Andover Parish Registers - 23

I did not complete the Parish Registers today - it was just too busy. I did manage to transcribe as far as March 1627 which is a total of 1668 burials. There are a couple of interesting Blake burials that will assist me in my quest to solve some of the Blake lines at Andover. I think, at this moment in time, that the husband of Jone Blake, widow, whose will was probated in 1527, was either Robert or Richard Blake and that he was the first of that surname to live in the area of Andover. Where he was born is unknown but the postulation by others is that he was born near Calne Wiltshire and the descendant of Robert Blake and Avis Wallop. The Blake family of Wiltshire is definitely descended from Robert Blake and Avis Wallop. Possibly the Blake family of Somerset is also descended from the Blake family near Calne but I suspect that it is further back than published sources.

I wish that the individual who has tested at FT DNA and has a result that is I2a2 like my own paternal line would increase his markers. Although the match is only 8 on 12 one of these differences is likely a very personal one occurring in my paternal line. The other three are fast moving markers. Going to 37 markers might prove to be interesting but it might also show a big difference - hard to say!

Today I decided to houseclean the two bathrooms and that kept me quite busy as I washed literally everything! It is amazing the fresh spring scent that permeates a room after all of the curtains, rugs, etc. are hung outside to dry. It doesn't last long but the day after is quite lovely.

My husband and I spent a while working through the website of The Archives of Ontario. We have a project that will take us there in the fall and want to have all of our material ready to work on there. Our sessions at Salt Lake City showed us the real value of making long lists of potential items to look at. Although we have done this before for NEHGS it wasn't possible with NYGBS although soon will be when their collection is catologued by the NYPL.

Tomorrow I shall continue working on the Parish Registers and perhaps I will complete them. Unfortunately the writing has become quite difficult and the pages are somewhat chewed! But still the material that I can glean is very valuable. If completed then I will begin the Timberscombe Parish Registers with the thought of completing them over the next week of so. When completed I have to donate them to the OPC Somerset website, the FreeReg website and Family Search. I have the fiche of the original records as well.