Charles Snell (abt. 1818 - 1857)

Born about 1818 in India

Descendants

Died 5 Mar 1857 at about age 39 in Cuttack, Bengal Presidency, India

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Biography

Birth, Parents & Siblings

Charles Snell was the eldest son of Charles Snell an officer in the Madras Native Infantry.

It is suspected his mother was the same mother, Mary/Izlandoo, as his five younger presumed full-siblings: Alfred, Elizabeth Wilhelmina, William, Ann Emma and Caroline.

No baptism record has been found for Charles and his 1840 marriage document, as with others of that time period, doesn't include father's name, however his occupation shows that he followed his father into surveying work. ^[1]

The next child, Alfred, was baptised in 1824 "Son of Charles Snell and Mary a native". ^[2]

The following three children, Elizabeth Wilhelmina (b. 1825), William (b.1830) & Ann Emma (b.1832) were all baptised on the 18th of July 1833 in Vepery, Madras "of Charles Snell, 30th Reg N.I., Surveyor Northern District and Izlandoo a native" ^[3]

No baptism record is found for the youngest child, Caroline (b. ~1835), but Charles Snell is named as her father on her marriage document. ^[4]

These six children appear to be a very close-knit group suggesting they grew up as a family. They repeatedly appear as witnesses, sponsors, etc on each other's marriage, children's baptism, will documents and three of them: Alfred, William & Caroline married three siblings from the Paterson family.

This suggests that Mary, named on Alfred's baptism in 1824, and Izlandoo, named on the baptism of the thee children in 1833, were the same woman.

A long-term relationship with Charles Snell is suggested by the detailing on Mary Snell's burial record on the 23rd of January 1844 that she was the "Widow of the late Charles Snell, Major in 30th Reg M.N.I." [8] Charles had died in 1841, having married Ann Alicia Todd in 1837, so it seems likely it was the children who provided this biographical detail for the register.

Marriage & Child

Charles married Charlotte Ward (down as Wood on the marriage doc) in Nellore on the 11th of January 1840. "Charles Snell Sub-Assistant Surveyor, a native of Madras, and Charlotte Wood, spinster, a native of Nellore" One of the witnesses was Thomas George Ward - Charlotte's brother. ^[5]

Their only child, Edmund Henry Turner Snell, was born on the 28th of September 1841. He was baptised in Nellore on the 30th of December 1841. "Edmund Henry Turner, son of Charles Snell Sub-Assistant Surveyor, and Charlotte Snell his wife, born 28th Sept 1841" The sponsors were: Tho. Ward, Tho. Geo. Ward & Paulina Paezold, his maternal grandfather, uncle, aunt.

Death, Burial, Will & Probate

Charles wrote his will on the 19th of December 1853 in beautiful language and strong Christian faith.

"...I, Charles Snell Surveyor in the service of the East India Company being sick and weak of body bit of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God: therefore calling into mind the mortality of the body, knowning that it is appointed unto all men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament; that is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christian burial; nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Almight power of God...."

He bequeths everything to his wife Charlotte (Ward) Snell and son Edmund Henry Turner Snell; with Mr T.G. Ward and John Turner Ward as executors, and trustees until Edmund is 30, alongside Charlotte. The will was witnesses by: Walter Tipper Smith, Richard Henry Long, and, his brother, William Snell.^[6]

Charles, then a Senior Sub Assistant Surveyor of the Trigonometrical Survey^[7], died on the 5 Mar 1857 and was buried the next day in Cuttack. ^[8] His burial record, which reports his posoition as Senior Sub. Assistant Surveyor, and the cause as Jungle Fever, notes him as age 38, however his gravestone has him as 39. ^[9]

Homeward Mail from India, China and the East — 28 April 1857; p229; Birth, Marriages & Deaths.^[10] "SNELL - March 5, at Cuttack, Charles Snell, of the Trigonometrical Survey.'"

His gravestone reads: Sacred to the memory of Charles Snell, surveyor, who departed this life 5th March 1857, aged 39 years'.^[11]

Probate was granted in London in 1864.^[12]

"WILLS. 1864....SNELL Charles. 16 March. Letters of Adminstration (with the will annexed) of the Personal estate and effects of Charles Snell formerly a surveyor in the Service of the East India Company but late a surveyor in the Service of the Government of Fort St George Madras in the East Indies deceased who died 5 March 1858 at Cuttack in the East Indies aforesaid were granted at the Pricipal Registry under the unsual Limitations to Charles Loyd Norman of 8 St Helen's-place Bishopsgate-street in the City of London Merchant one of the lawful Attorneys of John Turner Ward on of the surviving Exectors named in the said Will now residing at Nellore in the East Indies he he said Charles Loyd Norman having been first sworn. Effects under £600."

Documentary Links to Siblings

As detailed above, Charles' will was witnessed by his brother William Snell.

At the baptism of his sister Elizabeth Wilhelmina (Snell) Chatelier's third child, Edwin John Snell Chatelier, in May 1848, the sponsors were: W.Powell (their sister Anne Emma's future husband); Joseph Chatelier as proxy for C. Snell (could relate to younger sister, Caroline, or to Charles, or his wife Charlotte); also E. Snell (is it possible Anne Emma went by Emma?) ^[13]

Mention in relation to his half-nephew, the author, W.Somerset Maugham

Charles' father, Charles Snell, had two surviving daughter with his wife, Ann Alicia (Todd) Snell. The elder daughter, Edith Mary (Snell) Maugham was the mother of the writer W. Somerset Maugham.

W. Somerset Maugham's nephew, Robin Maugham, wrote a book 'Somerset and All the Maughams in 1975. In Chapter 7 he described the a little information about his great-grandfatherCharles Snell and added "...with only one hint of anything 'irregular' in his conduct. This was the birth, about 1819, of Charles Snell Junior; but there seems to be no trace of who the mother was or when the boy was baptised. I think uncle Willie would have been delighted at the idea of a black sheep in the family. It seems probable that Charles Snell atoned for his indescretion by caring for his son until he was old enough to fend for himself, and he may even have set him to work in his own office, for between 1820 and 1835 Captain Snell, as he was then, was busy superintending provincial surveys in various parts of India. Then, in July 1835, he was 'permitted to resign his appontment in the Survey Department'. and shortly afterwards he returned to England on leave."^[14] So, it appears descentants of Charles Snell's second family had no idea that Charles Snell (junior) was the eldest of a family of six.

Sources

1. ↑ "India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XH1-8Z5Y : 8 March 2022), Charles (Sub Assistant Surveyor - Native) Snell, 1840.
2. ↑ "United Kingdom, British India Office, Births and Baptisms, 1712-1965", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6VYM-XW6H : 20 January 2023), Alfred Snell, 1824.
3. ↑ "United Kingdom, British India Office, Births and Baptisms, 1712-1965", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6VYM-M3QH : 20 January 2023), Elizabeth Wilhelmina Snell, 1833.
4. ↑ "India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66HF-158H : 26 December 2021), Caroline Snell in entry for Thomas Owen Paterson, 1851.
5. ↑ "India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XH1-8Z5Y : 8 March 2022), Charles (Sub Assistant Surveyor - Native) Snell, 1840.
6. ↑ Findmypast, full document [1]
7. ↑ Homeward Mail from India, China and the East 28 April 1857. Found on FindMyPast or Ancestry newspaper archive
8. ↑ "India Deaths and Burials, 1719-1948", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGLY-VN5 : 5 February 2020), Charles Snell, 1857.
9. ↑ [2]
10. ↑ Findmypast, newspaper archive
11. ↑ BSACA Journal, Vol 1, Sept 1977-Feb 1979, p39 [3]
12. ↑ Ancestry. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.
13. ↑ "India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6N9V-LDLW : Sat Nov 18 03:48:07 UTC 2023), Entry for Edwin John Snell Chatelier and Chatelier, 30 May 1848.
14. ↑ Maugham, Robin. 'Somerset & all the Maughams' Penguin Books, 1975. Chapter 7, p117