Gough collaterals & disambiguation (early 18th c) (General)

by jon_ystrad , Ystradgynlais, Powys, Friday, April 09, 2021, 17:51 (1322 days ago)

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