James Family Archives

 

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Excerpts From:  R/D/GNX The Deeds From the Practice of
Messrs. Green and Nixson of Presteigne and Knighton
 From the Powys Archives Collection

      Below are excerpts from the land records and deeds previously held by the law practice of Messieurs Green and Nixson, solicitors and lawyers from the parishes of Presteigne and Knighton in Radnorshire, Wales during the 17th and 18th Centuries and now part of the Powys County Archives Collection in Wales.  Theses seventeen records chronicle the holdings of the James family in Glascwm between 1606 and 1680 and serve to identify the relationship between three separate generations of James family members living in the vicinity of Glascwm as late as 1713.  Within these records we find the progenitor of the James family, “James ap David” or “James David” occurring between 1606 and 1637 along with his sons David James occurring between 1621 and 1680 and Thomas James occurring between 1637 and 1662.  Also identified within these records are the grandsons of James ap David including Evan James occurring in 1671, John James occurring between 1679 and 1713 and David James occurring in 1662, the later being the member of the James family who fled Wales in 1682 and arrived in Philadelphia on October 28 of that year with William Penn.
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No. 1 - R/D/GNX/123-143

 Deeds relating to the Box and Cwm-mawr Farms, 1662-1827 including Melin-y-Busnant, Ty A Thir Griffith Thomas yn y Box, Ty a Thir Glan-Edw, Tir Evan Lewis ar Gefn-yr-esgym, and Great and Little Cwm-mawr, p. Glascwm.
No. 2 -  R/D/GNX/163-211

 Deeds relating to property in p. Glascwm 1578-1788; Cwm-mawr 1616-1788, Llwyn-tudur 1592, Ty-newydd 1622-25, Tir Thomas david Philip yn Nghefn-yr-esgyrn 1648-81 and Melin Busnant 1616-1683 and other property.
No. 3 - R/D/GNX/168 (August 28, 1606)

1. Evan (Jevanus) Price of Glascombe, co. Radnour; Sibile (Sibilla), his wife.
2. George Prichard Cradock of Llangome [Llangwm], co. Mon.; Dauid ap Hughe of Rulen, co. Radnour, gents.

 Marriage Settlement
 After marriage of Walter George Harries of Glascombe, gent., with Katherine (Katerinam), a dter. Of 1. and an Agreement, 20 November 1605.
 Conveying uses of ms., houses etc. commonly called Tire Howell Dauid Cadogan and Tire Jevani ap llewelin vongam (late tmts. Etc. of Rhys (Ricei) ap Jeuane Heere, father of Jeuan Price, party, formerly of Rhys Personne), p. Gloscombe, co. Radnour, between the highway leading from the church of Glascombe towards the church of Crigenea, the river called Come maure, waste or mountain called mynith y vron velen and the way called Hewl y Bynon which leads from bisnant towards the said waste or mountain, on all sides; also parcel called gworlod Eva and Coed Dyrys (12a.), p. Glascombe, between said highway, the land of James ap Dauid and the mill bridge (Pont molend’) belonging to the mill of Gruffudd (Griffini) Lloid.
 To uses: 1 moiety to use of George Haries and wife Katherine for lives, thento legitimate heirs; other moiety to use of 1 for lives, then to marriage partners etc.
No. 4 - R/D/GNX/170 (October 4, 1616)

1. David Thomas ap John of p. Glascome, co. Radnor; Gwenllian vz Gllm’, widow of Thomas ap John of same; David Gllm’ Powell of same p., gent.; David John ap Howell of p. Aberedow, gent.
2. Walter Harrie of p. Llangom, co. Mon., gent.

 Bond in £80 of quiet enjoyment of property in Grant in Fee Simple, even date, 1. David Thomas; Gwenllian vz. Gllm’ 2. Walter Harrie.  Of parcels etc. Tyr Thomas ap lln’ ar war y Coed dirris, lline pen y rew ycha, Gwrloth Eva and y Coed dirris (26 1/2a.) (late of Jeuan Thomas ap Lln’; conveyed by latter to Matthew Lloyd dec’d; conveyed by latter to Thomas ap Johne dec’d, father of David Thomas, party, late husband of Gwenllian etc.) and parcels called lline pen y rew issa, y kever llidan and y kever day y binfold (fa.) part of tmt. and lands of David Thomas and Gwenllian vz. Gllm’ called Tyr a Come Mawr (where they inhabit), all p. Glascome, stretching in length from the ‘watter’ called busnant on S. to mountain or commons called y menith bach on N., in breadth between lands of James David and of Watkin ap Rosser on E., and of said Wlater Harries and of Watkin ap Rosser on W. etc.
No. 5 - R/D/GNX171 (January 25, 1621/22)

1. Walter George Harryes of Llansoye, co. Monmouth, gent.; Katerina, his wife; sible vz Hughe of Llansoie, widow.
2. James David and David James of Glascombe, co. Radnour, gents.

 Bargain and Sale of m. and tmt Tee and tire Jeuan ap Rees ap Jeuan Heare in y Busnant (sometime lands and tenements of Howell ap Dauid Cadogan Eyre, Jeuan lln’ Vaughan and Llewellyn Parsvn) and cottage called tee neweth dan y bynfold yn pen llanerche later ‘builded’ by said Walter George Harries etc., which Harries bought of Dauid Thomas, Katherina, his wife, and Gwenllian vz gllm, widow (sometime lands of Thomas ap John and Thomas ap Llewellyne), p. Glascombe, co. Radnor, in a place called y busnant and pen llanerche.  Consideration:  £235 to 1. from James David.
No. 6 - R/D/GNX/174-175 (November, 18 1637)

1. James David of Glascombe, co. Radnour; David James of same p., his son, gents.
2. Katherine verch Rees of same p., widow of Thomas David Prees, dec’d; Rees Thomas of the same p., gent., son and heir of T.D. Prees.
3. Rees Johnes of Llanvareth; Lewis ap David of Llanbadarn y garret, gents.

 Marriage Settlement (and counterpart)
 Before marriage of David James with Elizabeth verch Thomas, a dter. Of said Katherine verch Rees, and before marriage of Thomas James, a son of James David, with Mary verch Thomas, a dter of Katherine verch Rees.  Conveying to 3. m. or tmt. Tire y Combe Maure, p. Glascombe, co. Radnour, as fully as 1. purchased of Walter Harries and Katherine, his wife.  To uses (declared) of David and Elizabeth.
 Conveying to 3. Ms. Or tmts. Tir Jevan dd’ Bedo and Tir David goch llello Berson and water grist mill in p. Glascombe called Melin y Busnant ycha (heretofore of Thomas Dd’ Prees or in tenure of Griffith Lloyd).  To uses (declared) of Thomas and Mary.
 Dorse:  misdated.
No. 6 - R/D/GNX/178 (April 10, 1661)

1. James Dauid; Dauid James, 2nd son and now heir; Thomas James, 3rd son – all of p. Glascombe, gents.
2. John Prosser of Llanvihangell Nantmelan; Dauid Lewis of Llanbadarne y garreg, gents.

 Deed to Lead to Uses of a Fine By way of marriage settlement after marriage of “Dauid James with Katherin; £100 portion from Prosser.  Conveying uses of property in Articles of Agreement; ms. Etc. Combe mawre and Tyre yn y gellynnen (Dauid James), Bussnant and water corn grist mill mellin y Bussnant (Thomas James) m. etc. Combe Cunon (James Dauid), p. Glascombe.  Declaration of uses.
No. 7 - R/D/GNX/179 (October 28, 1661)

1. Thomas James of Glascombe, gent.
2. John Lewes of Llanelweth, co. Radnor, gent.

 Bond in £40 to observe covenants in Lease, even date.
No. 8 - R/D/GNX/124 (October 20, 1662)

 1.  John Lewes
 2.  Dauid James
Assignment of lease of water corn grist mill Mellin y Busnant, ‘kill’ and ‘kill-howse’, little house and cottage, garden, lands, p. Glascombe, specified in lease, 28 October 1661, for £20 from Thomas James of Glascombe, gent., to John Lewis, for life of James. To hold for lives of Thomas James and 2.  Covenant by 1. to secure title within 7 years.
 Badly torn.
No. 9 - R/D/GNX/183 (November 23, 1671)

1. Nathan Davies, gent., and Mauld Davies, widow, both of p. Glascomb’
2. Thomas Jones of Llanthewy Vagh, gent.

 Mortgage For securing £50 and interest on m. and tmt. y comb Mawr (Where 1. dwell)
No. 10 - R/D/GNX/184 (November 23, 1671)

1. Nathan Davies; Mauld Davies (above); Dauid James; Evan James of same p., gents.
2. Thomas Jones (as above in R/D/GNX/183).

 Bond in £100 to observe covenants.
No. 11 - R/D/GNX/186-187 (October 31 – November 1, 1679)

1. David James of p. Glascombe, co. Radnor, gent; Katherine, his wife; John James, their son and heir apparent.
2. Samuell Smyth of Kington, co. Hereford, clerk.

 Lease and Release Of m. or tmt. y Combe Mawre, p. Glascombe; water corn grist mill Bussnant Mill near said m., with the kilnhouse, cottage garden and parcel of arable (1/2a.), and 12 yards breadth of and through a meadow Gwyrllodd Vcha belonging to m. or tmt. of David James called Tyr yn y Gellynnen adjoining to the mill stream or watercourse, with liberty of ingress etc. and to repair, scour etc., p. Glascome.  Consideration:  £180.
No. 12 - R/D/GNX/188 (November 1, 1679)

 Bond of David James and John James to Smyth in £360 to observe covenants.
No. 13 - R/D/GNX/189 (February 2, 1679/80)

1. Samuel Smyth of town of Kington, clerk
2. Hugh Prosser of p. Glascombe, co. Radnor

 Lease for 21 years Of cap. M., tmt. or dwelling house Combe Mawre and tmt. or dwelling house Gwar y kae with water grist mill and ‘killin’ called Mellin y Busnant, p. Glascomb, which 1. purchased of David James.  Rent:  £14
 Covenant by 1. to repair buildings, hedges and fences and to make a new trench or watercourse into said lands ‘for the better improvement thereof’ before 1 August 1680.  Other terms.  Dorse:  ‘Wrightings to the Commaur’
No. 14 - R/D/GNX/190 (July 10, 1680)

1. David James of Glascombe; John James of same p., gents.
2. Thomas Phillipps of Aberedow, co. Radnor, clerk.

 Bond in £200 to observe covenants etc. in Feoffment, even date, between 1. David James; Katherine, his wife; John James and 2. Thomas Phillipps.
No. 15 - R/D/GNX/192 (April 1683)

 Will of Samuel Smith of Kington, co. Hereford
 To son Samuell Smith all his ‘studye’ of books except one great English Bible to dter. Elizabeth and other English books of her choice.  Also to Samuell the best featherbed with furniture, 2 pair of best sheets and 2 ‘Pillowbeeres’
 To son Benjamin (if he returns to England £50 by executrix etc. To dter. Elizabeth lease and farm at Hengoye [Hengoed], p. Michael Church, co. Radnor (of John Colddricke) for remainder of term; also m. or tmt. Combe Mawre, p. Glascombe, co. Radnor; water corn mill in same p. called Busnant Mill near to Combe Mawre with the kiln, cottage, garden and lands (1/2a.) and 12 yards breadth through the meadow Gwyrllod Vcha belonging to m. called Tyryny Gellynnon above and adjoining to millstream etc. with right of ingress to repair, scour etc. the water course, for life; then to heirs; reversion of Combe Mawre an the mill and cottage with water-course to son Samuell Smith and heirs.  Also £40 to Samuell in lieu of lands which t. sold etc.
 Also to Elizabeth 2 ½ acres of meadow called Llugg Meadow near city of Hereford – 1 (James Mills) near Llugg Mill and 1 (late of John Howell) in Shelwicks Acres, ‘as the same shall yearely fall out by Lott’, to sell and to pay said £20 to t.’s loving kinsman Rowland Smith etc. 20s. each to cousins Catherine Smaley and Anne Alder, widow.  Rest of goods etc. to Elizabeth (sole executrix).
No. 16 - R/D/GNX/307 (July 31, 1712)

1. John Phillips of lwer Woodhouse, p. Knightonm co. Radnor, gent.
2. Evan Davies of Coxall, co. Hereford, gent.

 Release of Mortgage (attested copy) to uses.
 Consideration:  £20 and 6 months interest to David Bowen, £10 and 6 months interest to John James, £10 to a person appointed by 1 and £20 to 1.
 Recital of Mortgage (Lease and Release), 8-9 January  1710/11 1. John Phillips 2. Nicholas Taylor of the Heath, p. Presteigne, esq. for securing £50 on m., tmt. (Frances Pugh, widow) with garden; ‘Pyle of Building’ called the Malthouse adjoining; ‘Pyle of Building’ with stable adjoining house where John Law lives called the old Barne and garden; close etc. Martins Close; kneeling in the church where Thomas Price’s family used to sit – all in the town and borough of Knighton.  John Phillips and brother Richard Phillips are bound in £40 to repay £20 and interest to David Bowen, and John Phillips and his father are bound in £20 to repay £10 and interest to John James of Knighton.
No. 17 - R/D/GNX/200-201 (August 3-4, 1713)

1. Samuel Smith of Windsor, co. Berks., gent.
2. Thomas Lewis of p. Glascomb, co. Radnor, gent.

 Lease and Release Of m. or tmt. y Comb Mawre, p. Glascwm (James Price, tenant) formerly purchased of David James, etc. to hold against 1., and against the heirs of Samuel Smith of Kington, dec’d, father of 1., and against the heirs of Samuel Smith the father.