Roger Chubb is not what you would call a close relative of mine. He is in fact my 5 x g-grandfather and would have been born in the eighteenth century, though his baptism is yet to be located. In 1780, he married Elizabeth Maddaford in Peter Tavy, at which time both he and Elizabeth are said to be ‘of this parish’.
Unfortunately, Roger died in 1836. However, he left a will which is extraordinarily useful for piecing together his family tree before civil registration and before any census was taken. Moreover, his property bequests were made with very specific wishes and to ‘unusual’ relations….. The convention at the time was that inheritance of property was made to Tenants in Common (as opposed to Joint Tenants) but Roger clearly emphasises this point by stating that they were to be “Tenants in Common and not Joint Tenants”, so there was certainly no doubting his wishes. It was also his grandchildren, and not his children (as was more usual in wills bequeathing properties under such terms) who were to become Tenants in Common. When reading further into his will though, the reason for this becomes clear.
After detailing who his ‘goods chattles monies securities for money personal estate and effects’ were bequeathed to, Roger provides “for the maintenance education and support of my two Grand daughters Mary Chubb and Elizabeth Chubb, daughters of my son George Chubb late of Petertavy yeoman deceased until they shall severally attain the age of twenty one years”. He goes on to record that his daughter, Elizabeth Doidge, wife of William, was to receive £70 and her daughter, Betsey £30. His grandsons George, James and Havilaw, sons of the late Roger Chubb, were bequeathed £10 each.
And so, a family tree can very quickly be developed of Roger, who was clearly widowed prior to his death. Elizabeth was buried on 30 August 1825 aged 66 at Peter Tavy. The couple had four known children:
- Mary bp. 10 March 1781
- Roger bp. 7 September 1783, married Grace Oxenham (1815) and had five children: Mary, Betsy, George, James and Havilaw (although the girls are not named in Roger’s will)
- George bp. 1 February 1793, married Mary Ann and had two children, Mary and Elizabeth. George was buried on 26 November 1835 aged 43 in Peter Tavy
- Elizabeth bp. 31 January 1796, married William Doidge and had one known daughter, Betsey
I wish I was descended from Havilaw but sadly not! Betsy Chubb, daughter of Roger (junior) is my link to the Chubb family. Later in the year, she will undoubtedly feature in my #52Ancestors posts. Thanks Roger for being so thorough in your will. It’s such a shame that your descendants did not follow suit ….
