GLOVER,Joshua, my brickwall

[onebob]

Hi, I'm new to RootsChat and am hoping that the collected genius and experience on the forum will help me with my 25 year old brickwall. My earliest known ancestor is one Joshua GLOVER, who died in 1786 and is buried at St Phillips Birmingham. He was a Hardware Merchant and from around 1760 was involved in promoting and exporting Birmingham 'toys' (that is penknives, snuff boxes, buttons, buckles, etc...) all over the continent and down to the Mediterranean. In 1763 he also joined with other Birmingham businessmen to purchase and operate the Abercarne Ironworks in Monmounth, Wales where he was Ironmaster until succeeded by his son Samuel. Both Joshua and Samuel were prominent Birmingham citizens and amongst other honored positions they also served as High Bailiffs of the Manor of Birmingham. My 'bones' tell me that considering what Joshua was able to achieve from such a early stage in life that he was likely from a 'moneyed' family but i have not been successful in finding his place of birth or in connecting him to the other GLOVER families of the time some who were in some cases also connected with the iron trades. Of course he could have married money but that avenue has not born fruit to date. One of my current research interests is the descendants of the GLOVER's of Baxterley and Mancetter who seem vanish from the records and recorded history in the early 1700's when the last of their lands were sold and the GLOVERs of CREDITON, Devon who appear to be strays.  Is anyone else researching or has information about these families?

Bob Glover
viva la famiglia

[LizzieW]

I'm not sure what to suggest here.  Have you looked on the National Archives site www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ to see if your ancestor is mentioned there, or has a will etc.  That might give some clue to his background.

Lizzie

[LizzieW]

Just had a quick look and there is a will for Joshua on National Archives.  Will of Joshua Glover, Merchant of Birmingham , Warwickshire 28 May 1788 ref PROB 11/1166.  I presume 1788 was the date of probate.   

If you do a search and put in his name and PROB11/1166 as the reference it should bring up the entry.  By the side of it states "See Details".  Click on that and you will be able to pay to download the will £3.50 only.  Only problem is it might be in Latin, if not it will be in Old English and it will take a bit of time to read it and transcribe into Modern English.  Worth the effor though.

[onebob]

Hi Lizzie,
Thanks for you interest - that Will of Joshua GLOVER the Merchant, well he is my man and it is in English and quite legible. He left money to everyone but alas none of it managed to filter down to this generation :-)

Re Archives - the GLOVER FAMILY PAPERS can be found in the Birmingham Archive, it's my family but 90% of the papers relate to the period following the death of JG's son Samuel in 1808. SG died intestate, and an administrator had to be appointed, his business interests wound up, creditors paid etc - 500 odd documents.

One of the documents in the collection that caught my eye is named as "pedigree of the Glover Family"  but actually it turned out to be that of the GORGES Family. I only worked this out quite by chance when i was researching in the Heralds Visitations of Somerset and saw the very same pedigree reproduced.

For those interested a google search on GLOVERGEN will bring up my family history web page.

Bob Glover

[LizzieW]

Thanks for you interest - that Will of Joshua GLOVER the Merchant, well he is my man and it is in English and quite legible.

That's fortunate, I downloaded a will dated June 1600 and although it is in English it is extremely difficult to read, but I'll get through it eventually.  On the other hand I got a Cheshire will from the Cheshire Archives dated 1799 which is written in the most beautiful copperplate large handwriting and it's the most legible document I've received in a long time.

Lizzie