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Local wills

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See also Farms for census and other details of various farms mentioned

The wills of these people are featured below;

Daniel Jones

Contributed by Margaret Jones.

Daniel Jones of Cwmnanthopkin Isha died in 1841 and his will specifies in part:

"I give and bequeath unto my wife Mary Jones my two cows and a horse I also
give and bequeath unto my said wife the use of all my household furniture
during the term of her natural life if she shall so long continue my widow
and after her decease or intermarriage which shall first happen I give and
bequeath the same unto my daughters Hannah Hopkins and Mary Bevan equally to
be divided between them amongst them share and share alike I also give and
bequeath unto Margaret Jones the illegitimate daughter of my son Daniel
Jones the sum of Twenty pounds to be paid her on her attaining the age of
twenty one years but without any interest in the mean while And as to all
the rest residue and remainder of my personal estate and effects whatsoever
and wheresoever and of what nature quality or kindsoever the same may be I
give and bequeath the same unto my said daughters Hannah Hopkins and Mary
Bevan their executors and administrators and assigns equally to be divided
between and amongst them share and share alike And lastly I do hereby
nominate constitute and appoint my son in law William Hopkin of Goitre Garth
in the parish of Languicke and William Bevan of Twll y Gwithil in the parish
of Langavelach joint executors of this my last will and Testament. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty eighth day
of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one. "

Witnesses were Evan Jones and John Rees and the estate was declared at under 20 pounds

Llewellyn Bevan

Contributed by Margaret Jones.

From the will of Llewellyn Bevan written in 1827:

"I do ordain and apoint my Dear wife ann to posess and enjoy all that
tenement of land commonly called and known by the name of Nantygaseg isa
During her life time wit the lese of twllygwyddyl and after her life the
benefit or profit of the afore said lese to my son William Bevan, and I do
order him to pay six pounds yearly and evry year to my son Hopkin Bevan, &
to Rachel Evan the sum of four pounds yearly and the hay of a spot caled
truan and the little field that join her Hous down til the river, and one
pounds yearly to Mallt the wife of John Hopkin, and two pounds yearly to
Elizabeth wife of Evan Johnes.
farther I Do order my son Evan to possess and enjoy that tenement of land
caled nantygaseg ise forever after his mother time, and the said Evan to pay
the undermensioned terms of money to the several persons hereafter named to
John Bevan gelywren ise forty pounds, to the Congregation of Christiance
meeting at Tynnycod twenty pounds, to John Philip twenty pounds, twenty
pounds to the widdow of Coedy falde, and ten pounds for John Cook and Eighty
pounds for my son Hopkin, and twenty pounds to my Dater Rachel and the hay
of wain fach dan gercwan Every year During her life and to my three Daters
of my first wife nine pounds to be equally Devided between them Farther that
half the stok and crop of twllygwiddul to my wife."

Noah Jones

 

Contributed by Caryl Jones whose ancestor John Harris owned Cwmbach subsequently

 

The will of the Rev Noah Jones - proved January 1776

THE FIRST DAY OF JULY AND  IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE

I SO HEREBY GIVE AND LEAVE UNTO MY NEPHEW AND HEIR APPARENT JOHN JONES OF

THE PARISH OF BETTWS IN THE COUNTY OF CARMARTHEN YEOMAN ALL THAT TENEMENT

BUILDINGS AND LANDS COMMONLY CALLED TIR Y CWMBACH IN CAGURWEN HAMLET IN THE

PARISH OF LLANGUIKE IN THE COUNTY OF GLAMORGAN WHICH IS COPYHOLD OF TO (SIC)

LIVES UNTO MY SAID NEPHEW JOHN JONES HIS HEIRS AND ASIGNS FOREVER ACCORDING

TO THE CUSTOM OF THE MANOR OF CAEGURWEN IN WHICH THE SAID PREMISES ARE

SITUATED.

John Thomas of Cwmnanthir

Contributed by Rina Callingham (April 2006), copied with permission from the National Library of Wales

Manor of Kaegurwen in the County of Glamorgan

At the Court Baron of Capel Hanbury Leigh Esquire Lord of the said Manor Let in and for the said Manor at the Dwelling house of Evan Bevan on Thursday the seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five before Alexander Cuthbertson Gentleman Deputy Steward of the said Manor.

Abraham Thomas of Bailyglas Isha in the parish of Languicke in the County of Glamorgan Yeoman came this day into open Court and in a kith oath and saith that John Thomas late of Cwmnanthyr in the parish aforesaid in the County aforesaid Yeoman now deceased did on the first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty four duly sign seal and publish and declare the paper writing hereunto annexed as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of the said Deponent and Moses Thomas and Owen Jones Yeomen both of the parish of Languicke aforesaid in the County aforesaid and that the said Deponent and Moses Thomas and Owen Jones did severally subscribe their names to the said paper writing as witnesses to the due execution thereof in the presence of the said Testator and of each other and the said Deponent further saith that the name "John Thomas" set and subscribed near to the seal affixed thereto as the party executing the same is of the proper hand writing of the said John Thomas the said Testator and that the several names " Moses Thomas, " Owen Jones," and " Abraham Thomas" also set and subscribed as witnesses attesting the due execution thereof are of the several and respective hand writing of the said Moses Thomas and Owen Jones and of this Deponent and that the said Testator John Thomas at the time of executing the said last Will and Testament was of sound and perfect mind and memory and understanding

Sworn in open court this seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five - before me

Alex Cuthbertson
Deputy Steward

 

The Will

In the name of God Amen I John Thomas of Cwmnanthir in the Parish of Languick and County of Glamorgan Yeoman being sick in Body but of perfect mind and memory make and Ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following

First I give and devise and bequeath unto my Dearly beloved wife all that Messuage and Tenement of Lands called Cwmnanthir in her possession to assign over unto John Hopkin of Gould in the Parish of Cadoxton juxta neath already sold by me John Thomas and if John Hopkin will not completely finish as before mentioned to any other person I authorise her set over and sell and assign the Provision to some other Person

All the rest of my effects I give unto her and I appoint her the sole executrix of this my last will and Testament revoking all Others in witness whereof I put my hand and seal in the presence of us this 1st Day of March 1824.

                                                                                                                            John J Thomas

Witnesses
Moses Thomas
Owen Jones
Abraham Thomas

 

This will was produced before me the 26th day of August 1824 by the written named Testatrix - Mary Thomas and the personal estate of the Testator was sworn to be under the value of fifty pounds.

David Prothero. Surrogate

Notes

Transcribed as seen - with the original punctuation (or lack of it) and highlighting of  parts of the documents.  
Copy of will obtained from National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Note of interest:   
Capel Hanbury Leigh, the Lord of the Manor of Kaegurwen, was the great grandson of the John Hanbury who introduced the rolling method of producing tinplate at Pontypool.  Capel inherited the Manor of Kaegurwen through his marriage to Lady Molly Ann Mackworth - the young widow of Sir Robert Mackworth of Gnoll Castle.  Molly Ann was herself the daughter of John Nathaniel Miers of the Ynyspenllwch tinplate works near Clydach.

The Court Baron was the means by which the administrative business of the Manor was organised and conducted for the benefit of the Lord of the Manor and his tenants.  It was overseen by the Steward.