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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Andrew RM Hayes on Tuesday 01 August 17 17:17 BST (UK)
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I am trying to work out the relationship of Richard Wickstead the elder, and the brothers William and Alexander Wickstead, described as cousins in the 1601 Cheshire will of Gabriel Wettenhall. Unfortunately the text that describes Richard is rather faded.
The will was disputed, and in William's testimony to the court there is a reference to William Wettenhall, son and principal beneficiary of Gabriel, which has a crucial word I'm not certain of.
Any help would be appreciated.
thanks
Andrew
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Here are some thoughts:
...my cozen Richard Wickstead thelder as a small token of remembrance...
...my cozen William Wixsteed the yonger & my cozen Alexander...
...hee thinketh hee is a kinne to Will(ia)m
Wettenhall butt ^Cannott^ answeare in what degree als [negat?]
I'm not completely happy with kinne and will be interested in what others think.
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The beginnings and endings of replications are often in Latin. The second extract begins: Ad 18 r(esp)ondet (= ‘to the 18th article, he replies that ...’).
I agree it is probably Kinne.
I agree with al(ia)s negat at the end. Often it is alias nescit, but I think not here. Essentially, it means he won't or can't say anything further on that particular point.
So he thinks he’s a ‘cousin’, but doesn’t know the precise relationship. Not much help, I’m afraid.
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Thank you for your replies.
It is always good to have a second opinion.
This is one of the most frustrating of all my brick walls.
Unfortunately a second deposition of William, and that of his brother Alexander, is so cursive that I cannot make headway with it at all!
Gabriel is from a well-connected Cheshire gentry family. Most of the other cousins mentioned in his will I have established are either maternal first cousins, or maternal first cousins by marriage. This is the case with Richard Wickstead the elder, whose wife Mary Walthall,, was the daughter of one of Gabriel's mother's many sisters. However, although I know that William and Alexander are related to Richard, I have yet to pin down the identities of their parents.
I'll try posting on the Cheshire forum, as a Westcountryman I am unfamiliar with that county's sources.