Frances _____
wife of [Robert] Skelton.

Date of birth or baptism: Unknown.
Place of birth or baptism: Unknown.

Date of death: 24 July 1672 × 10 April 1686.
Place of death or burial: Unknown.
According to the will of her son-in-law Ralph Kay of Allerston, dated 10 April 1686, the will of his deceased mother-in-law Frances Skelton of Wilton was dated 24 July 1672.

Father: Unknown.
Mother: Unknown.

Presumed spouse: Robert Skelton, of Wilton, d. 24 June 1668 × 27 May 1672.
That Frances was the same person as Robert's wife of the same name seems likely. However, the alternate scenario, in which two Mr. Skeltons of Wilton both had wives named Frances, has not deen definitively ruled out.

Children:
The will of Ralph Kay, dated 10 April 1686, mentioned his mother-in-law Frances Skelton, late of Wilton, deceased, so Ann (Skelton) Kay was the daughter of a Frances Skelton.

Ann Skelton, bur. Allerston, 1 August 1670;
m. Thornton Dale, 5 February 1655/6, Ralph Kay, bur. Allerston, 28 December 1686.
[Allerston BT; Thornton Dale PRT]

Son or son-in-law:
Ralph Sawden, living 24 June 1668.
Ralph Sawden was left a legacy of one shilling in the will of Robert Skelton, the only person other than Robert's wife Frances to receive a legacy. Since the term "son-in-law" can have more than one meaning according to the usage of the time, it is not clear whether Ralph Sawden was the husband of a daughter of Robert, or the son of his wife by an earlier marriage.

Reference abbreviations

Allerston BT = Bishop's transcripts of Allerston, co. York, FHL film #990,916.

Thornton Dale PRT = Parish register transcripts of Thornton Dale, co. York, FHL film #1,850,192.

Compiled by Stewart Baldwin

First uploaded 13 May 2011.