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Thursday 31 January 2013

Mary Anne Quin, wife of Thomas Williams


Was Mary Anne Quin, who married Thomas Williams of the Bank of Ireland in St. Thomas's on 26th February 1777, the granddaughter of Rev. Charles Wye, the cleric who married the couple in St. Thomas's?    Rev. Charles Wye was not associated with this church in any way, and appears to have been specially requested by the couple to perform the ceremony.   It is worth noting that they christened their son as Charles Wye Williams in honour, perhaps, of this man in 1779.
http://alison-stewart.blogspot.ie/2011/07/thomas-williams-first-secretary-to-bank.html

Rev. Charles Wye had his origins in Dunleer, Co. Louth, his father, Mossom Wye, having been the rector of Kilsaran Parish, Louth.  In 1715,  Jane/Jenny Bellingham, the daughter of Colonel Thomas Bellingham of Castlebellingham, Louth, married Francis Quin, a wealthy bricklayer/mason who was of the Dublin family of an early Lord Mayor, Mark Quin from whom Mary Anne was supposedly descended.    Francis Quin and Jane Bellingham had a son, Thomas Quin, who settled at Castlebellingham.

Betham's Extracts record the marriage on 20th August 1746 of Thomas Quin, gentleman of Kilsaran, Louth, to Mary Wye of Dromlisk, Louth.  Were these the parents of Mary Anne Quin who would marry Thomas Williams in 1777?

In December 1849, this Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham sold 34 acres of land near Castlebellingham in Kilsaran Parish for £350 to Alan Bellingham of Drogheda town.  (Deed 138-285-93198).  Alan Bellingham was the son of Henry Bellingham, and the grandson of Colonel Thomas Bellingham.  Thomas Quin and Alan Bellingham were, therefore, first cousins.
 It is known that Mary Wye, the daughter of Rev. Charles Wye, married a man by the name of Quin.  I wonder, therefore, were the parents of Mary Anne Quin, who married Thomas Williams in Dublin in 1777, Thomas Quin and Mary Wye, and did the bride and groom ask Mary Anne's elderly grandfather, Charles Wye, to perform the ceremony on the day?    The following two deeds, sourced recently in the Registry of Deeds on Henrietta Street, are what piqued my interest....

Deed 46-249-28525: In April 1725, Francis Quin, bricklayer, transferred a large plot of land near Sherriff Street, Dublin, to Thomas Quin, Apothecary, who was his nephew. The land in question was described as lying 'between Mabbotts' Mills and the Shades of Clontarf on the North side of the River Anna Liffey', and was further described as being edged by Mayor Street.  (This plot had been granted earlier to Francis Quin by the Lord Mayor, Sherriffs and Citizens of Dublin.)   Thomas Quin, apothecary was Francis Quin's nephew,being the son of Francis Quin's brother, Thomas Quin, bricklayer, of Castleknock, who was married to Ellen/Ellinor Doyle, and whose will had been proved in 1685 - Thomas and Ellinor had 5 children, Thomas, Margaret, Rose (who married a Smyth), Mary and Elizabeth.

 It seems that this exact plot of land, mentioned in the deed above, was later in the possession of Thomas Williams' and Mary Anne's eldest son,  Richard Williams of 38 Dame St and Drumcondra Castle in 1837 - I sourced a 2nd deed (1837-18-24), dated 11th October 1837, which detailed the selling of this plot to the directors of the British and Irish Steam Packet Company, James Ferrier, John McDonnell and William Willans.  The owner was Richard Williams of Dame Street, and the plot was described as being between Mabbotts' Mills and the Shades of Clontarf on the North side of the River Anna Liffey, and as being next to Mayor Street.  It seems to me that this plot had been passed onto Mary Anne Williams, née Quin, at some stage, and then onto her son, Richard of 38 Dame Street.
 I sourced other deeds which may be helpful....

Deed 21-204-11252.  Dated 30th and 31st of May, 1718.  The parties involved were Thomas Quin, Alderman;  Francis Quin, bricklayer;  Thomas Brownrigg, Dublin gentleman;  Mary Whitshed, Dublin widow, sister and sole heir to John Quin of Dublin;  Thomas Quin, Junior, Apothecary.
Mary Whitshed was the daughter of Mark Quin, Lord Mayor, while John Quin was his son.   Thomas Quin, Junior, apothecary, was the son of the bricklayer Thomas Quin of Castleknock.
The deed concerned the sale of a property named the Bull Inn, and 10 small brickhouses in Bull Alley and Patrick St, which had once been owned by John Quin, and which was being sold by Thomas Quin, Alderman, Francis Quin and Thomas Brownrigg, to Mary Whitshed, with the permission of Thomas Quin, Junior, Apothecary, for £436.   Among the witnesses to the agreement was Richard Whitshed, who, I believe, was the son of Mary Whitshed, née Quin.

Deed 32-159-19284:  Dated 17th October 1721.   Concerned a newly-built house in Church Street, close to St. Michan's Church which Francis Quin had close involvement with. The house was being transferred to a John Williams, no relation of Thomas Williams of the Bank etc., on the occasion of the marriage of Francis Quin's niece, Margaret Doyle, the daughter of Hugh Doyle of Killcandra, Co. Meath,  to Richard Codd, the son of George Codd of Killiskillen, Co. Meath, Gentleman.  Obviously Francis Quin's sister had married Hugh Doyle of Meath.

Deed 124-153-84082:  Dated 20th and 21st August 1746. A deed of lease and release, between Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham,  Rev. Charles Wye of Dromlisk, Co.Louth, Thomas Quin, apothecary of Dublin and Mary Wye, spinster, the second daughter of Rev. Charles Wye. Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham was the son of Francis Quin, bricklayer, while Thomas Quin, apothecary was Francis' nephew.
Whereby Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham, for the consideration of Charles Wye of the parish of Kilsaran (ie: Castlebellingham), and for the consideration of Thomas Quin of Dublin, his heirs and assigns,  34 acres of land near Castlebellingham and a house in Castlebellingham owned by Thomas Quin - these properties were being conveyed to Charles Wye and Thomas Quin of Dublin, for the lives of Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham, Robert Sibthorpe, eldest son of Stephen Sibthorpe of Dunany, Louth, and Henry Hughes, eldest son of John Hughes of Castlebellingham.
Also, Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham demised to Charles Wye and to Thomas Quin of Dublin a plot of land in Bow Lane, Dublin, so that a house may be built there.  The witnesses were Samuel Boyd and William Spring of Dublin, who must be a relation of Charles Wye's wife, Sarah Spring.
It was known that Charles Wye's daughter, Mary Wye, was married to a man named Quin - was the above, theerefore, the precursor to a marriage settlement between Mary Wye and Thomas Quin of Castlebellingham?     She wasn't marrying Thomas Quin, apothecary, since he was married to Isabella Brownrigg of Annagh, Wexford.








Thursday 24 January 2013

Walker Williams, son of Thomas Williams


Research commissioned by the family of Hutchins Thomas Williams in the late nineteenth century, and carried out by the noted English genealogist, Charles Worthy, revealed that Thomas Williams of the Bank of Ireland, and his wife, Mary Anne Quine,  had three sons - Richard Williams of Drumcondra Castle and 38 Dame St,  Charles Wye Williams who founded the Dublin Steam Packet Company, and a third son who didn't survive childhood, Walker Williams.

http://alison-stewart.blogspot.ie/2011/07/thomas-williams-first-secretary-to-bank.html

The name 'Walker' stirred my interest, since children carrying family names like this have generally been named after someone with associations to the parents, therefore Thomas Williams must have had some sort of a relationship with a family named 'Walker', either through marriage or through business.

I came upon the name of Thomas Walker and decided to do a post about this individual, seeing as he seems to be the most likely candidate;  it's important to note that I have no proof whatsoever for this - I'm merely collating the facts about the man here, and, as usual, I'll add information to this as I find it.

From 'Notes and Queries - A Medium of Intercommunication for Literary Men, Feb. 2nd 1858':
   '£10,000 Reward For A Will. "Whereas the late Thomas Walker, Esq., of Belgriffin Park, in the county of Dublin, but formerly of Dame Street, died on the 26th day of March 1817, and having during his illness declared...that he had made his will...And whereas there is reason to believe that...a considerable sum of money has been bequeathed to charitable purposes, and that said will, with other testamentary papers, were deposited with some person who, from the importance of the trust, have withheld same, for the purpose of receiving such liberal remuneration...(the testator dying worth upwards of 250,000l.)....
....Notice is hereby given, that any person or persons with whom said will and testamentary papers may have been deposited, and who will make a communication,...so that said will may be brought forward, such person or persons will become entitled to the reward of 10,000l., which such sum shall be deposited in the hands of any three respectable  persons (the Secretary of the Bank of Ireland being one) ...to be held in trust and paid over the moment said will is proved...
....Communications to be made...to any three of the following persons: - The Right Hon. John Radcliffe, or his register, John Hawkins, Esq.;  Thomas Williams, Esq., Bank of Ireland;  Thomas Kemmis, Esq., Law Agent to Commissioners of First Fruits, Kildare Street;  Wm. James McCausland, Esq., Secretary to Comissioners of Charitable Donations, 88, Merrion Street, Dublin;  or if the said will and papers are in the possession of any person or persons in Great Britain, information may be made to the Right Hon. Sir John Nichols, the Right Hon. Sir Wm. Scott,  or their Register, Charles Moore, Esq.  Prerogative Office, London.
    "Further Reward of £1000 More....And whereas it appears by the testamentary paper...(which had been lodged in the Prerogative Court, and which instructions have been proved by several of the most respectable witnesses to be the handwriting of the deceased), that he has bequeathed a sum of money to my family,  I do hereby offer a reward of one thousand pounds...which sum shall be paid to the person who shall deliver said will to any of the above named, or to any person who will give such information as to secure its production, on application to George Webb, Stock Broker, London;  or at my office, 17 Dame Street, Dublin.   Robert Webb."
....To the above the following...may be appended. It appeared in the Chester journals of 1819:
    "Extraordinary Discovery of a Will.  About four years ago,  a man possessed of very considerable property, died, bequeathing his effects to his daughter, in excluson to his son and wife;  his will, it seems, fell into the hands of his wife, with whom the son was a favourite, and to prevent its being carried into effect, she buried it ...in the coffin with the husbnd.  A few weeks ago, being on her death-bed, she confessed the particulars to a friend, enjoining her not to disclose the fact till after her death;  the widow is now dead, and application is making at Doctors' Commons to take up the coffin of the deceased man." '

 Thomas Walker was a prominent businessman, with involvement in the Lottery and the publisher of 'Walkers Hibernian Magazine'; he had his offices at Cicero's Head, 79 Dame Street.   On March 28th 1788, a list of shareholders of the Bank of Ireland showed that he was the  major investor, holding £21,800 worth of stock, outdoing even the Latouche and Guinness families.  This major involement with the Bank of Ireland, would have, of course, brought him into close contact with its Secretary, Thomas Williams, whose son, Richard Williams, was notary to the bank from his offices at 38 Dame Street.

Thomas Walker had a brother, Henry Walker, also involved in the lottery business, who died intestate in March 1810.   Thomas also had two sisters, Elizabeth Wheeler and Lydia Carr - these were possibly half-sisters.  Another possible relation was Joseph Walker, printer and lottery owner of Anglesea Street, who was married to an Elizabeth Barber, and who was in business with Benjamin Disraeli, a possible uncle of the English politician of the same name.  
Neither Thomas Walker, nor his brother Henry Walker, left a will.  Henry Walker's daughter, Anne Walker, who had been born on 26th September 1806, was the heiress-at-law to both men, although Henry Walker was also the father of two illegitimate sons, one named Henry Walker, who laid claim to his estate.

The 1839 publication "Reports of Cases Heard and Decided in the House of Lords on Appeals" discussed one of this family's endless law suits, this one pertaining to Henry Walker's daughter, Anne Walker, and her husband Thomas Hodgens following their marriage breakdown.  Thomas Hodgens was the second son of a wealthy Dublin merchant.  He had been called to the Irish bar in 1820, and was consulted by the late Henry Walker's illegitimate son, Henry, which brought Hodgens into contact with the wealthy heiress, Anne Walker, who was then only 13 years old and a student at a Dublin boarding school.  Her mother, who had remarried a Joseph Blake in St. Mary's on 20th August 1814, was the guardian of her estate.  With permission from Anne's mother, Thomas Hodgens visited Anne Walker twice at her school before abducting her, marrying her, and returning her a day later. On 1st April 1820,  Thomas Hodgens, Mrs. Blake and the clergyman who'd conducted the marriage, were jailed for contempt but released a year later.
On 14th May 1822, Anne was once again abducted by Thomas Hodgens and smuggled over to France.  The marriage was subsequently annulled, but once Anne reached the age of 21 on 26th September 1826, she agreed to marry him in 1827, despite her later claims of mistreatment.
The couple had two sons, Henry Walker Hodgens who was born in Great Georges Street, Dublin, on 19th June 1829 and Thomas Walker Hodgens, who was born in 1830.
In March 1834, however, the marriage ran into difficulties, and Anne eloped with Antony Patrick Mahon, a surgeon with the Royal Artillery. There followed much wrangling over child support.....

The Walker family seemed to thrive on legal action.  Another case of 1826 was mentioned in Google Books, although the details of the case weren't given. This particular one involved Elizabeth Wheeler, the sister of Thomas and Henry Wheeler, and was taken against the minors George Nelson Wheeler, Henry Wheeler, Robert Wheeler, Thomas Wheeler, Anna Maria Wheeler, Matilda Wheeler and Adeline Wheeler.  Also implicated was the widow, Ann Walker, who may have been the widow of Thomas Walker.

Notes on the Webb family, who believed that Thomas Walker had left them money:
Robert Webb of 17 Dame Street ran one of many lotteries in existence in Dublin at that time, and was also a member of the Dublin Stock Exchange. He had been born to George Webb (of Cambridge and, then, Maryborough, Queen's County) and Jane Boards in 1765;  he married Sarah Yarner Hill of Bray, Co. Wicklow, and died in 1823.
His son, George Webb, was noted in an 1814 London Directory as 'Stockbroker, State Lottery and Irish Money Exchange Office' at 17 Ludgate Street, London.  George Webb was married to Isabella Bish, the sister of the MP Thomas Bish.  She died in Charing Cross at the home of the Bish Family in 1813, following an accident when the Oxford stage coach overturned near Stoken Church.
George's uncle, Thomas Webb, (brother of Robert Webb of Dame Street), had been born in 1757 and married Abigail Manders, the daughter of Robert Manders of Borris-in-Ossory, Queen's County. A son was Isaac Manders Webb.  (Members of the Manders family worked for the Dublin Steam Packet Company; is this the same Manders family, I wonder?)
Another of Robert Webb's brothers was Arthur Webb (1763 - 1790) who was killed by a Robert Jones during a duel in Calcutta, whilst abroad on the services of the East India Company.  He was married to Mary Lloyd, who was a granddaughter of Miss Plunkett who was a niece of Judge William Whitshed.  William Whitshed was married to a member of the family of Mark Quin, Mayor of Dublin.   The wife of Thomas Williams of the Bank of Ireland was also married to a member of this family, his wife being Mary Anne Quine, although this is probably pure coincidence.







Tuesday 15 January 2013

The Will of Sarah Oliver, Saint Osyth, sister of Mary Williams



The following is the 1849 will of Sarah Oliver of Essex, who was the sister of Mary Williams, née Oliver, who was the second wife of John Jeffery Williams of Gray's Inn, Middlesex.   There is a possibility that our great-great grandfather, Richard Williams of Eden Quay and Dundrum, was the son of John Jeffery and Mary Williams, therefore Sarah Oliver would be a relation of ours.

http://alison-stewart.blogspot.ie/2011/11/john-jeffery-williams-father-of-richard.html

I bought the will from the UK National Archives Discovery website for a small cost of £3.39 sterling.  This website is useful if you have ancestors of English origin;  there also seems to be quite a few Irish wills available, as well as plenty of Huguenot material.  Once paid for, you can download the relevant document immediately which is very satisfying, but only if you get the correct ancestor and not someone with a similar name!

'This is the last will and testament of me, Sarah Oliver of Saint Osyth in the county of Essex, spinster...I give and bequeath unto the Reverend Samuel Farman, late of Peldon, Essex, but now of Layer Marney, Essex, aforesaid, one of my executors is hereinafter appointed the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain for his own use and benefit, provided he proves and acts in the execution of this my will...

...I give and bequeath unto my sister Mary Williams, also of Layer Marney, widow, my executrix, hereinafter named, the sum of two thousand pounds, three per cent consolidated bank annuities for her own sole and absolute use... and I hereby direct that the said Mary Williams will, out of the dividends, interest and profits of the said sum of two thousand pounds three per cent consolidated bank annuities, allow unto Elizabeth Gentry of Saint Osyth aforesaid spinster the yearly sum of forty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain during the term of her natural life, said annuity to commence on the day of my decease and to be payable half-yearly, and the first half-yearly payment to be made six months after my decease...

...I give and bequeath unto my brother, Colonel Thomas Oliver of No. 43 Duke St., Grosvenor Square, Middlesex, and one of my executors...the sum of one thousand pounds three per cent consolidated bank annuities...for his own absolute use and benefit...

...And as to all the rest and residue and remainder of my estate and effects...I give, devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my said sister, the said Mary Williams...'

The will was dated 17th May 1849, and was proved on 3rd September 1855
by Mary Williams, Rev. Samuel Farman and Thomas Oliver in London, following Sarah's death.

http://alison-stewart.blogspot.ie/2012/11/mary-williams-second-wife-of-john.html



Wednesday 9 January 2013

More on Madeleine Crommelin and Francis Hutcheson



I accessed the following deed in the Registry of Deeds, Henrietta Street, Dublin.  It gives a marriage date for Madeleine/Magdallen Crommelin and Francis Hutcheson of November 1728.

This deed mentions two members of the Lavalade family, the Rev. Charles Lavalade of the French Church in Lisburn, and one of his five sisters, Magdalen Lavalade who married Alexander Crommelin.    These Lavalades are possibly related to our immediate paternal ancestor, Agnes Lavalade, who married Reid Wilson of Ballygunaghun, Donaghcloney, Co. Down, in about 1828.

Also mentioned in the deed is James Crommelin but it's unclear where he fits into the Crommelin family.

http://alison-stewart.blogspot.ie/2012/02/notes-on-alexander-crommelin-and.html

22nd November 1737:  Deed 88-230-623584

'A memorial of marriage articles bearing date the first of November 1728 made between Alexander Crommelin of Lisburn gent of the one part and the Rev. Francis Hutcheson of Ballymentisland (this was indecipherable) county Antrim, clerk of the other part.
By which said Articles after the severall (sic) sums therein mentioned should be paid by the said Alexander Crommelin, his execs or adms., into the hands of Charles Lavallade of Lisburn in the county of Antrim, clerk, and Robert Smith of the same town and county, gent......to be by them laid out for the Uses Intents and Purposes in the said Articles mentioned and the said Francis Hutcheson did covenant with the said Alexander Crommelin for the consideration therein mentioned and of the Portion to be paid by the said Alexander with Magdallen his daughter, now wife of the said Francis Hutcheson....
.....that if the said Magdallen Hutcheson alias Crommelin, should survive Francis Hutcheson, the said Magdallen should be entitled unto and should enjoy a moiety or half share of all such real or personal estate whereof the said Francis dye possessed of, the same be in lieu of jointure or dower which said Articles are witnessed by James Crommelin and Ralph Smith, Gent, and Thomas Walsh, Merchant, and David McClune, Yeoman, all of Lisburn....
...and this Memorial was signed and sealed by Magdallen Crommelin, widdow, and one of the execs of the said Alexander Crommelin and witnessed by the said Ralph Smith and Patrick Smith of Lisburn aforesaid Gent.  Magdalen Crommelin (seal) - Signed - sealed in presence of Ralph Smith - Patrick Smith - the above named Ralph Smith maketh oath that he saw the articles whereof the above writing is a memorial duly executed by the parties hereto and also saw the above named Magdelan Crommelin, widdow. sign and seal the said Memorial and Deponent is a subscribing witness to this Article and Memorial - Ralph Smith - Lisburn.
(Dated here in Latin 22nd November 1737.)