descent of sisters Anne (Mellish) (Splatt) LeBrasseur and Dorothy (Mellish) Beresford of South Carolina

[Johnny Brananas]

This information builds on an item Will Jhonson posted from Access to
Archives back in March 2009:

Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special
Collections: Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire,
1160-1911 [Me 2C 1 - Me 4C 1]

The contents of this catalogue are the copyright of Nottingham
University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections
Rights in the Access to Archives database are the property of the
Crown, © 2001-2007

CONTACT: Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts
and Special Collections

Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire, 1160-1911.
Catalogue Ref. me-me4

Creator(s):
Mellish family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire

[Access Conditions]
Accessible to all registered readers.

Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire,
1220-19th Century

Letters and Personal Papers - ref. Me 2C 1-104

Bundle of letters and genealogical papers

FILE - Letter from Mrs. Gillon, Charlestown, S. Carolina
to Charles Mellish. - ref. Me 2C 104/52 - date: 28 September 1771
hit[from Scope and Content] Claims to be a lost
relation, to be the daughter of Ann Mellish [grand-daughter of Reason
Mellish], being his [Charles Mellish's] elder sister born at Bradbury
9 Nov. 1700, whilst Charles was born at Bradbury 26 Oct. 1703. She had
2 aunts in England, Jane and Mary Mellish, and claims that a Mr.
Beresford who died recently kept her in ignorance of her relations for
reasons unknown.

The solution comes when we notice a PCC will, dated 23 March 1707/8,
for an Edward Mellish of BADBURY (not Bradbury), Wiltshire. Looking
at the will we see it is brief but names the testator's wife Bridget,
"my moiety of the manor of Badbury and Upham ffarme," eldest son
Edward Mellish, and seven younger children. His brother, Charles
Mellish, Esq., was named one of the executors.

Checking the online V.C.H. Wiltshire, sub Chiseldon, we can see some
of the history of Badbury manor:

The manor then passed to his younger brother John (d. c. 1670–1), (fn.
143) who subsequently sold it, together with other lands, to William
Mellish of London. (fn. 144) William Mellish was first named as lord
of the manor in 1682 and after his death in c. 1691 (fn. 145) his
widow Dorothy and her nephews (fn. 146) Robert and Edward were seised
of the manor, the capital messuage called Place House, Badbury Farm,
and Dairy Farm. (fn. 147) Dorothy Mellish died in c. 1702 and her
moiety was inherited by Robert and Edward. Edward Mellish died
intestate in 1707 seised of his moiety and was succeeded by his son
Edward (II). (fn. 148) Robert likewise died intestate in 1710 and his
moiety passed to his elder brother Charles, who settled lands
including the moiety of Badbury manor on his wife Elizabeth upon trust
for sale after his death. (fn. 149) Charles Mellish died in 1713. (fn.
150) In 1717–18, the remaining tenants-in-common, Edward (II),
Bridget, and Elizabeth Mellish made arrangements for the sale of the
manor to James Stone of London, (fn. 151) who had acquired it by 1718.
(fn. 152) The manor hereafter descended in the Stone family until the
20th century ...

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66536

The only thing that seems wrong in this account is the bit about
Edward Mellish dying intestate 1707.

Hunter's _Familiae Minorum Gentium_ readily answers our questions
about the Mellish family, giving a pedigree chart showing an Edward
Mellish (with brothers Charles and Robert) who had an eldest son
Edward, and seven younger children, including:

--Dorothy [Mellish], mar. Richd Beresford, Esq., of Charlestown.
--Ann [Mellish], mar. 1 Richard Splatt, & 2 Francis Le Brassieur in
New England [sic].

http://books.google.com/books?id=NJX4UW_d37oC&pg=PA976&dq=splatt+gentium+mellish&hl=en&ei=vIByTJeuOoT68Abl9PXfCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Charlestown involved however was the one in SC, not in
Massachusetts in New England. A discussion of the ancestry of one
John Splatt Cripps of South Carolina notes, "According to the entries
in the old Cripp's family bible Anne Mellish was a daughter of a Mr
Mellish of Wiltshire in England and probably married Richard Splatt."

http://books.google.com/books?id=RkQTAAAAYAAJ&q=%22anne+mellish%22+carolina&dq=%22anne+mellish%22+carolina&hl=en&ei=tkd0TPeyMYKB8ga2oqjxCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAg

Likewise we find baptismal records in a South Carolina parish
referring to a Richard Beresford and his wife Dorothy Mellish:

http://books.google.com/books?id=f04TAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA49&dq=%22dorothy+mellish%22+carolina&hl=en&ei=D39yTKXqLYGC8gaAhOmwCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

The book below shows that Will Jhonson's "Mrs. Gillon" from the letter
was born Mary Splatt (m. first Mr. Cripps; secondly, Alexander
Gillon), and that she probably has living descendants in the prominent
Ravenel family of South Carolina, through certain descendants of her
son John Splatt Cripps:

http://books.google.com/books?id=_jpMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA135&dq=%22caroline+cripps%22+splatt+gillon&hl=en&ei=t0h0TIf9NIH48AaDr_DwCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22caroline%20cripps%22%20splatt%20gillon&f=false

Also matching up with Will's letter, _Familiae Minorum Gentium_ shows
Edward Mellish of Badbury's father to be a Reason Mellish, b. 1627.
_The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1660-1690_ shows the
wife of this Reason Mellish, MP, to be "Anne, da. of Robert Metham of
Bullington, Lincs."

http://books.google.com/books?id=HW1_upECKUwC&pg=RA2-PA48&dq=metham+mellish&hl=en&ei=aYhyTPSZFMT38AbYsdCaDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=metham%20mellish&f=false

Maddison's _Lincolnshire Pedigrees_ shows that the mother of Anne
(Metham) Mellish was a Hall of Gretford and her grandmother a Dymoke
of Scrivelsby, thus surely ensuring a number of RDs for the SC
immigrant sisters.

http://books.google.com/books?id=aPcMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA671&dq=%22mar+Reason%22+Anne+Mellish&hl=en&ei=Qkp0TI_pE43U9ATY4_XrAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22mar%20Reason%22%20Anne%20Mellish&f=false

[Nathaniel Taylor]

John,

Another fine find, identifying an armigerous colonist -- I will add the
Mellish sisters to the NEHGS Roll of Arms.

It would be nice to know Beresford's origin too. He seems to have been
prominent; presumably he is the man who died in the 1720s leaving a
large bequest for education in St. Thomas' parish (much mentioned on
google). But it is not clear that there is are traceable descendants
from him or, more specifically, from his wife Dorothy.

Nat Taylor
a genealogist's sketchbook:
http://www.nltaylor.net/sketchbook/

[wjhonson]

I've added the baptismal dates for the children of Reason Mellish and
Anne Metham here

http://knol.google.com/k/will-johnson/reason-mellish-and-anne-metham/4hmquk6fx4gu/542


Will Johnson

[John]

Post by Johnny Brananas
This information builds on an item Will Jhonson posted from Access to
Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special
Collections: Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire,
1160-1911 [Me 2C 1 - Me 4C 1]
The contents of this catalogue are the copyright of Nottingham
University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections
Rights in the Access to Archives database are the property of the
Crown, © 2001-2007
  CONTACT: Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts
and Special Collections
Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire, 1160-1911.
Catalogue Ref. me-me4
    Mellish family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire
    [Access Conditions]
    Accessible to all registered readers.
    Papers of the Mellish Family of Hodsock, Nottinghamshire,
1220-19th Century
       Letters and Personal Papers - ref. Me 2C 1-104
          Bundle of letters and genealogical papers
             FILE - Letter from Mrs. Gillon, Charlestown, S. Carolina
to Charles Mellish. - ref.  Me 2C 104/52  - date: 28 September 1771
                hit[from Scope and Content] Claims to be a lost
relation, to be the daughter of Ann Mellish [grand-daughter of Reason
Mellish], being his [Charles Mellish's] elder sister born at Bradbury
9 Nov. 1700, whilst Charles was born at Bradbury 26 Oct. 1703. She had
2 aunts in England, Jane and Mary Mellish, and claims that a Mr.
Beresford who died recently kept her in ignorance of her relations for
reasons unknown.
The solution comes when we notice a PCC will, dated 23 March 1707/8,
for an Edward Mellish of BADBURY (not Bradbury), Wiltshire.  Looking
at the will we see it is brief but names the testator's wife Bridget,
"my moiety of the manor of Badbury and Upham ffarme," eldest son
Edward Mellish, and seven younger children.  His brother, Charles
Mellish, Esq., was named one of the executors.
Checking the online V.C.H. Wiltshire, sub Chiseldon, we can see some
The manor then passed to his younger brother John (d. c. 1670–1), (fn.
143) who subsequently sold it, together with other lands, to William
Mellish of London. (fn. 144) William Mellish was first named as lord
of the manor in 1682 and after his death in c. 1691 (fn. 145) his
widow Dorothy and her nephews (fn. 146) Robert and Edward were seised
of the manor, the capital messuage called Place House, Badbury Farm,
and Dairy Farm. (fn. 147) Dorothy Mellish died in c. 1702 and her
moiety was inherited by Robert and Edward. Edward Mellish died
intestate in 1707 seised of his moiety and was succeeded by his son
Edward (II). (fn. 148) Robert likewise died intestate in 1710 and his
moiety passed to his elder brother Charles, who settled lands
including the moiety of Badbury manor on his wife Elizabeth upon trust
for sale after his death. (fn. 149) Charles Mellish died in 1713. (fn.
150) In 1717–18, the remaining tenants-in-common, Edward (II),
Bridget, and Elizabeth Mellish made arrangements for the sale of the
manor to James Stone of London, (fn. 151) who had acquired it by 1718.
(fn. 152) The manor hereafter descended in the Stone family until the
20th century ...
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66536
The only thing that seems wrong in this account is the bit about
Edward Mellish dying intestate 1707.
Hunter's _Familiae Minorum Gentium_ readily answers our questions
about the Mellish family, giving a pedigree chart showing an Edward
Mellish (with brothers Charles and Robert) who had an eldest son
--Dorothy [Mellish], mar. Richd Beresford, Esq., of Charlestown.
--Ann [Mellish], mar. 1 Richard Splatt, & 2 Francis Le Brassieur in
New England [sic].
http://books.google.com/books?id=NJX4UW_d37oC&pg=PA976&dq=splatt+gent...
The Charlestown involved however was the one in SC, not in
Massachusetts in New England.  A discussion of the ancestry of one
John Splatt Cripps of South Carolina notes, "According to the entries
in the old Cripp's family bible Anne Mellish was a daughter of a Mr
Mellish of Wiltshire in England and probably married Richard Splatt."
http://books.google.com/books?id=RkQTAAAAYAAJ&q=%22anne+mellish%22+ca...
Likewise we find baptismal records in a South Carolina parish
http://books.google.com/books?id=f04TAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA49&dq=%22dorothy+m...
The book below shows that Will Jhonson's "Mrs. Gillon" from the letter
was born Mary Splatt (m. first Mr. Cripps; secondly, Alexander
Gillon), and that she probably has living descendants in the prominent
Ravenel family of South Carolina, through certain descendants of her
http://books.google.com/books?id=_jpMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA135&dq=%22caroline...
Also matching up with Will's letter, _Familiae Minorum Gentium_ shows
Edward Mellish of Badbury's father to be a Reason Mellish, b. 1627.
_The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1660-1690_ shows the
wife of this Reason Mellish, MP, to be "Anne, da. of Robert Metham of
Bullington, Lincs."
http://books.google.com/books?id=HW1_upECKUwC&pg=RA2-PA48&dq=metham+m...
Maddison's _Lincolnshire Pedigrees_ shows that the mother of Anne
(Metham) Mellish was a Hall of Gretford and her grandmother a Dymoke
of Scrivelsby, thus surely ensuring a number of RDs for the SC
immigrant sisters.
http://books.google.com/books?id=aPcMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA671&dq=%22mar+Reas...

There are indeed many royal descents behind these sisters, with the
most recent monarch in their ancestry appearing to be Edward III.
There are also nearly 300 Plantagenet descents. Perhaps this is a
"stop the presses" item for the "forthcoming" new editions of RPA and
MCA. ;-)

[Nathaniel Taylor]

Post by John
There are indeed many royal descents behind these sisters, with the
most recent monarch in their ancestry appearing to be Edward III.
There are also nearly 300 Plantagenet descents. Perhaps this is a
"stop the presses" item for the "forthcoming" new editions of RPA and
MCA. ;-)

Douglas's compilations cover only 17th-century immigrants, an arbitrary
but useful limitation. It seems that these sisters likely came in the
1710s.

Nat Taylor
a genealogist's sketchbook:
http://www.nltaylor.net/sketchbook/