Seeking Confirmation of a Drowning 1754

[skb]

My ancestor Noah Stringfellow of Wrightington appears in several online trees which state that he drowned in the River Douglas on 19 February 1754.

I'm sure I once found a reference to this either on a newspaper archive site or an old books site, which had an extract from the journal or account book of the person who examined the body at the inquest, but I've lost the reference and can't find it again.

Are there any detectives out there who can track it down or suggest where I could look?

[Radcliff]

Lancashire archives mention his death in coroners reports but there dont appear to be any records, possibly contact them for advise,

They possible fell on hard times as they are removed from the parish to Wrightington,

[andrewalston]

The image on Ancestry doesn't hint at a cause of death. The BTs might, though.

You can safely ignore all those trees which have Noah dying on the same date as his funeral - it is very unlikely that an inquest could be held on the same day as the death and funeral.

There is not a lot of Wrightington close to the Douglas. 19th Feb 1754 was a Tuesday. Maybe he met his fate on the way to or from Douglas Chapel on the Sunday?

[skb]

Thanks both.

It sounds as if what I'm remembering is an extract from the coroner's accounts, so perhaps I can get a copy of that from Lancashire Record Office

[ThrelfallYorky]

Try "Wiganworld" 0nline, as I'm sure the river Douglas is near there. There are loads of odd newspaper snippets to view on that site, and - more importantly, nearly as many people keen to help, and knowledgeable about the past, on there as on here. If you can't find it on first hunting round, post a query, and I'm sure someone will respond

[Pennines]

I suspect that the papers in Lancashire Archives relating to the Coroner's report MAY just be the Coroner's costs -- without any details of the inquest.

As previously mentioned by Radcliff though --- the Removal Order of Noah and his wife and family, may be of interest. You can obtain a copy of that, probably will cost about £5.00. It may also be worth checking if any prior interview to this removal -- with the Overseers exists -- which will give more information.

[ThrelfallYorky]

On "Lancashire Parish Clerks Online" (A fantastic site for anyone with Lancashire ancestry) there's marriage of your Noah Stringfellow to Margaret Cross, on 16th June 1746, at the same place where he was buried in 1754, St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston. In the burial record he's recorded as "of Wrightington", and as Andrewalston says, he was buried on 19th Feb, so his death must have been earlier. There seem to have been quite a lot of Noahs over the generations, in those Stringfellows of yours!

[skb]

Yes, all the Noahs are related. In fact most of the Stringfellows in Lancashire appear to be related, and this particular Noah seems to be the ancestor of a great many of them. He is the earliest one I can connect, though there were other Stringfellows in the area at the time.

I haven't found the Noah Stringfellow name occurring any earlier than that (though that might just be because the church records aren't around or aren't easily available), but it occurs multiple times in every generation after that until the late 1800s. I find that intriguing. Maybe there was something memorable about him, or maybe the circumstances of the drowning was a factor.

[James Stringfellow]

Hi .
hope this helps, this was taken from the Lancashire records office. I am a bit stuck on finding any brothers /sisters and parents though.. I suspect from other records that his fathers name may have been james but cant confirm it for sure

No 1
"An account of Inquisitions taken by John Brownsword, Gentleman, one of the
Coroners of and for the said County of Lancashire from and after the Quarter
Sessions held by Adjournment at Wigan the 21 January 1754 as follows:

19 February At Wrightington on view of the body of Noah Stringfellow drowned
in the River Douglas. Distant from Ormskirk 5 miles
He charged £1.3s 9d for his services "


No 2
Notes for NOAH STRINGFELLOW:
Copy of Order of Settlement 19th Ocober 1749
Whereas complaint has been made unto us whose names are subscribed and
sealed hereto to
two of His majesties Justices of the Poor ...........for the Township of
Parbold that Noah
Stringfellow ,Margaret his wife and Alice and William their children-poor
persons- came lately
to inhabit in Parbold and are likely to become chargeable to the inhabitants
thereof not having
done any act to gain through a settlement therein and it appearing to us
that the last legal
settlement of the said Noah Stringfellow.........is in the township of
Wrightington.So therefore
the said Justices do hereby judge and declare to the said Noah Stringfellow
.... to be poor and
likely to become chargeable to the inhabitants of Parbold ......order and
require you to
forthwith remove and convey the said Noah Stringfellow.Margaret his wife and
Alice and
William their children .to Wrightington aforesaid and deliver over to the
overseers of the
poor thereof .............given under our hand this nineteenth day of
October in the year of our
Lord 1749