What a totally amazing person Roderick COOPER is......in one email he has answered so many questions and pulled together so many family branches that I am tempted to grant him immunity from Pond Dippings.....but I cannot be seen to be that soft...sorry Roderick. These are my initial thoughts and as usual I ask for your thoughts and comments....if you think I am wrong somewhere please say so otherwise we won't be able to get it right. 1. The will is that of John COOPER of ? in Wilts., Yeoman? TPD - John COOPER was buried at Hawkebsury on the 20th of October 1826. His abode is listed as Kingswood in the burial register, entry no.323. 2. There is reference to property in Hillsley ( Parish of Hawkesbury ), Parish of Kingswood ( Wilts.), Hawkesbury, Parish of Wickwar, Parish of Gate ( all of course in Glos.). TPD - Gate I think must be Yate.....took us at least half an hour to work that one out. 3. The Executors are his nephews Joseph DAVIS of Hawkesbury and John COOPER ( son of "my brother Thomas COOPER", cooper, of Castle Combe, Wilts. ). TPD - Thomas COOPER mentioned here married Ann THOMPSON on the 14th of August 1790. Ann was born about 1769 and was the 3rd child of William THOMPSON and Patience CHAPPELL. Joseph DAVIS I will deal with later in this mail. 4. Beneficiaries include Giles THOMPSON ( a nephew? ) his wife Mary and their children; Mary BALL ( a neice ), her husband and their children; Martha LEWIS ( neice ), her husband and their children; Thomas THOMPSON ( nephew ), his wife Betty and their children; Thomas, John, Hannah and Ann DAVIS ( the children of "my late sister Hannah DAVIS" ); Joseph, Isaac, Edward, Thomas, James, Mary and Elizabeth COOPER ( the children of "my brother Thomas COOPER" ); Joseph, Thomas, John, James, William, Mary, Harriet and Ann COOPER ( the children of "my brother Joseph COOPER" ); Mary ALLWAY ( sister ); Mariah WEBB of Charfield ( Glos.); Elizabeth PULLIN ( housekeeper ). TPD - Giles is probably the Giles who married Mary DREW of Cromhall in 1797. If so then he is not a nephew but the 1st cousin to Ann THOMPSON mentioned above in answer to number 3. However, further research may show that he is also related in another way. Mary BALL I cannot offer an opinion on yet......save that at some point we are looking for a COOPER - BALL wedding perhaps around 1810 (!)(?) Similarly with Martha LEWIS. Thomas THOMPSON and Betty refers to THOMAS COOPER - THOMPSON and Elizabeth TAVENDER Thomas, John, Hannah and Ann DAVIS are the children of his "late" sister Hannah DAVIS who must be nee COOPER. More will follow on this later tonight or tomorrow when I have had a chance to check files. Joseph isn't mentioned as one of the children here ? I wonder why ? Joseph, Isaac, Edward, Thomas, James, Mary and Elizabeth COOPER ( the children of "my brother Thomas COOPER") are all the family of Thomas COOPER and Ann THOMPSON whom I mention in 3 above. Joseph, Thomas, John, James, William, Mary, Harriet and Ann COOPER ( the children of "my brother Joseph COOPER" ); ...This is perhaps the most exciting part of the will. This brother is the one who is described in an 1806 bastardy bond of Mary THOMPSON as "who has resided for a considerable time with that bounder Joseph COOPER" and is proof of their longstanding relationship without marriage and strengthens our theory that their relationship was "accepted". Mary was 1st cousin to Ann THOMPSON who married the brother Thomas COOPER. Mary ALLWAY nee COOPER eludes me for the moment as does Mariah WEBB. Those are my initial thoughts.......more later Geoffro The Pond Dipper