I have a real mystery. My gg grandfather William Moody Rowntree was born in Bishopwearmouth 7 May 1841, father Thomas Rowntree, mother Mary Baxter (I have the birth certificate). I found Thomas Rowntree marrying Mary Baxter 4 June 1840 in Monkwearmouth parish church (I have the certificate). I found the family in 1851 census but they had 3 older children, Thomas b 13 Oct 1829, Elizabeth 1832, John 1836. From the above it appeared Thomas had been married twice and there was a Margaret Hindmarch marrying a Thomas Rowntree 22 Feb 1829. There was a Margaret Rowntree dying in Dec qtr 1839. All the dates were very neat however checking the IGI all 3 earlier children were listed as having Mary Baxter as the mother, in fact John was listed as John Baxter Rowntree. The IGI listings came from transcripts of Sunderland, baptisms (p. 1-524) 1719-1879. There is no other record I can find of Thomas Rowntree marrying Mary Baxter. What are the odds of two marriages nearly the same place and time with the same not particularly common names. Any ideas how I can resolve this? Maybe they didn't bother about marriage for the first 10 years - somehow I doubt it. Just to confound the issue the Thomas on the marriage certificate was Thomas Brady Rowntree, There was a Thomas Brodie Rowntree (IGI) born 1808 which fits with his age at the 1851 census and his mother was Mary Smith. William Moody's younger brother was named Smith Rowntree. A very confused David Rowntree

David I would try to check the original church records. You may find some notation there indicating that Thomas and Mary were not married. Perhaps the real wife was sick/unwilling/ or whatever and Mary was the housekeeper until she died, and then they married Sounds like a Catherine Cookson novel doesn't it Heather *************** website at www.punshon.ca/heather ***************