Help with daughter and wife's name please.

[Paul Caswell]

Hi All,

The original is here:

http://www.bereregis.org/Docs/Historical/Villagers%20Wills/1600s/tn_VW16C198f.jpg

Please can someone confirm the two names on this section. I think the daughter is Joan(e) but I cannot make out the wife's name - is it Martha?

[mike175]

I agree with Joane, but not sure about the wife. Looking at what is written I would say it is Melyar, but it's not a name I've heard of. Not sure if that is an "L" before the "Y", it is different from the other "L's" nearby 

Some of the spelling elsewhere is a little strange, eg. dessease for decease

[mike175]

Just had another thought . . . could be a corruption of Amelia 

[crowsfeet]

Agree with Joanne

Suggestions: Molyar or Mowar.

Looking on net there were surnames of Mowar - with Eastern Countries predominant
Naming sites suggest Molyar as a femine name.

[Paul Caswell]

All good ideas - there are some strange baptisms of Stockleys in the area around that time:

http://bereregis.org/VillageBaptisms.htm

Includes Honnor Stockley, Magd(e)len Stockly and Martha Stockly. Perhaps one of them was named after grandma as these were all daughters of John who may well be the John mentioned (in the other half of the will here:

http://www.bereregis.org/Docs/Historical/Villagers%20Wills/1600s/VW16C198e.jpg

Thank you for your thoughts.

[mike175]

If I was transcribing it I would say the "Me" and "yar" are very clear and definite, my only reservation is the lower case "L" in the middle. But searching online brings up "Melia" as a first name so I would accept it as Melyar.

Mike.

[jennifer c]

I would go with Molyar, he loops his Y backwards.

Jennifer

[Bookbox]

It is written Melyar.

If you throw it into FamilySearch, you'll find a few in Dorset, Wiltshire, Cornwall (but not many).

[lizdb]

No doubt second letter is an 'e'
The M and Y are also pretty clear.

Like others, I would agree it is written Melyar