FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF ISAIAH WATTS AND
ANNE BOREMAN
Isaiah Watts was christened 22 September 1649 in Cropredy, the son
of Richard Watts and Margaret Moss. Isaiah married Anne Boreman, the
daughter of John and Elizabeth Boreman of Claydon, Oxfordshire.
Creampot Lane in Cropredy
The Watts family lived on Creampot Lane (#34) in Cropredy, and had
lived there at least four generations. They were husbandmen. Their
neighbors were the Truss (#33) family and the Hentlowe (#35)
family
The Watts lived at #34 on the map of Cropredy
Anne died as a widow and was buried 17 September 1718 in Cropredy.
Burial record for Anne Watts in Cropredy: "Anne Watts of Cropredy widdow was buryed on the
seventeenth day of September, 1718"
Anne left a will dated 28 May 1714 and proven in 1719:
In the name of God Amen, the eight & twentieth day of May
according the accomplused in in Great Britaine one thousand seven
hundred & fourteen, I Anne Watts of Cropredy in the
County of Oxon, widow, being at the time of the time of the
publicaton hereof infirme of body but of sound & perfect mind,
memory & understanding (thankes be to God for the same) doe
make & ordaine this my last will & testament in manner
following (that is to say), Imprimis, I commend my soul into the
hands of God that I gave it and my body I commit to the Earth in
hopes of a joyful resurrection to be decently & Christianly
buried at the care & charge of my executors, and as for such
worldly estate as it hath pleased God to blesse my with, I give
& dispose of the same as followeth: Impris, I give &
devise unto my eldest son Isaiah Watts the lease of my
house in Cropedy aforesaid to have & to hold the same to him
& his heires for & during & unto the full end &
expiraton of the said lease, he discharging my funeral expenses
& paying the legacies herin after mentoned. Item, I give unto
my daughter Martha Dingley the sume of twenty shillings of
lawfull money of Great Britaine to be paid her by my executors
herein after named within space of one year next after my decease.
Item I give to my granddaughters Anne Giles & Anne Ward &
to my daughter Mary Watts the sume of twenty shillings a
piece of like lawfull money to be paid my to granddaughters by my
executors herein after named in the space of one year next after
my decease. But if either of them shall departe this life before
their said legacie or legacies shall become due, I give the
legacie or legacies of them or either of them soe dyeing as
aforesaid to the next brother or sister of either of them so
dyeing as aforesaid. Item, I give unto my daughter Mary Watts
the sume of twenty shillings of like money my great chest
& biggest pewter platter the said twenty shillings to be paid
her by my executor herein after named within the space of one year
next after my decease. Item, I give to my son in law Thomas
Tims the sume of thirty shillings of like money to be paid
him by my executors herein after named within the space of one
year next after my decease. Item, I give to my son Richard
Watts tenne shillings of like money to be paid him by my
executors herein after names within the space of one year next
after my decease. Item, I give to my son in law John Parker
one shilling. Item, all the rest of my goods & chattels &
implements of household & wareing apparel not herein before
disposes of I give & bequeath the same to my sons &
daughters Isaiah Watts, Richard Watts, Martha Dingley, Anne
Giles, Margaret Tims, Sarah Ward & Mary Watts to be
equally devided amongst them, share & share alike. Item, my
will is that my son & daughter Richard Watts & Mary
Watts shall dwell & reside in my house in Cropredy
aforesaid soe long as they shall keep themselves unmarried if they
are minded soe to doe. And I doe hereby make & ordaine my
said son Isaiah Watts full & sold executor of this my
last will & testament, hereby revoakeing, disannulling &
making void all former & other wills heretofore by me made.
And doe publish & declare this for & as my last will &
testament. In witnesse whereof I have to this my last will &
testament sett my hand & seale the day & year abovesaid.
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the said testator Anne
Watts as her last will & testament in the psense of us
attested too by us in the psense of the said testator. Hanah Lord Sarah Page, her marke Matth: Page
Anne also left an inventory:
A true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods,
credits and chattels of Anne Watts, late of Cropredy in the County
of Oxon, widow, deceased, taken, valued and apprised by Willliam
Toms and Isayah Watts as followeth:
Impris, her wearing apparel and money in
purse 02-00-00 In the rooms abovesaid two beds and bedding, five coffers and
cupboard 01-00-00 The pewter and linnen 01-00-00 Item in the room belowe stairs: Three chaires and tubs, two barrells 00-06-00 The lumber 00-04-00
04-13-00
Isaiah and Anne had the following children:
1. Martha, christened 21 April 1676 in Cropredy; married Mr.
Dingley; mentioned in mother's will of 1714.
2. Elizabeth, christened 1 July 1677 in Cropredy.
3. Anne, christened 19 April 1679 in Cropredy; married
Edward Giles 1 October 1702; mentioned in mother's will of 1714. A
note is found in the parish register, dated 2 September 1687: "A
certificate granted to Isiah Watts of Cropredy for his daughter
Anne Watts to be touched of the evill." "The royal
touch (also known as the king's touch) was a form of laying on of
hands, whereby English monarchs would touch their subjects,
regardless of social classes, with the intent to cure them of
various diseases and conditions." (Wikipedia) From the
time of Elizabeth I the king's touch was intended to cure a person
of scrofula, and a certificate was required from the vicar. The king
in 1687 was James II. Scrofula is a tuberculosis infection of the
lymph nodes in the neck. (medlineplus.gov)
*4. Margaret, christened 1 April 1681 in Cropredy; married
Thomas Tims in about 1706; mentioned in mother's will of 1714; died 6 May 1716 in Cropredy; buried 6 May 1716 in Cropredy.
Baptism record for Margaret Watts in Cropredy: "Margaret the
daughter of Isaiah Watts and Ann his wife was baptized the first
day of April 1681".
5. Sarah, christened 24 December 1682 in Cropredy; married
Mr. Ward; mentioned in mother's will of 1714.
6. Isaiah, christened 30 January 1687 in Cropredy; mentioned
in mother's will of 1714.
7. Richard, christened 8 June 1689 in Cropredy; mentioned in
mother's will of 1714.
8. Mary, christened 29 March 1691 in Cropredy; buried 23 May
1691 in Cropredy.
9. Mary, christened 13 December 1692 in Cropredy; mentioned
in mother's will of 1714.
SOURCES: Cropredy parish register; will of Anne Watts, 1714 on
www.findmypast.co.uk; will of John Boreman of Claydon, 1679.
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF RICHARD WATTS AND MARGARET MOSS
Richard Watts was christened 9 March 1623 in Cropredy, the son of
Arthur Watts and Anne Warner. Richard's father died when Richard was
only one year old. In a tax assessment for Cropredy in 1641 Richard
was listed as the taxpayer although only 18 years old. Thomas Watts
was the only other Watts listed in Cropredy. Richard married
Margaret Moss 27 May 1647 in Cropredy.
Marriage record for Richard Watts and Margaret Moss in
Cropredy: "Richard Watts and Margarit Mos weare maried the xxvii day
of May"
Richard's occupation was husbandman. Margaret was christened 26
December 1624 in the neighboring parish of Wardington, Oxfordshire,
the daughter of Isaiah Mosse and Elizabeth Hill.
Richard was taxed on one hearth in the 1663 Hearth Tax, and on 2 1/2
yardlands in the 1669 Tithe tax. He signed, using his mark, on the
will of his father-in-law Isaiah Mosse in 1668, and was appointed
one of the executors for the will.
Richard died and was buried 25 June 1676 in Cropredy. The index for
Cropredy wills lists the will of Richard Watts of Cropredy,
husbandman, in 1677.
Burial record for Richard Watts in Cropedy: "Richard Watts was
buried the 25th day of June 1676"
Richard and Margaret had the following children:
1. Richard, christened 5 March 1648 in Cropredy.
*2. Isaiah, christened 22 September 1649 in Cropredy;
married Anne.
Christening record for Isaiah Watts in Cropredy: "Isaiah
Watts the sonne of Richard Wats and Margaret his wife was baptized the xxii day of September"
3. Elizabeth, christened 7 August 1651 in Cropredy.
4. Ann, christened 18 March 1653 in Cropredy.
5. Arthur, christened 21 September 1655 in Cropredy.
6. Job, born 12 October 1657 in Cropredy; christened 18
October 1657 in Cropredy; married Sarah Gardner 5 February 1686;
buried 16 February 1716 in Cropredy.
7. John, christened 2 September 1660 in Cropredy.
SOURCES: Cropredy parish register.
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF ARTHUR WATTS AND ANNE WARREN
Arthur Watts was christened 8 September 1588 in Cropredy, the son of
Rychard and Anne Watts. He appeared on a list of scholars at the
Williamscot school in 1598, along with his brothers Richard and
William.
Arthur married Anne Warren in 19 November 1616 in Cropredy.
Marriage record for Arthur Watts and Anne Warren in Cropredy: "Arthur Wattes & Anne Warren weare married the xixth
daye of November, 1616"
Arthur's occupation was husbandman. The family is mentioned in The
Town of Cropredy: "The Watts house down Creampot Lane had a
constant supply of adult sons and daughters taking turns to help
their widowed mother, eldest brother Arthur and Richard Hall to
run the farm. Then came the dreadful winter of 1623/4 when all
those siblings taking their turn at home died. By 1624 the reduced
household had only Richard Hall, the young widow Ann Watts (Arther's
wife) and George Watts surviving and they took on John Clifford
and Alice Page as staff." In four months, from October 1623 to
January 1623/4, five members of the family died, and their burials
are listed in the Cropredy parish register - in October William
Watts died, in November Anne Watts died, in December Joanne Watts
died, and in January both Anne Watts and Arthur Watts died. Arthur's
mother Anne died January 16, and Arthur died six days later, and was
buried 22 January 1624 in Cropredy.
Burial record for Arthur Watts in Cropredy: "Arthur Watts was
buried the xxijth daye of January"
Arthur left an inventory dated 5 April 1624.
A true and pfect inventorye of all the goodes, cattles and
chattles that Arthur Watts late of Cropredy in the Countie of
Oxon, husbandman died possessed of, taken and praised the fifth
daie of Aprill 1624 by John Hunt, William Battle and John Trusse
as ffolloweth: Imprimus, all his weareinge apparrell 2-0-0 Item, in the hall seaven piece of pewter 0-6-8 Item, two brasse potts, two kettles and a posnet 0-16-0 Item, in the lower chamber a oulde cubborde, one little table
and a frame 0-5-0 Item, woole two tods and a half 2-0-0 Item, in the upper chamber one shaudinge bed with furniture
belonging to it 1-0-0 Item, one coffer, nyne paire of sheets, six napkins, two
tables with other small lynnenns 2-6-8 Item, one cradle, two other coffers, two boulsters, one
hillinge with other small implements in the same roome 1-3-4 Item certayne wollen yarne 0-1-0 Item, one cowe and eighteen sheepe 6-3-4 Some total 16-11-0
Anne was left a young widow, with a six year-old daughter, four
year-old daughter and not quite one year old baby boy. Two years
later she married Richard Hall, yeoman farmer, 20 September 1626 in
Cropredy. Richard was Anne's daughter Hanna's godfather.
Marriage record for Anne Watts and Richard Hall in Cropredy: "Richard Hall & Anne Watts weare married the xx daye of
September: 1626"
Richard and Anne are mentioned in The Town of Cropredy: "As a
widow played no part in parish affairs, Arthur's widow Ann Watts
(who still had Richard Hall farming the land as her late husband
and mother-in-law had done) could not help with the manor court,
the church or parish work. Richard Hall as a bachelor was also
prevented from doing so until he finally marries the young widow
Ann. From that time onward he is in charge as head of the
household and would be called upon to help with town business. He
dies a yeoman, whereupon the young Richard Watts takes up his
rightful place with his mother farming the Watt's land."
Richard and Anne did not have any children, and Richard died and was
buried 8 January 1633 in Cropredy. He left a will, written 14
February 1627 and proven 9 April 1634:
Richard's will mentions:
"My sister Elizabeth Ffrench"
“Item I give and bequeath to my god daughter Hanna Watts the
daughter of Arthur Watts eleven pounds”
"Dorothy Hall the daughter of John Hall twenty shillings"
"To all the rest of my godchildren twelve pence apeece"
“Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Watts daughter of the said
Arthur Watts tenn pounds”
“Item I give to the said Elizabeth Watts and Richard Watts her
brother too ewe sheepe apiece. “
"Item I give and bequeath to my kinsman George Watts ten pounds.”
"Item I give and bequeath unto Anne my nowe wife
my house and land in Banburye which is nowe in the occupation of
John Hoole and Thomas Baker dureinge the minoritye of Richard
Watts her sonne halfe the rent and benefit of the said house and
land from such tyme as he shall accomplish the age of one and
twentye years, until Anne my now wife dye or marry. Item the other
halfe of the rent and benefit of the said house and land I give to
Anne my said wife dureinge her naturall life, if she continue soe
longe a widdowe. Item after the death or marriage of my said wife
I give and bequeath the said house and land unto the said Richard
Watts and to his heires and assignes for ever. Item all the rest
of my goods, cattles and chattles unbequeathed, my debts and
legacyes beinge paid and funeral expenses discharged I give and
bequeath unto Anne my said wife whom I make sole executor of this
my last will and testament houly and honestly to pforme it
according to my true meaneinge herein sett downe and declared. And
for the better pformance hereof I will and desire my welbeloved
brother John Hall and my loveinge neighbor Ambrose Holbech to be
the overseers of this my said last will and testament”
A note is added to the bottom of the will in 1633 and witnessed: "Anno
Dom 1633 the first daye of Jannuarie: My will is I give George
Watts ten pounds."
Arthur and Anne had the following children:
1. Hanna, christened 14 September 1617 in Cropredy.
2. Elizabeth, christened 29 June 1619 in Cropredy.
3. John, christened 7 July 1621 in Cropredy; may have died
young.
*4. Richard, christened 9 March 1623 in Cropredy; married
Margaret Moss in Cropredy; buried 25 June 1676 in Cropredy.
Baptism record for Richard Watts in Cropredy: "Richard Watts the
sonne of Arthur Watts and Anne his wife was baptized the ixth daye of March 1622"
SOURCE: Cropredy parish register; The History of Cropredy, Pamela
Keegan.
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF RYCHARD AND ANNE WATTS
Rychard Watts was born in about 1560 of Cropredy. He married Anne.
Richard was a husbandman. "At the bottom of Creampot Lane the
Watts had taken over the Hanwell's farm. Hanwells had suffered
through various
epidemics and it is possible that Richard Watts took on the farm
with the understanding Richard Hanwell remained the chief tenant.
Richard Watts and Ann were married in about 1587/8 and if any
rebuilding was done on this narrow site it would surely have been
done before their marriage. The building faced east/west and the
type of stone used was mentioned over three hundred years later
when the College, which by then owned the property, recycled the
"ashlar stone" for two tied cottages built between the barn next
to the road and the old house which had long fallen into
disrepair." "At no time following grandfather Richard Watts'
death in 1602 could the family have rebuilt. It had to have been
done while Hanwell was alive. After that they had lived in a good
stone and thatched building which was not the cause of their early
deaths...These two men believed in education and lived in a Lane
where many households possessed bibles and encouraged at least one
son to go to school. Anne Watts may also have taught her daughters
to read." (The History of Cropredy)
Rychard died and was buried 25 June 1602 in Cropredy.
Burial record for Richard Watts in Cropredy: "Richard Wats was
buried the xxvth day of June"
Richard left a will:
In the name of God Amen, the foure and
twentith day of June in the yeare of our Lord 1602, and in the
three and fortieth yeare of the rayne of our Soveraigne Ladie
Elizabeth Queene, I Richard Watts of Cropredie in the countie
of Oxon, husbandman, sicke in bodie but pfect in memory,
thanks be to God doe ordeyne and make this my last will and
testament in manner and forme followinge: ffirst bequethinge
my soule to almightie God hopinge to have full remission and
pardon of all my sinnes by the death and passion of Jesus
Christ and I will my bodie to be buried in the churchyard of
Cropredie. My goods I doe give as followeth to every of my
children I give three poundes six shillings & eight pence
apiece of lawfull English money desiring my wife to take the
care and education of my said children at her charges until
they may be otherwise honestly pvided for. The rest of all my
goods, chatels and cattles I give wholy unto Anne Wats my
wife whom I make and ordeyne executor of this my will
and testament, shee paying my debts and be all the decent
charges of my buryall.
Rychard also left an inventory:
A true inventory of all the goods chattels and cattles of
Richard Watts, late of Cropredy in the countie of Oxon,
husbandman, deceased taken the fourth day of August in the xviijth
yeare of the raingne of our soverainge Ladie Queen Elizabeth,
prised by Willm Lillie, Edmund Timms and Willm Watts as followeth: Imprimus, all his apparel xls Item, eight beasts, iij calves xis Item, iiij horses and mares vl vis xiijd Item, ij carte, one plow, ij harrowes, plow tymber & dung
cart with the drafte xiiijd Item, xxi sheepe and ij lambs iijl Item, the hay viijl Item, the crop of corne in the ffeild xxl Item, the wood about ye ground xls Item, the horse geares, a cart & a syth xiijs viijd Item, the horse cart, leases, bease standerd & seven
borde viijs Item, a string vatt a henpen gachepresse viijs Item, an hayne and a winnow sheet viijs Item, the tules and a little wood lying about them xijs Item, iij ladders & the pultrie xijs Item, all the brasse xs Item, the pewter xijs Item, the lead & ye malt mill xxs Item, the bulting whitch & the dough trough xs Item, the dishes, boles cheesevatte spoones and
trenchers iijs Item, the cowpery ware xs Item, ye spitte cubbarde & pott hangers ijs vid Item, a black bitt forkes, hatchetes & ye old iron
vijs Item, iiij barrels vs Item, the tables, frames, benches, stoles and
chayres xijs Item, the cubbard and a little safe vis Item, certain coffers vis viijd Item, a garner & old chest vis viijd Item, iij wheales Item, an iron bar and ye grate vs Item, certain bed timber vs Item, certain bedsteds and a cradle xijd Item, the sackes bottles, and a little
yeason vjs Item, the presse, hosecart & certain bords vs Item, ye wooll cardes [torn] vs Item, the wooll xvis Item, the bedding iijl viijs Item the flaskett & baskett xijd Item, the napine ware vijl
Item certaine quisheons xijd Item, a painted cloath ijs Item, the frying pan, gridiron & a lantern ijs
Item the henese xijd
Item the fadstone & old waightes xviijd
In 1618 the Watts appeared in a list of Easter oblations:
Richard hall Wyddow watts arthur watts...ux wam somerfield,,,,,,ijd wam watts...............ijd joane watts .............ijd ane watts ................ijd
The family is mentioned in The Town of Cropredy: "The
Watts house down Creampot Lane had a constant supply of adult sons
and daughters taking turns to help their widowed mother, eldest
brother Arthur and Richard Hall to run the farm. Then came the
dreadful winter of 1623/4 when all those siblings taking their
turn at home died. By 1624 the reduced household had only Richard
Hall, the young widow Ann Watts (Arther's wife) and George
Watts surviving and they took on John Clifford and Alice Page as
staff." In four months, from October 1623 to January 1623/4,
five members of the family died, and their burials are listed in the
Cropredy parish register - in October William Watts died, in
November Anne Watts died, in December Joanne Watts died, and in
January both Anne Watts and Arthur Watts died. "Going on
down Creampot Lane to just one more farm we find the Watts
household headed by Richard Hall and not widow Watts or her eldest
son Arthur. Richard, we have to presume, had entered the lease on
their farm when the widow was still young, enabling the family to
carry on until the eldest son could take over at the start of the
next lease. Arthur never did, for although he had already married
and had three children he died during an epidemic, and never
entered upon the lease. The same fever took the lives of his young
adult siblings who came back possibly to nurse the sick and
tragically endangered their own lives. The lists show that before
that dreadful year the siblings took turns to be home acting as
servants."(The Town of Cropredy)
Anne Watts, the mother and older widow died 16 January 1623/4.
Burial record for Anne Watts in Cropredy: "Anne Watts was
buried the xvith daye of January 1623"
The burial record for her son Arthur is the next entry in the
parish register.
Anne left a nuncupative (verbal) will:
I Anne Watts of Cropredy in the Countie of Oxon, widdowe,
doe give all my goods whatsoever unto George Watts my sonne
and Elizabeth Wattes my daughter. This she published as
her will nuncupative the daie above said in the presents of us. Richard Read Anne Watts and others
An inventory was also created for Anne:
A true and pfect inventory of all the goods, cattles and chattles
that Anne Watts, late of Cropredy in the Countie of Oxon, widdowe,
dyed possessed of, taken and praised the sixth daie of Aprill 1624
by John Hunt, William Cattell and John Crusse as ffolloweth: Imprimus, all for weareinge apparel 1-10-0 Item, nyne peice of pewter and six peices of brasse
0-13-4 Item, fower paire of sheets, two tables, clothes and three
napkins 0-13-4 Item, one bed furnished 0-16-6 Item, two hillinges 0-8-0 Item, one little box with small lynnens and other small
implemenets 0-1-6 Item, certayne woolen yarne 0-2-6 Some total this inventorie 4-5-2
Anne's inventory is discussed in The Town of Cropredy: "In
the more frugal household down Creampot Lane the fact that widow
Watts had 33% of her belongings in clothes was not proof that Anne
had a large and magnificent press and coffer full of the latest
gowns. On the contrary, this lady having been a widow for twenty
years and brought up a large family who went to school, had
relinquished the farm years ago to Richard Hall, and now she and
half her family were ill and dying. She has just an ordinary
amount of clothes, nine pieces of pewter and six of brass, her
bedstead, some sheets, two hillings, a little box and 2s-6d worth
of woollen yarn, and the whole lot came to no more than £4-5s-2d.
The reason now becomes clear why she appeared so well off for
clothes. It has to be stated that she lived in her house with the
family, and whatever calamity had befallen them, it happened while
they still lived in a two and a half storey house with a chimney
in the hall. It was not because she lived in a hovel. Her son
Arthur also had two chambers and the hall was his, being presumed
the head of the household, but he left only £16-11s when he died a
week after his mother, at thirty-five. Of the stock on the
homestall shared with Richard Hall he had one cow and eighteen
sheep, with no corn at all."
Rychard and Anne had the following children:
*1. Arthur, christened 8 September 1588 in Cropredy; married
Anne Warner 19 November 1616 in Cropredy; buried 22 January 1624 in
Cropredy.
Baptism record for Arthur Watts in Cropredy: "Arthur Watts
the sonne of Rychard Watts and Anne his wyfe was christened the
eight of September
2. Richard, christened 7 December 1589 in Cropredy.
3. William, christened 20 Aug 1591 in Cropredy; buried 12
October 1623.
4. George, christened 8 December 1592 in Cropredy.
5. Elizabeth, christened 1 January 1594 in Cropredy.
6. Joanne, christened 8 November 1595 in Cropredy; buried 1
December 1623 in Cropredy.
7. Annes, christened 14 January 1599 in Cropredy.
SOURCES: Cropredy parish register; will of Rychard Watts, 1602;
will of Anne Watts, 1623, www.findmypast.co.uk; The History of
Cropredy, Pamela Keegan
