I submitted another 1200 plus entries to the Probate Index with another 250 thus far. I will finish with this next block of wills. There are about 35 wills left to index which brings me up to date.
I rather think that I will continue with working on family trees for these Blake families for whom I have so much probate material along with online Parish Records and Census. I think that is the greatest value to my Blake study.
I also want to get back to working on the trees for the Pincombe family to see if I can verify all of that information collected by the early Pincombe study at the Guild. The frustration of the yDNA results will just have to sit in the background for a while until I have enough testers in the Pincombe families to really triangulate the results. There are two different haplogroups in the Pinkham family thus far.
Now that I have been away from my dedicated work on the Blake family these past couple of years I am looking at it with a slightly different perspective. This also results from the formation of The Surname Society where I have a number of my 3x great grandparent lines entered as research studies. All of these lines interest me and I do not do world wide studies on The Surname Society. One can do either; which ever suits your purpose in genealogy.
So I am back to thinking of working on wills four of the seven days in a week for three week intervals and then the end of the month I will work on Tree Reconstruction (as well as on each Saturday). Monday is research on my 4x great grandparents and Wednesday is research on my grandchildren's 4x great grandparents.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Probate Index of Blake Wills
I have over the past couple of years contributed 4057 line entries to the Probate Index at the Guild of One Name Studies. Time has moved too quickly this past year and I am still back in early December 2013 preparing the probate index which I submit. I am up to 403 lines once again and usually submit around 500 lines at a time. There are probably another two sets of 500 still to do. I decided this would be a good method of getting back into my research into the Blake family. Three months away has blurred the work that I was doing but on the other hand does give me a fresh perspective.
Doing our 2nd google hangout for The Surname Society brought to mind once again how I maintain all this information I am busily collecting. Reminding me that I had not submitted anything to the Probate Index for a very very long time. This is one of the perks of membership in the Guild of One Name Studies.
I have also transcribed a number of other interesting documents besides wills and I am contemplating doing a name index including the reference to the document, where it is located and a short summary of what is in the document. That is really the way forward in genealogy for all of us for people to prepare indexes of the material that they have collected/transcribed. How to store such indexes is a mystery though that needs to be investigated.
Doing our 2nd google hangout for The Surname Society brought to mind once again how I maintain all this information I am busily collecting. Reminding me that I had not submitted anything to the Probate Index for a very very long time. This is one of the perks of membership in the Guild of One Name Studies.
I have also transcribed a number of other interesting documents besides wills and I am contemplating doing a name index including the reference to the document, where it is located and a short summary of what is in the document. That is really the way forward in genealogy for all of us for people to prepare indexes of the material that they have collected/transcribed. How to store such indexes is a mystery though that needs to be investigated.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
DNA and The Surname Society
As The Surname Society continues to grow, I am convinced that this tool will aid me greatly in my pursuit of my own personal ancestors. I have found a lot of them and do travel back a long way into the past with many of them. The advantage to being a late emigrant to North America and knowing each and every one of their emigration stories, where they came from and why they came.
But even with that much knowledge, I do have a couple of lines that need help and they mostly lie in my maternal mtDNA line and my maternal grandmother's father's male line Buller. I hope to meet more people interested in these particular lines although also welcome anyone interested in my 22 personal surnames and the four surnames of our grandsons' French Canadian lines. Although being on My Heritage has been a real eye opener into those French Canadian lines that are a brickwall as there are so many people searching for that information.
My cousin asked me to test on Ancestry DNA and facilitated that process since the DNA testing is not yet rolled out to Canada officially. I had tested her at FT DNA thinking we might share Buller DNA since we are fifth cousins once removed. But we did not share any DNA at all. However, she had matched a known third cousin once removed to me at Ancestry. So I tested and indeed I did match my third cousin once removed in the 4th to 6th cousin with a Very High Confidence of accuracy. In all I have seven such matches at the 4th to 6th cousins with very high confidence. I can place a second one of the matches as she is my fourth cousin once removed in my Pincombe family lines and is known to me. The other five though are a mystery but they have quite small trees and I am likely looking at 3rd or 4th grandparents as being the likely common ancestors. Plus their ancestry is totally American colonial thus far and I do not have any American colonial ancestors. Indeed my first ancestors did not come to Canada until 1818 and it was the emigrant daughter of this family that married the next emigrant in my lines in 1832 and then 1851 the next emigrant arrived to marry the daughter of this couple. Not again until 1908 did I have another emigrant who married the son of the next couple and she was my maternal grandmother. In 1913 my father arrived with his parents and married the daughter of this last couple. So a very shallow history on this side of the Atlantic.
Ancestry DNA has come up with a very unique way of displaying matches called DNA Circles. I do not have any yet because you need four people to make a circle and thus far I just have the two matches and must wait for others to add to their family trees, make them public or simply actually have a tree on line. I am hopeful though that I may find leads to my two lines that are most puzzling.
I am able to name 28 of my 32 3x great grandparents with 100% accuracy and the other two sets are likely but I would like to have the marriage registration of Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Taylor and Ellen Taylor's birth registration. Then I would be completely satisfied that Thomas Taylor and Ellen Roberts are indeed my 2x great grandparents and that Samuel Taylor/Ann Lewis Harborne and Thomas Roberts/Ellen Lawley are my 3x great grandparents. One of the matches (not yet known to me) is quite interesting leading into my grandmother's ancestry but it is my Welch line which is known to me back into the early 1700s.
So hats off to Ancestry for a really great addition to their DNA material.
Slowly trying to work my way back into genealogy but suspect it will be as mentioned earlier into January before I am really back to transcription and blogging on a daily basis.
But even with that much knowledge, I do have a couple of lines that need help and they mostly lie in my maternal mtDNA line and my maternal grandmother's father's male line Buller. I hope to meet more people interested in these particular lines although also welcome anyone interested in my 22 personal surnames and the four surnames of our grandsons' French Canadian lines. Although being on My Heritage has been a real eye opener into those French Canadian lines that are a brickwall as there are so many people searching for that information.
My cousin asked me to test on Ancestry DNA and facilitated that process since the DNA testing is not yet rolled out to Canada officially. I had tested her at FT DNA thinking we might share Buller DNA since we are fifth cousins once removed. But we did not share any DNA at all. However, she had matched a known third cousin once removed to me at Ancestry. So I tested and indeed I did match my third cousin once removed in the 4th to 6th cousin with a Very High Confidence of accuracy. In all I have seven such matches at the 4th to 6th cousins with very high confidence. I can place a second one of the matches as she is my fourth cousin once removed in my Pincombe family lines and is known to me. The other five though are a mystery but they have quite small trees and I am likely looking at 3rd or 4th grandparents as being the likely common ancestors. Plus their ancestry is totally American colonial thus far and I do not have any American colonial ancestors. Indeed my first ancestors did not come to Canada until 1818 and it was the emigrant daughter of this family that married the next emigrant in my lines in 1832 and then 1851 the next emigrant arrived to marry the daughter of this couple. Not again until 1908 did I have another emigrant who married the son of the next couple and she was my maternal grandmother. In 1913 my father arrived with his parents and married the daughter of this last couple. So a very shallow history on this side of the Atlantic.
Ancestry DNA has come up with a very unique way of displaying matches called DNA Circles. I do not have any yet because you need four people to make a circle and thus far I just have the two matches and must wait for others to add to their family trees, make them public or simply actually have a tree on line. I am hopeful though that I may find leads to my two lines that are most puzzling.
I am able to name 28 of my 32 3x great grandparents with 100% accuracy and the other two sets are likely but I would like to have the marriage registration of Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Taylor and Ellen Taylor's birth registration. Then I would be completely satisfied that Thomas Taylor and Ellen Roberts are indeed my 2x great grandparents and that Samuel Taylor/Ann Lewis Harborne and Thomas Roberts/Ellen Lawley are my 3x great grandparents. One of the matches (not yet known to me) is quite interesting leading into my grandmother's ancestry but it is my Welch line which is known to me back into the early 1700s.
So hats off to Ancestry for a really great addition to their DNA material.
Slowly trying to work my way back into genealogy but suspect it will be as mentioned earlier into January before I am really back to transcription and blogging on a daily basis.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Transcription
Slowly moving ahead with transcription and Valentine Blake's, Clerk at Winchcomb, will of 1615 will be a challenge. It is four pages long with an inventory and somewhat of a scrawl (I believe it is his original writing as these are wills from the Diocese of Bristol). Probably I will not complete it for a few days and I believe I will also work on the Cornwall Blake family at the same time.
The new society "The Surname Society" has my time commitment only for meetings and the newsletter (I will primarily be copyediting other submissions which will mean a much shorter time commitment). That brings to three the number of newsletters that I prepare. My Blake newsletter is short (never more than 2 pages unless someone wants to add something) but all written by me and my Guild of one name Studies newsletter for Eastern Canada (trying for twice a year and again written by me). As I approach 70 (2015) I realize that I must continue to pass on some of my commitments to other like minded people so hope that someone will come forward to take on the Guild for Eastern Canada.
The will of Valentine Blake is rather an interesting one as I do have a Martin Blake married to Catherine Vaughan living at Winchcomb but no son Valentine and the father is said to be David. This information from the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. I did find a bit of information that gives me a possible date of birth for Valentine Blake. It is the recording of a case where he was a deponent 18 Jun 1612 and it is stated that Valentine has lived at Winchcombe for 15 years and that he was born at Fladbury, Worcestershire and he is aged 50 years. Hence a birth year circa 1562. Interesting that he is a curate at Winchcombe where the Blake family had lived earlier but also concurrent with Valentine's time there. Is he related?
Still working away on my exercises for my back which eats into my genealogy time quite markedly actually. I think that is the secret for recovery. When I tore my rotator cap a little more than ten years ago now I went to about half of a dozen therapy sessions which I found to be absolutely excellent. Being directed in such a way is very very beneficial and then doing those exercises for a number of years and my shoulder is completely healed. I hope the same for my back actually.
The new society "The Surname Society" has my time commitment only for meetings and the newsletter (I will primarily be copyediting other submissions which will mean a much shorter time commitment). That brings to three the number of newsletters that I prepare. My Blake newsletter is short (never more than 2 pages unless someone wants to add something) but all written by me and my Guild of one name Studies newsletter for Eastern Canada (trying for twice a year and again written by me). As I approach 70 (2015) I realize that I must continue to pass on some of my commitments to other like minded people so hope that someone will come forward to take on the Guild for Eastern Canada.
The will of Valentine Blake is rather an interesting one as I do have a Martin Blake married to Catherine Vaughan living at Winchcomb but no son Valentine and the father is said to be David. This information from the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. I did find a bit of information that gives me a possible date of birth for Valentine Blake. It is the recording of a case where he was a deponent 18 Jun 1612 and it is stated that Valentine has lived at Winchcombe for 15 years and that he was born at Fladbury, Worcestershire and he is aged 50 years. Hence a birth year circa 1562. Interesting that he is a curate at Winchcombe where the Blake family had lived earlier but also concurrent with Valentine's time there. Is he related?
Still working away on my exercises for my back which eats into my genealogy time quite markedly actually. I think that is the secret for recovery. When I tore my rotator cap a little more than ten years ago now I went to about half of a dozen therapy sessions which I found to be absolutely excellent. Being directed in such a way is very very beneficial and then doing those exercises for a number of years and my shoulder is completely healed. I hope the same for my back actually.
The Surname Society
Behind the scence, over the past few months, I have been involved in setting up "The Surname Society" and the details of this new society follow below this paragraph. I have been researching a number of lines, as my readers are aware, aside from Blake and Pincombe. I have wanted to have a place where like-minded researchers of these names (my ancestors) could become more visible to each other. I was approached by the team behind the vision of The Surname Society and asked to join with a group interested in forming such a society and we met in a number of sessions (with me standing, walking and talking on Google+ on my tablet with them throughout most of this time) which has helped to occupy my brain these last few months whilst I was away from transcription! The Society will, I think, be an interesting addition to Genealogical Societies and we hope to see it be quite worldwide. Already I have registered four of my French surnames that I have been investigating as well as a number of English ones. There are some positions that still need to be filled and if anyone is interested please do write to Kirsty or any member of the Committee (see the about us on the website) - we would love to hear from you. I am editor of the newsletter which has proven to be another task that I have managed to put together these past three months and it will go live shortly. Fortunately I have had a lot of input from the committee. We are now open for business and for inclusion of your items as members of the society in the newsletter.
THE SURNAME SOCIETY
The founder
members are delighted to announce the launch of The Surname Society - the online society for individuals,
groups and associations with an interest in surname studies, regardless of
their location in the world, the surname they are studying, or their level of
research expertise.
Focussing on
single surname studies, the society meets the needs of researchers in the world
of family history and genealogy as it evolves in the 21st century. The
Surname Society’s vision is to connect like-minded
people by providing facilities which enable members to share knowledge, data
and good practice with others. The society allows members to register both worldwide
and limited studies and is entirely online. Collaboration is facilitated and
encouraged as it is the core ethos of The Surname Society.
Surname
researchers collect data relating to all name bearers, either on a global or
restricted basis. The society does not mandate study methods and members are
encouraged to develop their own approach to the investigation of their surname
to advance their knowledge and expertise in areas such as etymology, DNA, name
collection and family reconstruction. The
Surname Society will help and advise inexperienced members on ways to
conduct their study and how to avoid the pitfalls which can occur!
A truly global
organisation from the outset, the committee members are located around the
world from Australia to England, Spain and Canada and in the first week since its
announcement to those who completed the online questionnaire, the society has almost one hundred new and enthusiastic members.
The cost of
membership to The Surname Society is
just £5 per annum with no hidden extras.
--------------------------------------------------
I should say that I remain an active member of the Guild of one-name studies. I am both regional representative for Canada East and the National Representative for Canada.
The value to me for this new society follows.You can register as many names as you want on either a restricted or worldwide basis, collaborate with others, share in the educational opportunities offered and a plethora of resources in the Members’ area of the website including a fascinating quarterly e-newsletter and the School of Surnames, with many other developments in the pipeline in due course.
My two surnames in the Guild are my parents' surnames and they take me down that strictly yDNA path for Blake and the mtDNA path that is represented by my surname Blake and then my mother Pincombe, her mother Buller, her mother Taylor and by family lore back to Roberts, Lawley and Loveday but the last three names are by family lore. Investigating so many surnames on a regional level is part of our mandate.
But so much is missing from my studies within the Guild (Blake and Pincombe) as there are all those surnames of my autosomal ancestors and they multiply with each generation (two in my grandparents generation, six in my great grandparents generation, fourteen in my 2x great grandparents generation and it continues on back). I look forward to meeting people who are also studying in my areas: Knight, Rawlings, Cheatle, Butt, Buller, Taylor, Gray, Farmer, Lywood, Rew, Routledge, Welch, Coleman, Lambden, Arnold, Peck, Rowcliffe, Siderfin, Cobb, Beard. I have a lot of information on these lines. I could never do a worldwide in-depth collection of all these surnames in my lifetime.
--------------------------------------------------
I should say that I remain an active member of the Guild of one-name studies. I am both regional representative for Canada East and the National Representative for Canada.
The value to me for this new society follows.You can register as many names as you want on either a restricted or worldwide basis, collaborate with others, share in the educational opportunities offered and a plethora of resources in the Members’ area of the website including a fascinating quarterly e-newsletter and the School of Surnames, with many other developments in the pipeline in due course.
My two surnames in the Guild are my parents' surnames and they take me down that strictly yDNA path for Blake and the mtDNA path that is represented by my surname Blake and then my mother Pincombe, her mother Buller, her mother Taylor and by family lore back to Roberts, Lawley and Loveday but the last three names are by family lore. Investigating so many surnames on a regional level is part of our mandate.
But so much is missing from my studies within the Guild (Blake and Pincombe) as there are all those surnames of my autosomal ancestors and they multiply with each generation (two in my grandparents generation, six in my great grandparents generation, fourteen in my 2x great grandparents generation and it continues on back). I look forward to meeting people who are also studying in my areas: Knight, Rawlings, Cheatle, Butt, Buller, Taylor, Gray, Farmer, Lywood, Rew, Routledge, Welch, Coleman, Lambden, Arnold, Peck, Rowcliffe, Siderfin, Cobb, Beard. I have a lot of information on these lines. I could never do a worldwide in-depth collection of all these surnames in my lifetime.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
BIFHSGO - British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa - Dr. Jonathan Vance
We were treated to a rather excellent set of lectures this morning at the BIFHSGO meeting.
Dr. Vance from my alma mater (Western University formerly University of Western Ontario) gave two interesting talks on soldiers of the First World War. Principally looking at the Attestation Papers but also the full record as needed, he is examining the makeup of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) which I rather found very interesting as I have done some tracing particularly of French Canadians in the time period just prior to the First World War. What surprised me was the number of Canadians (particularly French Canadians) who could be found in New England and the midwestern States of Michigan and Wisconsin. I didn't get a chance to ask my question during the question period but did later.
Dr. Vance had talked about the American cohort in the CEF possibly being as high as 20% but I wondered if in his analysis of this particular cohort he would separate out the Canadian born and those born of Canadian parents who were in these border states as my thought is that they would represent a large contingent of this American cohort. I am looking forward to his eventually publishing his paper(s) on this particular subject.
Kudos to BIFHSO for a very good speaker especially just prior to Remembrance Day here in Canada. This Remembrance day will be especially poignant given the recent murders of two of our soldiers - one out shopping (Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent) and the other standing guard at our National War Memorial (Corporal Nathan Cirillo). Undoubtedly the most sacred ground in Canada, our National War Memorial is the place where we especially remember our war dead particularly in this year from the First World War where nearly 68,000 Canadians lost their lives and another over 200,000 injured. For a young country of just 7.2 million at the 1911 Census, this loss of young men was enormous and its impact on Canada following the war was great.
We walked to the War Memorial after the meeting as we have not yet been downtown since the murder of Corporal Cirillo. There were a number of people gathered there and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is becoming covered by flowers once again. God bless our soldiers and keep them safe.
Dr. Vance from my alma mater (Western University formerly University of Western Ontario) gave two interesting talks on soldiers of the First World War. Principally looking at the Attestation Papers but also the full record as needed, he is examining the makeup of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) which I rather found very interesting as I have done some tracing particularly of French Canadians in the time period just prior to the First World War. What surprised me was the number of Canadians (particularly French Canadians) who could be found in New England and the midwestern States of Michigan and Wisconsin. I didn't get a chance to ask my question during the question period but did later.
Dr. Vance had talked about the American cohort in the CEF possibly being as high as 20% but I wondered if in his analysis of this particular cohort he would separate out the Canadian born and those born of Canadian parents who were in these border states as my thought is that they would represent a large contingent of this American cohort. I am looking forward to his eventually publishing his paper(s) on this particular subject.
Kudos to BIFHSO for a very good speaker especially just prior to Remembrance Day here in Canada. This Remembrance day will be especially poignant given the recent murders of two of our soldiers - one out shopping (Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent) and the other standing guard at our National War Memorial (Corporal Nathan Cirillo). Undoubtedly the most sacred ground in Canada, our National War Memorial is the place where we especially remember our war dead particularly in this year from the First World War where nearly 68,000 Canadians lost their lives and another over 200,000 injured. For a young country of just 7.2 million at the 1911 Census, this loss of young men was enormous and its impact on Canada following the war was great.
We walked to the War Memorial after the meeting as we have not yet been downtown since the murder of Corporal Cirillo. There were a number of people gathered there and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is becoming covered by flowers once again. God bless our soldiers and keep them safe.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Order of transcription
I have somewhat lost my train of thought in this past couple of months lost to transcription so believe that once I complete the remaining wills in Gloucestershire (Diocese of Bristol) and that is seven in number with the next being from 1615 for Valentine Blake, Clerk at Winchcomb. This will is likely to take me a couple of days to do, then I shall move on to Hertfordshire where there are five wills to do. I will then move on to Huntingdonshire and return to my alphabetical path through the Counties although Somerset and Wiltshire are already completed. I will leave the ones designed Location Miscellaneous as they are a number of locations outside of England and Wales including military. Some have been done for various reasons but most remain to be done and there are probably over 100 of them.
I will also continue the last week of every month plus Saturdays to work on Family Reconstruction and I am still working on Cornwall and will have to take a bit of time to reorient myself to the project.
I will also continue the last week of every month plus Saturdays to work on Family Reconstruction and I am still working on Cornwall and will have to take a bit of time to reorient myself to the project.
Will of Thomas Blake, Yeoman, Up Hatherly, Gloucestershire - Diocese of Bristol Wills on Ancestry, probated 17 Jan 1712/13
The testator is Thomas Blake of Up Hatherly. He names his wife Elizabeth and his sons Thomas, Giles, John and daughter Martha Powell.
The administration of Elizabeth Blake, widow, estate was blogged earlier:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/07/administration-of-elizabeth-blake-widow.html
and her son Giles was her administrator. John was the granted probate in the will of his father Thomas as mentioned by Thomas in his will (although his wife was also included).
Up Hatherley is just three miles from Cheltenham, 5 miles from Prestbury, 5 miles from Cowley. So once again in the same general area as the other Blake families. Will wait for Family Reconstruction in this area before commenting further.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6 Nov 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Thomas Blake, Yeoman
Place: Up Hatherly, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 8 Sep 1712, probated 17 Jan 1712/13
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
1 In the name of God Amen I Thomas Blake of Uphatherly
2 in the Diocesse and County of Glouc[est]er yeoman being sick and weak but of a sound
3 Judgment and perfect mind and memory Recomending my Soul into the hands of
4 Almighty God my Saviour and Redeemer and my Body to be buried in such manner
5 as to my Executors hereafter named Shall seem meet and convenient doe make
6 and ordaine my last Will and Testament in manner following
7 First I give and bequeath to my loving wife Elizabeth Blake All that my
8 Close or Closes of Meadow or pasture Ground called or known by the name of
9 Kirle’s with all and singular the appurtenances lying and being in the parish of
10 Prestbury in the County of Glouc[est]er aforesaid To hold to her and her Assignes
11 for and during the terme of her natural life And from and after her decease
12 I give and devise the same and every part thereof to my Son Thomas Blake and to his heires and
13 Assignes for ever Charged neverthelesse with the payment of the Several Legacy or Legacys
14 summe and summes of money hereinafter men[t]ioned at the time or times hereafter
15 expressed (That is to say) To my Son Giles the summe of Eight pounds To my Son
16 John Eight pounds and To my daughter Martha Powell Eight pounds of
17 lawfull money to be paid into her own hand and to her own use distinct and
18 apart from the hands of her husband And, my will is and I doe appoint and
19 direct the said Several Sumes shall be paid within the space of three yeares
20 next after the decease of my said wife successively one after the other as they are above named
provided always and my Will and meaning is That if my s[ai]d Son Thomas
21 Blake his heires or Assignes shall happen to make default in payment of
22 any or either of the said sumes att the time or times above limited and appointed
23 for payment thereof Then and in such case It shall and may be lawfull to
24 and for my said Sons Giles and John Blake and my daughter Martha Powell
25 their several and respective Exec[uto]rs Admin[istrato]rs and Assignes into all of any part
26 of my said Lands and premises to enter and the same and every or any part
27 thereof to have hold and enjoy until he and they and every of them shall be
28 fully satisfied and paid their several and respective Legacys of Eight pounds
29 apiece one after the other as is above men[t]ioned All the rest of my Goods and Chattells
30 Stock of Cattle and personal Estate whatsoever I give and bequeath to my loving
31 wife Elizabeth Blake and my Son John whom I doe make joint Executors of
32 this my last Will and Testament they paying my debts and discharging my
33 Funeral Expences In Wittnesse whereof I have hereunto put my hand
34 and Seale this Eighth day of September in the Eleventh yeare of our Soveraigne
35 Lady Queene Anne over Great Britaine etc Annoqz dni 1712
36 The marke B of Thomas Blake
37 Signed Sealed published and declared
38 to be the last Will and Testament of
39 the above named Thomas Blake in the
40 presence of
41 Rich: Grinnett
42 Isaac Grennett
43 The J marke of Jane Williams
44 17 Janu: 1712
45 Jurate Johes Blake ______ _____ coram me
46 Nath: Lye Sur:
The administration of Elizabeth Blake, widow, estate was blogged earlier:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/07/administration-of-elizabeth-blake-widow.html
and her son Giles was her administrator. John was the granted probate in the will of his father Thomas as mentioned by Thomas in his will (although his wife was also included).
Up Hatherley is just three miles from Cheltenham, 5 miles from Prestbury, 5 miles from Cowley. So once again in the same general area as the other Blake families. Will wait for Family Reconstruction in this area before commenting further.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6 Nov 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Thomas Blake, Yeoman
Place: Up Hatherly, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 8 Sep 1712, probated 17 Jan 1712/13
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
1 In the name of God Amen I Thomas Blake of Uphatherly
2 in the Diocesse and County of Glouc[est]er yeoman being sick and weak but of a sound
3 Judgment and perfect mind and memory Recomending my Soul into the hands of
4 Almighty God my Saviour and Redeemer and my Body to be buried in such manner
5 as to my Executors hereafter named Shall seem meet and convenient doe make
6 and ordaine my last Will and Testament in manner following
7 First I give and bequeath to my loving wife Elizabeth Blake All that my
8 Close or Closes of Meadow or pasture Ground called or known by the name of
9 Kirle’s with all and singular the appurtenances lying and being in the parish of
10 Prestbury in the County of Glouc[est]er aforesaid To hold to her and her Assignes
11 for and during the terme of her natural life And from and after her decease
12 I give and devise the same and every part thereof to my Son Thomas Blake and to his heires and
13 Assignes for ever Charged neverthelesse with the payment of the Several Legacy or Legacys
14 summe and summes of money hereinafter men[t]ioned at the time or times hereafter
15 expressed (That is to say) To my Son Giles the summe of Eight pounds To my Son
16 John Eight pounds and To my daughter Martha Powell Eight pounds of
17 lawfull money to be paid into her own hand and to her own use distinct and
18 apart from the hands of her husband And, my will is and I doe appoint and
19 direct the said Several Sumes shall be paid within the space of three yeares
20 next after the decease of my said wife successively one after the other as they are above named
provided always and my Will and meaning is That if my s[ai]d Son Thomas
21 Blake his heires or Assignes shall happen to make default in payment of
22 any or either of the said sumes att the time or times above limited and appointed
23 for payment thereof Then and in such case It shall and may be lawfull to
24 and for my said Sons Giles and John Blake and my daughter Martha Powell
25 their several and respective Exec[uto]rs Admin[istrato]rs and Assignes into all of any part
26 of my said Lands and premises to enter and the same and every or any part
27 thereof to have hold and enjoy until he and they and every of them shall be
28 fully satisfied and paid their several and respective Legacys of Eight pounds
29 apiece one after the other as is above men[t]ioned All the rest of my Goods and Chattells
30 Stock of Cattle and personal Estate whatsoever I give and bequeath to my loving
31 wife Elizabeth Blake and my Son John whom I doe make joint Executors of
32 this my last Will and Testament they paying my debts and discharging my
33 Funeral Expences In Wittnesse whereof I have hereunto put my hand
34 and Seale this Eighth day of September in the Eleventh yeare of our Soveraigne
35 Lady Queene Anne over Great Britaine etc Annoqz dni 1712
36 The marke B of Thomas Blake
37 Signed Sealed published and declared
38 to be the last Will and Testament of
39 the above named Thomas Blake in the
40 presence of
41 Rich: Grinnett
42 Isaac Grennett
43 The J marke of Jane Williams
44 17 Janu: 1712
45 Jurate Johes Blake ______ _____ coram me
46 Nath: Lye Sur:
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Will of Samuel Blake, Surgeon, Chipping Sodbury - Diocese of Bristol Wills on Ancestry, administered 26 Mar 1744
This is the will of Samuel Blake, Surgeon, who died intestate. There is a will in 1763 for Anne Blake at Chipping Sodbury as well but I do not think this is his wife mentioned below.
At this time I think I will leave him as being unrelated to the other Blake families at Chipping Sodbury until I am working on the family trees in this area.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 5 Nov 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Samuel Blake, Surgeon
Place: Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Probate
Date of document:19 Mar 1743/44, administered 26 Mar 1744
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
1 Know all Men by these Presents that We Anne
2 Blake of Chipping Sodbury in the County of Gloucester
3 Widow Thomas Blanchard of the same Taylor and Abraham
4 Tanner of the same Brickmaker
5 are held and firmly bound unto Martin Lord Bishop of
6 the Diocese of Gloucester
7 in the penal sum of five hundred pounds
8 of good and lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid unto the said Lord
9 Bishop or his Successors or to his Attorney his Executors Adminstrators or Assigns
10 To which Payment well and truly to be made We oblige ourselves
11 and every of us by himself for
12 the whole our and every of our Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by
13 these Presents Sealed with our Seals dated the nineteenth day of
14 March in the seventeenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign
15 Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain
16 France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so
17 forth And in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and fourty four
18 The Condition of this Obligation is such That if the above bounden Anne
19 Blake Relict and Administrator of all and singular the Goods
20 Chattles and Credits of Samuel Blake late of Chipping Sodbury aboves[ai]d deceased do
21 make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods
22 Chattles and Credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the Hands
23 Possession or Knowledge of her the said Anne Blake
24 or into the Hands and Possession of any Person or Persons for
25 her and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry
26 of the Bishop of Gloucester at or before the
27 last day of March next ensuing and the same Goods
28 Chattles and Credits and all other the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said deceased
29 at the time of his death which at anytime after shall come to the hands or Possession
30 of the said Anne Blake or into the hands
31 and Possession of any other Person or Persons for her do well and truly administer
32 according to Law And further do make or cause to be made a true and just Accompt
33 of her said Administration at or before the last day of January next
34 and all the Rest and Residue of the said Goods Chattles and Credits which shall be
35 found remaining upon the said Administrators Accompt the same being first
36 examined and allowed of by the Judge or Judges for the time being of the said
37 Court shall deliver and pay unto such Person or Persons respectively as the said
38 Judge or Judges by his or their Decree or Sentence pursuant to the true Intent and
39 Meaning of a late Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and
40 twentieth Years of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second
41 Intituled an Act for the better settling of Intestates Estates which limit and appoint
42 And if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the
43 said deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named do exhibit the same into
44 the said Court making Request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the
45 said Anne Blake
46 above bounden being thereunto required do render and deliver the said Letters of
47 Administration (Approbation of such Testament being first had and made) in the
48 said Court then this Obligation to be void or else to remain in full Force and Virtue.
49 Anne Blake
50 Signed and delivered (being first
51 duly stamped) in the presence of
52 Francis Gold Thomas Blanchard
53 Samuell Hoptkins Abraham Tanner
[Page 2]
55
56 Sir Henry Penrice Knight Doctor of Laws Vicar General in Spirituals of
57 The Right Rev and Father in God Martin by Divine permission Lord Bishop of the
58 Diocese of Gloucester and of his Episcopal CVonsistory Official principal (lawfully
60 constituted To William Hughes Francis Gold and Henry Sharp Clerks Greeting We
61 do by these presents commit our power and authority to you in whose fidelity
62 we can confide to receive the Corporal Oath of Ann Blake widow and relict of
63 Samuel Blake late of Chipping Sodbury in the Diocese of Gloucester Chirurgeon
64 deceased well and truly to administer all and Singular the Goods rights and
65 Credits of the said Deceased and to exhibit an Inventory and render an Account
66 according to the Tenor of this underwritten Oath and moreover to see the Bond
67 annexed to these presents Signed Sealed and delivered by the said Ann Blake
68 together with two more good and sufficient Bondsmen and what ye Shall do in
69 the promises ye are to rectifie it to us our Surrogate or other competent Judge
70 in this behalf together with these presents on or before the eighth Day of
71 March next ensuing Given under the Seal of our Office this 21st Day of
72 February 1743
73 W: Mount Register
74 [Margin] Mrs Ann Blake
75 The Oath
76 You Shall Swear that you believe your late Husband died intestate that you
77 will well and faithfully administer his goods by paying his Debts so far as
78 his Goods will extend and the Law bind you that you will exhibit unto the
79 Registry of the Bishop of Gloucester a true and perfect Inventory of the
80 Goods Rights and Credits of the said Deceased and moreover render a true
81 just Account when you Shall be Swore to lawfully required So help you God
Kiss the Book
83 The twenty sixth Day of March 1744
84 The above named Ann Blake was duly Sworn
85 according to the tenor of the above Commission
86 Before me
87 Francis Gold Clerk
At this time I think I will leave him as being unrelated to the other Blake families at Chipping Sodbury until I am working on the family trees in this area.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 5 Nov 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Samuel Blake, Surgeon
Place: Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Probate
Date of document:19 Mar 1743/44, administered 26 Mar 1744
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
1 Know all Men by these Presents that We Anne
2 Blake of Chipping Sodbury in the County of Gloucester
3 Widow Thomas Blanchard of the same Taylor and Abraham
4 Tanner of the same Brickmaker
5 are held and firmly bound unto Martin Lord Bishop of
6 the Diocese of Gloucester
7 in the penal sum of five hundred pounds
8 of good and lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid unto the said Lord
9 Bishop or his Successors or to his Attorney his Executors Adminstrators or Assigns
10 To which Payment well and truly to be made We oblige ourselves
11 and every of us by himself for
12 the whole our and every of our Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by
13 these Presents Sealed with our Seals dated the nineteenth day of
14 March in the seventeenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign
15 Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain
16 France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so
17 forth And in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and fourty four
18 The Condition of this Obligation is such That if the above bounden Anne
19 Blake Relict and Administrator of all and singular the Goods
20 Chattles and Credits of Samuel Blake late of Chipping Sodbury aboves[ai]d deceased do
21 make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods
22 Chattles and Credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the Hands
23 Possession or Knowledge of her the said Anne Blake
24 or into the Hands and Possession of any Person or Persons for
25 her and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry
26 of the Bishop of Gloucester at or before the
27 last day of March next ensuing and the same Goods
28 Chattles and Credits and all other the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said deceased
29 at the time of his death which at anytime after shall come to the hands or Possession
30 of the said Anne Blake or into the hands
31 and Possession of any other Person or Persons for her do well and truly administer
32 according to Law And further do make or cause to be made a true and just Accompt
33 of her said Administration at or before the last day of January next
34 and all the Rest and Residue of the said Goods Chattles and Credits which shall be
35 found remaining upon the said Administrators Accompt the same being first
36 examined and allowed of by the Judge or Judges for the time being of the said
37 Court shall deliver and pay unto such Person or Persons respectively as the said
38 Judge or Judges by his or their Decree or Sentence pursuant to the true Intent and
39 Meaning of a late Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and
40 twentieth Years of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second
41 Intituled an Act for the better settling of Intestates Estates which limit and appoint
42 And if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the
43 said deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named do exhibit the same into
44 the said Court making Request to have it allowed and approved accordingly if the
45 said Anne Blake
46 above bounden being thereunto required do render and deliver the said Letters of
47 Administration (Approbation of such Testament being first had and made) in the
48 said Court then this Obligation to be void or else to remain in full Force and Virtue.
49 Anne Blake
50 Signed and delivered (being first
51 duly stamped) in the presence of
52 Francis Gold Thomas Blanchard
53 Samuell Hoptkins Abraham Tanner
[Page 2]
55
56 Sir Henry Penrice Knight Doctor of Laws Vicar General in Spirituals of
57 The Right Rev and Father in God Martin by Divine permission Lord Bishop of the
58 Diocese of Gloucester and of his Episcopal CVonsistory Official principal (lawfully
60 constituted To William Hughes Francis Gold and Henry Sharp Clerks Greeting We
61 do by these presents commit our power and authority to you in whose fidelity
62 we can confide to receive the Corporal Oath of Ann Blake widow and relict of
63 Samuel Blake late of Chipping Sodbury in the Diocese of Gloucester Chirurgeon
64 deceased well and truly to administer all and Singular the Goods rights and
65 Credits of the said Deceased and to exhibit an Inventory and render an Account
66 according to the Tenor of this underwritten Oath and moreover to see the Bond
67 annexed to these presents Signed Sealed and delivered by the said Ann Blake
68 together with two more good and sufficient Bondsmen and what ye Shall do in
69 the promises ye are to rectifie it to us our Surrogate or other competent Judge
70 in this behalf together with these presents on or before the eighth Day of
71 March next ensuing Given under the Seal of our Office this 21st Day of
72 February 1743
73 W: Mount Register
74 [Margin] Mrs Ann Blake
75 The Oath
76 You Shall Swear that you believe your late Husband died intestate that you
77 will well and faithfully administer his goods by paying his Debts so far as
78 his Goods will extend and the Law bind you that you will exhibit unto the
79 Registry of the Bishop of Gloucester a true and perfect Inventory of the
80 Goods Rights and Credits of the said Deceased and moreover render a true
81 just Account when you Shall be Swore to lawfully required So help you God
Kiss the Book
83 The twenty sixth Day of March 1744
84 The above named Ann Blake was duly Sworn
85 according to the tenor of the above Commission
86 Before me
87 Francis Gold Clerk
Returning to Blake Wills
Finally after more than three months I am getting back to blogging once again. I spent most of two months just walking about on my feet whenever I was awake as that worked best for my recovery! I am still limited somewhat at the computer but hope to do a will a day except when I am working on family reconstruction.
I have decided that Family Reconstruction is perhaps one of the very important parts of my Blake one name study. I think looking at the work that Martin Blake did on the Galway Blake family I am likely right in that regard. The drawback for me is my limited oral knowledge of any Blake family in England other than my own. But I shall forge ahead and continue working on the Cornwall family as it is most interesting. I think what I ponder is the age of these family lines - is the Devon line the oldest one and does it predate the line in Somerset which takes me back to the Blake family near Calne which appears to have the deepest roots for this perhaps continuous family. My own line at Andover is back to the mid 1400s but given the yDNA results my line has likely taken on the Blake surname prior to that time and likely towards the end of the 1200s or into the early 1300s. Why did they take it on is the mystery? Did my ancient ancestor marry a Blake descendant of Richard le Blak[e] as this family was living not far away from Andover. Richard le Blak[e] appears to be the progenitor of the Blake family near Calne if one looks at the Pedigree Chart of the Blake family held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office.
Exciting time for my line as I try to work my way back and discover if that is a possibility. English people did not have surnames until the arrival of the Normans in 1066 and it was a gradual assumption of surnames through the centuries that followed until most English people had acquired or were made to acquire a surname in the latter part of the 1400s into the 1500s. Since my ancient ancestor did have a piece of property at Knights Enham I expect that there was less of a random picking of a surname but more inclined towards a marriage with someone who already had a surname. Time will tell on that.
I hope to blog the next will later today and it is an administration for a Samuel Blake in 1744 at Chipping Sodbury.
I have decided that Family Reconstruction is perhaps one of the very important parts of my Blake one name study. I think looking at the work that Martin Blake did on the Galway Blake family I am likely right in that regard. The drawback for me is my limited oral knowledge of any Blake family in England other than my own. But I shall forge ahead and continue working on the Cornwall family as it is most interesting. I think what I ponder is the age of these family lines - is the Devon line the oldest one and does it predate the line in Somerset which takes me back to the Blake family near Calne which appears to have the deepest roots for this perhaps continuous family. My own line at Andover is back to the mid 1400s but given the yDNA results my line has likely taken on the Blake surname prior to that time and likely towards the end of the 1200s or into the early 1300s. Why did they take it on is the mystery? Did my ancient ancestor marry a Blake descendant of Richard le Blak[e] as this family was living not far away from Andover. Richard le Blak[e] appears to be the progenitor of the Blake family near Calne if one looks at the Pedigree Chart of the Blake family held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office.
Exciting time for my line as I try to work my way back and discover if that is a possibility. English people did not have surnames until the arrival of the Normans in 1066 and it was a gradual assumption of surnames through the centuries that followed until most English people had acquired or were made to acquire a surname in the latter part of the 1400s into the 1500s. Since my ancient ancestor did have a piece of property at Knights Enham I expect that there was less of a random picking of a surname but more inclined towards a marriage with someone who already had a surname. Time will tell on that.
I hope to blog the next will later today and it is an administration for a Samuel Blake in 1744 at Chipping Sodbury.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Will of Robert Blake, Coachman, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire - Diocese of Bristol Wills on Ancestry, probated 18 June 1847
Robert Blake is the testator. He and his wife Martha and children Eliza 8 years, George 4 years and Thomas 1 year appear on the 1841 census at Cheltenham. He was not born in Gloucestershire, Martha and the children all were born in Gloucestershire. He is said to be 40 years of age and Martha 35.
On the 1851 census Martha Blake is still a widow living at Cheltenham, 44 years of age, born at Preshute Worcestershire with daughter Eliza 17 years, son George 13 years, son Thomas 10 years and daughter Harriet 8 years.
On the 1861 census Martha Blake is still a widow living at Cheltenham, 49 years of age, born at Pershute, Worcestershire with son Thomas 21 years, Fly Driver, born at Cheltenham and daughter Harriett 18 years, born at Cheltenham.
Could not find a marriage for this couple or a baptism for Robert.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Oct 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Robert Blake, Coachman
Place: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 20 Mar 1847, probated 18 Jun 1847
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy
1 This is the last Will of me Robert
2 Blake of Cheltenham Coachman made
3 the twentieth day of March one thousand eight
4 hundred and forty seven as follows, after the
5 payment of debts funeral and testamentary
6 expences I give to my dear Wife Martha all
7 my Household furniture and Effects and also
8 Sixty pounds part of the sum of one hundred
9 and twenty pounds I have in the National
10 Provincial Bank in Cheltenham and the
11 remaining sixty pounds I give equally between
12 my four children namely Eliza George Henry
13 Thomas and Harriet to be paid them as they
14 severally attain twenty one years of age and that
15 the Interest on each Child’s share shall accumulate for
16 his or her benefit until that period but in
17 case of the death of either of my said children
18 before that time then I give the share
19 of him or her so dying unto my said wife
20 absolutely and in case of her death before
[Page 2]
21 before my children shall attain twenty one
22 and one or more of my children should die between
23 that period and attaining twenty one then I
24 will and direct that the share or shares of
25 him or her so dying and all accumulations shall
26 go and belong to the survivor or survivors in
27 equal shares my Executors not to be accountable
28 for any loss that may occur to my Estate through
29 any Banker I appoint my said Wife and
30 my friend Mr John Bennett Executrix and
31 Executor of this my Will and Guardian of my
32 children as witness my hand
33 Robert Blake
34 Signed and published by
35 the said Testator as his last Will in the presence
36 of us in his presence and
37 in the presence of each
38 other and here subscribe our
39 names as witnesses
40 Jane Brimson 20 Rutland St
41 Ja[me]s Bevan 26 North Place
[Page 3]
42 A Codicil to my Will on the other
43 side I authorize my said Trustees to
44 place the said sum of sixty pounds
45 in the Cheltenham Savings Bank
46 which I have given to my Children
47 and request them do so and I also
48 authorize them to advance out of the
49 share to come to either of my said
50 children any portion thereof to apprentice
51 them or for their advancement in life
52 Witness my hand the 20th of
53 March 1847 Robert Blake
54 Witness
55 Jane Brimson
56 Ja[me]s Bedvan
[Send prob to Mrs Blake No 20 Sherborne Place Chelt]
[Page 3]
57 18th June 1847
58 Appeared personally Martha Blake of
60 Cheltenham in the county of Gloucester
61 Widow and alleged upon oath that this
62 paperwriting contains the last Will and
63 Testament and Codicil of Robert Blake
64 late of Cheltenham aforesaid deceased who died
65 on the 26th day of May 1847 leaving Goods
66 Chattels and Credits wholly within the diocese
67 of Gloucester and Bristol under the value
68 of two hundred pounds That she is the Executrix
69 therein named That she will well and faithfully
70 perform the same and render an Inventory and
71 account etc
72 Wherefore she prayed probate
73 Let probate pass reserving power
74 for the other when etc
75 Andrew Sagar
76 Sworn under £200 before me Andrew Sagar Surrogate
[Page 4]
77 In the Consistory Court of Gloucester,
78 In the goods of Robert Blake deceased
79 18th June 1847
80 Appeared personally Martha Blake of
81 Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester
82 Widow the Executrix named in the last Will
83 and Testament with a Codicil thereto of Robert Blake late of
84 Cheltenham aforesaid deceased bearing date
85 respectively the twentieth day of March One
86 thousand eight hundred and forty seven
87 now hereunto annexed marked it and
88 made oath that she was present at the
89 execution of the said Will and Codicil and
90 did see the Testator sign his name at
91 the foot or end of each respectively and that
92 Jane Brimson and James Bedvan were
93 also present at the execution thereof and
94 did sign their respective names thereto
95 as Witnesses in the presence of the said
96 Testator, the said Testator and Jane
97 Brimson and James Bedvan being all
98 present together at the same time
99 Martha Blake
100 Sworn at Gloucester
101 this eighteenth day of
102 June 1847
103 Before me
104 Andrew Sagar Surrogate
On the 1851 census Martha Blake is still a widow living at Cheltenham, 44 years of age, born at Preshute Worcestershire with daughter Eliza 17 years, son George 13 years, son Thomas 10 years and daughter Harriet 8 years.
On the 1861 census Martha Blake is still a widow living at Cheltenham, 49 years of age, born at Pershute, Worcestershire with son Thomas 21 years, Fly Driver, born at Cheltenham and daughter Harriett 18 years, born at Cheltenham.
Could not find a marriage for this couple or a baptism for Robert.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Oct 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator: Robert Blake, Coachman
Place: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 20 Mar 1847, probated 18 Jun 1847
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy
1 This is the last Will of me Robert
2 Blake of Cheltenham Coachman made
3 the twentieth day of March one thousand eight
4 hundred and forty seven as follows, after the
5 payment of debts funeral and testamentary
6 expences I give to my dear Wife Martha all
7 my Household furniture and Effects and also
8 Sixty pounds part of the sum of one hundred
9 and twenty pounds I have in the National
10 Provincial Bank in Cheltenham and the
11 remaining sixty pounds I give equally between
12 my four children namely Eliza George Henry
13 Thomas and Harriet to be paid them as they
14 severally attain twenty one years of age and that
15 the Interest on each Child’s share shall accumulate for
16 his or her benefit until that period but in
17 case of the death of either of my said children
18 before that time then I give the share
19 of him or her so dying unto my said wife
20 absolutely and in case of her death before
[Page 2]
21 before my children shall attain twenty one
22 and one or more of my children should die between
23 that period and attaining twenty one then I
24 will and direct that the share or shares of
25 him or her so dying and all accumulations shall
26 go and belong to the survivor or survivors in
27 equal shares my Executors not to be accountable
28 for any loss that may occur to my Estate through
29 any Banker I appoint my said Wife and
30 my friend Mr John Bennett Executrix and
31 Executor of this my Will and Guardian of my
32 children as witness my hand
33 Robert Blake
34 Signed and published by
35 the said Testator as his last Will in the presence
36 of us in his presence and
37 in the presence of each
38 other and here subscribe our
39 names as witnesses
40 Jane Brimson 20 Rutland St
41 Ja[me]s Bevan 26 North Place
[Page 3]
42 A Codicil to my Will on the other
43 side I authorize my said Trustees to
44 place the said sum of sixty pounds
45 in the Cheltenham Savings Bank
46 which I have given to my Children
47 and request them do so and I also
48 authorize them to advance out of the
49 share to come to either of my said
50 children any portion thereof to apprentice
51 them or for their advancement in life
52 Witness my hand the 20th of
53 March 1847 Robert Blake
54 Witness
55 Jane Brimson
56 Ja[me]s Bedvan
[Send prob to Mrs Blake No 20 Sherborne Place Chelt]
[Page 3]
57 18th June 1847
58 Appeared personally Martha Blake of
60 Cheltenham in the county of Gloucester
61 Widow and alleged upon oath that this
62 paperwriting contains the last Will and
63 Testament and Codicil of Robert Blake
64 late of Cheltenham aforesaid deceased who died
65 on the 26th day of May 1847 leaving Goods
66 Chattels and Credits wholly within the diocese
67 of Gloucester and Bristol under the value
68 of two hundred pounds That she is the Executrix
69 therein named That she will well and faithfully
70 perform the same and render an Inventory and
71 account etc
72 Wherefore she prayed probate
73 Let probate pass reserving power
74 for the other when etc
75 Andrew Sagar
76 Sworn under £200 before me Andrew Sagar Surrogate
[Page 4]
77 In the Consistory Court of Gloucester,
78 In the goods of Robert Blake deceased
79 18th June 1847
80 Appeared personally Martha Blake of
81 Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester
82 Widow the Executrix named in the last Will
83 and Testament with a Codicil thereto of Robert Blake late of
84 Cheltenham aforesaid deceased bearing date
85 respectively the twentieth day of March One
86 thousand eight hundred and forty seven
87 now hereunto annexed marked it and
88 made oath that she was present at the
89 execution of the said Will and Codicil and
90 did see the Testator sign his name at
91 the foot or end of each respectively and that
92 Jane Brimson and James Bedvan were
93 also present at the execution thereof and
94 did sign their respective names thereto
95 as Witnesses in the presence of the said
96 Testator, the said Testator and Jane
97 Brimson and James Bedvan being all
98 present together at the same time
99 Martha Blake
100 Sworn at Gloucester
101 this eighteenth day of
102 June 1847
103 Before me
104 Andrew Sagar Surrogate
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Brick Wall Number 1: Parents of Ellen Taylor
Brick Wall Number 1: Parents of Ellen Taylor
My greatest brick wall from the beginning of my genealogical research days in 2003 has been and remains my great grandmother Ellen Taylor mother of my maternal grandmother Ellen Rosina Buller. I know so very much about Ellen in some ways but I lack positive proof for the names of her parents or for her date of birth. Nor do I have her marriage date to Edwin Denner Buller (if I had that I would have her father's name presumably). I do have her death certificate. She died when my grandmother was just eleven years old. Grandma had just been accepted to move on in school as she was 11 years old and really wanted to go on in school but she was needed at home to look after her younger sister just two years old. Her father had attended school so was able to help her continue learning at home which was lucky for her. Ellen died of pneumonia collapse (my grandmother said she had influenza followed by pneumonia) and she was just 37 years of age when she died 27 Feb 1897 at the Workhouse Infirmary Western Road UD All Saints Birmingham.
All of the children of this couple
Ellen Rosina Buller
Edwin Denner Buller
Ada Gertrude Buller
May Edith Buller
Henry Buller (twin)
John Buller (twin)
Sarah Ann Buller
were registered (boys by their father and girls by their mother) as the children of Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Buller formerly Taylor. However, no marriage has surfaced to date for this couple. I want to check the Roman Catholic Parish Registers as I suspect that Ellen may have been Irish descent and Roman Catholic (no proof but just a bit of family lore that points me in that direction).
If Ellen really was 37 years of age (and my grandmother also said that her mother was 37 when she died) then she would have been born between 28 Feb 1849 and the 27 Feb 1850. I have collected all the Ellen Taylor birth registrations in Birmingham between 1857 and 1862 and there are not actually all that many surprisingly. I have traced these families on the census and determined where Ellen Taylor was in 1891 when I do have the census record for the Edwin Denner Buller family including Ellen Buller. There is only one Ellen Taylor that fits if indeed she was born in Birmingham as it states on the 1891 census. This is the daughter of Thomas Taylor (shoemaker) and Ellen Roberts born 9 October 1859. Ellen is on the census in 1861 with her parents and in 1871 with her mother and siblings. I know that the Ellen Taylor on the census in 1881 at Aston Workhouse with Florence Taylor is likely the eventual wife of Edwin Denner Buller because Florence Elizabeth Taylor was her illegitimate daughter born in 1879 (this is known to be true) although that the Ellen and Florence at the Workhouse are indeed one in the same may only be because I can not find them anywhere else in 1881! Edwin Denner Buller is missing from the 1881 census but is possibly in South Africa working as a jeweller for his uncle Edwin Withers.
So do I have enough proof to attach Ellen to these parents? As always I am looking for that one conclusive piece that might link them. Lately on Find My Past I have discovered where Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Buller were buried in 1899 and 1897 respectively. I will be ordering the burial certificates to see if I can learn anything new.
Another interesting family lore is that Ellen's father was a shoemaker and Thomas Taylor was a shoemaker. Also my grandmother lived with an "Aunt Kate" before she came to Canada in 1808. Ellen had a sister Kate. So again conclusive enough? I have tested my mtDNA and perhaps when someone exactly matches me that will give me the piece of proof that is icing on the cake and lets me think yes I have found my Ellen Taylor's correct line!
My greatest brick wall from the beginning of my genealogical research days in 2003 has been and remains my great grandmother Ellen Taylor mother of my maternal grandmother Ellen Rosina Buller. I know so very much about Ellen in some ways but I lack positive proof for the names of her parents or for her date of birth. Nor do I have her marriage date to Edwin Denner Buller (if I had that I would have her father's name presumably). I do have her death certificate. She died when my grandmother was just eleven years old. Grandma had just been accepted to move on in school as she was 11 years old and really wanted to go on in school but she was needed at home to look after her younger sister just two years old. Her father had attended school so was able to help her continue learning at home which was lucky for her. Ellen died of pneumonia collapse (my grandmother said she had influenza followed by pneumonia) and she was just 37 years of age when she died 27 Feb 1897 at the Workhouse Infirmary Western Road UD All Saints Birmingham.
All of the children of this couple
Ellen Rosina Buller
Edwin Denner Buller
Ada Gertrude Buller
May Edith Buller
Henry Buller (twin)
John Buller (twin)
Sarah Ann Buller
were registered (boys by their father and girls by their mother) as the children of Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Buller formerly Taylor. However, no marriage has surfaced to date for this couple. I want to check the Roman Catholic Parish Registers as I suspect that Ellen may have been Irish descent and Roman Catholic (no proof but just a bit of family lore that points me in that direction).
If Ellen really was 37 years of age (and my grandmother also said that her mother was 37 when she died) then she would have been born between 28 Feb 1849 and the 27 Feb 1850. I have collected all the Ellen Taylor birth registrations in Birmingham between 1857 and 1862 and there are not actually all that many surprisingly. I have traced these families on the census and determined where Ellen Taylor was in 1891 when I do have the census record for the Edwin Denner Buller family including Ellen Buller. There is only one Ellen Taylor that fits if indeed she was born in Birmingham as it states on the 1891 census. This is the daughter of Thomas Taylor (shoemaker) and Ellen Roberts born 9 October 1859. Ellen is on the census in 1861 with her parents and in 1871 with her mother and siblings. I know that the Ellen Taylor on the census in 1881 at Aston Workhouse with Florence Taylor is likely the eventual wife of Edwin Denner Buller because Florence Elizabeth Taylor was her illegitimate daughter born in 1879 (this is known to be true) although that the Ellen and Florence at the Workhouse are indeed one in the same may only be because I can not find them anywhere else in 1881! Edwin Denner Buller is missing from the 1881 census but is possibly in South Africa working as a jeweller for his uncle Edwin Withers.
So do I have enough proof to attach Ellen to these parents? As always I am looking for that one conclusive piece that might link them. Lately on Find My Past I have discovered where Edwin Denner Buller and Ellen Buller were buried in 1899 and 1897 respectively. I will be ordering the burial certificates to see if I can learn anything new.
Another interesting family lore is that Ellen's father was a shoemaker and Thomas Taylor was a shoemaker. Also my grandmother lived with an "Aunt Kate" before she came to Canada in 1808. Ellen had a sister Kate. So again conclusive enough? I have tested my mtDNA and perhaps when someone exactly matches me that will give me the piece of proof that is icing on the cake and lets me think yes I have found my Ellen Taylor's correct line!
Monday, November 3, 2014
Parents of Isaac Farmer - Brick Wall Number 2
Brick Wall Number 2: Parents of Isaac Farmer
Another mysterious individual is Isaac Farmer. He signed the marriage register with a well formed hand (along with his father in law Nathanael Lambden). Isaac Farmer and Elizabeth Lambden were married 16 Aug 1789 at Woodhouse, Andover, Hampshire. Isaac was buried 18 Mar 1808 and he was 44 years of age according to the burial register. There is a baptism 6 May 1764 at Collingbourne Kingston, Wiltshire (11 miles slightly north west of Andover) son of John Farmer. There is a John Farmer buried 15 Oct 1771 at Collingbourne Kingston (Isaac would have been just seven years of age and the individual isn't listed as the son of John just a clear statement of burial usually attributed to an adult). Three sons were baptized by a John Farmer at Collingbourne Kingston - John 12 Dec 1756, Joseph 9 Sep 1759 and Isaac 6 May 1764. There is a burial for a Jacob Farmer son of John Farmer 14 Aug 1764. The priest records Isaac as "of Andover" in his marriage lines.
There is a John Farmer married to Mary Holland 7 Jan 1755 at Whitchurch, Hampshire and he was 23 years of age and Mary 18 years. Whitchurch is just 7 miles east of Andover. Although one might think the surname Farmer is somewhat common looking at the Public Profiler it is most commonly found in the West Midlands and next in southern England. Almost 300 persons per million have the Farmer surname in England. It is the 612th most common name in England with Hampshire being amongst one of the top places for occurrence.
I need to check the apprenticeship records to see if I can learn more about this Farmer family at Collingbourne Kingston as they do not appear in the land records there.
Another mysterious individual is Isaac Farmer. He signed the marriage register with a well formed hand (along with his father in law Nathanael Lambden). Isaac Farmer and Elizabeth Lambden were married 16 Aug 1789 at Woodhouse, Andover, Hampshire. Isaac was buried 18 Mar 1808 and he was 44 years of age according to the burial register. There is a baptism 6 May 1764 at Collingbourne Kingston, Wiltshire (11 miles slightly north west of Andover) son of John Farmer. There is a John Farmer buried 15 Oct 1771 at Collingbourne Kingston (Isaac would have been just seven years of age and the individual isn't listed as the son of John just a clear statement of burial usually attributed to an adult). Three sons were baptized by a John Farmer at Collingbourne Kingston - John 12 Dec 1756, Joseph 9 Sep 1759 and Isaac 6 May 1764. There is a burial for a Jacob Farmer son of John Farmer 14 Aug 1764. The priest records Isaac as "of Andover" in his marriage lines.
There is a John Farmer married to Mary Holland 7 Jan 1755 at Whitchurch, Hampshire and he was 23 years of age and Mary 18 years. Whitchurch is just 7 miles east of Andover. Although one might think the surname Farmer is somewhat common looking at the Public Profiler it is most commonly found in the West Midlands and next in southern England. Almost 300 persons per million have the Farmer surname in England. It is the 612th most common name in England with Hampshire being amongst one of the top places for occurrence.
I need to check the apprenticeship records to see if I can learn more about this Farmer family at Collingbourne Kingston as they do not appear in the land records there.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Parents of Christopher Buller - Brick Wall Number 3
Brick Wall Number 3: Parents of Christopher Buller
Christopher Buller is an enigma. There are so many Buller families in London and Surrey but he just doesn't pop out of any of them. There is even another Buller family at St Olave Bermondsey where he attends Church and I wonder is he related to this family. He buries his wife and two infant children at St Olave Bermondsey. The marriage of Christopher Buller and Mary Beard mentioned in the will of his father in law Henry Beard in 1795 can not be found. Somewhere hidden in a greater London Parish Register is that marriage and perhaps even Christopher's baptism. He died in 1832 at Bromley, Surrey in the hospital attached to that workhouse. He was described as a gentleman dying of decay. He was said to be 81 years of age giving him a year of birth of 1764. I know all of his children and many many of their descendants including my own 2x great grandfather Henry Christopher Buller another enigma although I know quite a bit about him.
The DNA testing that I have done on myself and my brother (my sister also did some testing) have pointed to a European connection mostly in my lines although we are primarily English. I have (as do my siblings) matches with people who live in Germany even yet. Was Christopher's mother German - this is the time of the Georges in England and many many people came from Germany to work in the confectionary industry in London. Henry Christopher Buller was a confectioner amongst other occupations/ownerships. Christopher though, himself, was a slop shop/slop cutter person (slop cutter in the early years mentioned on baptisms and slop shop person in later years. This is a maker of navy uniforms and he had his shop on Tooley Street which is just beside the dock area in Bermondsey and very near to present day London Bridge. Saint Olave Bermondsey Parish Church was close by.
I did some research at London Metropolitan Archives in the Parish Registers as one set is missing on Ancestry but no luck with finding Christopher there. I did not find any other material in their database on Christopher. Hence it continues to be one of my greater brick walls and has been since I first found Christopher back in 2004 in my early years of researching.
Christopher Buller is an enigma. There are so many Buller families in London and Surrey but he just doesn't pop out of any of them. There is even another Buller family at St Olave Bermondsey where he attends Church and I wonder is he related to this family. He buries his wife and two infant children at St Olave Bermondsey. The marriage of Christopher Buller and Mary Beard mentioned in the will of his father in law Henry Beard in 1795 can not be found. Somewhere hidden in a greater London Parish Register is that marriage and perhaps even Christopher's baptism. He died in 1832 at Bromley, Surrey in the hospital attached to that workhouse. He was described as a gentleman dying of decay. He was said to be 81 years of age giving him a year of birth of 1764. I know all of his children and many many of their descendants including my own 2x great grandfather Henry Christopher Buller another enigma although I know quite a bit about him.
The DNA testing that I have done on myself and my brother (my sister also did some testing) have pointed to a European connection mostly in my lines although we are primarily English. I have (as do my siblings) matches with people who live in Germany even yet. Was Christopher's mother German - this is the time of the Georges in England and many many people came from Germany to work in the confectionary industry in London. Henry Christopher Buller was a confectioner amongst other occupations/ownerships. Christopher though, himself, was a slop shop/slop cutter person (slop cutter in the early years mentioned on baptisms and slop shop person in later years. This is a maker of navy uniforms and he had his shop on Tooley Street which is just beside the dock area in Bermondsey and very near to present day London Bridge. Saint Olave Bermondsey Parish Church was close by.
I did some research at London Metropolitan Archives in the Parish Registers as one set is missing on Ancestry but no luck with finding Christopher there. I did not find any other material in their database on Christopher. Hence it continues to be one of my greater brick walls and has been since I first found Christopher back in 2004 in my early years of researching.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Brick Wall Number 4 - Wife of Thomas Rawlins
Brick Wall Number 4: Wife of Thomas Rawlins
Almost from the beginning of my research days I have been able to reach back to Thomas Rawlins (and further back but the name of his wife was a riddle. There was a marriage of a Thomas Rawlence
and Mary Dove 9 Dec 1807 at Woodford on the IGI but I see now that it is record by another researcher as Thomas Rawlins and Mary Dear same date. I have an image of the original record from the Woodford Parish Registers. The original record reads Thomas Rawlines and Mary Dove both of the parish, bachelor and spinster, with witnesses John Thornton and Dinah Moore. There are no Rawlins family in the Woodford registers that I found in this time frame. There are Dove families in the register. Possibly Mary is the daughter of William Dove and Jane Morgan who married 1 Jan 1783 at Saint Thomas Salisbury Wiltshire. I only found one child in the register at Woodford Robert baptized 14 Apr 1793 and buried 6 Aug 1793 all at Woodford (he was baptized the same day as he was born). William is like the son of William and Mary Dove (Mary was buried 4 Jun 1787 at Woodford) and the mother of William also Mary Dove a widow was buried 30 Oct 1733 at Woodford.
The riddle in all of this is that the first child of Thomas and Mary Rawlins isn't born until circa 1813 and she has likely died by 1819 when another child is given the same name Harriet. Family lore in another family line says that Thomas was at the battle of Waterloo (like is later daughter in law's father George Lywood). I have not yet found that reference. The next child after Harriet is Isaac and likely born around 1818 as he died december quarter 1885 at Amesbury (aged 67 years). The last child of this family born in 1825 is my 2x great grandfather William Rawlings.
I am somewhat on the side of thinking that Mary Dove is the wife of Thomas Rawlins. It would be nice to find a really solid proof. The marriage lines say that he is of the parish of Woodford but I know that he was born and raised at Enford but he could have gone there to work. Certainly his father Jeremiah Rawlings married at Tilshead but the priest identified him as of Enford. Handy information but this doesn't appear on the Woodford Parish Registers.
The younger children in this family were born at Enford and I do not know yet where the older children were born.
Almost from the beginning of my research days I have been able to reach back to Thomas Rawlins (and further back but the name of his wife was a riddle. There was a marriage of a Thomas Rawlence
and Mary Dove 9 Dec 1807 at Woodford on the IGI but I see now that it is record by another researcher as Thomas Rawlins and Mary Dear same date. I have an image of the original record from the Woodford Parish Registers. The original record reads Thomas Rawlines and Mary Dove both of the parish, bachelor and spinster, with witnesses John Thornton and Dinah Moore. There are no Rawlins family in the Woodford registers that I found in this time frame. There are Dove families in the register. Possibly Mary is the daughter of William Dove and Jane Morgan who married 1 Jan 1783 at Saint Thomas Salisbury Wiltshire. I only found one child in the register at Woodford Robert baptized 14 Apr 1793 and buried 6 Aug 1793 all at Woodford (he was baptized the same day as he was born). William is like the son of William and Mary Dove (Mary was buried 4 Jun 1787 at Woodford) and the mother of William also Mary Dove a widow was buried 30 Oct 1733 at Woodford.
The riddle in all of this is that the first child of Thomas and Mary Rawlins isn't born until circa 1813 and she has likely died by 1819 when another child is given the same name Harriet. Family lore in another family line says that Thomas was at the battle of Waterloo (like is later daughter in law's father George Lywood). I have not yet found that reference. The next child after Harriet is Isaac and likely born around 1818 as he died december quarter 1885 at Amesbury (aged 67 years). The last child of this family born in 1825 is my 2x great grandfather William Rawlings.
I am somewhat on the side of thinking that Mary Dove is the wife of Thomas Rawlins. It would be nice to find a really solid proof. The marriage lines say that he is of the parish of Woodford but I know that he was born and raised at Enford but he could have gone there to work. Certainly his father Jeremiah Rawlings married at Tilshead but the priest identified him as of Enford. Handy information but this doesn't appear on the Woodford Parish Registers.
The younger children in this family were born at Enford and I do not know yet where the older children were born.
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