Francis Blake is the testator. There isn’t much online information on Francis himself unfortunately. I have not yet located his first marriage but there is quite a bit of information on their only child: Elizabeth Bastone Blake.
Elizabeth Bastone Blake married the Reverend John Emra, vicar of St George’s Bristol.
Names mentioned in the will:
Robert Blake, Minehead, brother, executor
Sarah Blake, Minehead, sister
Ann Blake, Minehead, sister
Elizabeth Burwell, Minehead, servant
John Deake, Mercer, Minehead, executor
Reverend John Blake, Faversham, Kent, nephew, executor
Elizabeth Bastone Emra, daughter
John Emra, son in law
Andrew Blake, brother
John Blake, son of Andrew, nephew
Robert Blake, son of Andrew, nephew
Mr. Lewis Fisher, Bristol, broker
Worthington Price, Indentee
John Blake, Indentee
Francis Bastone, Indentee
Hannah Bastone, witness
Jos: Bastone, witness
Francis Bastone, junior, witness
Christian Rawle, witness
Robert Carpenter, witness
Musings in advance of reading the will follow for a number of lines:
From Notes and Queries (3rd S. II. July 19, 1962, page 58) by William White:
“my grandmother, Elizabeth Bastone Blake, daughter of Francis Blake, Esq., of Minehead, was believed to be the last descendant of Nicholas Blake, or George (I am not sure which), who both settled in Minehead. My grandmother’s family had lived there for generations, and claimed to be the descendants (collateral, of course,) of the great Admiral. Elizabeth Bastone Blake married the Reverend John Emra, Vicar of St. George’s, Bristol.” The author J. Emra Holmes of Hartlepool, Durham.
The will of Andrew Blake, merchant at Minehead was probated 2 Jun 1753. His will was blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/09/will-of-andrew-blake-merchant-at.html
and I make note that he is descendant of Alice Blake whose will was blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/09/will-of-alice-blake-widow-of-dunster.html
This family does have a tradition that they are descendant of Humphrey Blake of Overstowey so it will be worthwhile to attempt to locate the husband of Alice as that would be the trail back to Humphrey.
In the discussion on the will of Andrew Blake I have not determined who the father of Francis Blake buried 21 Apr 1803 at Minehead is. Francis Blake was married to Ann Warrin (although where does the name Bastone arise in the family, was she a widow and need to find that reference) first and Elizabeth Bastone Blake born 8 Oct 1769 was from this first marriage. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Bradley 11 May 1774 and their only child (a son) died as an infant.
This I have written before looking at the will and perhaps within the will I will make some discoveries that will help to link Francis to the families in Minehead. I notice that Andrew Junior has a son Francis and I assumed that the burial of Frances was that son but it does appear to note in the burial record that Frances was his daughter (but no baptism). Perhaps Andrew Junior is the father of this Francis. I have made the change on the blog and will revisit that after the will is read.
The historical lore is that two brothers of Admiral Blake lived at Minehead. Nicholas (married to Jone Question) lived at Dunster which is just a couple of miles from Minehead) but who was the other brother living at Minehead? The above source mentions George but George died at Plymouth and lived there as far as I can tell.
Within the will, the testator, Francis Blake, doesn’t mentions his wives. He does mention his siblings Ann, Sarah, Robert and Andrew (which would place him as a son of Andrew Junior. He does mention his nephew the Reverend John Blake and he has two other nephews he mentions, the sons of Andrew, namely: John and Robert. Will check to see if I can find Reverend John Blake at Faversham in the Clergy of the Church of England database but this was not helpful as I can not find him in Kent.
But the charting that I did earlier looking at the will of Andrew and Alice Blake does lend credence to the idea that this Francis is the son of Andrew Blake Junior and hence Andrew Blake Senior and then back to Robert Blake and Ann Teague. This Robert likely being the son of Andrew Blake, Butcher of Dunster, whose will was blogged (and a certain property in Dunster is mentioned in this will that is mentioned later in the will of Robert’s son Andrew at Minehead):
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/09/andrew-blake-is-testator.html
This then takes us back to the will of Alice Blake, widow of Dunster who named her sons as Andrew and William. But still the question who was the husband of Alice and that would answer the question as to the relationship with Admiral Robert Blake.
I have written to the OPC for Dunster, Liz Jones, to see if she has a marriage for Alice to unknown Blake at Dunster. On the 1641-42 Protestation Returns at Dunster there were six Blake entries (all presumably 18 years of age or older) namely: Francis senior, Francis junior, William, Andrew, James, Richard and Robert. William and Andrew are possibly the sons of Alice. If I receive a positive answer I will add that in at this particular spot in the post.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 2 Oct 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1393/276
Testator: Francis Blake, Merchant
Place: Minehead, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 17 Aug 1802, probated 6 Jun 1803
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: Francis
[Margin]: Blake
1 This is the last Will and Testament
2 of me Francis Blake of Minehead in the County of Somerset
3 Merchant as follows First I give unto my Brother Robert
4 Blake and to my two sisters Ann and Sarah Blake all
5 new and arrears of Rent which shall be due and owing
6 to me at the time of my decease in respect of the house
7 they now reside in situate in Bampton Street in Minehead
8 they paying and discharging and indemnifying my
9 Executors hereinafter named from all Fines herriotts and
10 dilapidations which shall or may attach to me in respect
11 of the said house and premises but not otherwise I give
12 unto my said Brother Robert Blake all my Estate Title
13 and Interest which I possess in a Field of ground
14 called the Pitt park adjoining to the said Town of
15 Minehead subject to his paying the Yearly Rent
16 chargeable thereon I give unto my Servant Elizabeth
17 Burwell the Sum of Ten pounds and Ten shillings to
18 be paid her within three Months next after my
19 decease and also a Suit of Mourning provided she
20 be living with me at the time of my decease but
21 not otherwise I give and bequeath unto John Deake
22 of Minehead aforesaid Mercer my said Brother Robert
23 Blake and my Nephew the Reverend John Blake late
24 of Southmolton in the County of Devon but now of
25 Feversham in the County of Kent all Sum and Sums of
26 money which now stand in my Name or in the Name
27 or Names of any other person or persons in trust for me
28 either in the public Funds or Stocks of Great Britain or
29 on any other Government real or personal Security
30 whatsoever or wheresoever (except as to the Sum of
31 Two thousand pounds hereinafter particularly
32 mentioned and excepted) Upon Trust that the same
33 Sum and Sums of Money and every part thereof shall
34 within Twelve Months next after my decease or sooner
35 if possible be bought in and transferred into the three
36 per cent consolidated Annuities in the joint names of
37 the said John Deake Robert Blake and John Blake and
38 the Survivors and Survivor of them and the Executors
39 and administrators of such Survivor and to be paid
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40 and applied in such manner and for such uses intents
41 and purposes as are hereinafter particularly mentioned
42 that is to say upon Trust to pay and apply the Interest
43 dividends and annual produce thereof unto my daughter
44 Elizabeth Bastone Emra during the joint lives of herself
45 and her husband John Emra and from and immediately
46 after the decease of either of them the said Elizabeth
47 Bastone Emra and John Emra then upon trust to pay
48 and apply the Interest dividends and annual produce
49 thereof unto the Survivor of them the said Elizabeth
50 Bastone Emra and John Emra during the term of his
51 or her natural life and from and immediately after the
52 decease of both of them the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra
53 and John Emra upon trust to pay assign transfer and
54 apply the said principal Monies so directed to be invested and
55 transferred as aforesaid and all Interest due thereon
56 unto and amongst all and every the Child and Children
57 of them the said John Emra and Elizabeth Bastone
58 Emra equally to be divided between them share and
59 share alike and to be paid and applied to them
60 respectively when and as they shall attain their full age
61 and ages of Twenty one Years and I direct that the
62 Share or Shares of him her or them so dying under the
63 said age of Twenty one Years shall be paid unto and
64 among the Survivors of them in equal shares when
65 and as they shall attain their full age of Twenty one
66 years and in case there shall be only one such Child
67 that shall live to attain his or her full age of Twenty
68 one Years then in trust for such only Child and to be
69 paid transferred and applied to the use of such only
70 Child when and as he or she shall accomplish the full
71 age of Twenty one Years and in case all such Child
72 and Children shall die before he she or they shall
73 respectively accomplish their full age and ages of
74 Twenty one Years then upon trust to pay transfer
75 and apply the same principal Monies so directed to
76 be invested and transferred as aforesaid and all
77 interest that may be due thereon unto and amongst
78 all and every my Brothers and Sisters and my
79 Nephew namely Ann Blake Sarah Blake Robert
80 Blake Andrew Blake and my said Nephew the
81 Reverend John Blake their Executors and Administrators
82 equally to be divided between them share and share
83 alike provided that in case my said Brother Andrew
84 Blake should depart this life before me then and subject
85 to the proceedury Limitations and bequests I give the
86 share to be bequeathed to him unto and amongst his two
87 Sons John and Robert Blake equally to be divided between
88 them share and share alike and in case of the death
89 of either of them before he may have attained his
90 full age of Twenty one Years then I give the Share
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91 and Interest of him so dying unto the Survivor of them
92 the said John Blake and Robert Blake provided always
93 that the Receipt of Receipts of my said daughter the
94 said Elizabeth Bastone Emra shall be good and sufficient
95 discharge and discharges for any Sum or Sums of Money my said
96 trustees may pay her during the joint lives of herself
97 and her husband the said John Emra and that the
98 same or any part thereof shall not be liable to
99 subject to the control debts or Engagements of the
100 said John Emra in any manner whatsoever but to
101 and for her sole and absolute use and benefit
102 provided also that in case my said daughter the
103 said Elizabeth Bastone Emra should happen to die
104 before her said husband the said John Emra and
105 he should marry a second Wife then it is my will full
106 intent and meaning that immediately upon such second
107 Marriage all and every bequest or gift contained in
108 this my Will in any manner whatsoever shall
109 immediately cease and be utterly void to all intents
110 and purposes and that the same and every part
111 thereof shall from thenceforth be applied to the
112 further limitations contained in this my Will
113 provided further than in case my said daughter the
114 said Elizabeth Bastone Emra should survive her
115 said husband the said John Emra and marry a
116 second husband then it is my will that all and
117 every Child and Children which she may have by
118 such second Marriage shall be entitled to an equal
119 share and proportion with the Child and Children
120 of such her first or present Marriage provided
121 further that in case either of the Child or Children of the
122 said Elizabeth Bastone Emra which she now has or may
123 hereafter have either by her present or any future
124 Marriage shall be desirous of settling in any Trade
125 Business or profession or should think proper to
126 marry then my said Trustees shall to and with the
127 consent of the said John Emra and my said daughter
128 the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra or the Survivor of
129 them advance and pay any Sum or Sums of Money
130 not exceeding the Sum of One thousand pounds for
131 and towards his her or their better advancement in
132 Life and that any such Sum and Sums of Money
133 when so advanced shall be deducted and accounted
134 as a part of his her or their Share Interest or
135 fortune when the same shall so become payable
136 as aforesaid provided also that if or in case my
137 said daughter the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra
138 and John Emra or in case of the death of either of
139 them then with the consent of the Survivor of
140 them shall be desirous of placing any part of the
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141 Money (so directed to be invested in the public Funds as
142 aforesaid) in Trade that they to and with the joint consent
143 of my said Trustees may transfer any Sum that shall
144 be standing in the public Funds as aforesaid which Sum
145 and the Interest and profits thereof when so placed
146 in Trade I direct shall be paid and applied in such
147 manner and form as is before directed and as if the
148 same Sum was standing in the public Funds and shall
149 be subject to the same provisoes Limitations and
150 conditions as are hereinbefore contained in this my
151 Will and Whereas I did on the Marriage of my said
152 Daughter Elizabeth Bastone Emra with the said John
153 Emra become Bound or obligated to pay the Sum of
154 Two thousand pounds to be applied unto my daughter
155 the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra and John Emra and
156 the Issue of such Marriage in Such manner as it
157 particularly mentioned in certain articles of agree-
158 ment made and entered into on or about the tenth
159 day of december one thousand seven hundred and
160 Ninety five between myself of the first part my
161 daughter Elizabeth Bastone Emra of the second part
162 Worthington Price of the third part John Emra of the
163 fourth part and John Blake and Francis Bastone of
164 the fifth part and Whereas I have advanced the said
165 Sum of Two thousand pounds to be employed in Trade
166 with Mr Lewis Fisher and others of Bristol the Interest
167 and profits of which said Sum of Two thousand
168 pounds has been duly paid and received by my said
169 Son in Law and daughter the said Elizabeth Bastone
170 Emra and John Emra now I do hereby direct that
171 such said Sum of Two thousand pounds and the
172 interest and profits thereof shall be paid and applied
173 in every respect agreeable to the contents of the above
174 mentioned articles of agreement and shall be taken
175 and deemed to be the said Two thousand pounds so
176 intended to be secured by such said Marriage articles
177 and to be paid and applied for such uses ends
178 intents and purposes as are therein particularly
179 expressed concerning the same and for no other use
181 intent or purpose whatsoever and it is my Will
182 that in case such said Sum of Two thousand pounds
183 shall be paid in at any time after my decease then I
184 order and direct that the Trustees in such said recited
185 Marriage articles shall invest the same either in the
186 public Funds of Great Britain or on some good
187 Freehold Security and pay and apply the same and
188 the Interest and dividends arising therefrom for such
189 uses as are in such said Marriage articles directed
190 and Whereas I am possessed of a Freehold house and
191 premises situate in Frog Place in the Town of Tiverton now I
192 hereby direct that my said Trustees shall as soon
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193 as conveniently may be after my decease either by
194 public auction or private contract sell and dispose of the
195 same and also all my household Furniture Goods plate
196 Linen China and all other my Furniture and also all
197 Wines and Liquors which I am possessed of (save and
198 except such part of my said household Goods plate
199 Linen China and Liquors as my said daughter the
200 said Elizabeth Bastone Emra shall think proper to keep and retain for her own sole use and benefit and that the same and every part thereof subject to such as my said daughter the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra may retain and keep)
201 shall be disposed of by public auction as soon as
202 conveniently may be after my decease and the Monies
203 arising by such Sale both of my Furniture and the
204 premises situate in Tiverton I direct shall be placed
205 out at Interest as aforesaid and pay and apply the
206 same and the Interest and dividends thereof unto my
207 said daughter the said Elizabeth Bastone Emra and John
208 Emra and their Children in such manner as is before
209 mentioned as to my other property so directed to be
210 purchased in the public Funds of Great Britain as
211 aforesaid all the rest residue and remainder of my goods
212 Chattels Monies Securities for Money debts Stock and
213 all and singular other my real and personal Estate
214 and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever I give and
215 bequeath unto my said Trustees upon trust to sell and
216 dispose of the same and to place the Monies arising
217 therefrom at Interest as aforesaid and pay and apply
218 the same and the Interest and profits arising therefrom
219 in such manner and form and to be applied for such
220 uses intents and purposes as is before particularly
221 directed provided always and my Will and meaning is
222 that the said John Deake Robert Blake and the Reverend
223 John Blake their heirs Executors administrators and
224 assigns shall be charged and chargeable only with
225 and for such Monies as he or they shall respectively
226 actually receive by virtue of the Trusts hereby in
227 them reposed nor shall he or they or any of them be
228 answerable or accountable for any Banker or Broker
229 Goldsmith or other person with whom or in whose
230 hands any part of the said Trust Monies shall or
231 may be deposited or lodged for safe custody or otherwise
232 in the execution of any of the said Trusts hereinbefore
233 mentioned nor shall they or any of them be at any
234 time answerable or accountable for the insufficiency
235 or deficiency of any Security or Securities Stocks or Funds
236 in or upon which the said Trust Monies or any part
237 thereof shall be placed out or invested nor for any
238 Loss which may happen to the aforesaid Trust premises
239 except the same shall happen or arise by or through
240 their own wilful default respectively and that the
241 one of them shall not be answerable or accountable
242 for the deeds acts defaults receipts or disbursements
243 of
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244 of the other or others of them notwithstanding they or either
245 of them shall join in any receipt for conformity but each
246 of them for the acts deeds defaults and disbursements of
247 himself only and also that they the said John Deake
248 Robert Blake and the Reverend John Blake their heirs
249 Executors administrators and assigns shall and may
250 by and out of the Monies which shall or may come
251 to his or their hands by virtue of the Trusts aforesaid
252 retain to and reimburse himself and themselves all Costs
253 Charges damages and Expences which he or they shall
254 or may sustain expend disburse beat or be put unto in
255 or about the execution or management of all or any
256 of the Trusts hereby in them reposed or in relation
257 thereunto and lastly I constitute and appoint the said
258 John Deake Robert Blake and the Reverend John Blake
259 joint Executors in trust of this my last Will and Testament
260 hereby revoking all former Will and Wills by me heretofore
261 made In Witness whereof I have to this my Will
262 contained in seven Sheets of paper to each of which I
263 have subscribed my Name and to the last affixed my
264 Seal this seventeenth day of August in the Year of our
265 Lord one thousand and eight hundred and two Fran[ci]s Blake
266 Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testator Francis
267 Blake as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
268 of us who in his presence and at his request and in the
269 presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses
270 the words “bought in and” being first interlined in the first
271 Sheet and the words “principal Monies” in the second sheet
272 Hannah Bastone Jos Bastone Fran[ci]s Bastone Jun[io]r
273 I Francis Blake of Minehead in
274 the County of Somerset Merchant do make this Codicil
275 to be taken as part of my last Will and Testament as
276 follows Whereas I have by my Will given unto my
277 Executors in trust therein named all Sum and Sums
278 of Money which now stand in my Name or in the
279 name of any other person or persons in trust for me
280 either in the public Funds or Stocks of Great Britain or
281 in any other Governance at real or personal Security
282 whatsoever or wheresoever upon trust to invest the
283 same in their Names in the three per cent consolidated
284 annuities to be applied to be applied in such manner
285 as in my said Will is particularly mentioned now I do
286 hereby empower and authorize my said Executors when
287 and as they in their judgment and discretion shall think
288 proper to place all or any part thereof of the said
289 Monies (so directed in my will to be invested in the
290 public Funds) on good freehold Securities at Interest
291 and to change vary and alter the Securities or to
292 transfer the same or any part thereof from such
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293 Freehold Securities into the said three per Cent consolidated
294 annuities at such time and in such proportions manner
295 and form as they may deem requisite and proper for the
296 better advantage of the said Trust so in them reposed
297 and to be applied to the same uses and for the intents
298 and purposes as are in my said Will herein particularly
299 mentioned and directed in Witness whereof I have to this
300 my Codicil annexed to my said Will set my hand and Seal
301 this second day of April in the Year of our Lord one
302 thousand Eight hundred and three Fran[ci]s Blake Signed
303 Sealed published and delivered by the said Francis
304 Blake as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament
305 and to be taken as part thereof in the presence of us
306 who in his presence and in the presence of each
307 other have at his request subscribed our Names as
308 Witnesses thereto Chris[ti]an Rawle Rob[er]t Carpenter Fran[ci]s
309 Bastone Jun[io]r
310 This Will was proved at London with a Codicil on the Sixth
311 day of June in the Year of our Lord one thousand Eight
312 hundred and three (with a Codicil) before the Right
313 honorable Sir William Wynne Knight doctor of Laws
314 Master Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative
315 Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath
316 of Robert Blake the Brother of the deceased and one
317 of the Executors named in the said Will to whom
318 administration was granted of all and singular the
319 Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having
320 been first sworn by Commission duly to administer John
321 Deake and the Reverend John Blake the Nephew of the
322 deceased and the other Executors named in the said
323 Will having first renounced.
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