Edmondson Genealogy

bp 3 May 1633 at Dent, father James, mother Alice Fawcett; FHL 1472792/1 #043

m about 1659 to unknown person.
children:
Alice 1660 - d 10 Jun 1690 m Wilfrey Burton 1689
Agnes 1 Dec 1662 - 17 Dec 1662
Isabel 1 Dec 1662 - 4 Feb 1663
Mary 1664 - d 2 Sep 1724 at Kirkby Stephen, buried at Garsdale (FHL 1849306/2 #249) m James Nelson of Garsdale at Sedbergh 7 Aug 1686 (jpl Sedbergh Transcript, p37/107)
Agnes 16 Mar 1666 - 4 Jun 1701 m Thomas Capstack 7 Oct 1696 at Sedbergh
Jane 12 Oct 1667 - 4 Jan 1668 (FHL 1472792/1 #101)
James 22 Nov 1668 - 8 Nov 1735 m Mary Buck 18 Jul 1696 at Garsdale
Robert 6 Aug 1672 - 13 Apr 1708 m Elizabeth Burton 30 Sep 1694 at Dent
John 13 Jun 1675 - 17 Jun 1676

other children of other George Burtons:
George 5 Aug 1666 - 18 Oct 1666 (son of George Burton and Mabel Wine?)
Thomas 1 Feb 1669 (son of George and Mabel? too close to James's birth)

m about 1682 to Elizabeth
child:
John 8 Jul 1683 - 2 Jul 1709

d 15 Jul 1717 at Dent, FHL 1472792/2 #259

will written at Staykering 1714 (see map 102344371, just about Gibshall)
probate 25 Oct 1717
R551B/97

named in will of George Burton:
son James;
wife Elizabeth;
son Robert (deceased) and grandson James Burton son of Robert;
granddaughter Alice, daughter of Wilfrey Burton of Hackergill;
daughter Agnes (deceased) who married Thomas Capstack, Richard and Barbara Capstack, grandchildren of George;
grandsons Mathew Burton and James Burton, children of his son James Burton;
daughter Mary, wife of James Nelson, and granddaughter Elizabeth Nelson, daughter of James and Mary;
grandson George Burton (son of whom?);
James Fawcett (relationship not specified);
son-in-law Wilfrey Burton;
son-in-law James Nelson;

Name and date of birth of Alice Burton

George Burton (1633-1717) mentions in his will his granddaughter Alice (b1690), daughter of Wilfrey Burton. We know that Wilfrey's wife was called Alice, because this was mentioned in her death certificate in 1690. Thus her maiden name must have been Burton, because of George Burton's will (clearly Wilfrey married a daughter of George).

Looking at her siblings, who start to be registered in 1662, there are gaps in 1660, 1670 and 1674. If Alice had been born in 1670, she would have been 19 at marriage, reasonable. The date of 1674 would have made her 15 at marriage, too young. The other alternative date is around 1660, because baptism records are available starting in 1661. Marriage records are also missing from 1654 to 1660.

If she was born in 1660, she would have been 29 at marriage, still possible, and, according to both Nicola Thwaite (tree 162001885) and Paula Healey (tree 25651273), most likely, due to her ranking in her father's will, and also the fact that Alice was the name of George Burton's mother, and so most likely to have his first child named Alice.

So I think she was born in 1660.

Date of birth of Mary Burton

Probably born about 1664. Baptism record not found (civil war), but there is a nice gap between children in 1664, and Mary married in 1686, so she would have been 21, which is reasonable.
m 7 Aug 1686 at Sedbergh to James Nelson of Garsdale, Sedbergh PR transcripts p37

Mentioned in father's will, made 1714, probated 1717. "To my granddaughter Elizabeth Nelson daughter of James Nelson of Garsdale, and to my daughter Mary wife of the said James Nelson"

Considerations on the marriages of George Burton 1633-1717

George Burton married someone around 1659. Between 1660 and 1675 the following children were born: Alice (1660), Agnes (1662), Isabel (1662), Mary (1664), Agnes (1666), Jane (1667), James (1668), Robert (1672) and John (1675).

Then in 1683, another son John was born.

When he died in 1717, in his will George Burton instructs his son James (b1668) to pay something to "his dear wife" rather than "your mother". This possibly suggests that his dear wife Elizabeth was not the mother of James.

George's will was written at Stakring ("Staycrinn"), which is about 250 yards north of Gibshall, where we know George lived.

On 2 Jul 1709, a "John son of George Burton of Staycrinn" died. Checking possible baptisms, the most likely appears to be 8 Jul 1683.

This leads credence to the hypothesis of a second wife, as the first wife, if of a similar age to George himself, would definitely have been too old.

It seems probable that the first wife died between 1675 and 1682, unfortunately her burial has not been found.

It also seems that George's marriage to Elizabeth took place around 1682, but this record also has not been found.

However, the wording in his will and the fact that a John son of George Burton of Staycrinn died in 1709 are sufficient for me to believe that Elizabeth was his second wife, and not the mother of James and Mary, his only surviving children in 1717.