I am checking identifications and who is who in the various Gough family papers (some in the Ynyscedwyn archives, some in the Aberpergwm archives, and some indexed at the National Archives, from the Gloucs county archive).

There is a temptation to assume that every mention of William Gough means William born 1693, died 1773, married Catherine Portrey and had issue of the sons who would inherit Ynyscedwyn.

BUT this William certainly had an uncle called William, brother of his father Charles, born in 1673 - I have no information on whether he married and had children or died young. Plus, William (died 1773) has a grandfather William who lived at least until 1715 (maybe 1737).

In the Ynyscedwyn papers are mentions of a "William Gough and his wife Mary" but at the moment I have nobody on the charts who is a William Gough with a wife Mary. This could be a second wife for the grandfather, or a wife for the uncle, or maybe another cousin called William (son of an uncle, or great uncle) has been born and called William and had a wife called Mary?

Also in looking at the estates owned by the Goughs, we have messuages called Willsbury (certainly the main one from William (1693-1773) onwards), Highmeadow, and somewhere at Hewelsfield. This means that I am looking in at least 4 churches - Saint Briavels, Lydney, Hewelsfield, Newland, as well as Chepstow, attested for the baptism of a couple of William's children.

But the curates etc are not writing down sufficient detail to say whether any Goughs being born, married or buried are ones I have tentatively sketched into the family tree. Obviously it's not their fault, as they were not required so to do, but for example there are burials of a "William Gough, gent" in both 1715 and 1737 at a church associated with the Gough family line I am looking at. Is this William (1693-1773)'s grandfather and uncle, or possibly the other way around?

How would members go about unravelling all this?

Thanks
Jon

If you search the Gloucestershire Genelogical Database for GOUGH Wills

These lists - GOUGH/GOFF/GOUGHE etc Wills - this lists Christian names, Parish, and when they died, and these are available to read on Ancestry - and family groups formed.

For example

Charles GOUGH - 1729 - St Briavels ***
Charles GOUGH - 1764, Westbury on Severn
Mary GOUGH - 1699 , Newland/Pastors Hill
William GOUGH - 1788 - Newland/Pastors Hill
William GOUGH - 1715 - Newland
William GOUGH - 1769 - Newland

*** his Wills mentions his Eldest Son, William GOUGH of Wilfsbury in the said parish of St Briavels.

William GOUGH (Gentleman) of Newland - who died in 1715 - wife is Marie/Mary

There isn't an actual Will - just an Oath etc

You shall sweare that Mr William GOUGH late of the Parish of Newland etc.

Signed: Mary GOUGHE Thos. JONES, Geo GOUGHE etc.

Thank you, I didn't know I could do that kind of search!

Charles, died 1728, is the father of William (1693-1773) but this is the limit of where I am comfortable. Both of them had some siblings. Charles' father is another William.

Was the William who died 1715 this grandfather with a second wife, or Charles' younger brother with his wife, or someone else? I don't know how to know

But I will definitely try and find those wills tomorrow and see if they give me an insight into relationships, thank you

Best Regards
Jon

Ancestry

England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1384-1858 is worth a search for GOUGH - Gloucestershire

Quick search - (as transcribed on Ancestry)

GOUGH

Johannis - 22 Apr 1553 : Wullaston, Gloucestershire
Caroli - 7 June 1641: Woolaston, Gloucestershire
Willimi - 16 August 1630 : Woolastone, Gloucestershire
Elizabeth - 13 June 1655 : Woolaston, Gloucestershire

Israelis - 13 May 1671 : Lewesfield, Gloucestershire
Georgij - 20 February 1622 : Huelsfeild, Gloucestershire
Richard - 6 July 1678 : Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire

At Ancestry you find this

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/6465005/person/-447109102/facts

but is clearly screwed up and has merged several Williams into one, you can tell just by looking at wives!

www.coaley.net

Has : Men & Armour for Gloucestershire 1608

Hewlesfield (Dean)

George GOUGHE - husbandman - trained ***

Servants listed to: Mrs Mary Gough

Thomas BROWNE
Frauncis GRIFFYT
Richard GRIFFYT
Thomas KEEPER
John MAULTON

*** On the Help Page

trained; shows that at the time of taking this view, he was then a trained soldier

Assume it's his Will :Georij GOUGH 1622 Huelsfeild (Gloucestershire Wills)

---

British History on Line

St Briavels

.... In 1582, Joan, by then a widow, had a release of right from Thomas James of Bristol , son on of her sister Margaret, she had a similar release from George Gough of Hewelsfield, who had married a third sister Mary...... (Mary's father was William WARREN who died in 1573)

Back to Mary WARREN (father William WARREN who died in 1573)

Held at : The National Archives Kew

(no date)

Parties: Johanna Ap PROBERT widow, George GOUGH, Mary his wife and Warren their son, and Thomas JAMES.
The said Johanna, Mary and Margaret of the said Thomas JAMES, daughters and coheirs of William WARREN
Subject: Traverse of inquisition taken on deathh of William WARREN.
Judgement Places: Howe, manor, land, etc. St Briavels, Newland, Huerfield, Lydney capital messuage, park, lands etc.
Rockhampton, Shepperdyne, messuage called Watt of WARRENS, messuages, lands. etc. County Glos.

Men in Armour for Gloucestershire

Wollaston (Lydney)

Warren GOUGHE of Huerffild - gentleman has a corslet furnished

https://www.sungreen.co.uk : Bream Magazine - February 1902 (on the net .... this may help in the family background) etc.

THE GOUGH FAMILY - The Family of Gough is the first that we know to have been interested in the Chapel of Bream after its re-opening for the Liturgy of the Church by Thomas DONNING, in 1618.
The Family of GOUGH OF WOOLASTON, is said to have been descended from that Sir Matthew GOUGH who fought in France under Henry V. and was slain on London Bridge, by the Kentish rebels, in 1450, but this is not certain.

The following facts about this family may be taken as true:

1. In 1593 was proved the will of Henry GOUGH, of Bristol, who seems to have been one of the Society of Merchants Adventurers, and mention is made of " his house in Bream, his money and houses in Bristol, his lands and tenenments in the Forest of Dean, and his estate upon the seas, and beyond the seas".

2. The Manor of Willsbury, in the Parish of St Briavels, WARREN unto the possession of the GOUGH's by the marriage of George GOUGH, who was probably the son of Henry GOUGH, the Merchant Venturer, with Mary, the daughter of William WARREN, who held Willsbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

3. In the next generation we maturally meet with Warren GOUGH, the son of George GOUGH and Mary WARREN, who resided at Willsbury and married Dorothy BERERO, of Awre, and became in his turn the father of that James GOUGH of Pastor's Hill, who married Mary WISHE, and was the benefactor of the Church in Bream.

4. In the Hewlesfield and S Briavels Registers (of the 17th and 18th centuries) a large number of entries of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials of this family may be seen. It is said, also, that one branch of the family resided at Aylesmore Court, and it would seem that the Gough's inter-married with the surrounding gentry of the county.

5. RUDDER says in his history (1799) "Pastor's Hill is the house of William GOUGH, junior, great grandson of William GOUGH, of Willsbury, which estate was given him by James GOUGH, son of Warren GOUGH, of Willsbury..

There is a another paragraph - which finishes by saying......

James GOUGH seems to have left no children when he died in 1691 and on his widow, Mary's death in 1718, her life interest ceasing, the estate passed to Wiliam GOUGH, a cousin of a younger generation. etc. etc

etc. etc.

Thank you for all your tips in this thread. I'm going to park them whilst I go back to the estate records and start with what I know, then come back to them when I have it more clear in my head.

Best Regards
Jon