Marfell Wills (General)

by jimashton , Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 17:12 (3698 days ago)

I have picked up information from another thread, with details of Marfell Wills. The thread is :
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=43423

The posting is shown here below in Italics. I have the actual wills and have picked up on some inaccuracies. Conscious of the kind act of passing on this information, I am however concerned that others researching the Marfell family may take details of some dependants and in laws as fact. I may be proved wrong, but thought I should spell out the areas I think are wrong. I will not paste in all the Wills concerned as it would use up too much space, however, in one case this needs to be done as it is complicated *****. The original posting is below the line and I have appended further information in some cases :

***** Will not pasted in. On posting the thread, I was informed that I had exceeded the number of permitted characters, I hope my explanation is sufficient *****

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There are only 8 MARFELL Wills listed (no Soundex box)

William - 1805 - Mitcheldean - he's a Malster, with Sons, Cornelius, Thomas/George & John, daughters, Charlotte/Ann/Elizabeth & Mary, who is residing in Bath.

Richard - 1810 - Ruardean, he's a Coalminer - Wife, Mary, Sons, John, Richard, George & Levi

Jonathan - 1812 - Mitcheldean - he is a Yeoman.
There is actually a printed Oath (Annexe to a Will) with written down bits including the names, John, William & Timothy. With one heading - So Help you God - Now Kiss the Book. All very fascinating. 6 August 1812
His Will mentions, his Sons, John, William, Timothy
- Son-in-laws, John Barton, George Pye in Rofs, and William Ambrey in Welch Bicknor. Also a Jane Marfell

This Jonathon Marfell 1738/1811 is my 5 times Great Uncle. He had 7 daughters including two named Jane, but so far as I am aware none married John Barton and this person is not mentioned in the full will. I would be interested where you picked this up.

George - 1830 - Mitcheldean - he is a collar maker, with wife Anne

John - 1838 - Ruardean - he's a Coalminer, at Woodside, Sons, Arron, James & Thomas, talks about land next to his brother George MARFELL and George and Levi - sign at the bottom. Mentions, his land at Cookes Patch and Robert's Patch.

This John Marfell 1762/22 April 1829 is one of my 4 times Great Grandfathers. To confirm I have the same will - it is headed :
John MARFELL 5th April 1838
On which day appeard personally George MARFELL of Ruardean Hill and alleged upon oath that is the last Will etc of John MARFELL of Ruardean Woodside, coalminer., who died 22nd April 1829.
The will does indeed mention Cookes Patch & Robert's Patch, but Aaron is not mentioned. Which is not surprising - I have no son Aaron in my tree, again I would be interested in any information regarding a son Aaron.

These Wills are very clear and easy to read

John - 1841 - Drybrook - Yeoman, Son-law John or Benjamin TRIGG who is married to Lucy - Grandson, John TRIGG, George and William Marfell - sons of his son - Absolom (deceased) Daughter, Sarah, Jane Eliza, talks about his land at Bevan's patch.

This John Marfell 1769/18 Sep 1840 another of my 4 times Great Grandfathers. His will I admit is confusing and have pasted it below ***** See above, Will could not be pasted here.

He did have a son Aaron (maybe where the confusion above has arisen) by his second wife Sarah Constance Bevan 1777/28 Aug 1814. His first wife Elizabeth Roberts 1769/6 Mar 1802 bore him 5 children, including Lucy Marfell 1797/1818 who married George Trigg with son John Trigg as mentioned. Another daughter Mary Marfell 1795/1840 who married the Benjamin Trigg mentioned (Not Lucy) The Absolom mentioned was indeed deceased before his father - 1791/5 Sep 1827, his memorial inscription shows him as born 1791, which was 4 years before John Marfell married Elizabeth Roberts.

Levi - 1845 - East Dean -he's a Farmer, (includes death certificate of his wife Elizabeth, who died of Dropsy - 2 February 1845, Widow of Levi, present was Elizabeth Breadley). Levi mentions his brother George, and nephew John Marfell, son of George. Also Thomas JONES, of Bromsash, Linton, Herford - leave him £15 and Drucilla, wife of John SMITH of the Regulator Colliery, Forest of Dean £5.

Josiah - 1849 - West Dean, Collier. Wife Sarah and Son John.

Josiah Marfell 1799/16 Mar 1849 my 1st cousin 5 times removed. Although John is the only person shown in the will, Josiah Marfell and Sarah Morris had 4 children, all of whom were still alive at Josiah's death.

Josiah did achieve notoriety and I have pasted some of my research note details below :

Josiah was a manager of a coal mine in the Forest and he did as was the custom of the day, worked young children in less than desirable conditions. When situations like this occur it definately causes rifts between different sections of the families, these rifts although well hidden with time sometimes still come to the surface.
Josiah is mentioned in the book, "Highest Point Of Dean" page 36, Old Indusries of Dean
Strip And At It was carried on by John HARRIS of Lydbrook and managed by Josiah MARFELL. men & boys sometimes worked 10 - 15 hours a day to earn their keep in a seam only 20 inches thick, and the boys growth was stunted by the confined space.
He is also mentioned in the 1842 Royal Commission Report on Children working in the mines of Gloucestershire.
Strip And At It Works, Suridge Green, carried on by Mr John HARRIS. Mr Josiah MARFELL, age 42, underground
manager.

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I sincerely hope that MPGriffiths is not offended by my posting. I am aware that he has carried out sterling work.

Jim Ashton