Thursday, October 27, 2011

Louisa Green and William Grant's Marriage Entry


Eliza Esdaile's daughter was Louisa Green, mother of Katherine Eliza Grant (1821), Louisa Margaret Quilliam Aitchison (1827), and Mary Rawlings Aitchison (1826). I wish I knew who William Grant's parents were.

The participants filled out a form in a bound book. The handwritten part is in italics.

Page 2?9

Marriages solemnized in the Parish of St. Mary-le-Bone, in the County of Middlesex, in the year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixteen

William Grant Esquire of this Parish Bachelor and Louisa Green of this Parish Spinster were married in this Church by licence this Eighteen day of December in the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixteen By me William Mead, Curate
This Marriage was solemnized between us
William Grant
Louisa Green

In the Presence of
Margaret Glasgow
Wm Goodall
G Fournier
George Glasgow

Will of William Green, Eliza Esdaile's Son

Transcribed from microfilm.
Percy Crause Executor, Tho W Gibbs Commissioner
This is the last will and testament of William Green Deputy Commissary General at present residing at No 40 Pembroke Square Kensington in the County of Middlesex England I give and bequeath to my Son Henry Portrait of my Stepfather Thomas Esdaile the kindest and best friend I ever had and which I trust will be duly taken care of also the miniature of my dear Mother with the Gold Case or setting also my Silver Waiter and Silver Wine Funnel and to Edward Lester my Painting with clock and all other Paintings except the above mentioned and Prints also my Silver Vase Tea Kettle Stand and Lamp and all the Decanter Labels, and to Charles Alexander twelve plain Silver Table Forks and twelve Silver Tea Spoons, best, and one plain Gravy Spoon and to Frederick Thomas twelve Silver Table Forks and one plain Gravy Spoon and ten Tea Spoons best and ? Egg spoons also my Gold Watch by “Barwise” and Gold Chain and Key and to Arthur Martin one Silver Tea Pot and Stand & one Silver Coffee Pot Sugar Dish and Cream Ewer and four Silver Salt Spoons best and four Sugar Tongs best and to Margaret Agnes Ann twelve Silver Table Spoons and twelve Silver Desert Spoons and two Silver Sauce Ladles threaded pattern & one Silver Mustard spoon also one Silver Marrow and one Cream Spoon & four Salt Spoons to Caroline one Silver Saucepan one silver one Silver Soup Ladle two Silver Sauce ladles two Silver Gravy Spoons and twelve Silver Table Spoons and twelve Desert Spoons all threaded pattern one pair of silver Sugar Tongs and two Salt Spoons and to Alfred one Silver Fish slice one Silver Butter Knife one Punch Ladle with Coin in it one pair Silver Grape Scissors gilt two silver Scallop Shells(?) one silver Sallad Fork gilt one Silver Cheese Knife and two silver Sauce Ladles and I desire my Furniture excepting the articles specially disposed of shall be sold by my Executors and the proceeds applied as far as may be required to the payment of my just debts and the residue if any together with any money in my possession or due to me shall be divided among all my children above mentioned share and share alike I leave my house linen to my Son Alfred I give and bequeath to Emily wife of my Son Edward Lester my Ring set with Sapphire Brilliant and I bequeath to Sarah wife of my Son William George to her and her heirs all Lands in Upper and Lower Canada to which I may be entitled as heir to my Daughters Louisa Emily and Eleanora deceased belonging to the Estate of my Father in law the late John Gray also all plated Articles and to my Grandson William I leave my Books and Clothing and I desire that no unnecessary expense be incurred for my funeral that it shall be in all respects plain and simply respectable and I appoint my friend Percy Crause Esq and my son Edward Lester the executors and administrators of this my last Will In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand this eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty three—W Green—Signed by the said William Green the Testator in the presence of us present at the same time and in the presence of each other attest and subscribe our names as witnesses thereto—S D Mandy Merchant—John Mandy C.E.(?)—
Proved at Bristol the Twenty seventh day of April 1866 by the Oath of Percy Crause Esquire one of the Executors to whom Administration was granted. Power reserved of making the like Grant to Edward Lester Green (son of the deceased) the other Executor.
The Testator William Green was formerly of No 40 Pembroke Square Kensington in the County of Middlesex and late of No 3 Duke Street in the City of Bath in the County of Somerset a Deputy Commissary General and died on the Ninth day of April 1866 at Bath aforesaid. Under 450 pounds
In Her Majesty’s Court of Probate
The District Registry at Bristol
In the Goods of William Green deceased
I Stephen Day Mandy of 46 Belsize park Hampstead in the County of Middlesex Merchant make Oath that I am one of the subscribed Witnesses to the last Will and Testament of the said William Green formerly of No 40 Pembroke Square Kensington in the County of Middlesex aforesaid but late of No 3 Duke Street in the city of Bath in the county of Somerset a Deputy Commissary General deceased the said will being hereunto annexed bearing date the eighteenth day of May One thousand eight hundred and sixty three and that the said Testator executed the said Will on the day of the date thereof by signing his name at the foot or end thereof in the presence of me and of John Mandy the other subscribed Witness thereto both of us being present at the same time and we thereupon attested and subscribed the said Will in the presence of the said Testator and at his request—S D Mandy—Sworn at No 46 Belsize park Hampstead in the County of Middlesex this twenty fourth day of April 1866 before me Jno Thos White a London Commissioner to administer Oaths in Chancery

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Adelia Gregg Thomas' Family

Our cousin from the Thomas line, Susan Ertsgaard, kindly shared this treasure from her mother's house. It was written by Adelia (she calls herself Leila here) for her children. Adelia was the wife of Louis Albert Thomas and the mother of James Emmert(1894), Marion Rawlings (1895), and Katharine Louisa Margaret Thomas (1903).


In the early 1830s five Gregg brothers came from near Wheeling West Virginia to the territory of Iowa. After taking up land and building log cabins, Benjamin and John sent for their wives, the two Boan girls, Melissa and Emily, 17 and 19 years of age.

The rivers were the common highways in those early days, and it must have been a long, tiresome journey for the two young sisters, down the Ohio to Cairo, and up the Miss. to Burlington where they were met by their eager husbands, who proudly took them to the one room log cabins near Burlington. The prairies were wild and barren, and Indians still roved up and down. Summer winds were hot and winter blizzards fierce, but the fields when broken were easy to cultivate after their experience with those of the rocky east, and the corn and wheat a rich reward for their labor. The log cabins soon had added rooms, and were finally replaced by brick houses, with a fireplace in each room. The barren yards had tree lined driveways, and gardens of vegetables and small fruit. Thirteen children came to the cabin of John and Emily, and eleven to Benjamin and Melissa. Of the latter was your great grandfather, James Bonar Gregg. All of the children had their part in the work of the home, and between chores they attended school at Burlington, about three miles away, walking and carrying the meager lunch. At Christmas time, a Mississippi river packet brought a supply of oranges, and each child had a quarter of one as a special treat. Mother squeezed oil from a walnut to oil the clock. James was a dreamy boy and wasted much time (according to his father, Benjamin) building aircastles, and reading books. There was a college in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa Wesleyan, about 25 miles away, and James Bonar and his two older sisters, conceived the idea of doing light housekeeping there, and attending the college. They rented a few rooms and brought food and wood from home, so that it cost very little. Then the Civil War broke out, and James enlisted with the Mt. Pleasant Co., most of them college students. They drilled on the campus, and then Co. K, 4th Iowa Cavalry rode away, most of them never to return. Although wounded and once in the St. Louis hospital with typhoid fever, James returned after 4 years service. During the “Reconstruction” period, he went back to college, this time alone, for his sisters had finished their work and gone home, and married returning soldiers.

Back in college, he bet and after graduation married another student, Josephine Mills. They lived for a time in Burlington, where James studied law in the office of a leading lawyer there. During this time Leila was born. After completing his law course, Josephine with baby Leila remained with her parents, in Mt. Pleasant, while James built a new home in western Iowa, a new country, but promising. What later was called the C B & Q RR was being built through southern Iowa, and a number of Burlington and Mt. Pleasant young people were planning to settle in Red Oak. James went out with team and wagon to investigate. He found the prospects for a lawyer, who would combine Real Estate with law problems incident to the settling of a new country very promising. So he purchased a half block between 7th and 8th St. on Reed, in R.O., and hauled material from Council Bluffs for a house. It was a long haul, for there were few bridges, and many ‘detours’. The roads wound over the lovely prairies, flower strewn, scarcely a tree in sight, and nothing to hide the view for miles and miles. Plenty of time to dream of the little home for the lovely “Josie” and baby girl, over on the Red Oak hill.

In November, 1868 Josie and Leila came out from Mt. Pleasant. The railroad had been completed half way across the state, and the latter part of the journey was by stage coach. All the Red Oak people were young folks like themselves. James’ law and real estate business prospered. Six children, 5 girls and a boy, came to the little house on the hill at 7th and Reed streets. They all attended Lincoln School, graduated from high school and then went to college. After graduating from Iowa State Teachers College, Leila taught in the Atlantic HS. There she met and in 1892 married a young physician, Louis A. Thomas. They moved to Anthon, Iowa, where on Feb. 23, 1894 James Emmert was born. In 1897 they came to Red Oak, where they have since resided.

Your father can best give you the rest of your autobiography.

Now for a little of your great grandmother Gregg’s background. Josephine Mills was born in Chillicothe Ohio in 1845 to Levi Mills and Mary Booth, whose parents came from Mass. Levi Mills and family came from Ohio in a “moving wagon” to the northern part of Iowa. Finding the country there very undeveloped, they moved (again by wagon) to Mt. Pleasant, that the daughters might have the advantage of the schools there and Iowa Wesleyan College. Levi was a carpenter and cabinet maker. In later years he bought a grocery store which he ran until his retirement. Josephine, after her graduation from Iowa Wesleyan, married James Bonar Gregg, with whom she went to Red Oak in 1868, where they both resided until their deaths.