Edwards conundrum in Oswestry & Llanymynech

[Gadget]

I guess the question I am trying to figure out is this: are John Edwards, pumpmaker of Llanymynech, and John Edwards, pumpmaker of Oswestry, one and the same? Or father and son? Or unrelated?

Any wills might well solve this.

I'm busy today but will have a detailed look through my local records later  to see if there's more there.

Gadget

[nudge67]

Thanks Gadget

I've had success before on my mum's side when hitting a brick wall by following the occupation rather than the name.

Loving the national Library of Wales online site. found that they hold records for the Llanforda estate as part of the Wynn-Williams Wynnstay collection, might be exactly what I needed to find.

[nudge67]

Thanks Gadget, followed your advice and accessed the will of John Edwards of Llanymynech. it is clear he was still married to is second wife when he made the will 10 days before his death in 1805.

So the John Edwards is Oswestry is either his son, or an unrelated chap who coincidentally happens to share a name and occupation with him. Given that these two chaps are:
a) the only persons in northwest Shropshire are listed as having that occupation of pump-maker in contemporaneous parish records; and
b) are of an age differential compatible with being father and son; and
c) lived only 5 miles apart; and
d) had similar namesets for their children

I am inclined to think they are father and son. But I can't be sure.

[Gadget]

It's seems very likely that they are father and son but, as you say, no proof.

Did the second wife leave a will?  I had one (from the same area) where the 2nd wife seemed to leave all the estate to her friends and servants rather than the stepchildren!

Gadget