William Lanyon, yeoman of Bussalowe Veor, died in 1674 and left a will but it wasn’t until I read Raphe Lanyon’s will of 1604 and William Lavelis’s will of 1633 that I worked out where William should be placed on the tree.
William Lanyon’s tree
Raphe’s will mentions his five sons: William, Richard, Thomas, John and Symon. His will mentions that he bequeathes Bussalowe to his son William. William married Mary Lavelis after his father’s death in 1605. William died in 1627. His father-in-law William Lavelis died in 1632 and his will mentions his daughter Mary Lanyon and his Lanyon grand children at Bussalowe.
There is no record of the baptism of William and Mary’s eldest son but as he inherited Bussalowe Veor he must have been the eldest and born after 1605.
We know very little about him but his will fills in some of the gaps.
Will of William Lanyon written 1674
“In the name of God Amen On the 22 Daye of May 1674 William Lanyon of the parish of Maddern in the Countie of Cornwall yeoman Beinge very weake of Body but perfect in minde & memory Did make his Last will & Testament in this forme & maner following First he Bequeath his Soule To Allmightie God that gave it him & his Body to the Christian Buriall Item doe give and Bequeath to Hugh my Sonne the Chattle Lease that is house in Bossolow Veor and all his Goods un bequeath Moveable and unmoveable after Jane my wife is decease if shee doth happen to mary then the said Hugh Lanyon my Son shall have Full power to enter in to all and Singular the Goods and Chattles and to Turne her Away without Nothinge Item I give and bequeath to Thomas my Second Son one little Chattelle that I have in ?.. in Reversion of one life in possession and out of the Said Chattle the Said Thomas my Son is to paye Fortie Shillings and five pounds more I Doe give and Bequeath to William my Third Son to be paid at the End of Six Mounthes after my wife Jane is decease Item I give and Bequeath to Jane my Daughter Ten pounds to be paid att the end of nine mounthes after my wife is decease Item I give and Bequeath to Mary the Daughter of Elcana Lanyon one ewe Item I give and Bequeath to Thomas Lanyon my Son one ewe and the two Sonnes of Thomas Tonkinge Each of them one ewe Item I give and Bequeath to Margarett the wife of Thomas Tonkinge one ewe Item I give and Bequeath to Mary the wife of Edward Plomrose 12s and the residue of my Goods Moveable and unmoveable I give & Bequeath to Jane my wife during her life Time provided that shee doe not Marry whome I doe appoint Ordaine and make my Full & whole Executor, to Fullfill this my Last will and Testament”
His wife is Jane but her maiden name is not recorded. In common with most men at that time William leaves his property to his eldest son Hugh Lanyon and gives his wife lifetime enjoyment so long as she doesn’t remarry. William’s will however seems particularly harsh:
“if shee doth happen to mary (marry) then the said Hugh Lanyon my Son shall have Full power to enter in to all and Singular the Goods and Chattles and to Turne her Away without Nothinge”
William Lanyon will dated 22 May 1674
The will names his children:-
Hugh 1648-1709
Thomas 1652- aft. 1709
William 1653 – aft. 1709
Jane – aft. 1709
He also mentions Mary the daughter of Elcana Lanyon, Margarett the wife of Thomas Tonkinge and Mary the wife of Edward Plomrose.
It’s not clear what the relationship is between William and Elcana, Margarett and Mary but clearly they are related somehow as he remembers them in his will. There is no trace of William’s marriage to Jane but his ‘eldest’ son Hugh is born in 1648 when he was aged about 40. Could Elcana, Margaret and Mary be the children of an earlier unrecorded marriage?
William’s tree showing Elcana, Margaret & Mary. This may not be correct!
See the post ‘Elcana Lanyon’ under ‘Loose Lanyons’ for more on this branch of the family.
Raphe’s tree was the most difficult to draw and it’s fair to say the word ‘hypothetical’ should be liberally sprinkled over most of this post! At best this is my interpretation of the records to hand.
Raphe’s Tree
Raphe was the 6th son of Richard Lanyon and Margaret Treskillard. He was probably born late 1550s or 1560s. On the 7 Nov 1587 he married Margaret Pope at Breage. There is no record of their son William’s baptism. Margaret must have died before 1591, there is no record of her burial but Raphe married for a second time to Jenat at Sancreed in Sep 1591 (name is spelt Lannyne or Lamyne in the parish register). They had three sons all baptised at Madron.
Richard 1594-1661
Thomas 1596-1678
John 1599-
Jenat was buried on 14 Oct 1601 (name spelt Jennett Lavine in Sancreed’s register).
There is no record of a third marriage however Raphe’s will and administration papers mention his widow, Ann, so sometime after 1601 he must have married again.
(There is a marriage between a Raphe Lamin and Ann on 10 May 1606 in Sancreed. This is after Raphe’s death in 1604/5, could this be an undocumented son called Raphe who coincidentally married someone called Ann? Or has the date been mistranscribed as 1606? there is a burial of a Raphe Lanine in Sancreed on 29 Apr 1614, could this be the same Raphe who married Ann in 1606?)
Raphe’s fifth son Symon was baptised in Madron on 24 Jan 1603/4 and buried on 18 Sep 1605.
We have very little information about Raphe Lanyon. In 1598 along with Alexander Penrose he was trustee of Rosecadghill and Nanselverne in Madron for his brother Richard Lanyon’s wife Avice. (Source – MS Rawlinson c.789 (Oxford) Dated 40 Eliz {1598}).
We do have his will and administration papers and whilst difficult to read we learn the following from them.
“I geve and bequeath unto Anne my wife all such lands or monies contained & specified in a paire of Indentures bearinge date the xxij the daye of October in the xxij yeare of the Raigne of or Severeaigne Ladye Elizabeth late Queene of England & made between the said Ralpe Lanyone on the one partye & Walter Lanyon Francis Lanyon & others on the other partye.” So in October 1580 Raphe and his uncle Walter had agreed a pair of Indentures regarding land.
The will goes on to say the “…lands in the said Indenture mencioned shalbe to the benifett of my said Childeren…”
He bequeathes the tenements of Carowe & Bodener to his wife.
“…my said wife shall releive maintaine & finde all my said Childeren sufficient meat drinke & apparell untill they & everye of them doe accomplishe the Age of xxti years unless my said wife can procure them some Arte or science wherin they maye be better able to gett their livinge..”
Raphe bequeathes to William Lanyon “…my eldest sonne whome I geve Bossolowe Vean…” he also makes him his executor.
Raphe Lanyon administration Source- AP/L/28Bond signed by Hannibal Lavelis of Castle Horneck and John Matthews
The inventory is approved by John & William Lanyon junr, John may be Walter’s son and heir and William junior may be Raphe’s son.
Frustratingly Jane Veale Mitchell (early 20th century researcher) notes that Raphe was a ‘family favourite’ and often mentioned in wills but provides no transcriptions or evidence to back this up. She lists his sons: William, Richard, Thomas, John and Symon but says nothing else about them. The following is my attempt to build a tree.
Map showing Great & Little Bosullow and Bodinar – ‘Lanyon Tea Room’ is the location of Walter Lanyon’s home
William Lanyon aft. 1587-1627
On Jan 21 1605/6 William Lanyon, gent, married Mary Lavelis (Levelis) at Madron. Mary was the sister of Hanniball Lavelis (source Vivian’s – The Visitations of Cornwall : comprising the Heralds’ visitations of 1530, 1573, & 1620). Understanding the Lavelis tree helps compile the Lanyon tree.
The Lavelis family tree
William married Mary Lavelis and his brother Thomas married Mary’s niece also called Mary Lavelis!
William and Mary had at least four children:
William – his baptism isn’t recorded but he was living at Bossolowe Vean until his death in 1674.
Jane 1609-aft. 1634 she married Thomas Bond in 1634
Mary
Thomas -aft. 1633 mentioned in grandfather William Levelis’ will of 1633. In 1637 a Thomas Lanyon gent married Mary, possibly his marriage.
William died in 1627 and Mary was still alive in 1633 as she was mentioned in her father William Lavelis’s will. His will also mentions Raphe’s properties of Bossolowe Veor and Bossolowe Vean as Mary’s home. (Bossolowe Veor or Little Bossolowe is the home of Walter Lanyon’s grandson David at the time of his death in 1641.)
William Lavelis bequeathes “…I gyve to my grand daughter Jane Lanyon all my trad stuffe in Bussollowe there now beinge, I gyve to my grand son Thomas Lanyon my saddell and bridell and I gyve my wearing apparel to my grand children in Bossolowe to be divided amongst them…”
He leaves all his oxen to his son Hanniball Lavelis provided that “…Marye Lanyon shall hath them to turne and plough her land until she be married and have an husband…”
We don’t know if Mary remarried but we do know that Jane and Thomas Bond had at least one daughter also called Jane who married Thomas Levelis the son of James Levelis and Joan Archar of Lizard. (Source – 1620 Herald’s Visitation.)
Richard Lanyon 1594-1661
Richard was the first son of Raphe and Jenat. He was baptised at Madron in 1594. he married Elizabeth at Madron in 1617. Sadly most female surnames were not recorded in the Madron register at this time. They had at least three children:
Constance 1623- no further trace
Richard abt. 1625-1666 there is no record of his baptism, he married Margery in 1656 at Madron – at least two daughters: Elizabeth 1656-(daughter of Richard Lanion the youngest) and Anne 1659- (daughter of Richard Junior).
Mary 1628- recorded as Mary daughter of Richard Lamyn, no further trace
The Madron register lists the deaths of three Richard Lanions in the 1660s; 11 Mar 1661/2, 17 Mar 1665/6 and 2 Sep 1666. Which is which? I’ve put the eldest Richard dying first but that may not be correct.
Bodmin probate Registry lists an administration for Richard Lanion of Madron dated 17 Apr 1677 granted to Jane Boddy, wife of John Boddy. Guardian of Mary and Jane , minors, children of the deceased. Did Richard have another two daughters unrecorded in the baptism register after Elizabeth and Anne? Presumably his wife Margery was already deceased or else she would have cared for their daughters. So many questions without answers!
Thomas Lanyon 1596-1678
Thomas was Raphe and Jenat’s second son. He married his sister-in-law’s niece, Mary Lavelis. The Madron register records that Thomas Lanyon, gent, married Mary on 28 Jan 1637. Vivian’s Herald’s Visitation confirms that it was Mary Lavelis.
They had at least five children:
Mary 1637-
Ralph- 1640-1683 married Patience Coade
Thomas 1643- married ? – 4 children – Ursula, Elizabeth, Grace and Hugh, no further trace of them.
Constance 1655- married Henry Trenwith
A Thomas Lanyon signs the 1641/2 Protestation Return but it could be this Thomas or Thomas the son of David Lanyon. Thomas was buried at Madron on 30 Dec 1678.
John Lanyon 1599-
John was baptised at Madron in 1599. There are so many John Lanyons in this area at this time that it is difficult to pin any of them down with any real certainty.
In the early 1600s a John Lanyon gent lived at the Manor of Selena in Buryan, it’s possible that it was John son of Raphe Lanyon.
In Jun 1625 a John Lanyon married a Jane at Madron. This John?
In Jan 1641 a John Lanyon married Ann Thomas at Madron. Could it be this John?
A John Lanyon signed the 1641/2 Protestation Return at Madron.
A John Lanyon was baptised at Madron in Apr 1641/2, could this be a son of John and Ann Thomas?
Ralph Lanyon abt. 1640-aft. 1683
Ralph was the son of Thomas and Mary and the grandson of Raphe and Jenat. We don’t have a date of baptism for him but it must have been about 1640. He married Patience Coade at Madron in May 1674 and the register described him as ‘gent’. In 1676 he was mentioned in Litigation along with Thomas and Mary (his brother and sister?).
Ralph is mentioned in his uncle Thomas Lavelis’ will of 1657. He is left a ‘red copper brewing pan and guilded beer bowl.’ A perfect bequest for a teenage boy!
THOMAS LEVELIS, gent, of Penzance
written: 3 Mar 1656/7
proved: 12 Sep 1657
poor of Madron 10 L
poor of Penzance 10 L
poor who come to my burial 5 L among them
friends: GEORGE VEALE of Gulval, gent and THOMAS GAME of Penzance,
gent 1 meadow called Madderne Meadow in Madron purchased of
WILLIAM MADDERNE of Penzance, merchant & MARTYN MADDERNE his
son of Penzance, merchant. To hold the sd. meadow to the use
of MARY LANYON, d/o THOMAS LANYON, of Madron, gent for her
natural life and then to the heirs of her body. In default of
issue to the use of RALPH LANYON s/o THOMAS LANYON & then to
his issue. In default of issue, to the use of the right heirs
of me, THOMAS LEVELIS forever.
ANNE w/o MARTIN BOSAVERNE of Penzance 10 L
niece: JOANE COWLING of Penzance 5 L
THOMAS COWLING s/o JOHN COWLING of Madron, gent my silver guilter
tankard, best suit & cloak, best hat & hatband
RAPH LANYON (same one named above) red copper brewing pan & guilded
beer bowl
FRANCES w/o sd. JOHN COWLING one gold ring engraved with “your
love my life”
kinsman: DAVID GROSSE my organ & what belongs to it
TOBYAS GROSSE my signet
ELIZABETH w/o RICHARD DUKE my great chest in the chamber over the
kitchen in RICHARD DUKE’s house
MARY w/o THOMAS LANYON 1 gold ring engraved with “of sufferance
comes ease”
TOBYAS COWLING s/o WILLIAM COWLING of Madron, gent my white silver
tankard
“STONE” 10 sh.
sister: MARY LANYON of Madron, widow 5 L
KATHERINE COWLING d/o JOHN COWLING 100 L
MARY LANYON d/o THOMAS LANYON all the rest & executrix
Ralph and Patience had at least five children.
Thomas 1674- married Elizabeth Edmunds – 4 daughters all died in infancy
Mary 1677- no further trace
John 1681- no further trace
Patience -1679 died in infancy
Elizabeth 1683- married Robert Edmunds – 3 sons
There is no trace of a burial for Ralph but his daughter Elizabeth was baptised in Feb 1682/3 so presumably he was still alive around then.
Sadly there are too many people with the same name in this area to determine what actually happened to them. There are other branches of the Lanyon family marrying, baptising children and being buried at Madron at the same time. If only they had been a little more adventurous with christian names rather than naming most of the boys John, Thomas and William and most of the girls Elizabeth, Mary and Jane!
Richard Lanyon and Margaret Treskillard had a large family, eight sons and four daughters who all survived to adulthood. This post is about three of their sons, Richard, Edward and Raphe. (See the post ‘The Two Johns’ for information about their eldest son.)
Richard Lanyonabt. 1550-abt.1598
Richard was the third son of Richard Lanyon Esq and Margaret Treskillard. He was born about 1550 and possibly dead by 1598 but there are no records for either event.
His first wife was Margery and they married at Gwinear on 6 Jun 1581. I was unable to find any children of this marriage however the early 20th century researcher Jane Veale Mitchell found four children: William baptised 1590 at Gwinear (there is a William born in 1590 the son of Edward Lanyon but Jane appears to have found a second William, perhaps mentioned in a will) and John baptised 1591, Agnes and Tiberia. William and John must have died in infancy as the will entails his property on his daughters.
“Richard Lanyon gent of Madron mentions Avice his wife and property Roscadghill and Nanselverne in Madron and trustees Alexander Penrose and Raphe Lanyon gent (bought 20 Eliz {1578} from Henry, late Earl of Rutland?) Richard Lanyon being seized in an estate of fee a tenement called Roscadghill Lanion and one moitie of land called Nanselverne (Maddern) and two daughters and heirs Agnes and Tiberia. Upon his marriage with Avice his late wife did enfeoffe lands to feoffes – to himself – then to Avice for life, then male heirs of Richard and Avice then to right heirs of Richard. Later on marriage of Tiberia (youngest daughter) he wished his property to go to her and so disinherit the elder daughter Agnes. But Avice did not consent and survived both daughters. Richard Lanyon died without heirs male.”
Source: MS Rawlinson C.789 (Oxford) Dated 40 Eliz {1598}. Transcript by Jane Veale Mitchell.
Richard’s second wife was Avice, there is no record of this marriage but it must have happened before 1598. There is no record of burials for Tiberia and Agnes. There is a burial for an Avice Lanyon 24 October 1634 at Morvah and I found a legal dispute between Avice and a James Dingle and his wife.
Source: Chancery Proceedings – Index PRO 1621-1660
It appears that Tiberia married James Dingle of Madron before 1612 as that was the year that James Dingle baptised a daughter called Tiberia. Mother’s name is not listed however Tiberia is such an unusual name I feel she must be the mother. In 1627 James Dingle baptised a son called Thomas.
There is a document in the National Archives which details the property issue between Avice Lanyon and James Dingle. NA C3/408/37
Edward was the fifth son born abt. 1550s-60s and buried 27 Sep 1630 at Gwinear.
He married Margery Chappell and whilst there is no record of their marriage there is a room in the east wing of Lanyon Manor at Gwinear which has initials EL & ML 1624 with two joined hands in between. Margery was buried in 1612.
They had three sons:
Raphe buried in 1584.
William 1590-
Edmund 1592-
Edmund is mentioned in his father’s 1630 will:- “I doo give and b to my son Edmunde Lanyon if he now be living £5 yearly during his life for his better maintenance to be paid qtly by equal portions or within a fortnight after every qtr.”
Edmund was a soldier and on 24 Dec 1621 he obtained a ‘Licence to Pass Beyond the Seas’ and went to Holland, presumably to fight in the Dutch Revolt. We don’t know if he survived.
Register of Licences to Pass Beyond the Seas – Passport!
Edward’s son William married Elizabeth Ley alias Kempthorne. They had six daughters and just one surviving son, Tobias. The Gwinear branch of the Lanyon family is descended from this Tobias.
Lanyon Manor still stands today. Above the door is the coat of arms.
Raphe was the sixth son. He was probably born in the 1550s-60s. He was buried on 13 Jan 1604/5 at Madron.
His first marriage was to Margaret Pope on 7 Nov 1587 at Breage.
They had at least one son:- William who married Mary Lavelis on 21 Feb 1605.
William married Mary Lavelis
Raphe’s second marriage was to Jenat on 26 Sep 1591 at Sancreed. (His surname was spelt Lanyne in the parish register.) They had three sons:-
Richard 1594 baptised at Madron
Thomas 1596 baptised at Madron
John 1599 baptised at Madron
Jenat died on 14 April 1601.
Raphe married a third time after 1601 but I cannot find a trace of this marriage. He left a will which mentions his wife Ann. They had one son:-
Symon 1604-1604 died in infancy
We also know from the will that Raphe lived at Bossolow Vean. His son and grandson, both called William lived at Bossolow Vean.
Jane Veale Mitchell describes Raphe as a ‘family favourite’ often mentioned in wills but those wills are now lost and sadly she didn’t transcribe them.
The Lanyons 