understanding a will

[wildwitch]

Hi
I have an ancestor named Thomas Ayscoughe Cunningham born 1818. His mother's maiden name was Wilkinson (Mary Ann Wilkinson) and I have been trying hard to trace her to understand where this middle name Ayscoughe came from. They married in rural Lincolnshire and I know from her burial that she was born in around 1790, but have been absolutely unable to find her. She married a farmer. but moved 7 miles away to give birth to her first child Thomas it seems at Girsby (possibly even the hall). I have now looked at the will of Ayscoughe Boucherett (1811) simply because everything seems so strange and he was one of the local landowners and oddly his first name was spelt the same way with an e at the end. I then found the following comment in his will: ‘I also give & bequeath unto Mary Wilkinson lately under the care of Mrs Elizabeth Thompson late of Marsh Chapel in the said county of Lincoln the sum of five hundred pounds to be paid to her the said Mary Wilkinson at the end of twelve calendar months next after my decease’ it doesn't tell me who Mary was to him. Elizabeth Thompson didn't inherit and again I have no idea who she was. Mary was left a decent sum of money and is the only person outside his immediate family who seems to have been left money. I was just wondering whether anybody can make sense of what this entry could mean i.e. who she may have been to him.
thank you for any help

[Skoosh]

She's probably gone home to her mother to have the first child.

Skoosh.

[groom]

The first thing that springs to mind is that Mary Ann Wilkinson was Ayscoughe Boucherett's illegitimate daughter and was being brought up by Mrs Elizabeth Thompson. It would be interesting to know what Elizabeth Thompson's maiden name was.

[mazi]

The phrase.  "Lately under the care of Mrs eliz. Thompson". suggests to me that mary's mum had died and she was in the care of Mrs Thompson till she reached the age of 21, Mrs Thompson being paid for this care.

I think Mary was his illegitimate daughter, given that he was a prolific father with three different ladies in the1780- 1817 period.

Mike


Added.  Snap groom great minds think alike

[mazi]

Googling his name will tell you more about him,  it was not unusual then in those social circles to make arrangements for your son's youthful indiscretions.

Mike

[mazi]

Ayscoghe died in a coaching accident in 1815, it may have been then that Mary first discovered her real father, so she gave her son the name of his grandfather.

Mike

[wildwitch]

Oh my goodness thank you. That is just what I am thinking, why else mention her like that.

'I think Mary was his illegitimate daughter, given that he was a prolific father with three different ladies in the1780- 1817 period.'  Where did you find this information? I have been hunting to see if he had any women on the sideline.

Mary Ann was born in around 1790, which means around the time Ayscoughe Boucherett married (he married 1789)

[groom]

It might be worth trying to find out what Mrs Thompson's name was before she married, she may have been Mary's mother.

[wildwitch]

Thank you again so much, it is getting really exciting. I haven't been able to find Elizabeth Thompson at all yet. I have found a will for a John Thompson of Marsh Chapel, which I am going to go and view, but I have found him in the marriage register for that place, he married a Mary Smith.

Where does one find information to say Ayscoughe Boucherett had 3 women during this time period?