George Renwick and his will

[pelirroja]

I found the will of my 3x great grandfather, George Renwick (1790-1867) which has led me to several questions.  At the end of his life George was a tenant on Hawthornside farm in the parish of Hobkirk.  The will never designates an inheritor but at the end of the will a woman named Isabella Renwick signed her name.  There is no one with that name in George's family, either siblings, nieces, children or grandchildren.  His wife, Agnes Kedzie, had died already but I couldn't find a second wife for George either.

Any ideas who Isabella Renwick could be?  Was it common not to name an inheritor in a will in the 1860s?  Finally after debts were paid, George left an estate of £1417.16.  Would that be much of an inheritance?
Any help would be greatly appreciated in my search.  Bev

[ecksdochter]

Hello Bev,
     Might like to check this out.
     ScotlandsPeople - Wills & Testaments:
     10/1/1880. Isabella Renwick or Usher, Hawthornside, Hawick. Died 2/6/1878 at Hawthornside. Testate. Jedburgh Sheriff Court. SC62/44/66. View (10 Credits) (25 Pages)
     That's a lot of reading for 10 Credits!
               Regards,     Dod.

     

[ecksdochter]

Hello Bev,
     Isabella Renwick other surname Usher died 1878 at Hobkirk, Roxburgh aged 62yrs. (ScotlandsPeople)
     
     1871 Scotland Census (A*try)
          Hawthornside Farm House, Hobkirk.
          Isabella Renwick 53 Farmer of 880 Acres born Lauder, Berwick.
          A H Renwick       26 Daughter                   "       "           "
          Isabella Renwick  24     "                           "       "           "
     Also 1 Domestic and 3 Farm Servants.
     A*try doesn't say whether  people are single, married or widowed, but Isabella aged 53 on this Census is probably the same Isabella who died 1878. Her Death Certificate should give her husband's name.
               Regards,     Dod.

     

[rosie17]

Beat me to it Dod I think  a possible marriage Isabella Usher to William Renwick 1838 showing 2 different place one in East Lothian and one in Berwick ..
1841 census address Chapel Mains Lauder Berwickshire
William Renwick b 1801 Scotland farmer
Isabel age 25
Helen Renwick age 22 Ann Renwick age 2
Ann Millar age 30 Jane Gaurly age 14

1851 no William but his wife is head occupier of 100 acres

[ecksdochter]

     Beat me to it too Rosie! I was looking for an Isabella Usher - Renwick marriage. I wonder if George & William were brothers?
               Regards,     Dod.

[loobylooayr]

  Finally after debts were paid, George left an estate of £1417.16.  Would that be much of an inheritance?
  Bev

Hi Bev, Yes I think that sum of money would be a substantial inhertitance for someone back in 1867.
A purchasing power calculator on http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/relativevalue.php  suggests that sum of money in 1867 would have the purchasing power of approx £112, 000  today or perhaps even more !
Looby

[pelirroja]

Wow that sum of money left by George Renwick seems like a lot for a farmer.

[pelirroja]

Hi, thank you for all the suggestions.  RootsChat is such a help.  I wrote a long reply but it disappeared and I have to quit for now, but very quickly William could be the brother of George Renwick, who was born in 1790 in Hobkirk, specifically Middleburn (a farm).
What I really need are the parents of George Renwick.  His death record shows his parents as James Renwick and Jane Anderson and I've been looking for them for months!  Shall return and thanks so much.

[MonicaL]

Hi All 

pilirroja, sometimes names in line can help. With everyones suggestions above, the Usher line seems well covered for those years http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usher/ushersct/6307.htm  Likely William had died pre-1851 from what can be seen? SP would let you confirm Isabella's marital status in 1851 - FreeCen do not have this entry unfortunately to be able to double check.

Monica