Elizabeth Cleaver

Events


Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.


Date of Burial: 25 September 1773.

Place of Burial: Hellidon, Northamptonshire.

The burial is recorded in the parish register.


Relationships


Father: uncertain.

He was very likely a son of Thomas Cleaver and Susanna. See the Commentary section.

Mother: uncertain.


Spouse: George Key. Married 26 May 1718 in Hellidon, Northamptonshire.

The marriage is recorded in the parish register. It is written under the year 1717, but from the date and the order of the marriages recorded in the register, it would appear to have taken place in 1718. This is the year the marriage is recorded under in the bishop’s transcripts.


Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)


John Key (baptized 10 April 1721 in Hellidon - buried 29 April 1797 in Hellidon) married Ann.


Elizabeth Key (baptized 3 March 1722/3 in Hellidon - died 24 October 1806, buried in Southam, Warwickshire) married John Arnold 1 January 1744/5 in Napton-on-the-Hill, Warwickshire.


Sarah Key (baptized 4 April 1725 in Hellidon, Northamptonshire) married John Arnold 1 May 1747 in Wormleighton, Warwickshire.


Evidence


Burials (Hellidon):


[1769]

George Key --- March 27


[1773]

Elizabeth Key Widow --- Sept 25


The Will of Elizabeth’s uncle Edward Cleaver:

This is the Last Will and Testament of me Edward Cleaver of Hellidon in the Country of Northampton yeoman made this Twenty ninth day of January in the Third year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord George the Second by the grace of God King of great Brittain &c Annoque Domini One Thousand Seven hundred Twenty and Nine Imprimis I give devise rattify and Confirme unto Hannah my loveing Wife for her life All that my Messuage or Tenement with the Close yard and backside thereunto belonging Scituate and being in Hellidon aforesaid heretofore purchased by my Grandfather Edward Cleaver of and from one William Glover And All that My halfe yard Land of arable meadow and pasture ground with the App[ur]tenances lying and being in the open and com[m]on Fields of Hellidon aforesaid which my Said Grandfather purchased to him and his heires of and from Thomas Hacock And All that my Quartern or Fourth part of One yard Land of arable meadow and pasture ground with the Appurtenances lying and being in the open & Comon feilds of Hellidon aforesaid heretofore purchased by my Father Thomas Cleaver of and from William Glover and the tythes or tenths thereunto belonging or therewith used & Enjoyed (All or the greatest part of Which said Messuage Lands & premisses are already Limitted to my Wife for her life for her Jointure) And Immediately from and after the Decease of My Said Wife I give and devise the Aforesaid Messuage or Tenement Close yard and backside half yard Land Quarter or Fourth part of One yard Land and Tythes with their and every of their Appurtenances unto my Cousin William Cleaver (Son of my late Brother William Cleaver deceased) for the terme of his natural Life Subject to the Rent charged herein after menconed) And after his decease I give and devise the same Messuage Close Lands Tythes & premisses with their Appurtenances unto William Cleaver (Grandson of the said William Cleaver deceased) and the heires of this body Lawfully Issueing And for want of Such Issue To Thomas Cleaver Blacksmith (Son of the Said William Cleaver deceased) and his heires and Assigns for ever, Subject to the rentcharges herein after menconed Item I give and devise unto my Cousin Margaret Makepeace (Wife of Richard Makepeace of Napton in the County of Warwick) for and during her naturall Life One Annuity or rentcharge of Forty Shillings to be paid to her Own Separate use by Two halfe yearly payments with any dimin[u]son or abasement for Taxes (that is to say upon the Feasts of the Annunciason of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Sain Michaell the Archangell by Equal porcons the first payment thereof to begin and to be made at the next of the said Feast days that shall happen next after the decease of my Wife the same to be Issueing and payable out of the Messuage Close Lands Tythes & premisses above menconed And after the decease of the sd Margarett Makepeace I give & devise to the said Richard for the terme of his naturall Life One Annuity or yearly Rentcharge of Forty shillings by halfe yearly payments (without any abatement for Taxes) at the Feast dayes aforesaid (The first payment thereof to begin and to be made at the first of the said Feast dayes that shall next happen after the decease of the said Margarett Makepeace Item I give and devise unto my Cousin Elizabeth Harbert (Wife of William Harbert of Storeton in the County of North’ton aforesd yeom[an] for & dureing her naturall Life one Anuity or yearly rentcharge of Forty shillings to by payd by halfe yearly payments (without any Abatement for Taxes) at the Feast dayes aforesaid The first payment thereof to begin & to be made at the first of the said Feast dayes that shall happen next after the decease of My Wife the Same to be Issueing and payable out of the Messuage Close Lands Tythes and premisses aboved menconed And my Intent is that the said last menconed Annuity or Rentcharge be paid to And for the Seperate use of the said Elizabeth Harbert Item I give and Devise unto my Said Cousin William Cleaver (son of the said late Brother William Cleaver deceased) for the terme of his naturall Life (Subject to the Rentcharge herein aftermenconed) All that my one year Land of arable meadow and pasture ground with the App[ur]tenances lying & being in the open and Common Feillds of Hellidon aforesaid which I purchased of Richard Adams And the Tythes & tenths arising from the same which Tythes I purchased Amongst other Tythes of William Bradgate Gent & also a Rood or part[...] & Two Roods at Rydar the ds feilds of Hellidon which I had of William Waterhouse by way of Exchange And after the Decease of the Said William Cleaver (Son of the Said William Cleaver deceased) I give and devise the Said One yard Land Tythes Land & Rood & Two Roods with the Appurtenances unto William Cleaver (Grandson of the Said William Cleaver decease) And to the heires of his body Lawfully Issueing And for want of Such Issue to the Said Thomas Cleaver and his heires forever Subject to the Rentcharge herein after menconed Item I give and devise unto Susannah Ball (Wife of Benjamin Ball of Offchurch in the said County of Warwick) for the terme of her naturall Life One Annuity or yearly Rentcharge of Three pounds To be paid at Two half yearly payments by Equal portons at the Feast dayes aforesaid The first payment thereof to begin and to be made on the First of the said Feast dayes that shall next happen after my death the same to be Issueing and payable out of the said One yard Land and without any diminucon or abatement for Taxes Item I give and devise unto the Said William Cleaver (Son of My said late Brother William Cleaver deceased) for the terme of this natural Life All that My Quartern of Fourth part of One year Land of arable meadow and pasture ground with with App[ur]tenances lying and being in the open and Common Feilds of Hellidon aforesaid which I purchased to me and my heires of Thomas Cleaver the younger of Hellidon aforesaid And all those my Tythes and Tenths of Corn Graine peas and Hay ariseing growing renewing or increasing or which shall arise grow renew & increase in and upon Three Quarters of One yard Land in the Feilds of Hellindon aforesaid which are the Lands & Inheritance of Thomas Prestidge yeoman And All those my Tythes & Tenths of corne Graine pease & hay Ariseing or that shall arise in & upon A Quartern of One yard Land in the Feilds of Hellidon aforesaid now the Land & Inheritance of Christopher Dailey Gentleman And after the decease of the Said William Cleaver (son of my said late Brother William Cleaver decd) I give and devise my said last menconed Quartern of One yard Land and the said Tythes and Tenths ariseing upon the Lands of the Said Thomas Prestidge & Christopher Dailey With the Appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the Said William Cleaver (Grandson of my sd Brother William Cleaver deceased) and the heires of his body Lawfully Issueing and for want of Such Issue to the said Thomas Cleaver (son of the said William Cleaver deceased) and his heires & Assignes for ever Item I give and devise unto the Said William Cleaver (Son of the said William Cleaver deceased) and to his Exects Adms and Assignes Subject to the charge herein after menconed All that my Messuage or Tenement and Close of pasture thereunto adjoyning and belonging with their Appurtenances Scituate and being in Hellidon aforesaid which I purchased to me my extrs and Admrs of and from William Glover and Edward Aris And All that my Land or Roods in the Feilds of Hellidon aforesaid on a furlong there called long Allltlefeild which I purchased to me And my Extrs Admrs of & from William Hill And All that my Cow Comon or Common of pasture for one Cow to goe and depasture in the Feilds of Hellidon aforesaid which I purchased of George Key. Item I give and bequeath unto my Cousin Mary Gibbs (Wife of Samuel Gibbs of Edgcott in the sd County of North’ton) Forty pounds to be paid by my Executor within Six Moneths after my deat Item I give unto Hannah my Said Wife the Summ of Ten pounds to be payd by my Executor within Six Moneths after my decease And I doe hereby charge the said last mensoned Messuage or Tenement Close & Land or Rood and Cow Comon with the payment of the Said Legacies, Item I give and Bequeath unto my Cousin George Key and Elizabeth his wife for the terme of the Lives & the Life of the Survivor of them All that my Quarter of One year Land of arable meadow and pasture with the App[ur]tenances lying in the said Feilds of Hellidon aforesaid which I bought of William Shakespear And after the decease of the Survivr of them the said George Key and Elizabeth his wife I give and devise the same Quartern of One yard Land with the App[ur]tenances unto John Key (Son the the said George Key) his heires and Assignes for ever, Item I give unto the said Thomas Cleaver the younger of Hellidon aforesd One shilling Item I give and Bequeath unto Hannah my Said Wife One moyety or halfe part of All my household goods & household stuffe of what Sort Soever Except my Silver Tankerd Clock Jack Stand that hold Cheeseboards Mashvatt Barrells and stands in the Cellar & Glass Bottles Item I give & bequeath unto My sd Wife the said Silver Tankerd Clock Jack Stands Barrells and Bottles And the other Moyety of My household Goods & household stuffe to the Intent whe Many have the use & occupacon thereof dureing her life & after her death I give the same to the sd William Cleaver (Son of my sd Brother William Cleaver) Item I give and bequeath unto my said Wife Hannah All my Coales Firetimber and Fuell ITem I give to the said Thomas Cleaver (son of my sd Brother William) Fifty pounds to be pd by my Execr within one eyar after my death All the rest and Residue of My Goods Chattells Creditts and personall Estate whatsoever or wheresoever my debts Legacies and funerall Expences being first payd and discharged I give and bequeath unto the said William Cleaver (Son of the said William Cleaver deceased) Whom I make and Leave full and Sole Executor of this My last Will and Testament And I doe hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me Made In Witness whereof I have Sett my hand and Seale to Each Sheet of paper of this My Will being three in number the day and year first above written /


Edward Cleaver


Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence us who Subscribed Our names in the presence of The Testatr Severall interlinacons being first made and part of severall Lines being first observed to be obliterated & Struck out


Richard Pettifor senr

Hannah Pettifor

Jos: Mountfort


[Proved 21 June 1733]


Commentary


I am assuming that Elizabeth Cleaver is the niece of the Edward Cleaver who mentioned her in his will. In that will, Edward names five people his “cousins”. All of them seem to be nephews, nieces, or their spouses:

  1. “my Cousin William Cleaver (Son of my late Brother William Cleaver deceased)”

  2. “my Cousin Margaret Makepeace (Wife of Richard Makepeace of Napton in the County of Warwick)”. Richard is the son of Edward’s sister Elizabeth. I am not sure why Margaret is specifically called the “cousin” and given the bequest.

  3. “my Cousin Elizabeth Harbert (Wife of William Harbert of Storeton…)”. Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward’s sister Elizabeth.

  4. “my Cousin Mary Gibbs (Wife of Samuel Gibbs of Edgcott…)” I am not sure of the exact relationship here. Mary's maiden name was Cleaver and she and Samuel were married in 1718 in Edgcott.

  5. “my Cousin George Key and Elizabeth his wife”. Elizabeth’s maiden name was Cleaver, and was presumably the daughter of one of Edward’s brothers. In addition to William, Edward had brothers named Thomas, Francis (died as an infant), and Richard (presumably died young).


I am not sure how Susannah and her husband Benjamin Ball related to Edward. They were a generation younger (A son was baptized in Offchurch in 1733).


I am not sure if “Thomas Cleaver the younger” was the son of Edward’s brother Thomas. Edward Cleaver's sister Elizabeth Makepeace, in her 1721 will, calls Thomas Cleaver the younger her "kinsman".


References


Hellidon, Northamptonshire, parish registers. Digital images on Ancestry.com, accessed 17 December 2017.


Will of Edward Cleaver of Hellidon, yeoman. Proved 1733 in the Archdeaconry Court of Northampton. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 13 August 2018.


Will of Elizabeth Makepeace of Napton, Warwickshire. Proved 1721 in the Consistory Court of Lichfield. Digital images on Findmypast.co.uk accessed 14 August 2018.