Thursday, December 12, 2013

Will of John Blake the elder, yeoman, Ford, Laverstock, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/556/154, probated 24 Jan 1716/17

The testator is John Blake of Ford in the parish of Laverstock. His brother is Zachary Blake of Newton Toney. He has other siblings. His wife is Elizabeth and she was a widow when they married. His children are named John Blake and Anne Carter. Anne is married to William Carter and they have a daughter Anne. John, the testator, is related to a Charles Blake of Wallop. One sister is Debora Sheppard and she has a son John. He has land at Ford, Wallop and Charleton. Hannah Langley is a kinswoman.

Laverstock is one mile east of Salisbury with Ford being one mile north of Laverstock. The testator mentions Lobcome and he possibly means Lopcombe which is near Wallop (nine miles from Laverstock). Great Wishford is just six miles from Laverstock. Newton Toney (Zachary Blake lives here) is just seven miles from Laverstock. Charleton is 16 miles (close to Andover Hampshire). As always I find any Blake family very interesting this close to where my Blake line is located at Andover. That he has property at Charleton is especially interesting along with Wallop. Is he from the Andover Blake line?

There was a Zachary Blake buried 11 Jun 1717 at Newton Toney from Family Search (I065268-8 and others). There was a Zacariah Blake baptized 6 Oct 1681 at Winterslow, Wiltshire son of Zachariah and Christian and buried 12 Oct 1681. There was a second Zacariah Blake baptized 22 Jun 1688 son of Zachariah and Susannah at Winterslow. Winterslow is 4 miles from Laverstock and Ford and close to Lopcombe near Wallop. A son of Zachariah and Susanne named John was baptized at Newton Tony 23 Jan 1693/4.

There is a baptism for Deborah Blake 30 Jan 1679/80 daughter of Zachariah and Christian at Winterslow. Possibly a niece to the testator. Deborah would be 36 years of age when the will was written.

There is a baptism for John Blake son of John 25 Oct 1683 at Winterslow. He would be too young to be the testator. A second baptism for a John Blake at Winterslow 1 Apr 1690 son of John and Ann. 

Searching marriages yielded an interesting one between John Blake of Winterslow, widower, yeoman and Ann Truckwell, Wells, Somerset, spinster, 30 years of age,  married 29 Dec 1686 possibly at Winterslow with bondsmen Thomas Truckwell, yeoman, Wells and Zacharias Blake, yeoman, Winterslow. An earlier marriage at Winterslow between John Blake, Winterslow, 35 years of age, and Alice Ward, Etchilhampton, spinster, 34 years (daughter of Robert or Edward), married 23 Jan 1684 with bondsman Robert Ward, husbandman, Etchilhampton. The two baptisms for John in the paragraph above could fit into these marriages. The bond mentioned in the will between the testator and Thomas Truckwell of Wells is very interesting.

Possibly the testator is John Blake aged 35 years of age in 1684 giving him a year of birth circa 1649 and hence he would be 67 years of age when he died.

The marriage of Anne Blake (Salisbury St Martin (Ford)) spinster, 22 years of age, to William Carter of Winterbourne Earls, bachelor, carpenter, 27 years of age was celebrated 5 Apr 1714. Bondsman: Timothy Wheeler, weaver, St Martin Salisbury. Anne was thus born circa 1692 and likely baptized 20 Oct 1692 at Winterslow daughter of John and Ann.

Who is Charles Blake of Wallop? Charles is always a rather interesting forename in the Blake family. 

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 11 Dec 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/556/154
Testator: John Blake the elder, yeoman
Place: Ford, Laverstock, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 9 Apr 1716, probated 24 Jan 1716/17
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Johannis Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    the Nineth day of Aprill in the Year of our Lord God one
3    Thousand Seven hundred and Sixteene I John Blake the Elder
4    of Ford in the parish of Laverstock in the County of Wilts yeoman
5    being weak in body but of sound and perfect sence mind and
6    memory thanks be to Almighty God for the same doe make
7    ordeine and appoint this to be my Last Will and Testament
8    in manner and forme following (revokeing all former Wills
9    and Codicills of Wills by me formerly made) First I recommend
10    my Soul into the handes of Almighty God that gave it me
11    hoping through the Meritts and mediation of my blessed
12    Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be made partaker of
13    Everlasting Life and my body I commit to the Earth from
14    whence it came to be decently buryed by my Executor herein
15    after named in hopes of a joyfull Resurrection and as for
16    what Worldly Estate which Almighty God hath blessed me
17    with I give devise bequeath and dispose as follows, (that is to
18    say) Imprimis I give and bequeath to my Brother Zachary
19    Blake of Newton Toney one Annuity or yeare rent charge of
20    Five pounds cleare of and from all Taxes Charges and
21    deductions whatsoever to be issueing due and payable out
22    of and from my Estate in Ford aforesaid to him dureing his
23    natural Life yearly and every yeare upon the five and Twentieth
24    day of March the four and Twentieth day of June the Nine and
25    Twentieth day of September and the one and Twentieth day of
26    December by even and equall portions The first payment thereof
27    to begin at such of the said days of payment as shall first and
28    next happen after my decease But my Will is that in case my s[ai]d
29    Brother Zachary Blake shall happen to have in possession or
30    enjoy at any time dureing his Life one Estate Situate in Maiden
31    Bradley which he claimes to hold the Rever[s]ion of immediately
32    after the decease of one Nathaniel Still who now enjoys it dureing
33    his Life) That then the said annuity of Five pounds so before
34    bequeathed unto my said Brother shall immediately cease and be
35    no longer paid to him out of my said Estate at Ford I give and
36    bequeath unto my Kinsman Charles Blake of Wallop one shilling
37    Item I give unto my Kinsman John Sheppard Son of my Sister
38    Debora Sheppard the Summe of Twenty pounds to be paid to him
39    by my Executor hereinafter named within one month next after
40    my decease Item I give unto my loving Wife Elizabeth all
41    such Goods and Chattles as were lately her Aunt Cowleys and
42    likewise one Feather bed which was heretofore my said Wifes
43    and all Furniture to him belonging Item I give and bequeath
44    unto my Son in Law William Carter all that bond made from
45    Thomas Truckwell of Wells in the County of Somersett unto me in
    [Page 2]
46    the penalty of one hundred and Eighty pounds condi[t]ioned for the
47    payment of Ninety pounds with the interest Together with all the
48    principall and interest thereon due Item I give unto my Granddaughter
49    Anne Carter the Summe of one hundred pounds to be put out at Interest
50    by my Executor herein after named and my Said Son in Law William
51    Carter within Twelve Months next after my decease until she shall
52    attain the age of one and Twenty years or be married or in case She
53    my said Grandaughter happens to dye before She attains the Age of
54    one and Twenty years or be married Then the said Summe of one
55    hundred pounds and interest thereof to be to and for the use of the
56    next Child of the said William Carter my Son in Law by Anne his Wife
57    my now daughter Item I give unto my daughter Anne now the Wife
58    of the said William Carter the Sume of one hundred pounds to be paid
59    to her by my Executor herein after named within Six months next after
60    my decease and her receipt to be a good discharge for the same not
61    withstanding her Coverture Item I give devise and bequeath unto
62    my said daughter Anne Carter all my Land at Charleton in the County
63    of South[amp]ton (after Elizabeth my said Wife is paid Twenty pounds per
64    annum for her Life out of the same according to my Marriage agreem[en]t)
65    To hold to my said daughter Anne Carter dureing her natural Life and
66    her husband not to have anything to doe therewith and after her
67    decease to the heirs males of the body of my said daughter Lawfully to
68    be begotten according to Seniority of age and priority of birth and to
69    the heirs of such heirs males for ever and for want of such Issue
70    to the heirs female of her body Lawfully begotten or to be begotten
71    and to the heires of such heires female for ever and for want of such
72    issue to my Son John Blake and to the heirs of his body lawfully to be
73    begotten for ever Item I give devise and bequeath unto my Said Son
74    John Blake all my inclosed piece of arable ground lyeing in the Parish
75    of Wallop in the County of South[amp]ton near a place called Lobcombe
76    Corner Together with all Trees hedgerows and other appurten[an]ces there-
77    unto belonging and also all that my Messuage Tenement and Farme
78    with the appurten[an]ces situate in Ford aforesaid to hold to him for
79    and dureing the terme of his natural Life and after his decease then
80    to the first Son of my said Son John Blake which in case his Wife should
81    dye leaveing noe heires) then to the first Son of any Second Wife and
82    the heires of the body of such said first Son (of the said Second Wife if
83    any) Lawfully to be begotten and in default of such issue then to the
84    heires female of my said Son John Blake lawfully to be begotten on
85    such Wives (if any) and the heires of such heires female for ever and
86    in default of such issue to my said daughter Anne Carter and the heirs
87    of her body lawfully begotten or to be begotten for ever. And If my said
88    Son and daughter shall happen to dye leaving noe heires of their
89    bodies lawfully issueing Then I give devise and bequeath my said
90    Lands att Ford and Charleton and the said piece of ground att
91    Wallop to be equally divided between such of my Brothers and
92    Sisters Children as shall be then living Share and Share alike as
93    Tenants in common and their heirs for ever Subject nevertheless to the
94    payment of the said Twenty pounds per annum to the said Elizabeth
95    my Wife dureing her life out of the Lands at Charleton and to the
96    payment of the said Five pounds per annum out of the said Lands att
97    Ford unto my said Brother Zachary Blake as aforesaid Item I give
    [Page 3]
98    unto my Kinswoman Hannah Langley Twenty Shillings Item I give
99    unto my loving Wife Elizabeth Blake the little possnett and the
100    little Bellmettle Skillett and Two Stock of Bees which was her former
101    husbands Item I give unto my Son John Blake all  my Stock of
102    Cattle and Waggons and plows and Corne of what nature soever
103    with the appurten[an]ces thereunto belonging Item I give and bequeath
104    unto my Son John Blake and my daughter Anne Carter all my household
105    goods (not herein before given and bequeathed) equally between
106    then and do make my said Son John Blake sole Executor of this my
107    Last Will and Testament In Wittnesse whereof I the said John Blake
108    the Elder have hereunto Sett my hand and Seale the day and yeare in
109    the Sheet of paper hereunto annexed first above men[t]ioned (the marke
110    of John Blake the Eld[e]r) Signed Sealed published and declared by
111    the Said John Blake the Elder to be his Last Will and Testament
112    in the presence of us who have attested the Same in the presence of
113    the Testator Elizabeth Collier the mark of Elizabeth Tavly Ja:
114    Hayward

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