George Snowball (b. 1729) death date?

[snowybeatle]

Following on from some helpful advice on this site, I’m wondering if anyone can lend a hand with helping to ascertain the death date and place of death of my 5th great grandfather, George Snowball.

George Snowball was born in 1729 at Long Newion, Co.Durham in 1729 and baptised there in 1730.
He married Mary Robson (Baptised 18 July 1731 in Birtley) in Long Newton on 30 Nov 1755.

The couple appear to have moved to Birtley and on the baptism records of their sons, George Snowball (born around 1758 and Anthony Snowball baptised 1759), father George Snowball Snr. appears as a husbandman of Birtley. Both children were baptised at St. Mary & St. Cuthbert Parish Church, Chester le Street.

I’m now struggling to find a death date for George Snowball Snr.
Ancestry suggests: either 28 Dec 1830. Burial Place: Houghton-C-Spring, West Rainton, Durham, England. This would make him an unlikely 101 years old.
or 27 Nov 1774 Burial Place: Morpeth, Northumberland, England. However, I’m failings to find any previous connection with this place! Is there any good reason why he might end up here, with no family connection to the town, in his 45th year? I'm puzzled!

As ever, any help or steers will be greatly appreciated.

[emeltom]

I can't see a burial for him but I think you can certainly discount the George buried 1830. According to Durham RecordsOnline he was born 1829 not 1729.

[trish1120]

FreeREG has 27 Nov 1774 Burial as George, Son of Thomas, no age given.

[snowybeatle]

Thanks you Emeltom and Trish1120

This is a salutary warning to others, to ensure they record everything, especially sources! Just where I found the information regarding George Snowball Snr's birth date and place is a mystery but this is what I have.

Ive begun a long, long hunt to establish the parentage of George Snowball, my 4th great, grandfather. He was most probably born in Birtley in 1758 and baptised at Chester le Street in 1761.

His father, (another) George Snowball's place and date of birth are not to be found but I'm pretty sure that I did have his birth and baptism as being at Long Newton in 1729/30.

However, Ancestry does gives his marriage: England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
Name: George Snowball
Marriage Place: 30 Nov 1755
Marriage Place: Long Newton,Durham,England
Spouse: Mary Robson
FHL Film Number: 91100
and recorded as ‘both of this parish”.

Durham Records Online give details of their 2 children:
George Snowball
Baptisms, Chester-le-Street District
Record Number: 335051.0
Location: Chester-le-Street
Church: St. Mary and St. Cuthbert
Denomination: Anglican
'22 Mar 1761 George Snowball, of Birtley, son of George (husbandman) & Mary Snowball'

and Anthony Snowball
Baptisms, Chester-le-Street District
Record Number: 324131.0
Location: Chester-le-Street
Church: St. Mary and St. Cuthbert
Denomination: Anglican

I have two contenders for George Snowball Snr's wife, Mary Robson.
Ancestry: England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975 show both
Name: Mary Robson
Baptism Date: 3 March 1734
Baptism Place: Chester Le Street, Durham, England
Father: Thomas Robson
FHL Film Number: 91090

or Ancestry: England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538–1975
Name: Mary Robson
Baptism Date: 18 Jul 1731
Baptism Place: Birtley, Northumberland, England
Father: William Robson
FHL Film Number: 252549

So, I'm looking for which of these Marys is the correct mother of her sons  AND both the place and d.o.b for her hurband, George Snowball Snr, along with his date and place of death/burial.

I'm hoping this all makes better sense! Again, any help in this will be much appreciated.

[trish1120]

I looked around on FreeREG and did Anthony marry twice in Ryton?

Looked to see if his Father was buried there with no luck.

[snowybeatle]

Hi Trish
Thanks but I've been down the Ryton path in the past. Unfortunately, it leads to a dead end!
My 4 X great grandfather, George Snowball Jnr., has been extensively researched by myself and others and it's only of late that the possibility of the Birtley connection came up.

George Snowball first appears in Ovingham in 1786, where he is recorded at his marriage at Ovingham Parish church. There is no evidence, from documents still in existence, of George Snowball in Ovingham before that date, so he probably moved to Ovingham from elsewhere. He had to be reasonably local, I would guess, as he had to get to know his future bride!

It looks to be the best link so far, as all other parishes and records associated with and around Ovingham, his place of marriage, residence and death, have not shown any baptism record of him. However, across the county border at Birtley are his possible father and mother, with children of the 'right' age. But getting a handle on his father and the 'correct' mother from the two options, is proving tricky!

[AlanBoyd]

I’m having difficulty getting my head around this, but just want to clarify – you have realised that there are two Birtleys? One is a little north of Chester-le-Street, and the other is in Northumberland, in the Bellingham area.

[snowybeatle]

Hi Alan

Thanks and yes, I'm aware of both but focussing on the Chester le Street Birtley, as the baptisms of both children (George and Anthony) took place at St. Mary & St. Cuthber's church.

These Birtley (Chester le Street) baptisms point, albeit not conclusively, that the older brother, George, is my 4 x great grandfather. With no recorded evidence of him being found anywhere near Ovingham or any contiguous parishes to St. Mary the Virgin in Ovingham prior to his wedding day, he must have been living elsewhere. It would be logical that he was reasonably local, as his future bride, was born and baptised in Allendale.

George and brother, Anthony's baptism records, both record their father, George Snowball (a Husbandman of Birtley and mother, Mary.

[AlanBoyd]

It was your second Mary Robson candidate that prompted my comment.