Gawen Mellersh bapt. 1663 Farnhurst Sussex

[ElizabethHerts]

I'm trying to work out the connection of this man to my Andrew family of Cocking, Sussex.

In the will of my 7x-great-grandfather John Andrew of Cocking in 1709 it is stated:
"Item I doe hereby appoint and desire my kinsman Gawin Mellersh of Heyshott aforesaid yeoman To be Overseer of this my last Will and Testament desireing him to see the same performed according to the true intent and meaning thereof and to be assistant to my Executrix & for his paines and care therein I give and bequeath unto him my said Kinsman the sum of Five pounds of good and lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid to him within Twelve months next after my decease"

Gawin/Gawen Mellersh died in 1712, and I have his will, which gives no detail of his connection with the Andrew family. I think I shall have to look to his parents for the connection.

John Andrew's wife was Jane Gill before her marriage. She was the daughter of Lawrence/Laurence Gill and his wife Joan (Bacon) of Cocking.

Gawen's parents were John and Ann Mellersh, according to Family Search.
Some people have Ann as Ann Folkquerel before marriage.

Gawen's wife was Mary, probably Mary Clements as his brother-in-law was a Clements.

If anyone can help with the connection between the Andrew/Gill and the Mellersh family I'd be very grateful.

[kiterunner]

Gawen's wife was Mary, probably Mary Clements as his brother-in-law was a Clements.



His brother-in-law could be married to Gawen's sister, or married to Mary's sister, though. Assuming that it wasn't being used to mean half-brother or stepbrother.

[kiterunner]

Googling for Gawen Mellersh I found a book called Sussex Marriage Licences which has an entry: 1706-7 Jan. 4 Gawen Mellersh of Heyshot, yeoman, & Mary Cle-
ments of same, maiden : sureties, said G. M., Thomas
Woolven of Chichester, husbandman, John Doe and
Richard Roe.

I think Mary Clements was probably his second wife as he would be in his 40's at this date and FamilySearch shows baptisms of children of Gowen Mellersh and Mary in the 1690's, so his first wife must have also been a Mary.

[kiterunner]

Also there is this at TNA but may not help with the relationships:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7580121

[kiterunner]

And this one:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5242041

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate for looking. We have been out this evening and have just got it, so I'll look at the information you have found now.

[ElizabethHerts]

And this one:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5242041

Reference: C 7/66/51
Description:

Short title: Clare v Andrew.

Plaintiffs: William Clare.

Defendants: Mary Mellersh, [unknown] Andrew and others.

Place or subject: property in Heyshott and Cocking, Sussex.

Document type: Bill, three answers and certificate
Date: 1713
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

After John Andrew died, his widow Jane married William Clare of Cocking in 1710. They went on to have at least four children.

[ElizabethHerts]

For the record, I have found this marriage a year before Gawen's baptism:

Name: John Mellersh
Spouse's Name: Annis Roker
Event Date: 11 Dec 1662
Event Place: Kirdford, Sussex, England
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M07070-1
System Origin: England-ODM
GS Film number: 0918270-271, 0416749
Reference ID:

[ElizabethHerts]

http://www.gravelroots.net/heyshott/book/95.html

St James' Church, Heyshott:

"The nave aisle is paved with large tombstones which were probably moved and do not cover the graves to which they oiriginally belonged. They record the names of farming families - Cocquerell, Mellersh and Gadd."