Blake Newsletter - Year II

The Blake Newsletter due 1 Jan 2013 is in preparation and I hope to complete it today or tomorrow for publication on 1st of January 2013. It has been an interesting year for Blake research as I worked my way through the Blake wills which I photographed at Kew on our last visit. I wanted to complete my transcription of Blake wills before we go to Kew once again and photograph another couple of hundred wills. Many of the wills can be linked into family lines and that task lays ahead but will be done in conjunction with the parish registers for individual places.

My hope in this year is that I will be able to localize Blake lines and that more individuals will test their yDNA to help with that task. Having come into genealogy after internet made vast amounts of material available and the advent of DNA testing, my approach is decidedly into the nuclear age. I have read many of the published works on the ancestry of Blake families written by people around the world so that I am aware of the prior thoughts on Blake ancestry. But I come into this study with no preconceived notions on the origin of the Blake family. My own line as mentioned before was most recently at Upper Clatford and before that Andover with the family appearing at Penton Mewsey, Knights Enham and Eastontown at various times in the past. Jone Blake (widow) left her will in 1527 mentioning her children: Robert, Nicholas and Elizabeth (married to Mr. Mylne) but her husband's forename is not yet known but that is perhaps available once manor records and all those Blake wills at the Hampshire Office are read. A task for the future and I hope to acquire researchers in England who will go into the Hampshire Record Office and photograph those wills for me over the next year. Then I hope to be in Hampshire Record Office in 2014 to have a look for myself. But that is only one line of Blake and there are at least seven distinct lines thus far determined by yDNA. Was it ever one family with sons of Blake females taking on their uncle's surnames? And perhaps for me the biggest mystery of all are the three members of the group in which my brother's yDNA falls and amazingly two members exactly match thus far with one having deep roots in Ireland and the other with deep roots in southern Hampshire. A puzzle to look at in the New Year.

I will as usual publish the Blake newsletter on the Blake website and also in my blog.

All the best of the New Year 2013 to those who read my blog and I hope that you have had a very pleasant holiday.

Descendants of Henry Knight of Spetisbury, Dorset, England

Whilst glancing at my blog today I noticed that the Knight family in Dorset is attracting some attention. I did eventually put together some of the OPC records for Spetisbury and the Knight family there and it does appear that My Ellis Knight and Eleanor Knight were cousins as my grandfather had mentioned. They were not, however, first cousins. I have extracted from legacy the narrative descendant description for Henry Knight at Spetisbury as follows (the information on Ellis Knight and Eleanor Knight is duplicated because they share the same great great grandparents Henry Knight and Mary Oliver). Having posted this I now realize that the records prior to 1813 are now up on Ancestry and decided to spend a bit of time looking at that although do not really have any spare time but I will make changes in the following:

Descendants of Henry Knight

Henry Knight [16859].

Henry married Mary Oliver [16860] [MRIN: 5858] on 25 Dec 1727 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.  He was Parish Clerk at Spetisbury (interestingly enough one of his great grandsons was Parish Clerk at Turnworth for 30 years). They had 15 children with the following reaching adulthood: Henry, Thomas, William and David.

David Knight [16857] was christened on 2 May 1736 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

David married Martha Butler [16858] [MRIN: 5857] on 17 Feb 1756 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.  They had several children and I will add the details later: John.

John Knight [526] was born in 1757 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England, was christened on 2 Oct 1757 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England, and was buried on 17 Nov 1826 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

Noted events in his life were:

•  He appears on the Spetisbury Militia List 1787 DRO MIC/R/500 in 1787 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England. John Knight listed as a bricklayer with one child.

John married Ann Vincent [527] [MRIN: 158], daughter of James Vincent [16861] and Ann Moulam [16862], on 9 Jun 1783 in Shapwick, Dorset, England. Ann was born in Oct 1755 in Dewlish, Dorset, England and was christened on 26 Oct 1755 in Dewlish, Dorset, England. They had five children: Joseph, Eleanor, Sophia, Martha and John.

Marriage Notes:  Parish Records Collection - marriage - Find My Past

Day: 9
Month: Jun
Year: 1783
Groom Forenames: John
Groom Surname: KNIGHT
Groom notes:
Grooms parish: of Spetisbury
Bride Forenames: Ann
Bride Surname: VINCENT
Bride notes:
Brides parish: By licence:
Place: Shapwick
Dedication:
County: Dorset
Country: England
Witnesses: Henry WHITE, Malby CALCOTT

Joseph Knight [16863] was born in Aug 1785 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England and was christened on 24 Aug 1785 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

Eleanor Knight [17]1 was born in Dec 1786 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England,1 was christened on 12 Dec 1786 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England, died on 25 Sep 1870 in Turnworth, Dorset, England aged 83, and was buried on 28 Sep 1870 in Turnworth, Dorset, England.

Noted events in her life were:

•  1851 Census: Census 1851, Jun 1851, Turnworth, Dorset, England.4 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset County, Blandford RD, Turnworth Village, Class: HO107; Piece: 1853; Folio: 5; Page: 3; Household schedule 11, Samuel Knight family, GSU roll: 221000.

  Elena Knight   Age:67    Estimated birth year:abt 1784   Relation:Mother    Gender:Female   Where born:Spetisbury, Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas    ED, institution, or vessel:1      Household schedule number:11  Household Members:Name AgeElena Knight  67 Luisa Knight  22 Maria Knight  1 Samuel Knight  23
•  1861 Census: Census 1861, Jun 1861, Turnworth, Dorset, England.5 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset county, Blandford RD, Turnworth village, Class: RG9; Piece: 1332; Folio: 4; Page: 1; Household schedule 5, Samuel Knight family, GSU roll: 542797.

  Ellen Knight   Age:76    Estimated birth year:abt 1785   Relation:Boarder    Gender:Female   Where born:Spettisbury, Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas    Household Members:Name AgeElizabeth Knight  9 Ellen Knight  76 Henry Knight  3 Louisa Knight  34 Maria Knight  11 Mary Ann Knight  7 Samuel Knight  34

Eleanor married Ellis Knight [16]6 [MRIN: 11], son of William Knight [518] and Sarah Ellis [519], on 29 May 1804 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England. Ellis was born on 17 Jan 1783 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 17 Jan 1783 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, died on 24 Jan 1851 in Turnworth, Dorset, England aged 68, and was buried on 26 Jan 1851 in Turnworth, Dorset, England. They had 13 children: Ellis, George, Mary Ann, Samuel, Maria, Henry, Elizabeth, Edward, John, Thomas, Samuel, Martha and George.

Noted events in his life were:

•  1841 Census: Census 1841, 1841, Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.10 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset County, Blandford RD, Turnworth Village, Class: HO107; Piece 290; Book: 7; Civil Parish: Turnworth; County: Dorset; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: ; Page: 15; Line: 15; Ellis Knight household, GSU roll: 241341.
  Elles Kinght[Ellis Knight]     Age:60    Estimated birth year:abt 1781   Gender:Male    Where born:Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    Hundred:Cranborne    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas     Household Members:Name AgeEdward Kinght  20 Eleanor Kinght  35 Elles Kinght  60 George Kinght  11 John Kinght  15 Martha Kinght  12 Samuel Kinght  14 Thomas Kinght  15   Name, age, occupation, born in Dorset
William Knight, 60, Ag Lab, yes
Elias Knight, 60, Ag Lab, yes
Ellen Knight, 20, -, yes  (age should be 55)
Martha Knight, 1, -, yes (age should be 11)


•  Family Lore: Discussion with Grandfather Samuel Blake, Grandpa mentioned one day when we were talking that one of his great grandparents (and he actually meant great great grandfather) had had 13 children (a baker's dozen and the conversation had resulted from a discussion of what a baker's dozen is!). Ellis and Eleanor did indeed have 13 children.

Sophia Knight [16866] was born in Sep 1789 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England and was christened on 25 Sep 1789 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

Martha Knight [16865] was born in Oct 1796 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England and was christened on 8 Oct 1796 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

John Knight [16864] was born in Nov 1800 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England and was christened on 30 Nov 1800 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.

William Knight [16886] was christened on 6 Jan 1733/34 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England. The original registers do not appear to help me with this William and I will have a longer look in January

William married and had one son William (this information doesn't have a reference and must check to see where I obtained it).

William Knight [518] was born in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, and was buried on 4 Mar 1827 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.

William married Sarah Ellis [519] [MRIN: 155], daughter of Ellis Ellis [3005] and Sarah Wellspring [3006], on 7 Aug 1775 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England. Sarah was born in Jun 1756 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 5 Aug 1756 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, died on 9 Jun 1844 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England aged 88, and was buried on 13 Jun 1844 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England. They had eight children: William, Elias, Ellis, George, Samuel, Stephen, Sarah and Joseph.

Marriage Notes:  Parish Records Collection - marriage

Day: 7
Month: Aug
Year: 1775
Groom Forenames: William
Groom Surname: KNIGHT
Bride Forenames: Sarah
Bride Surname: ELLIS
Brides parish: By licence:
Place: Winterborne Stickland
Dedication:
County: Dorset
Country: England
Witnesses: Henry HAIN, Thomas BENCH (x).

William Knight [529] was born on 15 Jul 1776 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 21 Jul 1776 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, and was buried on 22 Sep 1841 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.

Elias Knight [530] was born on 22 Feb 1779 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 24 Feb 1779 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, and died on 24 Feb 1779 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.

Ellis Knight [16]6 was born on 17 Jan 1783 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 17 Jan 1783 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, died on 24 Jan 1851 in Turnworth, Dorset, England aged 68, and was buried on 26 Jan 1851 in Turnworth, Dorset, England

Noted events in his life were:

•  1841 Census: Census 1841, 1841, Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.10 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset County, Blandford RD, Turnworth Village, Class: HO107; Piece 290; Book: 7; Civil Parish: Turnworth; County: Dorset; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: ; Page: 15; Line: 15; Ellis Knight household, GSU roll: 241341.
  Elles Kinght[Ellis Knight]     Age:60    Estimated birth year:abt 1781   Gender:Male    Where born:Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    Hundred:Cranborne    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas     Household Members:Name AgeEdward Kinght  20 Eleanor Kinght  35 Elles Kinght  60 George Kinght  11 John Kinght  15 Martha Kinght  12 Samuel Kinght  14 Thomas Kinght  15   Name, age, occupation, born in Dorset
William Knight, 60, Ag Lab, yes
Elias Knight, 60, Ag Lab, yes
Ellen Knight, 20, -, yes  (age should be 55)
Martha Knight, 1, -, yes (age should be 11)


•  Family Lore: Discussion with Grandfather Samuel Blake. Grandpa mentioned one day when we were talking that one of his great grandparents (and he actually meant great great grandfather) had had 13 children (a baker's dozen and the conversation had resulted from a discussion of what a baker's dozen is!). Ellis and Eleanor did indeed have 13 children.

Ellis married Eleanor Knight [17]1 [MRIN: 11], daughter of John Knight [526] and Ann Vincent [527], on 29 May 1804 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England.7 Eleanor was born in Dec 1786 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England,1 was christened on 12 Dec 1786 in Spetisbury, Dorset, England, died on 25 Sep 1870 in Turnworth, Dorset, England aged 83, and was buried on 28 Sep 1870 in Turnworth, Dorset, England.  They had 13 children: Ellis, George, Mary Ann, Samuel, Maria, Henry, Elizabeth, Edward, John, Thomas, Samuel, Martha and George.

Noted events in her life were:

•  1851 Census: Census 1851, Jun 1851, Turnworth, Dorset, England.4 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset County, Blandford RD, Turnworth Village, Class: HO107; Piece: 1853; Folio: 5; Page: 3; Household schedule 11, Samuel Knight family, GSU roll: 221000.

  Elena Knight   Age:67    Estimated birth year:abt 1784   Relation:Mother    Gender:Female   Where born:Spetisbury, Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas    ED, institution, or vessel:1      Household schedule number:11  Household Members:Name AgeElena Knight  67 Luisa Knight  22 Maria Knight  1 Samuel Knight  23
•  1861 Census: Census 1861, Jun 1861, Turnworth, Dorset, England.5 Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK, Dorset county, Blandford RD, Turnworth village, Class: RG9; Piece: 1332; Folio: 4; Page: 1; Household schedule 5, Samuel Knight family, GSU roll: 542797.

  Ellen Knight   Age:76    Estimated birth year:abt 1785   Relation:Boarder    Gender:Female   Where born:Spettisbury, Dorset, England     Civil parish:Turnworth    County/Island:Dorset    Country:England        Registration district:Blandford    Sub-registration district:Milton Abbas    ED, institution, or vessel:7      Household schedule number:5  Household Members:Name AgeElizabeth Knight  9 Ellen Knight  76 Henry Knight  3 Louisa Knight  34 Maria Knight  11 Mary Ann Knight  7 Samuel Knight  34

George Knight [531] was born in 1785 and was christened on 6 Mar 1785 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.

Samuel Knight [532] was born in 1788 and was christened on 4 May 1788 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.

Stephen Knight [533] was born in 1790 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, was christened on 16 Nov 1790 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, and died after 1881.Stephen married Mary Ruth [Knight] [3830] [MRIN: 1052] before 1818. Mary was born in 1794 in Wallop, Hampshire, England and died before 1881. They had seven children: Joseph, William, Martha, Stephen, Sarah, Eliza Amelia and Stephen.

Sarah Knight [534] was born in 1792 and was christened on 27 Dec 1792 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England.Sarah married George Morris [11916] [MRIN: 3428] on 1 Mar 1824 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England. George was born circa 1789 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England. They had three children: Samuel, Thomas and Hannah.

Joseph Knight [536] was born in 1799, was christened on 9 May 1799 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England, and was buried on 16 Mar 1835 in Winterborne Stickland, Dorset, England

John Question, 8x great grandfather

John Question does not have a will at the PCC so the only records I have for him at the moment are from the Lay Subsidy Rolls and Protestation Returns 1641-42 at Dunster:

Rated at 1 s at Avell in Dunster on the Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42.

Rated at 6s at Carhampton on the Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42.

Rated at 6s at Dunster on the Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42.

Source: The Somerset Protestation Returns and Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42, Transcribed by A.J. Howard, Edited and first Published by T.L. Stoate. Publisher: B.D. Welchman


He married Elizabeth (unknown) and Elizabeth was buried 19 Mar 1658/59 at Dunster. John was baptized 8 Jan 1597/98 at Dunster and buried 21 Jan 1670/71 at Dunster. They had seven children: Jone (married to Nicholas Blake), Elizabeth (b 1628; d 1628/29 at Dunster), John (b 1631; d 1636 at Dunster), Augustine (b 29 Sep 1633 at Dunster and buried 2 Nov 1708 at Carhampton) married to Susan or Mary Millett 29 Sep 1658 at Dunster and this is the father of my ancestress Elizabeth, Elizabeth (b 1635; d 1636 at Dunster), Andrew (bc 1640; d 1677 at Dunster) married to Rachel Turrill 22 Apr 1674 at Timberscombe, and John (bc unknown; d 1642 at Dunster).






I must check and see if I have any correspondents on the Nicholas Blake and Jone Question family to mention Dig Village to them.

With that I return to Christmas preparations.

Will of Andrew Question of Dunster - The National Archives PROB 11/151/157, probated 12 Feb 1626/27

This is the third will in the series for the Question family at Dunster in the 1600s and early 1700s. Again I have not proofread this will transcribed in 2009 but will do so after Christmas and correct the online copy if any. Andrew was my 8x great grand uncle. To the best of my knowledge he did not marry; he does not mention a wife or children. He is young when he died having been baptized 9 Sep 1601 at Dunster (son of Augustine Question and Johane Horman) and buried 11 Nov 1626 at Dunster. His father's will was posted just prior to this one so he was only nine years old when his father was buried (6 May 1611 at Dunster). Interestingly I only just asked the OPC at Dunster (Liz Jones) for some of these early records a few months ago. I had run across a mention of the Question family in my Blake line when I was working on the Somerset Blake wills and Jone Question (sister of my 7x great grandfather) married Nicholas Blake.

Date: 29 Sep 2009
Document: Will
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/151/157
Date of document: 5 Nov 1626, probated 12 Feb 1626/27
Author: Andrew Question
Relationship: 8x great uncle
Location: Dunster Somerset England
Document quality: 17th century English, bold, even writing

[In margin] T[estator] Andrew Question
1    The last will of Andrew Question made the fifth daye of
2    November Anno Dom[ini] 1626
3    Imprimis I give unto the poore of Dunster
4    viz Item I give unto my Mother my house and unto my Mother the house that John
5    Cartter now dwelleth in and the ground belonging unto it called by the name of
6    Fracsoord and the house the Hugh Saunders now dwelleth in and that ground and after
7    My Mother unto my Brother John Question and of Dunster Field I give unto Johane
8    Poole for her life Moreover I give unto Johane Poole xx pounds and onto John Poole 20 pounds and unto
9    my brother John Question xx pounds And for all the rest of the moneys I leave unto my Mother
10    during her life and after her unto my brother John and his assignes Moreover I give unto
11    John Poole and Johane Poole three silver spoones betweene them and onto my Brother Johns
12    first child one Silver Spoone guilt with was given mee by my father ___ Item I give unto
13    my Sister my second bedsteed after my Mother and I give unto my Sister my Cupbord and a
14    chest w[hi]ch I bought of my brother law Christopher Poole Item I give unto Johane Poole my
15    little cofer Item I give unto Peeter Hormane my worsersuit of apparell Item I give unto
16    my brother John Question my silver Salt and my Sheepe and tablebord and my best
17    apparell and best bedsteed and all the rest of my goods and I make him my Executor Witnesses
18    Hereunto The marke of Johane Hooper John Question
19    Probatum fuit Testamentum supra scriptum apud London
20    Coram venerabel vuio domino Henrico Marten Wihte legum doctore curit
21    Puerogatiive Cantuarieusio Magistie Custode sive Cominssario ltuit constituto duodecuno
22    dit mensio Februarij Anno Domini inxta cuusum et computacoem Ecctio Anglicant nullimio
23    sexieute sinno vicesimo Sexto Juranento Johannis Question Fratrio dicti defunti et executoris
24    vonorum urinum et creditor un dicti defuncti devent et fideliter Administrando cademas
25    Santa dei Evangelia Coram Thoma Smith Clerico Pigort Commissiaris in
26    Ta p[ar]te als Emanat Jurat

Will of Augustine Question clothier of Dunster - The National Archives PROB 11/118/239, probated 23 Oct 1611

I decided to post this will of Augustin Question probated 23 Oct 1611 and he was the son of William Question and Susan Millet of Dunster. I transcribed this will in 2009 and haven't proofed it since that time so there could be small changes but I will proofread it after Christmas. No time these days but in case anyone wanted to read it. As mentioned Augustine is my 9x great grandfather. He mentions all of his sister's or their children with the exception of Ellen who was baptized 26 May 1566 at Dunster. Charity married Robert Chappell 15 May 1598 at Dunster, Elizabeth married unknown Steere, and Joan married George Hooper 24 Jun 1611 at Dunster.

Date: 29 Sep 2009
Document: Will
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/118/239
Date of document: 19 Feb 1610, probated 23 Oct 1611
Author: Augustine Question
Relationship: 9xgreat grandfather
Location: Dunster Somerset England
Document quality: 17th century English, bold, even writing

[In margin] T[estator] Augustin Question

1    In the name of god amen the Nyneteenth daye of February
2    in the yeare of oure Lord God one thousand sixe hundred and tenne and in the eighte
3    yeare of the Reigne of oure soveraigne Lord Kinge James pr[emiere] I Augustine Question
4    of the towne and Boroughe of Dunster in the Countie of Somerset and dioces[e]
5    of Bathe and Welles Clothier beyng in good healthe and perfect memorye (thanks
6    be given to Almightie god) and yet calling to mynde and considering the mortality
    [Page 2]
7    of all fleshe and not knowing howe soone or sodanelye yt may please Almightie god to call me out of this
8    transitory life worlde do therefore ordayne and make this my last will and testament  revoking all
9    former willes in manner and forme folowing viz First and principallye I commend my soule
10    Into the handes of Almyghtie god my creator and redemer and my bodye I leave to be buryed
11    in the earthe by the discretion and appoyntment of myne executrix and overseers And conc[er]ning
12    the disposi[t]ion of my temporall goodes and estate I give to Sainte Andrewes Church in
13    Welles twelve pence Then I give to the church of Dunster five shillinges Item I give to Johane
14    Chapell my sister's daughter twentie shillinges Item I give and bequeathe to Johane my wife
15    all my leases lande and lyvinges for so longe tyme as she shall live and remayne my widowe
16    for and towardes the better fyndinge education and maynten[a]nce of myne and her children
17    so longe as the saied children shall remayne unmarryed And after the deathe or marriage of
18    My saied wife I will that my sonne John shall have and enioye my tenement at Rodehuishe and
19    my Lease in reversion of the house in Dunster wherein I dwell and all landes therin to belonging
20    for so many yeres of the severall termes in the sayed Leases as my sayed sonne John shall happen to
21    live And yf the sayed John my sonne happen to dye before the end of the sayed severall tearmes
22    or any of them Then I will that the Landes comprised in the sayed severall Leases shall remayne
23    and be to my sayed sonne Andrewe for so many yeres of the sayed tearmes as he shall live
24    and yf heallso dye before the expira[t]ion of my Lease of Rodehuishe then I devise the residue of
25    my time therein to Johane my said wife and Christian my daughter equallieItem I give
26    and devise to my saied sonne Andrewe after the deathe or mariage of my sayed wife my
27    Acres of Lande in Dunster feild and my house in Dunster and all the Landes therin to
28    belonging late in the tenure of John Dodser so many yeres of my severall termes therein as the
29    sayed Andrewe my sonne or Christian my daughter shall happen to live And yf it happen my
30    saied sonne Andrewe and daughter bothe to dye before the expira[t]ion of the sayed Termes
31    or othe[r] of them Then I will the the premisses lastlye appoynted to my sayed sonne Andrewe
32    shall remayne and be unto the sayed John my sonne for the residue of my termes to come in y[er]es
33    come Item I devise my Landes of inheritance after the deathe or marriage of my sayed
34    wife unto the saied John my sonne and the heires of his bodye And for defaulte of suche issue
35    to my sonne Andrewe and the heires of his bodye Item I give and bequeathe to either of my sayed
36    sonnes John and Andrewe one hundred markes a peice And to my sayed daughter Christian
37    the somme of four score poundes to be ymployed to theire best use and profitt within one
38    yere after my deathe and to be paied with the increase thereof unto my said children
39    at theire severall full ages of one and twentie yeres And my will further is that before my
40    sayed daughter shall receyve her sayed Legacey she shall acquyte and dischardge
41    my sayed wife of all profitts and accompts which by the Lawe she may have or
42    clayme for the house wherein I dwell and all other Landes wherein my sayed daughter
43    ys a ioynte Lessee with me and my sayed wife And likewise shall assure my wife for the
44    any of holdinge and enioyinge of the sayed whole house and Landes during the life of my sayed
45    wife And yf my sayed daughter refuse so to doe then my will is that she shall have noe
46    benefitt by this my Will And further my will is that yf anyone of my sayed children do dye
47    before he she or they shall accomplishe his hers or there sayed respective ages of one and
48    twentie yeres then I will that his or her por[t]ion so dying shall remayne to my twoe other
49    surviving children equallie to be devided And allso I will that yf twoe of my sayed children
50    dye then my surviving childe to have twoe hundred markes and the encrease thereof and the
51    residue of the sayed Legacys appoynted to my sayed children to remayne to my sayed wife
52    Allso my will is that yf my sayed wife die or marry before my sayed children accomplishe their
52    sayed severall ages that ymmeadiatly uppon the sayed deathe or marriage myne overseers
53    and the Survivor of them shall have the education and government of my sayed children
54    and of their sayed portions untill their sayed severall ages Item I give unto my sister Elizab[e]th
55    Steere fortie shillinges Item my will is that after the deceasse of my wife my Bedsteads
    [Page 3]
56    Bedding tables bourdes formes and cupboards shall remayne to my dwellinge house to suche of
57    my children as shall enioye the same All the rest of my goodes and chattells not before
58    given or disposed I freelie give and bequeathe unto Johane my wife whome I make and ordeyne
59    my whole and sole executrix of this my laste will and testament And I do entreate and
60    appoynte my trusted and well beloved freinds George Hooper gent James Lambert Andrewe
61    Worthe and Frances Blake to be my overseers of this my will Signn in Augustine Question
62    witnesses to the makinge and declaringe of this last will and testament Edward Hooper
63    Nicholas Hurtnoll Nicholas Bartlett Item the Testator in his deathbed did encrease
64    the Legacey of his sister Elizabeth Steere to fyve poundes to be payed within one yere after
65    His deathe

Question Family and the DigVillage Project

Life has been immeasurably busy the last week and I have not managed to sit and write my blogposts (other than my 40,000 hits) nor have I done any transcription to any degree. However a rather interesting set of emails passed between myself and the Dig Village Project which is ongoing in Dunster Somerset. The webpage below gives some details on the project:

http://www.facebook.com/DigVillage

After our skype call earlier today I must admit to being even more intrigued by my Question family who lived there during the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s and perhaps later. I have not yet gone into detail on this family other than collecting my straight line back from myself to the first mention of a Question family in the parish registers at Dunster namely William Question and his wife Susan Millet and their three children whom they baptized at the village church. I must say that I am most curious to see the house that they lived in and the Church where they worshipped and the village where they walked about. How long were they in Dunster is just one of my many questions? What did they do there? How old is the surname Question in the family line?

Was it always spelled Question as current spelling that predominates seems to be Questian as seen on World Profiler:

http://www.publicprofiler.org/

Although they are found remotely around the world in low numbers their frequency is predominantly in the southwest of England.

The other spelling found in the Parish Registers was Costine which is an Irish surname and Questine which strikes me as being French perhaps. I was always tending towards thinking of them as Huguenots. I am frankly most curious at what has been found out about the Question family of Dunster. I have not yet had time to pursue the Manor Books. With the extensive wool trade in this area I wonder if they were involved in that.

With all the preparations for Christmas gathering up I find that I am absent mindly returning to Dunster and my Question family. I have attempted to contact all the correspondents that I have who are descendant of the marriage of Robert Siderfin and Elizabeth Question but it is a long time since I have corresponded with most of them so will try this blog as well to contact them and mention that this group is very interested in hearing from others who are descendant of this family.

40,000 page views

I have now had 40,000 page views of my 896 blog pages. I started this blog as my living memory of my thoughts on any particular day with regard to genealogy. I never dreamed that so many people would actually look at, read and be able to make use of my blog. I have also been the recipient of emails from people searching similar surnames where I have obtained a few documents that have straightened my genealogical trail back.

It is possible to backup your blog posts and I have done that as a substantial number of them will be attached to my Blake and Pincombe archived material when the day arrives that I decide to step down from being the manager of the Guild of one name study on those two particular surnames.

Working on the Hampshire marriages from 1837 to the mid 1900s and using my various fiche from the parishes of Andover, Upper Clatford, Abbotts Ann, Goodworth Clatford, Penton Mewsey and Knights Enham to see if I can match as many marriages in this registration district as possible. I am missing a few but I do not have the fiche for 14 of the parishes plus some marriages were in the Registry Office so do not show up in the Parish fiche records.

Sussex Will of John Blake 1579 and Blake yDNA study

I am working away on the Will of John Blake of Slindon Sussex which he wrote 12 Dec 1578 and was probated 23 May 1579. Along with getting ready for Christmas, this will will take longer than usual I suspect plus it is an older one and the writing is small although blown up on my computer screen.

The latest results in the yDNA study for the Blake family are quite fascinating in that they match the earlier result known to be from Ireland pre 1500. I am hoping to hear back from the tester to see if he would share the ancestry of his line.

There is much to be learned about the I2a2b haplogroup to which the three members of the British Isles group belong. Thus far it is postulated that this group arrived in the British Isles between 8000 and 12 000 years ago and that they were probably originally in the eastern side (perhaps East Anglia area or further south) but coming up from the present day Danish peninsula having crossed through Europe from the Balkans where they would have wintered during the last Ice Age. At some point in the deep past (but presumably after a decision was made to go with the Blake surname so a thousand years ago) this group became separated from each other with one group passing towards the middle and north of present day England and crossing over into present day Ireland and the other group processing down into the southern part of England which would include my line in Hampshire. More Blake members testing in the south of England with a paper trail back into the 1500s would be so wonderful and would give more credence to this deep ancestry of the Blake family. On the other hand the similarity could simply be coincidental although surprising that two separated groups of people would choose the same surname!

The Blake project as a whole is growing slowly and I would like to see it at 200 members before I start to really try to breakdown the groups and work genealogical data into them. Plus it gives me time to work on extracting all the data that I can for each of the "distinct" Blake areas in the British Isles. I am still working on the English marriages 1837 on and have not yet touched Ireland, Scotland or Wales in the British Isles. Nor have I looked intently at Canada, the United States and especially Australia and New Zealand with the highest frequency of Blake occurring in Australia.

This is an ambitious project to take on the Blake one name study. I knew that when I took it on but I do see myself as a caretaker only acquiring data and perhaps coming up with interesting family flow through these results but I suspect I will only make a dint in the accumulated data for the Blake family worldwide. I will archive all that I have done with the Guild of One Name Studies when I am ready to hand on the torch for this incredible family and if I am very lucky someone will come along before that time and pick up where I have left off. Since one of my talents is reading the old wills and documents I will probably concentrate mostly on that material but also I want to try putting together the family lines reaching back from Civil Registration into the Parish Registers. In this process I am equipped to look at Hampshire and West Somerset at the moment as well as parts of North Devon plus the parish registers online for Norfolk at the Family History Library. Ancestry assists me with this project in that many London and Dorset parish registers are also online. Find my Past has a number of county registers online that I have not yet pursued.

Although I created this blog to be my living memory I am happy that others have found it useful in their family studies.

Will of Elizabeth Blake widow of Rederith Surrey - The National Archives PROB 11/234/255, probated 11 Sep 1654

Always interesting when two wills fit together. The testator Elizabeth Blake is the wife of Peter Blake who was uncle to James and John Blake named in the will of their father John Blake mariner brother to Peter:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-john-blake-mariner-redderith.html

This earlier will was probated in 1636 so 18 years earlier and we can see that both of the sons of John have survived and each have four children still living. The children of John being namely Peter, James, Margaret and Anne and the children of James being namely John, James, Margerie and Margaret. One is left to surmise that Peter and Elizabeth did not have any children or at least none surviving to this date. Elizabeth says that she is aged and certainly John the Mariner in the earlier will was already a grandfather in 1638 so possibly over 40 years of age or more and his brother Peter would have been the same at that time likely. Elizabeth is likely close to 60 years or more at the time of her writing in 1651/52. Again I have used double dating just to ensure that the timing of the will is readily understood by readers.

Peter Blake does not leave a will that is probated at Westminster or at PCC.

Moving on to the wills of Sussex for Blake family members and again just one will and it was the second earliest found there in the PCC. Will of John Blake of Yeoman of Slindon, Sussex and probated 23 May 1579. The earliest will at the PCC for a Blake in Sussex was by John Blake of Beryghelmenston, Sussex probated 3 Jul 1487. At some point I need to acquire this will. I suspect this is Brighthelmstone Sussex now known as Brighton, Sussex. Who was this early Blake member living in present day Brighton in the mid 1400s? As I continue my search backwards into the Blake family and its origins there is always new information that provides yet many more details on this ancient family of the British Isles. Brighton of course is in East Sussex near the border with West Sussex but the distance from Hampshire is not great being the county on the other side of West Sussex.

The newest member of the Blake yDNA study matches exactly on 12 markers to the individual that matches my paternal line 8/12. Since our markers are so far out and the latest discussion on I2a2b indicates that this particular haplogroup split thousands of years ago with one section going into northern England and the other into southern England. But our markers are so distinct that I continue to place all three of us into the grouping "British Isles" since our roots likely extend back into the mists that were first seen by the Romans as they crossed the Channel to England centuries ago. It is somewhat appealing to think that my Blake ancestors were there already on the shores of England watching as the grandeur of Rome came to the British Isles.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded:  1 Dec 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/234/255
Testator: Elizabeth Blake, widow
Place: Rederith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 12 Mar 1651/52, probated 11 Sep 1654
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing fine, good contrast copy

[Margin] Elizab: Blake

1    In the name of God Amen The
2    twelveth Day of Marche in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six
3    hundred fifty and one I Elizabeth Blake of the parish of Rederith in the
4    County of Surrey Widdowe being at this present sicke and weake in Body But
5    I humbly thanke God in good and perfect Mind and Memory And not knowing
6    how soone and sudden my departure may be out of this transitory world by
7    Reason of my Age therefore now while God hath lent mee time and space
8    that I may dispose of my Estate and worldly meanes which hee hath lent mee
9    for avoyding all suites and contention about the same w[hi]ch may arise after my
10    decease doe therefore make and declare this my last Will and testament in
11    manner and forme following that is to say First and principally I give be-
12    queath and Comend my soule after the dissolu[t]ion thereof from thro' my sin-
13    full and fraile Body into the mercifull hands and protection of the holy and
14    blessed Trinity hoping and assuredly trusting by and through the Deathe payn-
15    full Passion and Resurrection of the second person in the same Trinity namely
16    Jesus Christ and by none other nor other meanes to obteine free pardon and
17    Remission of and for all my sinns together w[i]th the fruition of his heavenlye
18    kingdome whereunto I beseech him to (to) bring mee for his mercies sake my
19    body I Comitt to the Earthe from whence it Came where I will shal[l ]be decentlye
20    buried in the parish Church of Rederith aforesaid and neare as conveniently
21    may be to the Body of my late deceased husband Peter Blake Inprimis
22    I give unto the poore of the parish of Rederith forty shillings of lawfull
23    money of England to be distributed at the discretion of my Executor and
24    Overseers
    [Page 2]
25    Overseers hereafter named Item I give unto Mr Thomas Gattacker our Minister
26    if he be living at the time of my decease twenty shillings and for the same I
27    desire him to preach my funerall Sermon Item I give unto my Cozen John
28    Blake forty shillings to buy him a Ring Item I give unto my Cozen James
29    Blake other forty shillings to buy him a Ring to weare for a Remembrance
30    Item I give unto my said Cozen John Blake his foure children namely
31    Peter James Margaret and Anne Blake forty shillings a peece Item I
32    give unto my sayd Cozen James Blake his foure children namely John
33    James Margarie and Margaret Blake to every of them forty shillings a-
34    peece Item I give to my two Nephews Beniamin and Mary Baincroft
35    the children of my cozen Beniamin Baincroft three pounds a peece to
36    buy either of them a peece of plate to keepe for a Remembrance Item I
37    give unto Margaret Kilbury formerly my maid servant twenty shillings
38    for a Remembrance I give unto Elizabeth Barter the daughter of Beniamine
39    Barter my maid servant the summe of three pounds Item I give unto my
40    good freind Maudlyn Needs widdowe the summe of twenty shillings Item
41    I give unto my cozen George Baincroft the summe of forty shillings to
42    buy him a Ring to weare for a Remembrance Item I give unto my cozen
43    Ralph Holmes the like summe of forty shillings to buy him a Ring to weare
44    for a Remembrance All the aforesaid Legacies by mee given and bequeathed
45    I will to be payed by my Executor thereafter named within one yeare next
46    after my decease And that the Acquittance of every Legatee which shal[l ]be
47    within Age of twenty and one yeares shal[l ]be a sufficient discharge and for
48    my Executor for theire severall Legacies upon the Receipt and payment thereof
49    The Rest and Residue of my goods and Chattles plate Ready money and
50    debts whatsoever unbequeathed and w[hi]ch shall remaine after all Legacies in
51    and by this my will bequeathed shal[l ]be fully paied and discharged I give
52    and bequeathe unto my kinsman Beniamine Baincroft of Rederith afores[ai]d
53    Cordwainer and to Mary his wife my kinswoman whome I make ordeine
54    and appoint full and sole Executors of this my last will and testam[en]t
55    desiring them truly to performe the same in all things according to my trust
56    in them reposed And I make and appoint my good freinds Thomas
57    Waren and John Caterall Overseers of the same desiring them to be ayding
58    and assisting to my said Executors in and about the execu[t]ion thereof and
59    to see this my will in all things performed according to my true Intent and
60    meaning herein before playnely sett forthe and declared And for theire paines
61    I give unto my sayd Overseers Rings of Gould worth forty shillings a peece
62    at the least to weare for a Remembrance And soe I end my present testam[en]t
63    And doe hereby revoke all other Wills by mee formerly made And doe
64    publish and declare this and none other to be and soe to stand for my last
65    Will and Testament beseeching the high incomprehensible Creator of all
66    things to have mercy upon mee And in my end (and in the end of all things
67    to comfort mee In witnesse that this is my true mind and Will I have
68    caused the same to be faire written in this paper Booke conteyning in all
69    w[i]th this last leafe five sheetes of paper all written upon one side and to e-
70    very sheete or leafe I have subscribed my marke with my owne hand and sett
71    my seale being fixed at a peece of blew tape drawne through the toppe
72    of this Booke the day and yeare first above written The parties hereafter
73    being witnesses which by mee were specially called hereunto The marke
74    of
    [Page 3]
75    of Elizabeth Blake Sealed Subscribed published and delivered by the sayd
76    Elizabeth Blake the sayd twelveth Day of March ibed for her last Will and
77    Testament in the presence of us Henry Overton John Webb and of mee
78    Tho: Waren Scr:
79    This Will was proved at Westminster the eleaventh Day of September
80    in the yeare of our Lord God according to the Corpora[t]ion of the Churche of
81    England one thousand six hundred fifty foure before the Judges for
82    Probate of Wills and granting Administra[t]ions lawfully authorized by the
83    oathe of Beniamine Baincroft one of the Executors named in the said Will to
84    whome the administra[t]ion was comitted of all and singuler the Goods Chattles
85    and Debts of the said deceased hee the sayd Beniamine Baincroft being
86    first sworne truly to administer the same power being reserved for Mary
87    Bayncroft wife of the sayd Benjamine to make like propate thereof when
88    shee shall in due forme of lawe require the same

Will of Ellen Blake, widow Croydon Surrey - The National Archives PROB 11/201/361, probated 10 Jul 1647

Interesting will by Ellen Blake widow of Croydon with her enthusiastic support of King Charles as she states Lord Kinge Charles over ever England.

Morgan Gryffith is an unusual name and I did find a number of entries online at Croydon but too late to be this individual. No mention of husband or children or land. One is left to think she has just her household goods and wanted to be sure that there wouldn't be a difficult for Ellen Gryffith to take these goods for her own use.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded:  30 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/201/361
Testator: Ellen Blake, widow
Place: Croydon, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Dec 1646, probated 10 Jul 1647
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing fine, good contrast copy

[Margin] T[esta]m[ent] Ellen
[Margin] Blake

1    In the name of God Amen
2    I Ellen Blake of Croydon in the countie of Surrey widdow beinge weake in body but
3    in perfect mememory praised to God) doe ordaine and appoint this my last will and
4    Testament made this five and twentith day of December anno domini One thousand
5    sixe hundred forty sixe And in the two and twentith yeare of the Raigne of o[u]r soveraigne
6    Lord Kinge Charles over ever England etc in manner and forme followinge And first
7    and principally I commend my sinfull soule unto God Allmighty Creator thereof
8    solely trustinge in the merritts of my blessed Savio[u]r Christ Jesus for the salva[t]ion
9    thereof And my body to the earth whence it came to be therein interred at the discretion
10    and appointment of my Executrix and Overseers herein nominated and appointed And
11    for my personall estate it hath pleased my Creator to blesse me w[i]thall I give and be-
12    queath as followeth First I give and bequeath unto my kinsewoman Ellen Gryffith
13    the wife of Morgan Gryffith all and every my goods chattells and implements of
14    household stuffe whatsoever and debts, whom I make my sole executrix shee payinge my
15    debts and defrayinge my funerall charges And I intreat my lovinge Neighbors George
16    Hodges and Francis Hilles to stand and be my Overseers for the performance of this my
17    said last will and Testament where unto I putt my hand and seale the day and yeare first
18    above written Ellen Blake Signed and sealed in the presence of Francis Hilles
19    Jane Owen her marke