Friday, April 5, 2013

Will of James Blake, Yeoman of Speen, Berkshire - The National Archives PROB 11/1457/169, probated 13 Mar 1807

The will of James Blake of Speen, Berkshire was a must read given that I had looked at a will for William Blake of Speen from 1552: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/will-of-william-blake-yeoman-of-speen.html.

Whether or not this James Blake is a descendant of William Blake can not be determined from this will. William Blake had a son Anthony and brothers John and Richard.

A look at British History online for the Parish of Speen does not have any Blake entries. The Englefield family held Speen at the time of William Blake in the 1500s. With no mention of Blake and the knowledge that this Blake family also lived at Andover in some time period, I wonder if they have a similar descent to my line prior to Nicholas Blake who left his will in 1547 at Enham.

From the Spanswick one name study there is a marriage of James Blake to Elizabeth Spanswick 13 Dec 1733 at Speen. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dutillieul/SpansCounty/Berkshire/Speen.html

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 5 Apr 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1457/169
Testator:  James Blake, Yeoman
Place: Speen, Berkshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document:  9 May 1805, probated 13 Mar 1807
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: James
[Margin]: Blake

1    This is the last Will
2    and Testament of me James Blake of Speen
3    in the County of Berks yeoman made this ninth
4    day of May in the year of Our Lord one
5    thousand eight hundred and five as follows (that
6    is to say) First I direct all my Just debts Funeral
7    and Testamentary charges and Expences to be paid and discharged
8    and after payment thereof and of every part
9    thereof and subject thereto I direct that my Estate and
10    and Effects of what nature soever be sold and
11    disposed of and converted into Money in such way
12    so my Executor herein after named shall in his
13    discretion think proper and the Money arising
14    and to be made by Sale thereof as also all my
15    Money in the Stocks or Funds and all other my
16    Monies and personal Estate whatsoever I give
17    and bequeath unto William Graham of Newbury
18    aforesaid Draper his Executors and Administrators
19    Upon Trust the said William Graham his Executors
20    or Administrators shall and do within six Calendar
21    Months next after my decease place out and
22    invest the same or any part thereof upon good
23    security or securities or continue the same or
24    any part thereof in and upon such Stocks Funds
25    or Securities as the same or any part thereof
26    may be invested in or upon at the time of
27    my decease as he in his discretion shall think
28    proper and pay and apply the Interest or
30    proceeds of the said Monies so to be placed
    [Page 2]
31    out as aforesaid unto my beloved wife Ann
32    Blake and her assigns or permit and suffer
33    her to receive and take for the same for and
34    during the Term of her natural Life and from
35    and immediately after the decease of my said Wife
36    or as soon after as conveniently m ay be upon
37    Trust that he my said Trustee his Executors or
38    Administrators shall and do call in and pay
39    and divide all and singular the said Monies so to
40    be placed out as aforesaid and all Interest which
41    shall be then due thereon between and amongst my
42    daughter Jane Brown (the Wife of Bartholomew
43    Brown of Newbury aforesaid Pig Cutter whom I
44    had by a former Wife, my Son in Law George
45    Crawford of Grays Inn Lane London Lapidary and
46    Glass Cutter and my daughter Jane Blake) and all
47    and every other Child and Children I may have
48    by my present Wife in equal proportions share
49    and share alike But in case any one or more
50    of them the said Jane Brown George Crawford
51    and Ann Blake or any other Child or Children I
52    may have by my said Wife shall die before
53    his her or their share or shares shall become
54    payable then upon Trust to pay the share or
55    shares of him her or them so dying unto the
56    survivor or survivors of them And I do declare
57    that the Receipt of my said daughter Jane
58    Brown shall be a good discharge to my said
59    Trustee for her share without the concurrence
60    of her husband And I do hereby nominate
61    constitute and appoint the said William Graham
62    sole Executor of this my Will and I do hereby
63    declare that it shall Be lawful for my said Executor
64    and Trustee his Executors and Administrators
65    to deduct and retain to himself and themselves all
66    such costs charges and Expences as he or they
67    shall sustain or be put to in the Execution
68    of the Execution of the Trust of this my
69    my Will and that he or they shall not be
70    answerable or accountable for any more
71    Money than he or they shall actually receive
72    And I do hereby revoke all former and other
73    Wills by me at any time heretofore made and
74    do declare this to be my last Will and Testament
75    In Witness whereof I the said James Blake the
76    Testator have to this my last Will and
77    Testament contained in two Sheets of paper set
78    my hand and Seal to wit my hand at the bottom
79    of the preceding Sheet and my hand and Seal
80    to this Sheet the day and Year mentioned at
81    the beginning of the preceding The Name or Mark
82    of James Blake James Blake the testator The writing
83    contained
    [Page 3]
84    contained in this and the preceding Sheet of
85    paper was signed sealed By the said James Blake
86    the Testator and by him published and declared
87    as and for his last Will and Testament in the
88    presence of us who in his presence and in the
89    presence of each other and at his request have
90    subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereof William
91    Woodward Jno Barfield
92    This Will was proved at London the
93    thirteenth day of March in the Year of Our
94    Lord one thousand Eight hundred and seven before
95    the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight
96    Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of
97    the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully
98    constituted by the oath of William the sole executor
99    named in the said Will to whom administration
100    was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels
101    and Credits of the deceased having been first sworn
102    by Commission duly to administer.

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