The Minor Family of Somerset

Much more property would have followed had not old James Oates
, the grandfather of Samuel Lister's bride, at the advanced ag
e of 60, taken it into his Head to wed a second wife, by whome h
ad children,who balked Samuel Lister and Esther, nee Oates, hi
s wife, of the expectaions they had resonably formed at the dat
e of their marriage, she-the bride-being then apparently the sol
e heiress of the Oates family. Oliver Heywood wrote. "James O
ates, of landsHead(in Northowram) had many children, James, Jos
hua, etc. (ie jeremy and Isaac,but they were all dead when I fi
rst came, only the eldest (Isaac, one of these sons) had left on
e daughter, Esther Oates, whom Samuel Lister of Shibden Hall ha
d newly married, and because they (ie., James Oates and mary, hi
s wife) were ancient they (i.e., Samuel and Esther Lister) mad
e account she must have all; so bargained not for portion. But i
n process of time Mr. Oates's oldwife died, and he married hi
s servant maid, one Phoebe Dickonson, by whome hehad a son an
d a daughter, James and Phoebe-then he died. Mr. Lister sued th
e widow for a portion. She answered suit, but, at last, marrie
d Joseph Furnace, of Ovenden Hall. He composed the business-gav
e her above a thousand pounds." This sum seems a little exagger
ated, but the litigation in which the Listers were plaintiffs re
sulted in a decree made in the Court of Chancery bywhich 700 po
und was to be paid to Samuel Lister by Joseph Fourness, who-a
sI have said-had married Phoebe,old James Oates' second wife an
d widow.
Jamesoates, of LandsHead (in Northowram) had many children, Jam
es, Joshua, etc. (ie., Jeremy and Isaac) but they were all dea
d when I first came, (Oliver Heywood), only the eldest (Isaac, o
ne of these sons) had left one daughter, Esther Oates, whom Samu
el Lister (should have been Thomas), of Shibden Hall, had newl
y married, and because they (ie., James Oates and Mary, his wife
) were ancient, they (i.e., Samuel and Esther Lister) made accou
nt she must have all;so bargained not for portion. But in proce
ss of time Mr. oates's old wife died, and he married his servan
t maid, one Phoebe dickonson, by whom he had a son and a daughte
r, James and Phoebe- then (he) died. Mr. Lister sued the widow f
or a potion. She answered suit, but, at last, married Joseph Fu
rnace, of Ovenden (Hall).