Hi everyone, I have a very confusing muddle of inter-marrying families, so I wonder if anyone could help me out?

Sarah Shelton m. Bonfield Bryant 1829. Bonfield born 1799 Bedford to Thomas and Alice. Death certificate of Bonfield makes him born 1801. A Bonfield Bryant married bigamist Sarah Tatton in 1827- same Bonfield as newspapers describe him as being under 25- or did he just lie about his age and they are the same person? The signatures on both marriages look quite similar.

Bonfield's brother Thomas Bryant b 1785 Southoe married an Elizabeth Richardson. Now, there was also a John Bryant who married Mary Richardson, but I don't know where John fits in, however their son John Richardson Bryant's granddaughter Lily Ewell Bryant married my 1st cousin 2x removed on the other side of my family- so strange!

Then, Thomas' will has Henry Shelton, guilder as his executor, who I have identified as Henry Robert Shelton, guilder, born 1813 Bedford. His wife, married in 1836, was Elizabeth Bryant born according to census 1817 Bedford! I don't know where she fits in either, as there's no matching exact baptism.

Of Course, Thomas' brother Bonfield married Sarah Shelton- the witness to their marriage is a Susannah Shelton, and other witnesses that have cropped up on the Bonfield marriage to the bigamist are John and Mary Bryant- perhaps John Bryant and Mary Richardson, however they are related?

I can't find any suitable births for Sarah, and the 1841 census for Kensington is missing, so I can't see her and Bonfield there, as their son Charles was born there in 1842. The only thing I could say is if Sarah was baptised Sally Shelton to parents William and Frances, as one of her children was Alice Frances, perhaps after both Bonfield and her mother? Also, two of Bonfield and Sarah's children were baptised non-comformist.

I have no idea how all of the Bryants, Sheltons and Richardsons are all related. I've been getting the Southoe parish registers from freereg.org, and there are quite a few Bonfield Bryants,and other Bryants in the area, but I don't know how they all fit together!

Can anyone help me perhaps find the link, and also Sarah Shelton's birth? I have her down about 1809 as I think she died 1851, but I don't know where she is on the 1851 census.

Genealogist1515