The Yeo Society

Descendants of Thomas Yeo and Elizabeth Mason of Werrington, Devon

Thomas descends from John & Frances Holman of Launcells and this short piece explains how poor Humphrey, like many others, was diddled out of his inheritage.

The case brought by Humphrey Yeo of Week St Mary in 1704. All that survives is his statement of the case against one Benjamin Jolla, in which Humphrey figures as `your orator`. He stated that his grandfather, John Yeo gentleman of Launcells, was a man possessed in his lifetime of many estates in Devon and Cornwall, to the tax value of �50 a year (a lot). In particular, he owned two houses called Teryes and Maresfield in Bridgerule, Cornwall, and a house named Tredonn in Hollacombe in Devon. By a treaty of marriage between John and his intended wife, Frances Holman, these were conveyed to himself for life, then to Frances for life as her jointure, then to their eldest son and his heirs male, failing whom their second son and his heirs male and so on. John and Francis, grandparents of the orator, died long ago, and the property passed to their eldest son, Humphrey, who had recently died. Humphrey was the father of the Orator, who expected to succeed him in property, but found that when he went to take possession, a Benjamin Jolla was before him. He entered into a combination with persons unknown to claim that Humphrey senior had sold him the property in his life time by `ducking the tail` and cutting Humphrey junior out of the succession, suffering a recovery to be made in his lifetime. Jolla held the deeds of the place, including the marriage settlement and claimed there never was such a document and 2. He was going to burn it. The witnesses to the original grant were all dead or in remote places, and Humphrey junior could not bring their testimony to help him.

Peter is a descendant of Charles Yeo and Marie Schooling. Their branch is a very active one and last year they organised a re-union for all Charles's Australian descendants. Charles emigrated to Australia from Werrington in Devon, but the family roots go back to Launcells and Launceston in Cornwall. Many thanks to Peter for sending me this photograph of Charles and the descendancy tree below

This delightful photograph was sent to me many years ago by Kaye Nind, who is also a descendant of Charles. The photo shows four generations of the Yeo family, Charles, (as above), son Thomas who married Dinah Hart, grandson Charles who married Catherine Michall and great grandson, Thomas.

Australian Descendants of Thomas Yeo and Jane Crocker

1 [2] Thomas Yeo 1801 - born Werrington, Devon
.. +Jane Crocker
.. 2 [1] Charles Yeo 1828 -
....... +Mary Schooling
...... 3 Charles Henry Yeo 1855 -
........... +Elizabeth Jane Garden
........... 4 John Charles Yeo 1878 -
........... 4 Frank Yeo 1879 -
........... 4 Tom Douglas Yeo 1881 -
........... 4 William Elphinst Yeo 1883 -
........... 4 Frederick Gordon Yeo 1885 -
........... 4 Elsie Jane Schooling Yeo 1888 -
........... 4 Doris Winefred Yeo 1891 -
...... 3 Thomas Yeo 1857 -
........... +Dinah Hart
........... 4 Nathaniel Yeo 1885 -
................ +Annie McMeekin
............... 5 Evelyn Yeo
............... 5 Ernest Yeo
............... 5 Ronald Yeo
............... 5 Geoffrey Yeo
........... 4 Charles Yeo 1888 -
................ +Catherine Michall
............... 5 Charles Francis Yeo 1920 -
.................... +Jessie Spure
.................... 6 Terrill Yeo
.................... 6 Vivienne Yeo
.................... 6 Dianne Yeo
.................... 6 Noelene Yeo
.................... 6 Kim Yeo
............... 5 Keith Yeo 1922 - 1940
............... 5 Dorothy Catherine Yeo 1925 -
.................... +Leonard Farrell
............... 5 William Leigh Yeo 1928 -
.................... +Judith Breymner
.................... 6 Robyn Yeo
.................... 6 Valerie Yeo
.................... 6 Laurel Yeo
.................... 6 Kaye Yeo
......................... +Alan Nind
........... 4 Ivy Yeo 1889 -
...... 3 William Yeo 1860 -
.. *2nd Wife of [1] Charles Yeo:
....... +Georgina Everist
...... 3 Florence Everist Yeo 1889
- *2nd Wife of [2] Thomas Yeo:
.. +Elizabeth Lillicrap

M.I. St Stephens, St Martins, Werrington

Sacred to the memory of Thomas Yeo (formerly of this parish) but late of the Parish of Bridgerule

Who died April 11th 1837 age 65years

By a sudden stroke down Without a lingering grown

Also of Elizabeth Wife of the above Who died February 21st 1851 aged 82 years

M.I. Launceston St. Stephens

Jane Yeo, wife of Thomas died 2 Nov 1836

So thus you see that I am cut down and left behind me for to mourn

My husband dear and Charles my son.

Thomas Yeo died 8 Apr. 1854 Thomas married Jane Crocker 19/12/1828. Charles was born 15/6/1828 and emigrated to Australia. Thomas remarried an Elizabeth Lillicrap but it does seem to have been a marriage of convenience.

Susan Yeo bapt 17th May, 1807, Werrington, Devon

Susan was the first know Yeo from this branch to emigrate to Australia. She was the sister of Thomas and Aunt to the above Charles. She married John Thomas Scown, a widower, on the 22nd December, 1832 at Launceston.

1 John Yeo b: 1555 in Hatherleigh, Devon
.. +Johan Kempthorne b: in Morwenstow
. 2 John Yeo b: 1590 in Launcells, Cornwall
..... +Frances Holman
..... 3 Humphrey Yeo b: 1618
......... +Jane Hambley
........ 4 Humphrey Yeo b: 28 Jan 1685/86 in St Mabyn, Cornwall
............ +Mary Pethick
............ 5 Humphrey Yeo b: 1720 in Launceston St Stephen
................ +Phillipa
............... 6 John Yeo b: 14 Dec 1743 in Launceston St Stephen
................... +Elizabeth Philp
................... 7 Thomas Yeo b: 1772 in Werrington, Devon
....................... +Elizabeth Mason
...................... 8 Susan Yeo b: 17 May 1807 in Werrington, Devon
.......................... +John Thomas Scown
.......................... 9 Jane Yeo Scown b: 21 Feb 1834

Dear Shelia, I an using a friends e-mail service to send you a thank you for the big package you sent me. It will take me a while to get through it but I will get back to you when it has all sunk in. I have a photo of Susan.If you would like me to email you a copy let me know through this e-mail address [email protected] and my friend will help me send it off. Susan and John did have a son before they came to Australia as well as the Jane that you have. Once again thank you, Regards, Lorna Johnson. Kybybolite. South Australia.

Lorna is a direct descendant of Susan and her friend, Bronwyn has kindly allowed her to use her e-mail address.

Both Thomas (b. 1801 Married to Jane Crocker and Susan born 1807 are mentioned in their mother, Elizabeth's will.

Will of Elizabeth Yeo died 28th February, 1851 late of Worthing in the parish of Bridgerule, Devon , widow but lately of Lawhitton in the County of Cornwall

Executors Henry Toll of Werrington, Devon Yeoman To my son John Yeo �12 to my son Thomas Yeo �12 to my daughter Elizabeth Stanbury �12 to my daughter Mary Way �12 to my son Charles Yeo 5s in addition to other provisions made to my daughter Susan Scone To my daughter Thomasyne Yeo sum of �50 and my will and meaning is that if she should die before she is married then I give and bequeath the said �50 or so much of it as she may not have expended to her brother and sister that she may be living with at the time of her death. The rest of my estate I give and bequeath to my son and daughter William Yeo and Joanna Yeo Witnesses John Yeo Toll of Werrington James Trimble. Effects under the value of �200