B - Benjamin Davys.

There are several people by this name in my tree, most I don’t really know how or where they fit in.

Benjamin Davys was born about 1718 if the age on his burial record is correct (maybe 1728 is more likely though), and was buried in the churchyard at Raddington, Somerset on 16 February 1801. He was the son of Thomas Davys and Jane Helling of Hagley Bridge, Somerset.

His father was self-styled “Lord of the Manor” having bought the manor of Raddington. I believe he also held part of the manor of Hagley Bridge with his father, another Thomas.

Thomas, the Lord, died on 21 June 1783 in his late eighties. He was intestate and left the manor encumbered with debt. His son Reverend Thomas Davys was his heir; an elder son John had predeceased their father. Sadly, Thomas died less than a year later, thankfully with a will which divided the manor between his three surviving brothers Benjamin (of Raddington), James and George (both of Milverton). Each was to have their own messuages and discharge their father and brother’s debts.

George died in March 1786. He and his wife had no children. Although I have not seen his will, in 1798 in the Land Tax Redemption records his wife was the owner and occupier of property in the parish of Raddington required to pay £2 2s 4d. In her own will all her belongings were shared amongst her sisters, nieces and nephews, but no mention was made of the property.

Benjamin died in 1801. In 1798 on the Land Tax Redemption record he was an owner and occupier of property in Raddington parish required to pay £3 6s 6d. I believe he married Elizabeth Prescott in Exeter, Devon on 17 February 1755. They had at least five children all baptised at Raddington, including two Benjamins, one dying in infancy. Again, I have not seen a will for Benjamin, but what happened to his property? Did he need to dispose of his messuage and property to discharge his share of the debt?

On the Land Tax Redemption records in 1798 James appears at least twice, once as the occupier of property owned by the Reverend Edward Webber and again in his own right as owner and occupier paying £5 5s 0d for each. His son James also appears with two properties paying £1 6s 0d for one and £1 2s 6d for the other. How does James, and consequently his son, appear to have a larger share of property than his brother and widowed sister-in-law? What happens to Benjamin and George’s property after their deaths and the deaths of their widows? James also died in 1802 leaving his property mostly to his son James.

I am supposing that the level of tax payable is reflective of the value and size of each property.

By 1841 at the time of the Tithe Apportionments and England & Wales Census we seem to be related to every family living in the parish in one way or another (aunts, uncles, cousins etc). But who is the family of John Davys (Davis) and his wife Mary Kemp who are living at Blackwell Farm on the census, where John is recorded as a labourer? We have some DNA matches to this family – are they connected to Benjamin in some way? And if so, how have they become tenants or labourers rather than owners of land? Or maybe it’s just a bit of endogamy – you know, from being related to everyone in the entire parish.

Are you a descendant of Benjamin? If you are please contact me.