Thomas Bryson Butler look up appreciated

[kingskerswell]

Pam,
        From the BDM coloums of the Londonderry Sentinal, dated 23 Aug 1867.

"Butler Thomas.  August 20th, at the residence of his late father, Mr Thomas Butler of Randalstown, Thomas B. Butler Esq, Glasgow."

        Are you sure that the December date you have is not the date of probate?

Regards

[snootycat]

It could well be, its just its the date at the top of the will! I cant see the last page, I have written to Scotlands people asking to access it, it may have another date at the bottom...........  :-*does it say anything else??
Pam

[snootycat]

Doesnt esquire indicate he was not married?? But he was..........just. Perhaps they wanted it kept quiet.

[kingskerswell]

Pam,
         ESQ. usually indicated a gentleman, ie a man of some means.

Regards

[snootycat]

I am beginning to think this was a problem, the non marriage I mean. His brother Hugh Mcintyre, was a Rev involved in the 1856 revival and locally quite influential ( I am told by his Church) I dont understand these things but I gather its a sort of Evangelical movement.............he can hardly have been pleased about Thomas Bryson secret lady?

[snootycat]

Thank you, I thought it meant a man who wasn't married. Although some people might argue that it did mean that because only unmarried men had any money left! 

[snootycat]

The penny has just dropped, I am thinking of Master!

[snootycat]

I have now been able to see all of the will. It turns out he made the will in 1864, before he married Margaret. But when he died his estate was treated as intestate. So maybe no one knew about Margaret?
Anyhow ten years later there is an adjustment to the will, saying that there had been a valid marriage and a valid will and dividing the money up 1 third Margaret, one third children and the taxman gets a huge chunk.
This is possibly the origin of the Butler prize mentioned earlier as he leaves some money to his brothers church for his brother to spend as he thinks fit.
I can help but think that if they didnt know about Margaret it must have come as a hell of a shock!  I will continue to try to track the family backwards in Antrim. I wonder if they came over in the Plantation?

[akanex2]

If you make a will while unmarried, it becomes invalid upon marriage.  Therefore if he was treated as intestate it means they knew about the marriage at his death (otherwise the 1864 will would have been accepted as valid).

Have you looked for the family in the 1659 survey?  It is online somewhere - just can't find the free link at the moment.