Richard,
I'm really glad that this was your 4G grandfather - I know myself how good
it is to see a will of an ancestor and almost to hear him talking. I forgot
to say that I think he signed the will rather than made a mark.
I'm not sure I'm an expert on wills but I will try to answer your questions.
No, you don't have to visit the National Library to get a copy. If you email
them with the reference number and name of the deceased they can quote you
the price to get it through the post and you can then send a cheque (or
money order) for the amount. Check the website in case there is a form to
fill in to order because at some point you need to sign to say you are only
going to use it for personal research and not for publication or commercial
gain.
There isn't a will for Jane in the probate collection but it is extremely
unlikely in this period she would have made a will because it is before the
Married Women's Property Act and so in effect she owned nothing herself.
Everything belonged to her husband (or to her children in trust or to
herself only if she became a widow if part of a marriage settlement). On the
whole, except in specialised circumstances, only women who were spinsters
and widows made wills, though women often acted as administrators or
executors of estates.
I have no record of a will of Anne Evan - the only Anne listed is Anne Jones
widow of Tyddyn y gareg for whom there is a bond to administer her estate
and an inventory in 1812 (B1812/116) - I have looked at this package but the
details aren't to hand at this minute. If this is her, there is also a will
and inventory of Richard Jones Tyddyn y gareg (B1811/147). A William Owen
was an appraiser for his inventory.
Humphrey Ellis is a different matter. Is he the Humphrey Ellis farmer of
Tyddyn dynwen (according to the index - Tyddyn deuwyn is what I have
recorded for the will and Tyddyn Dyuwyn for the inventory, possibly actually
Tyddyn dewin), will and inventory, probate 1815? (B1815/190) or Humphrey
Ellis blacksmith of the village of Gellilydan bond and inventory, probate
1841 (B1841/168), I wonder? If the latter, I'm sure he is referred to as a
tenant in the will of one of my ancestors who owned Gellilydan farm and who
was an ancestor, I'm sure, of someone who has corresponded with me on this
list before whose name escapes me. He's actually unlikely to be the latter
Humphrey Ellis since he'd be extremely old dying! However, might he also be
related?
The former Humphrey Ellis (1815) lists a whole lot of his children with the
surname Humphreys - John, Jane, Sarah, Catherine and Anne together with a
grandson Humphry Jones and wife Gwen Jones. His property was worth just over
£558 - a lot!
Unfortunately I have rather a lot of other commitments for the next
fortnight or so and so if you need me to look up further details, I couldn't
promise to do so before then. I'd be happy to do so after then.
Best luck
Rhian
----- Original Message -----
From: <RICHARDTREFOR(a)aol.com>
To: <WLS-MERIONETHSHIRE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 6:51 PM
Subject: [MER] FAO Rhian: William Owen, Maentwrog
Hi Rhian.
Have now had chance to read through the contents of your last email and
I'm
amazed and pleased that you've found William OWEN's will.
William, Gyfynys was my 4G grandfather, whilst his son Owen WILLIAMS was
my
3G.
The Meredith WILLIAMS of Rhoswen is not, as you thought, William's son.
If I wanted to get hold of William's will would I have to visit the
National
Library or could I order it by post/over the internet?.
As you're an expert on wills, etc. please could you tell me whether
William's wife Jane (who died before him) would have made a will, or
would her estate
have gone directly to her husband as a matter of course?.
I've two other ancestors who possibly died in Maentwrog during the first
quarter of the 19th century. Would you mind very much checking your
records.
They are:-
1. Anne EVAN, born Maentwrog 1744
2. Humphrey ELLIS, born Maentwrog 1747
I've also found ancestors from Maentwrog who died in the 18th century, so
please could you speed up your research back from 1807!!!!. ONLY JOKING.
Thanks once again for your help and good luck with your research.
Regards
Richard
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