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Facts and Events
Mary Dearman's origins have yet to be confirmed. One possibility is that she was the Mary Dearman baptised on 2nd July 1720 at Weston in Hertfordshire, daughter of Elizabeth Dearman, formerly Underwood, and her husband William Dearman, a yeoman.
Mary's first confirmed sighting is on 1st October 1737, when she was married at Cottered in Hertfordshire to a yeoman farmer called John Males. They went on to have eleven children baptised at Cottered between 1739 and 1757.
Some time between 1757 and 1762 the family appears to have left Cottered, moving about nine miles south-west to Codicote. Several of their children married in the Codicote area from 1762 onwards, and Mary's first known grandchild was baptised at Codicote in 1763.
In 1774, John took a lease of Shaw Green Farm in the parish of Rushden, back near Cottered. He was described at the time of taking the lease as being a yeoman of Codicote. Mary and John moved to Rushden and appear to have lived at Shaw Green Farm for the rest of their lives. Some of their adult children stayed behind in the Codicote area, whilst some came with them to Rushden.
In 1774, shortly after moving to Rushden, Mary's daughter Elizabeth had an illegitimate daughter, also called Mary. Elizabeth died five years later in 1779, aged 23, and it would appear that young Mary was then brought up by her grandparents, Mary and John.
Mary's eldest son, William, died in 1790, aged 50.
Mary's husband John died in 1793, being buried at Rushden on 23rd October 1793. He left a will, describing himself as a farmer of Shaw Green in the parish of Rushden. He left his estate entirely to Mary, but with provision that after her death £100 was to be given to his granddaughter Mary.
Mary survived John by thirteen years. She was buried at Rushden on 8th February 1807. Her age is not specified, but it was nearly seventy years since her marriage, making it likely that she was well into her eighties, if not her nineties. She had at least 66 grandchildren born in her lifetime. She left a will, in which she left her leasehold cottages at Shaw Green to her granddaughter Mary and split the rest of her property equally between her surviving children and her granddaughter Mary.
References
- ↑ Church of England. Rushden Parish Registers, 1607-1975. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
Burials 1807 / Males Mary Widow Feb[ruary] 8th
- Wills (1413-1857), in Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies. Hertfordshire Names Online
93HW77.
This is the last Will and Testament of me Mary Males Widow of John Males late of Shaw Green in the Parish of Rushden in the County of Hertford deceased First I give and bequeath all those my Leasehold Cottages or Tenements with the appurtenances situate and being at Shaw Green aforesaid unto Mary Males natural Daughter of my late Daughter Elizabeth Males deceased her Executors Administrators and Assigns for her own absolute use and benefit and as for and concerning all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my ready money Securities for money Debts to me owing Goods Chattels and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (my just debts and Funeral Expences being thereout first paid and discharged) I give and bequeath the same unto my Sons Joseph Males Underwood Males George Males John Males and Shadrach Males my Daughters Mary the Wife of George Hornet Ann now the Wife of William Hewington Abigail the widow of William Lake and the said Mary Males the natural Daughter of my late Daughter Elizabeth Males equally to be divided between or amongst them share and share alike And I do nominate and appoint the same Mary Males sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and hereby revoking all former and other WIlls by me at any time heretofore made I do declare this to be my last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I the said Mary Males the Testarix have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal this eleventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six
The Mark of Mary X Males [seal]
Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Mary Males the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto}
A. Meetkerke
John Boodle
15th December 1807 Mary Males the sole Executrix above named was duly sworn &c. and that the effects of the deceased are not of the value of One Hundred pounds
Joseph Parsons Surrogate
- Will abstract, in Death Duty Registers (Discovery, The National Archives)
IR 26/370/177.
COURT of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon kept at Hitchin Herts
Date of the Probate and Sum sworn: 15th Dec[embe]r 1807, under £180
Name and Description of Testator or Testatrix: Males Mary of the Parish of Rushden Herts
Name and Place of Abode of Executor or Executrix: Mary Males daughter
Name of Legatees, distinguishing the Residuary Legatee / Degree of Kindred:
Joseph Males / son
Underwood Males / son
George Males / son
John Males / son
Shadrach Males / son
Mary wife of Geo[rge] Hornet / daughter
Ann wife of W[illia]m Hewington / daughter
Abigail Lake / daughter
Mary Males / natural Granddaughter
Amount of Legacy or Annuity: -
Particulars of the several Specific Legacies, Bequests in Trust - and of the Residue: All the residue of her personal Estate whatsoever to be equally divided between them.
- Church of England. Weston Parish Registers, 1539-1932. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
1720 / July the 2d Mary the daughter of Will[ia]m Dearman
This baptism seems reasonably likely to be her, as William Dearman's wife was Elizabeth Underwood, which would explain why Mary later gave that name as a forename to one of her own children. However, neither William nor Elizabeth appear to have left wills, nor have any other documents yet been found to confirm that the Mary who married John Males in Cottered in 1737 was indeed the child baptised at Weston in 1720.
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