#52Ancestors, Where There's a Will

I might have mentioned that I have been transcribing a number of wills written in flowery Old English script recently. I came across the will of my two of my 5xgreat grandfathers. Two families that lived in the same parish and through the ensuing years have added multiple connections to the genealogy of their descendants.

John Yeandle and Grace Tarr were contemporaries of Thomas Davys and Jane Hellings. Thomas I have written about before; he had part of the lease of Hagley Farm settled on him by his father when he married Jane. He went on to buy the Manor at Raddington and call himself Lord…and then die intestate and with loads of debt for his sons to manage and repay.

How much of the land in the 1841 tithe apportionment map of last week’s blog was part of the manor, I’m not quite sure yet. Anyway, this generation is where the entanglement of the two families begins. It could be earlier – but this is the most documented so far.

John & Grace had nine children. Most likely all born at Upcott Farm. Thomas and Jane had eight children, possibly born at Moorhouse which was an earlier name for Washer’s Farm, or perhaps at Kingston.

Ready to get confused ?

John Yeandle (the younger) married Janny (Jennie/Jane) Davys

Mary Yeandle married James Davys

These are my 5x great grandparents.

Grace Yeandle married George Davys

Betty Yeandle married James Brewer and secondly John Potter.

Jane Yeandle married John Totterdell

Ann Yeandle married Thomas Palmer

Patience Yeandle married John Palmer

Sarah Yeandle married John Stone

Thomas Yeandle married Mary Brewer

And yes, both the Palmer spouses were brothers and the two Brewer spouses were siblings ! To add to the mix, another of Thomas and Jane’s sons, John Davys, also married into the same Brewer family.

Anyway, back to wills. I have “read” the wills for both John Yeandle (the younger) and James Davys. Each of them naming some of their children and grandchildren amongst the beneficiaries. A site I have been aware of for a number of years which documents some of the Yeandle genealogy mentioned other wills which had been in the possession of a William Davys of Hagley Bridge. Hopefully they are now safely in the custody of repositories such as National Archives if not a local Archive.

I have been looking for the wills of James’ brothers George and Benjamin, to try to ascertain how the land and Manor was redistributed after their father and elder brother’s deaths. It was on National Archives UK where I found another recently, available to download free during the COVID-19 lockdown. This time for Grace Davys (nee Yeandle).

Grace and George had no children, and he predeceased her. His will (one of those I am looking for) must have bequeathed all of his land, tenement and messuages to his surviving brother or brothers as none of those type of assets are mentioned by Grace in her will.

She instead, was a benevolent aunt, dividing her money and belongings between her many nieces and nephews, some of her siblings and two or three great nieces. A couple of hitherto unknown names were able to be added to the tree thanks to these four pages of flowery writing. It would have been wonderful if she had been a little more consistent with her directions though; some were described simply as the sons and daughters of my brother/sister <insert name here> but others were named and described as my niece (or great niece) <insert name> daughter of my sister <insert name>, or simple as <insert name> the daughter of my niece <insert name>.

Her sister Patience benefitted most, with £400 compared to £20 or so that other siblings were bequeathed. Patience’s daughters, Patience and Sarah inherited half of her clothes each with Patience (the daughter) also inheriting some furniture. The other children of Patience (the sister) were also given £10 more than their cousins.

I wonder if she was always their favourite aunt. Not a maiden aunt, but one who cared for her nieces and nephews in lieu of her own children. How interesting too that in some cases she singled out the daughters of her nieces, or specifically her nieces rather than nephews.

One day I will get it completely transcribed.