104 THE FAMILY AND THE NATION 



or booths where we find others of their name in the 

 Hearth Tax rolls of Charles II., died in 1720 and 

 1724, both having served their time as "overseers." 

 Each of them left to their numerous offspring several 

 copyhold messuages and lands. They are described as 

 yeomen, and divided sums of money varying from _^io 

 to ^40 apiece among their children. John apparently 

 had four sons ; the eldest and the third, another John, 

 are described in their wills as yeomen, the other two as 

 woollen weavers. John, the younger, dies while some 

 of his children are still under age, and leaves his lands 

 in trust ; but from the will of his wife Alice, dying in 

 1 77 1, we get an idea of the household possessions, for 

 she disposes of a silver cup, silver teaspoons, china 

 service, two chairs, a chest of drawers, and a best black 

 gown. The eldest son, James, receives six messuages of 

 land ; a younger son, Peter, receives the " new sashed 

 house " in the little village then beginning to develop 

 into a manufacturing town. Peter, by marrying the 

 able daughter of an able family somewhat above him in 

 position, assures the future of his descendants. He 

 starts or continues a successful woollen mill. This 

 business in course of time passes into the hands of his 

 widow and four sons, all competent people. A genera- 

 tion later the children of the eldest son leave the 

 district, become absentee landlords, and go into the 

 church and the army. One of the younger sons, 

 probably the ablest of the family, opens branches of 

 the business in the neighbouring city and establishes 

 agencies on the Continent and across the Atlantic. He 

 becomes intimate with the leaders of the principal 

 political movements of the day, joins the Manchester 



