house on Sunday. - fined 12d. each
1678:
William Deane junior for stealing plums from Elizabeth
Taylor and Thomas Wigan the like.
Baptism (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
May 1642
22. Thomas son of James Wiggan de Wallgate
Marriage (Upholland parish register transcription):
1664
Thomas Wigines and Elizabeth Crichley both of this Parish 13 Jenuarey
Baptisms of children (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
January 1665
28(?) James Sone of Thomas Wigan de Hallgate
March 1668
31 Jane the daughter of Thomas Wigan of Hallgate
May 1670
15 Margerie daughter of Thomas Wigan of Hallgate
October 1673
26 Ann daughter of Thomas Wigan of Hallgate
October 1676
22 Thomas Son of Thomas Wigan of halgate
June 1680
13 John Son of Thomas Wigan of halgate
May 1684
18 Eliz D. of Tho Wigan of Haulgate
Burials of children (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
July 1670
9(?) Jane daughter of Thomas Wigan of Halgate
December 1672
22 Jane daughter of Thomas Wigan of Hallgate
Burial (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
February 1723/4
9 Thomas Wigan Sen.r Hallgate
Probable burial of widow (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
April 1729
14 Elizab.th Wigan of Standishgate Widow
Commentary
Thomas’s parentage:
Thomas was married 13 January 1664/5 and his eldest child, James, was baptized in 1665 in Wigan (residence Hallgate).
There is only one reasonable candidate for the baptism that I can find in the Wigan area in the time period:
22 May 1642. “Thomas son of James Wiggan de Wallgate”.
There are additional reasons for supposing that the baptism is the correct one. James’s residence is recorded as “Hallgate” in the parish register entry for his 1667 burial, and Thomas gave the name “James” to his eldest son.
James’s eldest child was baptized 3 September 1635 in Wigan. On 7 May 1635 James Wigan married Margery Houghton in Wigan. The Wigan register records the burial 9 March 1649/50 of “Margery wife of James Wigan de wallgate”.
References
Court Leet Rolls, transcribed at www.wiganworld.co.uk.
The Registers of the Church of St. Thomas the Martyr, Upholland, in the county of Lancaster. Christenings, Burials, and Weddings, 1600-1735. Alice Brierley and Andrew Edward Hodder transcribers (1905).
Sinclair, David. The History of Wigan 2 volumes (Wigan: 1882).
Wigan Anglican Parish Registers. Wigan Archives Services, Wigan, England; digital images Ancestry.com (accessed 19 January 2016).