Monday, October 15, 2012

Will of Hester Blake, widow, Winton - The National Archives, PROB 11/396/432, probated 5 Oct 1689

Hester Blake of Winton (Winchester) Southampton has left her will naming her only son John as Executor. Since she refers primarily to members of her family with the surname Taylor then perhaps she was Hester Taylor.

There is one interesting baptism 2 Jun 1668 for a John Blake son of Robert Blake and Esther at Devizes St Mary in Wiltshire on Find my Past. Hester is not that common a name so shall make note of that particular baptism here. I did not however locate a marriage with a Robert Blake between 1650 and 1668 in Wiltshire or Hampshire. Nor was there a burial for a Robert Blake that would fit into this area and time frame. No burials for Hester Blake either in 1689 +/- 1 year.

Looking at the Taylor family Mrs. Joane Taylor in Burnham Wiltshire is mentioned as aunt and Mr. William Taylor as uncle  in Eaton Wiltshire with three children. Hester Taylor (daughter of William) is less than 21 years in 1689 but did not locate a baptism for her.

Having just done a will for a Hester Blake, spinster, who died at Winchester in 1781 it does raise the question as to whether this Hester who names a sister Mary who married in 1725 might be a descendant of the John Blake (son of Hester Blake widow). Possibly the family mentioned in Hester Blake's will of 1781 of Hester, Mary and Martha and a brother who has died already are the children of John Blake son of Hester Blake widow. He would have been 21 years of age in 1689 and his daughter Mary was probably born in the early 1700s along with Martha who was married in 1727. In the Burials collection on Find my past there is a Martha Soley buried at Southampton All Saints 14 Mar 1798 at the age of 95 years putting her baptism possibly around 1703. Mary Imber was buried 23 Apr 1783 at Winchester St Thomas but no age given.

It would certainly be nice to link these wills together and perhaps I will be able to find more clues to do so. Looking ahead at the wills and I discover that one of the last wills that I have to transcribe is for the father of Martha, Mary and Hester and his wife is named as Martha. A nice linking detail although would still need to prove that this Hester Blake widow is this John's mother.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Oct 2012
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/396/432
Name of testator: Hester Blake, Widow
Place: Winton, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:, 25 Apr 1689, probated 5 Oct 1689
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: middle English, 17th century, smudged but legible copy
[In margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[In margin] Hesterie Blake

1    The twenty fifth day of Aprill
2    in the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six
3    hundred Eighty and Nine I Hester Blake of the Citty of Winton
    [Page 2]
4    in the County of Southampton widdow being sick and weake in body but of
5    sound and perfect mind and good memory praised bee my God revoakeing all
6    former Wills and Testaments doe make and ordaine this my last Will
7    and Testament in manner and forme following First and before all worldly
8    respects I commend my Soule to God my heavenly Father that gave it
9    whoe of his free Grace and exceeding withes of his love hath Redeemed it
10    by the blood of his only sonne my Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ And my
11    body to bee decently Interred at the discretion of my Executor hereafter
12    named to rest in assured hope to bee partaker of the resurrection of the Just
13    And as concerning those goods and worldly estate which as it hath pleased
14    God of his abundant goodnesse to blesse mee withall I give and bestowe the
15    same in manner and forme following Imprimis I give unto tenn poore widdowes
16    the summe of five pounds Item I give unto Mr Samuel Booreman in the
17    parish of Came in the County of Wilts five pounds to bee paid in two moneths
18    after my decease Item I give to my loveing Aunt Mrs Joane Taylor
19    in the parish of Burnham in the County of Wilts six pounds to bee paid
20    in six moneths after my decease Item I give to my uncle Mr William
21    Taylor in the parish of Eaton in the County of Wilts five pounds to bee
22    paid in six moneths after my decease Item I give to my Neice Hester
23    Taylor to bee paid her when shee is at the age of twenty yeares or the
24    day of marriage twenty pounds Item I give to my two Nephews John
25    Taylor and Isaack Tayler a guinney apeece Item I give to Mr Samuel
26    Spring the Elder of Clatford in the County of Southampton five pounds
27    to bee paid in two moneths after my decease Item I give to Mr Samuel
28    Tomblins the elder in the parish of Kilcutt in the County of Wilts five
29    pounds to bee paid in three moneths after my decease All the rest of my
30    goods chattells moveable and immoveable ready money plate Jewells what
31    soever not before formerly bequeathed and given my debts and funerall
32    expences first discharged I give and bequeath to my only sonne John Blake
33    whoe I make and ordaine my sole Executor of this my last Will and Testam[en]t
34    And that this is my last Will and Testament I doe here set my hand and
35    seale publishing and declareing of it to bee such in the presence of Hester
36    Blake Witnesse hereonto Henry Ghost, Thomas Bates, Elizabeth
37    Chukock

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