My wife's ancestors - Maltass - Contents

John Maltass

Marriage of John Maltass, 3 July 1805.
From Smyrna Anglican Chaplaincy register.

John Maltass,
born 1764, Smyrna.
Merchant in Smyrna.
[1842 case] says he was sent to England at age 6 (would be 1770) to go to school, and returned to Smyrna age 14 (would be 1778).
He became a clerk in Lee and Co. (the company his father was a partner of).
His father died 1782.
John went into business by himself. He established the company of J. and W. Maltass. (Presumably him and his brother William.)
[Clarke, 1860] says John Maltass received "licence to trade" from the Levant Company on 31 Oct 1788.

He built what we will call the John Maltass House as his "country" residence in Bournabat (now Bornova), just outside Smyrna. He built this house after 1788, maybe around 1790. It survives today, beautifully restored.
He lived at Smyrna until his death.
He wit his sister Mary's marriage 1797.

He mar 3 July 1805 to Louisa Belleville [possibly born 1779].
They mar at [British Chapel, Smyrna].
It was her 2nd mar.
She had mar 1stly to Jean Baptiste Tricon [possibly born 1774, died 1799].

Her name varies widely:
She is "Louise" at marriage and son's bapt 1806.
She is "Frances Ann" at dau's bapt 1807. "Frances Ann Louise" at son's bapt 1808. "Frances Ann Louisa" at dau's bapt 1809.
Seems to have adopted "Louisa" later.
She is "Louisa Ann Frances" at children's bapts 1811 and 1813 and 1816 and 1819, and dau's burial 1813, and in 1843 document.
She is "Louisa Frances Ann" in husband's will 1834.

"John Maltass" witnessed the marriage of his niece Catherine Marguerite de Cramer at Smyrna, 2 Sept 1811.
He wit his brother Benjamin's mar 1812.
[1844 case] says he visited England in 1824 and stayed there about 2 years. However it looks like he was back in Smyrna in Sept 1825.
There are two "John Maltass" signatures (father and son) witnessing Helen's marriage in Smyrna in Sept 1825.
His will accepted for probate is dated 10 June 1834. The surviving copy in probate says the original was destroyed by a fire on 3 June 1837 and this is a copy.
His will says he has three houses, at Bournabat and Smyrna and Buca. It refers to "The Country House at Bournabat" (the John Maltass house) and "The Town House" (maybe his father's house) and "the Country House at Bugia" (maybe his father's house).

"John Maltass" wit the mar of his nephew William Maltass 1836.
He wit his son's mar 1837.
There are two "John Maltass" signatures (father and son) witnessing Eugenie's mar, May 1839.
"John Maltass" wit mar of his niece Lydia Maltass, Oct 1839. Could be John junior.
[1842 case] and [1844 case] say he made a will dated 22 Oct 1841. Probate was refused for this will. Then the 1834 will was produced and this was accepted.

Death, 1842:
John died at Smyrna, 1842, age 78 yrs.
He was bur Anglican cemetery, Buca. Grave no.231.

Dispute of the will, 1842-1845:
His will shows he left a huge fortune.
His will was disputed. See [Dec 1842 case]. The dispute was about his status: Was he an English subject or a Turkish subject? The court refused to grant probate until this point was established.
If English, he could leave his money to who he liked. If Turkish, there was a standard form of inheritance decided by Turkish law. So, given the incredible amount of money involved, it is not surprising that family members who would benefit hugely from him being declared a Turkish subject argued that.
See item about the dispute in The Bristol Mirror, 6 Apr 1844. p.2.
See [July 1844 case]. The judge says the 1841 will was "not properly executed". He finds the 1834 will valid, and grants probate.
See report in The Times, 18 July 1844.
Will eventually proved 6 November 1845.
Louisa died 1865.
John and Louisa had issue:

John Maltass,
born 11 Apr 1806,
bapt 18 Apr 1806 [British Chaplaincy, Smyrna].
Listed as "John Maltass junior" of Smyrna at mar.
He mar 29 Oct 1837 to Helene Eugenie Fonton [of Smyrna].
They mar at Bornova (Bournabat), near Smyrna.
See entry in Smyrna Anglican Chaplaincy register.
As at 1844 he was married, living in Vienna.
He died 1860.
She died 1899.
Helen Maltass,
Helen Margaret Maltass, born 8 Aug 1807.
She was bapt 2 Sept 1807 at Malta, by the Chaplain of the Malta Garrison.
Baptism record is in records of [British Chapel, Smyrna]. But it says she was baptised in Malta.
Listed as of Smyrna at mar.
She mar 5 September 1825 to Richard Benjamin Abbott and had issue.
William Augustus Maltass,
born 2 November 1808 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
"W.A. Maltass" wit Helen's mar 1825.
He was buried 18 July 1830 [British Chaplaincy, Smyrna].
Clementina Maltass,
born 22 December 1809 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
She was unmarried as at 1844.
She died unmarried, 1868.
Eugenie Maltass,
Eugenia Mary Maltass, born 6 October 1811 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
"Eugenie Maltass" wit Helen's mar 1825.
"Eugenie Maltass" wit John's mar 1837.
Listed as of Smyrna at mar.
She mar 30 May 1839 at Smyrna to Dr. Charles Wood and had issue.
She inherited The John Maltass House in Bournabat (Bornova).
Harriet Maltass,
born 8 November 1813 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
She was buried 10 November 1813 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
Caroline Maltass,
born 16 July 1816 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
She would be Caroline Maltass, buried 26 August 1816, an infant [British Chapel, Smyrna].
Frederick George Maltass,
born 31 January 1819 [British Chapel, Smyrna].
He was buried 28 July 1821, aged 2 years 6 months [British Chapel, Smyrna].

Item about the will of John Maltass.
The Bristol Mirror, 6 Apr 1844. p.2.
It incorrectly refers to R.B. Abbott as "R.B. Wood".
It notes that a piaster was worth £ 66/240.
So his estate was worth £ 620,000 in 1844 money. This is maybe £ 80 m in today's money.

View of the junction near the John Maltass House in the 1890s.
On left is the entrance gateway to the John Maltass House.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.

Gate to the John Maltass House, c.1900.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.

References

Will of John Maltass, of Smyrna.
- Dated 10 June 1834. Proved 6 November 1845, Prerogative Court of Canterbury. PROB 11/2027/52 in [NA.UK].
- See transcript by Bob Janes.
The English Reports, Vol.163, Ecclesiastical, Admiralty, and Probate and Divorce, published 1919.
- This has reports of the dispute about the will of John Maltass.
- Pages 712-713. Maltass against Maltass, Prerogative Court, 13 Dec 1842.
- Pages 967-971. Maltass against Maltass, Prerogative Court, 17 July 1844. See transcript.
- See also the 17 July 1844 case on pp.257-266 of vol.3 (pub 1845) of Notes of cases in the ecclesiastical & maritime courts.
- The judge in the 1844 case incorrectly thinks that the mother of John Maltass is English.

Sources yet to be consulted

[MALTASS file in SOG] references a "Commission to Administer Oath" to the British Consul at Smyrna or Vienna [where John the younger was], date 16 May 1843, ref. "BRS. DA. 1932", with reference to a suit of "Louisa Ann Frances", widow of John Maltass of Smyrna, versus John Maltass, their son and an executor of his father's will.