AYRES James, Frome, died August 1817

[elricks]

I am seeking advice on finding a Will from Somerset in 1817.  The testator was James AYRES of Frome, who left £70,000.  £20,000 to be shared between his 1st cousins and their descendants, and the balance to be shared between 4 others. One of the others was a journeyman carpenter and the other a journeyman tailor.

I believe this person is James AYRES, born 1736 Frome. He was married to Diana, who had at least 4 children. James and Mary who died as infants, another Mary b 1762 and Nancy b 1764.  Nancy was never again sighted in parish records, but there are many Marys in the area, so I am not certain of her fate. His wife Diana died in 1782.

The contents of the Will is well covered in a story, much copied, in the papers in England in 1817, and there are adverts for the cousins to contact the executors a few years later.  Mention is made of the existence of the other 4 legatees, but I have not found any names.  I executor was Rev John BAILEY

I am keen to see if the Will mentions James' status (ie a widower or unmarried), or if any of the 4 legatees were in any way related to him.  If not, I am hoping it includes some sort of rationale.

The newspapers say that he made his wealth by parsimony and (reading between the lines) the love of money. Certainly there does not seem to be any inordinate wealth in any of the other branches of the Suffolk AYRES, so he must be a self made man.  I just wonder what opportunities there were in Somerset c 1800

I believe this James is the son of James and Jane BISS, and the grandson of John and Grace COWARD, but the Parish Records are sparse in detail this far back.  I will of course take notice if anyone has differing opinions.

Thanks  SHIRLEY

[ShaunJ]

It's a PCC Will. You can view it on Ancestry or The Genealogist.

[amondg]

The will was written 1815, two years before he died. States his dear wife to get 3 thousand pounds.
The part about his first cousins, their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to share 20 thousand pounds.
The 4 that share the rest of the estate are John Ayers cabinet maker Richard Ayers taylor, Reverend John Bailey of Chilthom Clerk, George Shingson? of Frome clothier.
These men are also the executors.
No relationship is noted re John and Richard Ayers and I did not see his wife's name mentioned.

He was 81 when he died, buried 30 August 1817 Holy Trinity Frome.

You will have to do a property search to find out what he owned as the will does not go into detail.
As previously posted its on ancestry. James Ayers esquire 
 

[elricks]

Many thanks. I have an ancestry sub, but did not find this Will. I will have to brush up on my searching skills...

[amondg]

With the ancestry search, the index shows "James Ayres Esquire" dated 11 September 1817.
No county is listed and no other information given, so its easy to overlook.
Don't forget to read the codicil attached.
Probated 11 November 1817.

[trish1120]

FreeREG has his abode as Cheap Street on his Burial Record.

Trish

[trish1120]

Did a bit of googling;

Brief info from Law Advertiser 1830;
HAOLY Lawrence, and John Hagly, Frome Selwoud, Somerset, silk- throwsters ... (selling off) share of a legacy left by James Ayres, deceased, to be divided among certain relations, including the Wife of L Hagly who is one.

Marriage;
26 June 1823, St John the Baptist, Frome
Lawrence HAGLY to Sarah AYRES
Bachelor/Spinster
Witnesses, Wm Hagley/John Hagly/Fitz Hagley/Joseph Bailey

1841 Census John/Lawrence Hagley are living next to one another, both Accountants by then.
Sarah dies before 1851 Census.

[trish1120]

Could this be James Ayres 2nd Wife?


February 28th 1827
Sudden death at Frome.
During Divine Service at Christ Church, on Saturday se’nnight, an elderly man, of the
name of Roper, suddenly dropped down and expired; on the following day, as Mrs
Ayres, relict of the late James Ayres, esq aged 90, was standing by her window, she
was seized with apoplexy and died instantly; and Thursday, Walter Payne, at an
advanced age, was found dead in his bed.

Burial;
27 Feb 1827, JANE Ayres age 90, abode Bath St

Frome Residents 1771;
Ayres, James
Ayres, Miss Jane
Ayres, Joseph
No Occps; shown

[elricks]

Thanks.

I have done a lot of work on the contents of the Will, and I believe that I have pieced together the 2 AYRES beneficiaries.  The paths taken to work this out are recorded, but too involved to place here. Certainly available if anyone is researching the individuals. All will eventually appear on my web pages. 

The Jane who died at 90 was born Jane PRINCE. She married (1) Joseph WALLIS 1766, and (2) James AYRES 1788.The James she married was a bachelor, but of course PRs do contain errors.  I believe the James who left the legacy was married (1) Diana HOPKINS 1759 and (2) Mary DYER 1779. I think Mary died in 1807, so fits the bill to be the unnamed wife of James as mentioned in the Will, but then so does Jane.

I have NOT found the James who was married to Jane in other records - the reason there are all the 'believes' and 'thinks' above.

My conclusions re the AYRES legatees are that they are brother and a nephew of James. Richard (brother) is the one who married Matilda Jane RYALL in 1826. I believe he died in Frome 1834. His nephew John died unmarried in Fiddington House in 1864.  I have a small reservation in that neither were 'filthy rich' when they died. Certainly not penniless, but not living the life you would expect from a £10,000 plus inheritance.

I counterbalanced that reservation but searching for any AYRES from Somerset who WERE filthy rich, and did not find any, so I am thinking that somehow the Estate ended up valued at rather less than it looked on paper.  Maybe it would be worth me finding out what happened to the Reverend who was one of the executors.

RE Fiddington House. This was a home for the Insane run by a Mr WILLETT, a linen draper. It was purpose built around 1834, and from the descriptions and advertisements, was for lunatics with funds.

I will now follow that juicy lead from Trish re HAGLEY

SHIRLEY