I have just received the will of William Miller, yeoman of Inskip with Sowerby, Lancashire. The will was written 24th November 1809, and proved 12th November 1812. He lists all his children and says who all the daughters married (he even helpfully mentions one who he left nothing to because she was already provided for!) The eldest son was called William, and it says, "if my said son William Miller shall happen to have a son on the body of his present or any future wife begotten or to be begotten, who shall be born in the lifetime of the said William Miller or in due time afterwards, then and immediately upon the birth of such son..." blah blah blah, the gist of it being that if there was no such son of William jr's then the stuff would go to Thomas Miller, the son of William senior's second son Richard.
But I'm trying to make William jr be the William who was born 19th March 1766, and he had a son also called William who was born 5th March 1807. I haven't found out when Thomas was born yet, but is it possible that the above means that William jr could have had a son when the will was written, but William sr was more confident of Thomas's survival because Thomas was older and so many children died young? Or does it definitely mean that William jr didn't have a son? There is a William Miller age 40 on the 1851 census who looks as though he should be the one, although his age is a little bit out.
But I'm trying to make William jr be the William who was born 19th March 1766, and he had a son also called William who was born 5th March 1807. I haven't found out when Thomas was born yet, but is it possible that the above means that William jr could have had a son when the will was written, but William sr was more confident of Thomas's survival because Thomas was older and so many children died young? Or does it definitely mean that William jr didn't have a son? There is a William Miller age 40 on the 1851 census who looks as though he should be the one, although his age is a little bit out.
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