Chasing the wind

The last few days of Bible Readings have been about "chasing the wind" which was a more commonly used expression one hundred years ago. It was that restless desire, and it likely does still exist but I do not travel in those circles, to acquire as much as you could and be wealthy. Does wealth bring happiness; it probably could but one must live a life that benefits the world. Living the life that God commands is a much more satisfying way to live in my humble opinion - love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbour as yourself.

Almost completed the 1653 Siderfin document for the first proofreading yesterday. The last line and one half are somewhat rumpled and hard to read  so I left them for today along with the Plea of the Respondent to have the case dismissed. It would appear that Robert Frank was unable to secure a widow's dower for his wife Wilmot (Siderfin) Frank or guarantee income for his children (and I am still not sure if they have had children as I have not thoroughly investigated the baptisms yet and may not as I seldom follow through on the female line in surname research but I may yet do it. Along with that the courts have found that the Franke family did not follow through with their compulsory homage at the time of Robert Franke's death and so their ownership of the land is in question and the Siderfin family of Robert and Ursula is being accused of taking and concealing paperwork that would prove the Pedigree of the Franke family and hence their right (the Franke family) to this property at Eastlynch. 

I also now realize where the death date for a Robert Siderfin of 1636 has arisen and I have not yet proven that date (it is on the Pedigree Chart of James Sanders); slip-up on my part. But Robert Siderfin the elder mentions his son Robert Siderfin as well in this answer but his son does live at Minehead and Robert Siderfin the elder is at Old Knowle where that line did have property and the eldest son of that family did live at Knowle. So a few items much clearer on this second read through. This Siderfin family is caught in their desire to provide assistant to their son-in-law and of course their daughter (who may still be living again that is not actually clear) at this time of sickness by visiting but have left themselves open to accusation that they have not provided all the material that would prove the Pedigree of the family. It is somewhat amusing as one would think that this family, although eighteen miles away, could have visited Robert at least once in that time period. Interesting really how life flowed then for some. I support Robert Siderfin for being forthright and requesting the promised widow's dower in his answer although his daughter, if still living, could always have returned home as the Siderfin family would have been well able to support her. 

I have not actually found a record for a death in 1636 of a Robert Siderfin. That his son does not appear at Minehead on the Protestation Returns (unless the one at Minehead is himself) is rather interesting although I still suspect it is Robert Siderfin the younger and that his father is at Knowle and that document with his signature is perhaps missing. The Protestation Returns for Somerset are not complete nor is the Lay Subsidy. 

Finish up the first proofreading and start the second one today along with the cleaning. Then back to the Fourth Generation and a few checks of the databases just to ascertain if I can find a death for a Robert Siderfin in 1636. 

We are having a high heat warning for a few days here (humidex in the low 40s) and than back to normal September it would appear with a cold front coming in on Thursday. Must remember to think about the next Blake Newsletter and what will go into that particular issue. There is Part 3 of the East Anglia Blake family and I shall have to see where I am at with some of my other ideas. I may talk about the book that I want to write on the Blake family of Andover, Hampshire, England and environs, early 1300s to the early 1900s. It will be an interesting book to write and I have a number of pictures taken at Upper Clatford where my grandfather was born as well as his father and his father and his father. But my 4x great grandfather Joseph Blake was born at Andover as the priest kindly recorded in the marriage registration for Joseph Blake and Joanna King 8 Jun 1757 at Upper Clatford.  As the Siderfin book heads towards completion and the Pencombe book is up next I will be collecting information on the side for the Blake family at Andover. 

Breakfast is next and on to the day. It will be a busy one of cleaning as I did not clean last Monday as I had other commitments and decided to just not do the cleaning last week except for touchup here and there. One can break out of the mould sometimes!