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  1. #1

    Default Will Written in 1829

    I would like some help with the following question please, "Why would the writer of a will in 1829 not name his late son's three children, when he obviously knew the first born as this child was his first ever grandson" and had previously mentioned other grandchildren born to his other children?

    One clue I have is that the child whose children were nameless in the will, had lost his first wife just after childbirth, and maybe "married" again, which is where the extra children came from? The writer of the will did not mention step children, but am not sure whether step children were called that in those days?

    Any ideas?

    Many thanks,

    Carol

  2. #2
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    I'm not clear from your post whether the son and/or grandchildren were excluded from the will, or included but not referred to by name, ie 'the child(ren)of my son X'.

    If they were excluded, then it may be that the son had already taken his share, or there had perhaps been a falling-out. My Great Grandfather took his share early (while his father was still alive), and neither he nor his children received anything in the father's will.

  3. #3

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    It's possible to speculate about all sorts of things... In addition to Jomot1's thoughts:
    It was common, if a man was left with small children, for him to remarry fairly quickly, but you really need to look for a second marriage and the baptisms of the children. Why would he discriminate between children from 2 daughters in law?

    Where was the son in question living? If they did not live in the same area, he might not have known about the 2nd marriage. Family often lost contact.
    He might have fallen out with that son. Did he mention him in the will?
    Realistically, you can't even assume that he knew about the son's children unless they lived nearby.

    One of my multi-great grandfathers died in a poorhouse "with no known relatives" according to the register, when his daughter was living in the next county. As far as I can see, they'd fallen out over which Church denomination to belong to.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jomot1 View Post
    I'm not clear from your post whether the son and/or grandchildren were excluded from the will, or included but not referred to by name, ie 'the child(ren)of my son X'.

    If they were excluded, then it may be that the son had already taken his share, or there had perhaps been a falling-out. My Great Grandfather took his share early (while his father was still alive), and neither he nor his children received anything in the father's will.
    Thank you for taking the time to reply, and let me explain more about the way the will was written. The will was written by a William Gorringe born 1745 in Ringmer, East Sussex, written in 1829, and proved in 1835. His first born son, William 1767, born in Ringmer married in 1791 in East Grinstead to a Hannah Jenner, had William 1792 in Ringmer, and poor Hannah died in Ringmer about six months after having the baby. The will names three other grandchildren, and states, I leave to my late son William's three children, two boys and a girl etc etc. So William 1767 was dead before his Father wrote the will in 1829, therefore, his share went to his three children. Now, the William born in 1792 was the first grandchild born in the family, and was born in Ringmer, where his Grandfather was also born, so don't you think it strange that the William born in 1745 didn't mention his first born grandchild's name?
    I think it highly unlikely that the family moved away from Ringmer, but after many years of research,I have never found William 1767 as being dead. There is a William Gorringe dying in Brighton in 1822, but he has been claimed and the claim verified by the other researcher.
    I also have no idea as to whom William married after losing Hannah in 1792, and according to the will, had two more children with!!??
    Hope this explanation helps?
    Would appreciate any further comments you may like to make.
    Regards,
    Carol

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lesley Robertson View Post
    It's possible to speculate about all sorts of things... In addition to Jomot1's thoughts:
    It was common, if a man was left with small children, for him to remarry fairly quickly, but you really need to look for a second marriage and the baptisms of the children. Why would he discriminate between children from 2 daughters in law?

    Where was the son in question living? If they did not live in the same area, he might not have known about the 2nd marriage. Family often lost contact.
    He might have fallen out with that son. Did he mention him in the will?
    Realistically, you can't even assume that he knew about the son's children unless they lived nearby.

    One of my multi-great grandfathers died in a poorhouse "with no known relatives" according to the register, when his daughter was living in the next county. As far as I can see, they'd fallen out over which Church denomination to belong to.
    Hi Lesley,
    I have written a better, I hope, explanation of the will to the prvious responder which I hope you can read.
    Have over the years looked for a second marriage, and looked at all Gorringe children born between 1792 and 1829, in Sussex and Kent, albeit, William could have moved to another district, joined the SFHG who have been extremely helpful, but none of us can find what happened to WIlliam Gorringe born 1767, he just disappears into thin air?????????????????
    Any other suggestions? Am happy to offer any research I have done if it will help my cause. My friends tell me I am flogging a dead horse! but I will not give up until I find him????????????? Thank you for taking the time to reply.
    Regards,
    Carol

  6. #6
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    I wonder if the reason you can't find William born 1792 is that he died in childhood, and the three grandchildren mentioned in the will were all from a second marriage. What looking have you done for William in London? People travelled much further then than we allow for. My ancestor's brother moved from East Riding of Yorkshire to London about 1800, and my ancestor joined him there for 20 years before moving on to the USA where he died in Michigan. If your William emigrated, communications might be poor and the names of the 3 children not known. It might be worth having a look to see if you can find any English-born Gorringes in the US censuses. 1850 will be the most informative, if he survived that long. pwholt
    Step children might be termed son or daughter in law, which is not the same way we use the phrase today.
    Last edited by pwholt; 26-10-2020 at 5:21 PM. Reason: added comment

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