Saturday, July 30, 2011

Pincombe Family of Devon (Will of William Pincombe - PROB11/106 - Image Reference 35/405) , Blackford Family of Somerset - two different emails

I had an interesting email lately on the Pincombe family wherein the writer quoted me as saying that all Pincombe descendants have a common ancestor and this from my one name study webpage. Actually what I say is:

"The first Pincombe appears to be Thomas Pencombe and he had two sons Thomas and John. I suspect that this is a singleton surname with all descendants related back to the common ancestor Thomas Pencombe whose name was spelled Pincomb in the next generation or Pyncomb."

Proving this to be fact will be a long time coming I suspect in that my yDNA study has only one person and I have knowledge of one other set of yDNA results. They only match 22/25 which is not that close. More samples are needed to prove that this line is a singleton or not.

He was asking about a descendant of Jane Pincombe (daughter of William Pincombe and Joan Davies) who married Silas Hiscott 31 Dec 1755 at Bideford. I wrote the following for others who may be interested in this particular line.


"I have two yDNA results only and they are not conclusive - one set is from my own direct line and the other from a descendant of the Barnstaple Pincombe family. yDNA remains the best way to distinguish whether or not a name is a singleton.
I have Jane Pincombe (daughter of William Pincombe (baptized 3 Aug 1705) and Jane Davies who were married 26 Dec 1727 at Bideford) marrying Silas Hiscott 31 Dec 1755 at Bideford. I do not have their children listed yet. This information was from the earlier Pincombe one name study.
William Pincombe was the son of William Pincombe (baptized 13 Apr 1665 Abbotsham/Northam) and Mary Pearce and he was baptized at Abbotsham according to the chart and Northam according to the IGI. I have not yet found their marriage place and date.
I have as the father of William baptized 1665 another William (baptized 20 Oct 1631 and it is implied that this is at Bideford) but no wife listed. Again the father was a William (baptized 24 Dec 1599; d 1641 and this time at Bideford). This William is said to be the son of Richard Pyncombe and Joan Row who were married 27 July 1599. This Richard has William listed as his father and he was said to be born at Bideford.
All very interesting and I have yet to prove all of it to my satisfaction but I share the results of the earlier study with you.
There is a family lore in the Pincombe family that says that William Pincombe of South Molton (son of a William Pincombe there) moved to Barnstaple/Bideford in the 1500s. Still remains to be proven and as more and more records become available it may yet be proven. However y DNA remains the best means to connect family lines that can not connect back on paper.
I can continue back from William Pincombe at South Molton to the first known Pincombe who arrived in Devon in 1485 from unknown location but possibly Herefordshire. This too is still to be determined."

 A second email that has proven to be most interesting came from a Blackford family researcher. I spent a couple of  hours sorting through material that I had thought about earlier because the published book on the Siderfin Family of West Somerset had the wife of Robert Siderfin as Elizabeth Blackford. This proved to be quite erroneous and fortunately not too long after I started to think about it out loud in my blog. I had a comment back a few days later wherein the researcher looking at her own family had found my reference to Robert Siderfin and mentioned a will that included Robert Siderfin and his wife Elizabeth; this Elizabeth actually being Elizabeth Question daughter of Augustine Question. That answered two questions; one Elizabeth was Elizabeth Question not Elizabeth Blackford and two the name of their second child was Augustine which had not appeared in the Siderfin family to date but obviously named after his grandfather.

For the benefit of other Blackford researchers I will relate the information that I sent to the Blackford researcher here in my blog as well.

At the National Archives (UK) documents on line provides the following wills of interest to the Blackford family of Devon and Somerset:


Will of William Blackford of Holnicote Court , Somerset    03 March 1732    PROB 11/650
Will of Elizabeth Blackford, Widow of Dunster, Somerset    23 May 1699    PROB 11/450
Will of Richard Blackford, One of the Kings Majesty's Masters extraordinary of His High and Honorable Court of Chancery of Dunster, Somerset    04 April 1689    PROB 11/395
Will of Sidwell Stoden otherwise Blackford, Widow of Selworthy, SOM 01 May 1657 PROB 11/264
Will of John Stodden alias Blackford, Weaver of Selworthy, Somerset


Will of John Blackford, Weaver of Bishops Nympton, Devon  11 January 1610 PROB 11/115


I also searched the Catalogue of the National Archives
 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/default.asp?j=1
 looking for mention of the Blackford family of Somerset and found:







Item reference C 11/100/18
Short title: Coffin v Dyke. Document type: three bills and ten answers. Plaintiffs: John Coffin merchant of Minehead, Somerset administrator of Mary Coffin deceased his late wife. ... 


Context
C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions      Division within C  Records of Equity Side: the Six Clerks
       C 11  Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Pleadings 1714 to 1758
          Sewell Division
             C 11/100  Pleadings. (Described at item level).
Record Summary
Scope and content
Short title: Coffin v Dyke.
Document type: three bills and ten answers.
Plaintiffs: John Coffin merchant of Minehead, Somerset administrator of Mary Coffin deceased his late wife.
Defendants: William Blackford esq, Edward Dyke, Henrietta Blackford an infant (by James Samson), George Sawbridge Littell esq, James Samson esq, Edward Leeds esq, Gregory Gardiner esq, Richard Cridland gent and Elizabeth Dyke widow.
Date of bill (or first document): 1729.
Date of last document: 1733
Covering dates 1733 Note The naming of a party does not imply that he or she will appear in all the documents in this cause (after the bill) Held by
The National Archives, Kew 
Legal status Public Record(s) Language English

This actually gives me the name of Mary Coffin's husband - John. My interest in all of this is the Quirke family. Mary Coffin (sister to John) married John Quirke and they had three daughters: Isott married her cousin John Quirke; Mary married John Question brother to my Elizabeth Question (married to Robert Siderfin) and Alice married Walter Siderfin (cousin to Robert Siderfin). The son of Walter and Alice inherited Old Cleeve manor from his cousin. The researcher with whom I was corresponding was interested in James Blackford who had gone to Jamaica. I was looking for possibilities on where his name might be mentioned and found the reference below in the right time period. However, one must really be on the spot at Kew to go through all this material in any practical way.

Item reference C 112/168
Dyke v. Coffin (1744): Three cash books concerning Holnycote Court, Selsworthy and William Blackford (d. 1730).
Context
C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions
    Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters
       C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits
          C 112/168  
Record Summary
C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions  
 Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters    
 C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits      
 C 112/168 
Scope and content
Dyke v. Coffin (1744): Three cash books concerning Holnycote Court, Selsworthy and William Blackford (d. 1730).
Covering dates 1726-1730 Held by
The National Archives, Kew 
Legal status Public Record(s)

This document has William Blackford dying in 1730 (his will was dated 1730) although probate did not occur until 1732. This would be a brother to James.

C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions
    Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters
       C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits
          C 112/207  
Top of page Record Summary
Scope and content Two deeds of property in Dunster and Old Cleeve, Som, with related bonds etc. securing them to William Blackford in return for loans.
Covering dates 1697-1734
Held by The National Archives, Kew 

Legal status Public Record(s)


Scans of these documents would be available for purchase. I mentioned them in case one is able to find someone in England (hopefully in London) who is also interested. They do imply a fair amount of legal manipulation with the properties in the late 1720s into the 1730s. The following document may be helpful in figuring out the property which William Blackford held at death (perhaps from his mother).



Item reference C 11/286/2
Short title: Nicholls v Hayman. Document type: Bill and three answers. Plaintiffs: Iltyd Nicholls clerk of Llanvase, ...

Context
C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions
    Division within C  Records of Equity Side: the Six Clerks
       C 11  Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Pleadings 1714 to 1758
          Sewell Division
             C 11/286  Pleadings. (Described at item level).
Top of page Record Summary
Scope and content Short title: Nicholls v Hayman.
Document type: Bill and three answers.
Plaintiffs: Iltyd Nicholls clerk of Llanvase, Glamorganshire (administrator of Susannah Nicholls deceased his late wife, who was a daughter of John Whitlock junior, gent of Winsham, Old Cleeve, Somerset and Joan Whitlock his wife, who was only daughter and heir of William Shenton, gent and Joan Shenton his wife both deceased), Whitlock Nicholls (eldest son and heir of said Susannah Nicholls) an infant aged 4 years (by his father said Iltyd Nicholls).
Defendants: William Blackford, Philip Sydenham and Sarah Sydenham his wife, William Francis and Joanna Francis his wife, George Hayman, Robert Darch and John Sealy.
Date of bill (or first document): 1728
Covering dates 1728
Note The naming of a party does not imply that he or she will appear in all the documents in this cause (after the bill)
Held by The National Archives, Kew 

Legal status Public Record(s)
Language English

  I then turned to the Country Registry office and  looking at the Somerset Record Office Catalogue
http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Search.tcl

and using the search expression blackford and limiting the date to 1700-1740 yields 100+ documents some of which might be interesting. You can open up the finding aid and sometimes there is some detail.

It seems odd not to find the Blackford family on the Visitations. They appeared to hold substantial property but that wasn't always the criteria for inclusion; "old" family I think predominated the Visitations particularly in the more agrarian parts of England. It was likely possible to retain one's ancient home long after the property had been sold that had originally given the family their status.

I also continued working on the Blake marriages matching up spouses and this is an enormous task which has only really just begun (over 30,000 marriages in Free BMD). Once I have completed that then I can start working with the family lines that I already know in Hampshire and put them together. I will then move out from Hampshire to the Home Counties where the Hampshire Blake families moved. But I want to also work concurrently on the other Blake families of the British Isles. It will be a slightly different approach because I do not know as much about their lineages.

But in the meantime the garden grows weeds rapidly and is my first call. The other argument in the summer is that it lasts such a short time in reality here and then the long dark cold days and nights come back which are absolutely perfect for reading fiche and transcribing wills. It is a little too bright in the summer to spend too much time at that. However, yesterday I transcribed a will that I thought I had completed years ago. In actuality it was back in my early days of genealogy (2003) and I had read it so I have now transcribed it. This particular Pincombe had seven sons and it is my premise that these sons moved out from the North/South Molton area towards Barnstaple/Bideford in the later part of the 1500s. Proving that will be an interesting task although yDNA makes it more likely that one can actually prove or disprove Pincombe as a singleton name with respect to having a single founder. Over time other haplogroups/markers may well appear because of surname changes or non paternal events but initially I do wonder if Pincombe was a single family taking up that name.

Will of William Pincombe (Richard the fourth son is my ancestor and he settled at Bishops Nympton; amazingly his son William is also mentioned) I insert below for anyone interested. William was married to Emotte Snow (this marriage does not appear in the Parish Register which commenced for marriages in 1558). I do not know the name of her father but her brother William Snowe was the father of Honor Snow and she married Thomas Blackmoore (my 10x great grandparents) 8 Oct 1570 at Bishops Nympton.

Richard Pincombe (my ancestor) married twice and the two families represent all the Pincombe lines found at Bishops Nympton in the 1600s and into the 1700s. There are several entries in the Parish Registers there that I can not sort into these families though in the later 1700s. When this will is written in 1602 William (son of Richard) is three years old; his elder sister Anne died in 1598 as a small child and his mother Anne (surname unknown) was buried 3 May 1600 at Bishops Nympton. Richard married Francis Gill 11 Nov 1603 at Bishops Nympton. Richard was buried 31 Jan 1648 but his age was not listed. Working from the premise that Anne was his first marriage and that Anne (daughter was born in 1598) then Richard may have been born in the mid 1570s or earlier.

Recorded: 29 July 2011
Source: Public Record Office, London, UK, PROB11/106 - Image Reference 35/405
Place: East Buckland, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 20 December 1602

Condition: photocopy, bold, old English writing

[In margin] T[estator] Willi[a]m Pyncombe


1    In the name of God, Amen.  The Eighte and
2    twentithe day of december in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred
3    and two I Willyam Pyncombe the elldeste of Easte Bucklande in the countie of Devon yeoman
4    beinge of perfecte remembrance (thanks be unto Allmightie God) do make and ordayne this
5    my laste will and Testamente in manner and forme followinge.  Firste I bequeathe my
6    soule unto Allmightie God.  And my bodie to be buried within the Churche or Churchyard
7    of East Bucklande aforesaid.  Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore of the parish of East
8    Bucklande aforesaid Three Shillings foure pence.  And toward the rep_cord of the parish Churche
9    there Three shillings foure pence.  Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore of Southmolton
10    tenne Shillings.  And unto the poore of Northmolton tenne shillings.  Item I give and bequeathe
11    unto Willyam Pyncombe my sonne Sixe pounds thirteene Shillings foure pence.  Item I give
12    and bequeathe unto my saide sonne Willyam Pyncombe my greate tableboord whiche standeth in
13    my hall, the cubborde in the same hall, and the seelinge of the saide halle, my beste fetherbedd
14    performed and all my ploughe s_ath, to have and enioye the same presentlie after the decrease or
15    nexte maryage of his mother. Item I give and bequeathe unto Symon Pyncombe my sonne (if he
16    bee nowe lyvinge and do returne againe into this Realme of Englande) Tenne pounds. And I doe
17    praye his mother to have further consideration of him. Item I give and bequeathe unto Johane
    [Page 2]
18    Johan Pyncombe my daughter Fiftie pounds.  Item I do give and bequeathe unto Katheren Pyncombe
19    my daughter Fiftie pounds.  Item whereas I have and houlde by the demise and grannte of John Davy
20    gentleman deceased to me my executor and assignes for terme of Fourescore and nyneteene yeares ___
21    to be compleate and ended, if Symon Pyncombe, Richard Pyncombe and Thomas Pyncombe my sonnes
22    so longe lyve, or anie of them so longe lyve, all that the hall of the Tenement and Barton commonlie
23    called Over Mollande Sarazin, the entire, and house adioyning to the northe part of the said halle
24    the chambers over the saide halle and the house within the said halle, one chamber over the said house
25    and the shippinge in the easte part of the saide house. And all that parte or portion of the Towne
26    place there which is lymitted and appointed by meerts and bonds, the garden by southe the yokinge
27    house. One close of lands called the Southedowne, one other close of lande called the bottoms close
28    and dyvers other closes platts and quilletts of lande, meadowe, woods, wayes and other hereditam[en]ts
29    within the appurtennces in Northmolton in the countie before said, as by a deed indented whose date
30    is the nineteenth day of September in the foure and twentithe yeare of the Queenes ma[jes]ties
31    raigne that nowe is more plainelie the large yf dothe and maie appear. I do give and bequeathe
32    unto Lewes Pyncombe and Peter Pyncombe my sonnes their executors and assigns all and singuler
33    my rights, tytle,  estate, intereste and terme of yeares whiche shal[l ]be to come and unexpired of their
34    foresaid terme at the tyme of my deathe of and in all and singuler the foresaid house, landes, tenem[en]ts
35    closes, meadows, curtilages, woods, Quillettes and parcelles of lands and meadows w[i]th all & singuler
36    their appurtenances, and everye parte and parcell thereof contayned in the foresaid deed, indented
37    excepted suche parte of the houses, closes of lande, meadowe, curtilages, woods, quilletts, and parcelles of
38    lands and meadows with the appurtenances contayned in the foresaid recited deed indented, as before this
39    tyne I have by deed wrytinge given, grannted, assigned and sette over to John Pyncombe my sonne
40    his executors and assigns. To have and to houlde all and singuler the aforesaid houses, closes of
41    Lands, meadowes, curtilages, woods, quilletts, and parcelles of lands and meadows withe their appurtenances
42    (excepte before excepted) unto the said Lewes Pyncombe And Peter Pyncombe my sonnes their executors
43    and assignes from the daie of my deathe untill the expiration and end of the same terme of fouerscore
44    and nyneteene yeares, yeeldinge, performenge and doinge as I my executors and assignes are bounde by the
45    afore recited deed indented to yeelde, do and performe. And my meanenge is that my executors shall
46    freelie have and take all suche corne in and uppon the premisses afore geven and bequeathed as shal[l ]be
47    in the Earthe at the tyme of my deathe or decease withoute payenge any thinge for the standinge
48    thereof Item I geve and bequeathe unto my saide sonne Peter Pyncombe Tenne poundes Allso
49    I geve and bequeathe unto my foresaid two sonnes Lewes and Peter all my pewter vessells w[hi]ch
50    are marcked w[i]th W and P equallie to be devided betwixt them ymediatlie after the deathe or next
51    marrage of their mother. Item I geve and bequeathe unto Elizabeth Colliscotte the daughter of John
52    Colliscotte deceased fortye shillings to be employed to the beste use for her untill she accomplishe one
53    and twentie yeares of age by my sonnes Willyam Pyncombe and John Pyncombe And then to be payde her
54    by them withe the proffytte thereof (if see be lyvinge) otherwise to remaine and be by even and
55    equall portions unto my two sonnes Willyam and John Item I geve and bequeathe unto my brother
56    Richarde Pyncombe Thirtie shillinges Item I geve and bequeathe unto Thomas Pyncombe
57    sonne of my brother Richarde Pyncombe Tenne shillinges and an ewe and a lambe Item I geve
58    and bequeathe unto Willyam Pyncombe, John Pyncombe and Marye Pyncombe the chilldren of
59    my sonne John Pyncombe twentie shillings equallie to be divided amongste them Item I geve
60    bequeathe unto Willyam Pyncombe sonne of Richard Pyncombe my sonne Sixe shillings eighte
61    pence Item I geve unto Willyam Hutche one ewe sheepe Item I geve unto Anne Breshton
62    Agnes Brisheton the daughter of Thomas Brisheton to either of them a lambe Item I geve and
63    bequeathe unto everie of my god chilldren sixe pence a peece. The residue of all my goods moveable
64    unmoveable I geve and bequeathe unto Emott Pyncombe my wife whom I ordayn and make my
65    Executrix of this my presente Testamente and laste will. And I do ordayne and make overseers
66    of this my presente Testamente & laste will my lovinge sonnes Willyam Pyncombe and John
67    Pyncombe and my lovinge neigheboure Anthony Wedlake alias Brailey whom I do desier to see
68    this my laste will and Testamente in all thinges performed accordinge to my entente and
69    meanenge In wytnes whereof the saide Willyam Pyncombe the elldeste have hereunto sette
70    my signe the daie and yeare before saide in presence of those whose names are hereunder wrytten
    [Page 3]
71    Signed William Pyncombe the elldeste wytnesses hereunto Willyam Pyncombe Thomas
72    Birsheton





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