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So the name is 'Canal' - I thought maybe Canal Inn re-reading the will of John Roberts, I had discounted Canal as being such a strange name for a property.

Although you have found a gravestone for John Humphreys dated 1798, before John Roberts died (although after the date of writing his will), I see in the papers in March 1809 that the marriage was announced between "John Humphreys, Esq, of Canal and Miss Allington of Berse".

Perhaps there was a succession of John Humphreys, fathers naming their first son and heir after themselves, as is often the case.

My attention has been drawn to the will of John Roberts of Plas yn Vron in Esclusham, drawn up in 1788 and proven in 1800 (date of death appears to be in 1799). In this he states that the lease on the property is for three lives (i.e. runs until the last of three named people die). The named people are the aforementioned John Roberts and two of his sons, Edward and Robert Roberts. Also named is his wife Mary, his eldest son, Thomas Roberts, another son William Roberts, and his daughter Mary now married to John Hughes.

I wondered if John could be another son of Owen Roberts of Holt, but John leaves properties in Hope (to his son Thomas Roberts), and properties in Ruabon (to John Humphreys and Samuel Lindop), with no mention of Holt, so perhaps this is a different Roberts family line.

Plas yn Vron was leased from Ellis Yonge (deceased), of Acton.

Chester Courant - Tuesday 07 June 1825 - Auction of property - Lot VI "A dwelling house and garden with 2 crofts to the same belonging, situate in Esclusham above, in the parish of Wrexham, in the county of Denbigh, now or late in the holding of Mary Griffiths."

Not sure I would want to read "now or late" against my name in the papers!

The same property had been for sale by auction on 30 Sept 1824, as item 1 in an auction where item 2 was "The Great Rock Lime Works" of Minera with 4 kilns, limestone quarry and 3 stone quarries. But thats a different story. The Mary Griffths property is described as "The inheritance in fee of and in a small dwelling-house and garden with 2 crofts to the same belonging, situate in esclusham above, in the parish of Wrexham, in the county of Denbigh, in the holding of Mary Griffiths."

I have been adding the Roberts family info to a family tree to organise my thoughts (as I did for the Griffith family - though with the Griffith's I have the big uncertainty about whether we have missed out a Griffith or have an extremely unlikely marriage of a very elderly man to a young woman and a resulting child).

I spotted a problem with the dates for the children of Owen Roberts of Ridley. In his will of 1770 he names William as his eldest son, and then also leaves bequests to sons John, Owen, Edward and daughter Mary (also to his wife and grandchildren). The Parish Record "Owen son of Owen Roberts born 16 February 1738 baptised 4 March. Of Esclu Above. ***" would make Owen the eldest son.

I can entirely believe that he would name his first son Owen the same as himself, it is common practice, though also the father may use his father's name. Perhaps the Owen of 1738 didn't make it, and he named another child Owen later. However I see your three asterisks are saying the Owen born 1739 is a pretty close match with an Owen Roberts who died in Ridley aged 89 in 1820. I think you are right, there were a lot of Owens in Ridley !

The other strange thing is that Owen senior's sons apart from Owen of 1738 are 'of Ridley', and he is 'of Ridley' in his will of 1770. So perhaps it was his son Edward who decided to seek pastures new in Esclusham Above. Although Owen's wife, Elizabeth, in her will of 1782 is of Esclusham, she may have moved in with her children after her husband died.

My reading of Owen senior's will is that the grandson via his son Owen, is named William rather than Owen.

As for the family trees, the Mary Roberts to Griffith marriage is a tricky one. Tempting to think the two families are linked.

Steve

Shame, appreciate you gave it a go, though not clear to me the role of Samuel Hughes.

Came across a mention of the late Edward Griffith in a will of 1826 for Edward Roberts of Esclusham above (SA/1826/221) in which he bequeaths  "lands and tenements held under lease of the late Mr Edwd Griffith of penygelli now the property of John Burton of Minera Esq". I was surprised to see him mentioned 46 years after his death, but I assume these are long term leases which Robert or John Burton had to honour when they purchased the properties. The only Burton purchase I am aware of before Edward Griffith died in 1780 is the transaction involving Robert Burton and Ty yn yr ynn, Cae Glas, and Cae yr Skybor (presumably Cae ysgubor) c1774. Though I suppose it is possible someone else bought it before 1780 and then Robert or John Burton bought it from them before 1826.

I suspect Robert Burton purchased properties in Esclusham Above hoping to benefit from the mineral wealth beneath - both coal or lead. The tithe map shows John Burton (his nephew and heir) owning quite a large acreage. A 1740 Badeslade map just touches on the North of Esclusham Above and shows Edwd Griffith against what was later Penymynydd Farm - the property is not named on the map, and the building layout is different. As I can find no reference to Penymynydd Farm before c1838, I am wondering if this was originally Ty yn yr ynn (the house in the ash trees). The tithe map shows John Burton as owner, and Samuel Roberts as tenant, he is son of Edward Roberts (see 1826 will above), but it is clear Edward Roberts had several properties in the area.

Pursuing the Edward Roberts connections I found a will for Elizabeth Roberts (widow) of Esclusham in 1782 (SA/1782/211), 4 sons: Will, John, Owen and Edward Roberts, and she had a daughter Mary Griffiths, who was sole executor. Elizabeth's estate was in the hands of Edward Roberts. So could easily be the one who died in 1826. I can't find the marriage for Mary to see if it links to the Giffiths family we have been researching.

Steve