AMEY McLEROY als JOYNER als WATSON

Will - 1689 (Douglas)

Douglas

In the name of God amen I Amey McLeroy als Watson being sick but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to Almighty God do make this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following viz:

First I bequeath my soul into the hands of Almightly God my savior ........doubting but through the meritorious death of my ever blessed redeemer... number of his ..... .

Item I bequeath my body to Christian burial

Item I leave to my son Robert Joyner one shilling legacy

Item I leave to my .... Hennry Mcleroy six yards of hurdon cloth for shirting as a legacy

Item .. my wearing apparel both of linen and woolen equally to be divided between my daughters Alice Joyner and Jaine Macleroy

I also leave my said two daughters my part of goods and cattle (chattels?] of what kind or nature soever

I constitute and ordain my two daughters Alice and Jaine my true and lawful executrices of this my last will and testament

Witnesses present .... Joyner, Philip Claige my mark P, William Flaxney ] jurati

Alice Joyner one of the executrices at age is sworn in form of law and to be fair to the other executrix who is under age

Probatum est et solvit

[lengthy Inventory] The father hath the younger executrice's goods and hath given pledges Philip Clague and the other executrix hath given pledge in form of law David ...............

Jan 17th 1707

Item Mr Jo: Graham (Alice Joyner’s husband) received her part of the clear inventory viz £1/6/0 and acquits her brother Robert Joyner his executors, administrators and assigns forever. Witness his hand John Graham. Teste me J.Woods R Ep

Dec 23 1714 Philip Higgin (husband of Jane Mcylrey one of the executrices) owns to be paid from his brother Robert Joyner all that fell due to his wife by her father and mother Henry and Amy Mcylrey. Witness his hand Philip Higgin Teste me

NOTES

  1. Amy had been married at least twice, first to William Joyner, probably in the 1650s, and then to Hen Mallereigh, late 1670s?
  2. According to Joyce Oates's research, Amy was the daughter of Nicholas Watson who died 1637/8 (see below)
  3. Amy's first husband, William Joyner, was his father's favoured son and he enjoyed the bulk of his father's estate (E 0991641). In turn, the estate (allotments in Douglas) was passed on to William's son, Robert
  4. William Joyner died August 1674 (E d 0991642) - burial notation "perished by sea". William's will lindicates that there were 5 children living - Robert, Richard, Ellinor, Margaret, Alice. Robert married Margaret McYlroy & Alice married John Graham - nothing is known of the other children - presumably they had died since they are not mentioned in her will
  5. Amy found herself cited in the Fines & Amercements for Conchan in 1667 : Amy Joyner als Watson for disobedience touching the delivery of a chest to William Hogge, which might be interpreted as an allegation of theft
  6. Amy died 24th May 1689, leaving an underage child Jane, her daughter with Hen, along with two Joyner children - Robert & Alice (I think the Henry mentioned in the will is her husband - the words after his name on the original will have been lost off the edge of the page)
  7. Amy does not have a burial record
  8. Husband Hen MAELEREIGH recorded in Braddan register as having been buried 8th December 1689 in Conchan, about 7 months after the death of Amy (there are no surviving entires in the register from December 1688 to November 1689)
  9. Children Robert Joyner (bc1653) married Margaret Mallereigh 1685; Alice Joyner (b c1670) married John Graham 1707; Jane McLeroy (b c1680) married Philip Higgin 1703
  10. Robert Joyner & Philip Higgin were mariners, recorded together as crew on the Henrietta in 1705. William Joyner's father (Robert) was a mariner, and Robert has also been recorded as a mariner so perhaps this Joyner family had a sea-going tradition - Robert's father perished at sea
  11. Robert's step-father was Hen Mallereigh and his wife Margaret's father was John McYlroy, so there's some prospect that these two fathers - John and Hen - were related although no direct evidence has been found
  12. Both Robert & Jane married individuals who held Douglas allotments in addition to the ones they inherited from Amy/William/Hen: See Nigel Crowe's site manxroots.info for more detail from the 1705 Survey of Douglas allotments [Robert 12/15, 13/09, 16/05] [Jane16/06]
  13. In 1730, Amy's children were living as adults in Douglas : Robert Joyner (widowed) alone, Alice Graham (widowed) with four children, Jane & Philip Higgin with one child
  14. Jane Higgin died 1736; Robert Joyner & Alice Graham both died 1744
  15. NOTE: Be aware that cottage allotment numbers changed over time as Douglas expanded. Rent and neighbours are key elements in confirming whether the tenants (eg Robert Joyner) have changed properties or whether they have remained stable while the allotment number from one LA to the next has changed

Associated Documents

Taken from Joyce Oates's transcriptions

Nicholas Watchen deprted this life the 2th of Januarie 1637 intestate whereof the Church havinge intelligence hath decreed his children legitimately begotten his administrators vidz: John, Ellin & Emy Wattson, & the mother Supvisor in regard there is none of the fathers kinreed in this Contrie & a legasie to her uppon sight of the Invent. Salvo tamen vincuig suo jure Decretum pbatum est et solvit 1s

Last updated: Dec 2020