Roger VIVIAN

   Research Notes:

The Will of Roger Vivian dated 12th March 1777. Proved 23 October 1777

In the name of God Amen I Roger Vivian of the parish of Camborne in the County of Cornwall being at this time weak in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding ( praised be Almighty God ) Do make and publish this my last will and testamen t in name and form following. First and principally I commend my Soul to Almighty God hoping this the merits and mediations of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to receive perfect remission and forgiveness of all my Sins and to be made p artake of everlasting life. My body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executrix herein after named and as to such worldly Estate and Effects wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me I give and dispos e thereof in manner and form following.

I give and bequeath unto my son Roger Vivian the sum of Sixty three pounds to be paid him by my Executrix herein after named at and immediately after the expiration of Six months after my decease.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Vivian the sum of Sixty three pounds to be paid by my Executrix herein after named at and immediately after the expiration of Six months after my decease.

I give and bequeath unto my son Charles Vivian the sum of Sixty three pounds to be paid him by my Executrix herein after named when he shall attain the age of Twenty one years.

I give and bequeath unto my son John Vivian All that my Messuage or Tenement with appurtenances situate lying and being in one part and parcel of the Tenement commonly called and known by the name of Camborne Veor within the aforesaid parish o f Camborne consisting of the dwelling house wherein I now live and Barn, Stable, Mowhay garden and the fields or closes of land which I hold by virtue of and under a lease from Francis Basset Esq. deceased. And also all that my Tenement with th e appurtenances situate and being in and part and parcel of a Tenement commonly called and known by the name of Killovose within the said parish of Camborne consisting of three fields and Closes of land which I hold by virtue of and under a leas e from John Stackhouse Esq. and all my Estate Right Tithe Interest Term and Terms of years of and in the same premises respectively To have and to hold the said respective Messuages Tenements and premises with this and each of these appurtenance s Subject and changeable with the annuity of Six pounds per annum and the providing and keeping of a milk cow and herein after mentioned and also subject to the occupation of part of the said House and garden as herein after also mentioned unt o my said son John Vivian his Executors, Administrators and assigns to and for his their cause and benefit. I give and bequeath unto my son John Vivian all my Horses, Bullocks and other cattle and also all my Husbandry and implements and likewise all the hay, straw, dung and manure which I shalt owe possessed or entered unto. I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife and her assigners for and during the term of her natural life one annuity of Sixty pounds per annum free of all taxes and deductions whatsoever to be issuing and payable out of all and every the sai d herein before Messuages Tenements and premises in Camborne Veor and Killovose and to be paid quarterly at the four most usual days of payment in the year. ( that is to vary ) The annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the nativity of St Joh n the Baptist, the birth of St Michael the Archangel and the birth of our Lord Christ. The first payment thereof to begin and be made on such of the said feasts or days as shalt first and next happen after my decease, and I do hereby charge an d subject all and every the same Messuages,Tenements and premises with the payment of the said annuity yearly sum of Six pounds and my Will is that in case the said Annuity of Six pounds on any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the spac e of Sixty days next after either of the aforesaid deaths whereon the same is herein before directed to be paid as aforesaid then and so often it shall and may be Lawful for my said wife and her assigns to enter upon all and every or any part o f the said premises. Charged with the said annuity as aforesaid and distrain for the same over much thereof as shall be so in arrear and all cost and charges occasioned by non payment thereof. And my will is that my said son John Vivian his Exec utors Administrators and Assigns shall at his and their expense provide and keep and continue to provide and keep a milk cow on the aforesaid premises and that my said wife shall have the one half of the milk thereof during her life and my wil l also is that all that part of my aforesaid Dwelling House commonly called the old House and consisting of three rooms called the Kitchen Dairy and Hall and two chambers over them adjoining to the Highroad to Camborne Cross and also one half o f the garden beforementioned shall be enjoyed by my said wife during her life and my will likewise is that no part of the said house shall be let or set or occupied by any other tenant or otherwise enjoyed by others than my children or the wif e or wives, son or sons or his or their wives by each wife or wives during the life of my said wife. All the rest residue and remainder of my goods, chattels rights credits and effects whatever and of what nature or kind so ever after payment of my just debts, funeral charges and expenses I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Elizabeth V ivian and I do hereby make ordain constitute and appoint her my said wife whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal and published and declared this as and for my last Will and Testament this Twelfth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven.

Roger Vivian

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request and in his presence have attended the same.

Tho. Kevill

Peter Budge




In an article in the Cornwall Family History Magazine Dec. 2001 "Visitations" Re - Visited - The Camborne Vivians by Trevor Brokenshire ( C.F.H.S. mem. 07960 ).

Trevor has this to say of Roger Vivian.

Dealing just with Roger Vivian: The International Genealogy Index (IGI) and the Parish Register (PR) have a Roger, Son of John baptized on 4 Sept. 1715. The IGI and "Visitations", but not the Parish Registers, have a Roger born about 1721 (in th e case of the IGI, the Transcribers of the Latter Day Saints always deducted 25 years from a marriage date of a person to arrive at an approximate birth date if they were unsure of a persons bap. record. In the case of Roger he married Elizabet h Eva on 6 Jan 1745 - 46 so they put his birth abt. 1721 although they had his correct bap. as 4th Sep. 1715). An Indenture dated 19th September 1719 in respect of a lease granted by Francis Bassett of Tehidy of "the Moyety or halfendeale of two fields or closes of land commonly called or known by the several name or names of Trages Close and the Long Cl ose.... being part of Camborne Veor " refers to " John Vyvyan, Mary his wife and Roger Vyvyan their son, " ie. to " Visitations" John Vivian of Roskear, his wife Mary Marrack and their son Roger (early Tehidy Estate leases use the spelling Vyvy an; in 1704, a lease granted to Johnson Vyvyan was signed "Jonson Vivian" ).

A Tehidy Estate plan of 1737, with schedules of tenants, shows that a John Vivian was a tenant of 1/2 of Teagues (Trages) Close and 1/2 of Conney Close. An entry, in Tehidy Estate records, dated 15 Nov. 1760 refers to " Roger Vivian. Camborne Ve o. Moiety of 2 fields called Teagues Close & Coney Close with house and garden adjacent called Chapels Garden part of of tenement of Camborne Veor. Lives, Elizabeth wife of R.V. 41, John their son 11, after death of R.V. 45". Other entries in th e Tehidy Estate records confirm Roger s age, and hence year of birth as 1715. The records also refer to Roger as Captain Roger ( Mine Captain).

Roger is also referred to in a rent ledger of John Stockhouse Esq., the owner of the Pendarves Estate. In March 1776 there is an entry for Killivose; a property adjoining part of Camborne Veor: "Roger Vivian in Acct. with John Stockhouse. Rent d ue and paid 1774- Lady Day 1780" and " Recd. March 16, 1776 of Capt. Roger by J.S. 15...". Probably of a slightly earlier date there are two pages of accounts, showing, inter alia, Roger Vivian paying £3 for part of Killivose.

On 12th March 1777 Roger Vivian made a Will in which he named his wife Elizabeth as his Executrix. Bequests of cash were made to his sons Roger and Charles and his daughter Elizabeth. Roger s son John was left a tenement " commonly called or kno wn by the name Camborne Veor... which I hold by virtue of and under a lease from Francis Bassett Esq. Deceased" and also a tenement " commonly called or known by the name of Killivose....consisting of three fields which I hold by virtue of and u nder a lease from John Stockhouse Esq." Capt. Roger Vivian was buried 30th July 1777. Tehidy Estate records confirm Roger s son John s inheritance. An entry of 20th Feb. 1786 relates to the same property as that referred at 15th Nov. 1760 (as ab ove) as follows; "John Vivian. Camborne Veo. Moiety of two fields called Teagues & Cony Close with House and Garden, called Chapel s Garden in Camborne Veor. Lives James 5 after death of Elizabeth Vivian mother of John and JV".

John Vivian ( Gentleman ) married Ann Paull on 13th April 1779 and their first born son, James was bap. on 1st July 1781 as "the son of Capt. Johnson Vivian". This John Vivian was he who was bap. on 23 April 1749 and is almost certainly the Joh n "born 1751 " referred to by G.C.Boase in Collectanea Cornubiensis. In the J. Stockhouse accounts for 1787-1792 Capt. John Vivian Jnr. paid half a years rent, £1.10s for part of Killivose.

Having regard to the above facts, there is, in my opinion, more than adequate proof that the "Visitatations" entry for Roger Vivian is incorrect as to his date of birth. With regard to the two parcels of land mentioned in Roger s Will, the Camborne Churchwardens Accounts of about 1738 show that "Little John Vivian" was assessed as follows; For part of Camborne Veor 8d. the same for part of Mr. Basasetts Killivose 4d. the same for part of Humphreys Killivose 5d Having regard to the references to "Camborne Veor" and " Killivose" it is tempting to assume that Roger inherited from his father " Little John Vivian", the John Vivian of the 1737 plan and "John of Roskear" referred to above.

There is one other mistake in the "Visitations" for Roger Vivian which states Roger Vivian 3rd son born 1721, lived at Neath, co. Glamorgan, bur. 30th July 1777 at Camborne. It was in fact Roger s son Charles Vivian that lived at Neath. He was employed at the Neath Abbey Iron Company from 1792 until the early 1800 s Joseph Vivian of Mount Pleasant buried 24th Oct 1827 aged 70. RG10/5445/3 Sch. 210 Page 46 Address, Wychtree St., Morriston in the Parish of Llangefelach.

William Davies head M. Lab 42 b. Llangefelach Caroline Davies wife 36 William Davies son 15 Coal miner b. Llangefelach Mary A. Davies dau. 13 b. Llangefelach Hannah Davies dau. 10 b. Llangefelach Harriet Davies dau. 4 b. Llangefelach James Davies son 3 b. Llangefelach Charles Davies son 8 b. Llangefelach.

On the 1881 Census for Glaise, Nr. Swansea the family are living at 52, Wychtree St., Morriston.

William Davies Hd. Marr. Lab. 50 b. Morriston, Glam. Caroline Davies Wife Marr 48 b. Trevethin, Mons. James Davies Son School 13 b. Morriston, Glam. Richard Cadogan Hd. Marr. House Carpenter 23 b. Nash, Pembroke. Hannah Cadogan Wife Marr. 21 b. Morriston, Glam. Sidney Cadogan Son 6 months b. Morriston, Glam.

On the 1891 Census is living with her daughter and family at 57 Wychtree St., Morriston Richard Cadogan 32 Carpenter b. Nash Pembs. Hannah Cadogan 29 b. Morriston Sidney Cadogan 10 b. Morriston William Cadogan 9 b. Morriston Agnes Cadogan 7 b. Morriston John Cadogan 5 b. Morriston Charles Cadogan 3 b. Morriston Annie Cadogan 1 b. Morriston Caroline S. Evans widow 57 b. Cornwall ?

In the 1901 Census Caroline is staying as a visitor at her brother-in-laws house, 12, Wellington St., Swansea

   Marriage Information:

Roger married Elizabeth EVA, daughter of Henry EVA and Kesiah (Catherine) VIVIAN, on 6 Jan 1745-1746 in Camborne, Cornwall. (Elizabeth EVA was born in 1719 in Camborne, Cornwall, christened on 20 Jun 1719 in Camborne, Cornwall and was buried on 24 Sep 1796 in Camborne, Cornwall.)