Help please

[Asa]

I'm trying to find out more about my ancestor Thomas Roebuck and I have three connected wills which I think should be helping me identify him. These are -

Thomas Roebuck of the Tower of London, gentleman 20 Aug 1744 (probate London 4 Sep 1744), his daughter Mary Roebuck of Boulton Street, Piccadilly, spinster (and a minor) 22 Jul 1746 (probate London 17 Nov 1746) and Mary's maternal aunt Mary Marchant, widow of Boulton Street, Piccadilly 23 May 1746 (probate 9 Jul 1746 London) who was buried at St James Piccadilly 29 Jun 1746.

My Thomas Roebuck appears in Mary Roebuck's will as her cousin and a gentleman of Rotherham, Yorkshire. His children Thomas Jr, Mary, Elizabeth, Henrietta, Hannah, Sibella and Frances are beneficiaries - they are baptised between 1697 and 1701 at Rotherham and 1708 and 1712 at Laughton en le Morthen, Yorkshire. Most of the children live in London and many are connected to coal dealing. This is as much as I know about Thomas other than that he appears in Mary Marchant's will in connection to Mary Roebuck.

Mary Roebuck names several of relations -

- her aunt Ursula Rodley of York. Daughter of George Scott of Oswaldkirk, m 1697 Oswaldkirk Charles Rodley (bur 1714 Wakefield). I'm assuming Ursula must be her maternal aunt but doesn't appear in Mary Marchant's will.

- Henrietta Parkinson of York, daughter of Ursula Rodley. Bapt 1701 Wakefield and m 1725 William Parkinson and d 1775 York

- cousin Elizabeth Blades daughter of George Blades of Thirsk and siblings George, Ann and Jane.

- cousin Arrabella wife of John Tarrant and her children. Arrabella also appears in Mary Marchant's will as cousin.

There is a tempting marriage at Wakefield in 1715 between Thomas Roebuck and Hannah Scott who might well be Mary Roebuck's parents.

I'm thinking if I can identify the other Thomas Roebuck and his daughter, I might be able to sort mine out but keep going down dead ends.

[kiterunner]

The word "cousin" could be used pretty loosely in those days, meaning "some kind of relative". Not very helpful, I know!

[Phoenix]

I don't know enough about Yorkshire to comment on that side, so everything is in general terms.

Mary Roebuck clearly had two sources of wealth: her father's wealth and that left her either by her aunt or from a marriage settlement at her parents' marriage.

If Thomas were at the Tower of London, I wonder if he were employed in any capacity that might throw up records?

Wealth ought to be thrwoing up some kind of records: taxation, village histories etc.

[kiterunner]

If only the Yorkshire wills were downloadable on a subscription, you could look through all the Roebuck ones. Hopefully this will happen one day.

[Asa]

Thanks Kate - I've seen it used for a few varying relationships before! I think you're right and that I need more available sources :/

Phoenix, these are my first Yorkshire ancestors so all new to me. I've looked at wills for some of the people Mary Marchant mentions and there was at least one other of the Tower - I can't tell if they were employed there or living there (or both). Will give FMP employment records a go. Unfortunately on many sites, Roebuck throws up a lot of inns! Thank you.