Writing up the Blake Newsletter yesterday I came to a decision on the publication of the Blake Family of Andover book. I decided to give a fairly long explanation to my decision which I wrote up in the Newsletter this time. Published on the website for the Blake yDNA study at FT DNA.
I have also been debating with myself just how widely this book would circulate and I have pretty much made the decision that the original complete book will be in the library of the Guild of One-Name Studies (I am member #4600 studying BLAKE and PINCOMBE) and they have their rules for access. I will publish a less inclusive book with a Creative Commons License and that will be available for download from my website (as with the other books it will be freely circulated). I will also send copies to other repositories that are used by many genealogists. The logic in not publishing the entire book is mainly because I do not feel that there is a huge benefit other than from a historical point of view which is best dealt with in an academic environment and at this point in my life (80 years of age) I do not see myself going back to school for any reason as I have too much that I want to do and most of it is writing and I have always been like that. Hence I would not feel that I had academically challenged the book sufficiently to publish it in its full form but will place it as I said with the Guild and they have their own rules for use and distribution which I feel are very academically sound. The preface itself will state that I have not had sufficient access to documents to really justify publishing this particular version of the book so one must take it as my considered thoughts and opinions at that time in my life when I finally do put it into the library at the Guild of one-name Studies.
Yesterday was a good working day and I completed the second siblings matches in common and will work on the third one today. I also want to really get into the re-phasing of my grandparents which entails getting the crossover points completed using the Living DNA data. There are a few matches that I have labeled suspicious because I can not see the DNA results I can not see where the small match is and hence have not included it in the final database although I have noted it. The DNA results certainly point to the path back from myself to my father to his father to Edward Blake (his father) and then to John Blake (his father) and further back to Thomas Blake born at Upper Clatford and the son of Joseph Blake. All of this is in the Parish Registers as well. Joseph is mentioned as being of Andover in the same Upper Clatford Parish Registers. Having transcribed the Andover Parish Registers from their beginnings to the mid 1700s I have also located a Joseph Blake son of Thomas Blake baptized in 1730 by a Thomas Blake (his father) and a baptism is in the Parish Records at St Marys for a Thomas Blake baptized in 1709 son of John Blake. This is an incredibly small family although John Blake (last mentioned) had a large family Thomas has only one son recorded in the Parish Registers and another line very often attached to this Thomas is incorrect I believe. The second Thomas has two sons but one died as an infant leaving Joseph the sole descendant of Thomas/Thomas in that line.
An email from a fellow researcher in England brought the will of John Blake, malster, Abbotts Ann into thought once again :
Recorded: 12th February 2008
Source: Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester, # 1797A/008
Testator: John Blake, malster
Place: Abbotts Ann, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 27 Apr 1792, probated 18 Jan 1797
In the name of God Amen, I John Blake of Abbotts Ann
in the County of Southampton formerly Malster calling to mind the Mortality of my
Body and that it is appointed for all Men once to die do make and ordaine this my last
Will and Testament in manner and forme following that is to say principally
and first of all I give and bequeath my Soul into the hands of God that gave it hoping
for the pardon of all my Sins for the alone Merritts sake of my blessed Redeemer Christ
Jesus and for my Body I commend it to the Earth to be Burried in a decent manner
at the Discretion of my Executor hereafter named nothing doubting but I shall receive the as
same again by the mighty power of God at the General Resurrection of the Dead and as
touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this Life
I give desire and bequeath of the same in the following Manner Imprimis I give
and bequeath unto my Kindsman William Marshman the sum of Ten pounds of good
and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item
I give and bequeath unto my Kindswoman Mary Gilbert the sum of Ten pounds of
good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor hereafter named
Item I give and bequeath unto my Sister Elizabeth Russel the sum of five pounds of
good and Lawful money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named I
also give unto my Sister Elizabeth Russel the sum of five pounds yearly during her Life
to be paid unto her half yearly if Demanded and to be paid by my Executor here after
named Item I give and bequeath unto Joseph Russel the Elder the sum of Ten pounds
of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item
I give and bequeath unto Joseph Russel the younger the sum of Ten pounds of good and
Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give
and bequeath unto Thomas Russel the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great
Britain to be paid by my Executor hereafter named Item I give and bequeath unto
Luke Russel the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid
by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto Sarah Russel Daughter
of Joseph and Elizabeth Russel the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great
Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto Mary
Russel Daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Russel the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful
Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath
unto Elizabeth Russel Daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Russel the sum of Ten pounds
of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named
Item I give and bequeath unto my Kindsman George Marshman all my household
Goods and Furniture except the Bed and Furniture in the parlor Chamber Item I give and
bequeath unto Elizabeth Marshman the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great
Britain Item I give and bequeath unto Robert Marshman the sum of Ten pounds of good
and Lawful money of Great Britain Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Marshman
the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain Item I give and bequeath
unto Ann Marshman the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain Item
I give and bequeath unto George Marshman the younger the sum of Ten pounds of good and lawful Money of Great Britain Item I give and bequeath unto Charles Blake the Elder the sum of Ten
pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named
Item I give and bequeath unto James Blake the sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money
of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto
Robert Blake the sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid [by] my
Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto Charles Blake the younger the
sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here
after named Item I give and bequeath unto Chivrel [Sacheverall] Blake the sum of five pounds of good
and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item
I give and bequeath unto John Blake the sum of Ten pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great
Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto William Blake
of Andover the sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my
Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Blake of Up[per] Clatford
the sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor
here after named Item I give and bequeath unto Ann Blake the sum of five pounds of good and
Lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executor here after named I also give unto Ann Blake
the Bed and Furniture belonging to the same in the Chamber over the Parlour and a Sute of Mourning
Item I give and bequeath unto Ann Blake the sum of five pounds yearly to be paid unto her
during the Lease of Lives that has in the Living that I Bought and no Longer to be paid unto her half
yearly if demanded to be paid unto her so long as she keeps herself unmarried Item I give
and bequeath unto Thomas Holmes the sum of five pounds of good and Lawful Money of Great Britain
to be paid by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto the poor Inhabitants
of the parish of Abbotts Ann the sum of Ten pounds to be given amongst them the first old
Christmass Day after my Decease to be paid unto them by my Executor here after named Item I give
and bequeath unto the poor Inhabitants of the parish of Up[per] Clatford the sum of five pounds
to be given amongst them the first old Christmass Day after my Decease to be paid unto them
by my Executor here after named Item I give and bequeath unto F__ Beavers the sum of three
guineas to be Divided between them Share and Share alike Item I give and bequeath unto
Charles Blake and his Three Elder Sons all my Wearing Apparel both Woollen and Linnen
to be equally Divided between them Share and Share alike my Will this that my Legacies has
to be paid unto my Legatees in Six Months after my Decease to all them that has arrived
to Eighteen years of age, my Legatees that has not arrived to Eighteen years of age yearly
Interest has to be paid unto them at the rate of five p[e]r Cent And I do hereby constitute make
and ordaine my Kindsman George Marshman my only and Sole Executor of this
my last Will and Testament And I do hereby revoke and disanull every forme Will
before this time by me made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will
and Testament In Witness whereof I have here unto sett my hand and Seal
this Twenty Seventh Day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven
Hundred and Ninety – two
Signed Sealed published and Declared by the above
Named John Blake for and as his last Will John Blake [signed]
And Testament and in the presence of us
The Witnesses Tho[mas] Overton [signed] – John Prince [signed]
[Page 3]
A Codicil or Schedule to a Will, made after a Will is Sealed
Be it known unto all Men by these presents. That I John
Blake of Abbotts Ann, in the County of Southampton formerly
Malster have made and declared that my last Will and Testament
in writing bearing date, the Twenty Seventh day of April, in the
Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-two,
I the said John Blake, do by these presents, contained in this
Codicil, confirm and ratify my said last Will and I do give and
bequeath unto Ann Blake, the Chamber over the Parlor to sleep
in, and part of the House wherein I now dwell to live in, during the
time shee keeps herself unmarried, and during the Life of
Jno Matons Wife, of Abbotts Ann, her Life being in the Living
and in the said Dwelling House, and my Will and Meaning is that this
Codicil, or Schedule be colcomed and adjudged to be part and parcel
of my Will and Testament and that all things herein contained
and mentioned, be faithfully performed in as full and ample
Manner, in every Respect, as if the same were declared and
set down in my said Will, In Witness whereof I the said
John Blake, have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Twenty
Sixth day of July, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven
Hundred and Ninety-two
Signed, Sealed published, and Declared John Blake [signed]
By the above named John Blake aforesaid as
His Codicil or Schedule and in the
Presence of us
Witnesses John Maton [signed]
John Prince [signed]
The reference in this will to William Blake of Andover and Thomas Blake of Upper Clatford (brothers) and Ann Blake (their sister) is interesting as the surname would tend to make one think they are closely related to the John Blake writing the will and indeed the relationship is more likely on the side of the wives/mothers of these individuals. At the time it was an interesting distraction as I worked my way backwards. I think they do share a common ancestor in Robert Blake of Enham who left his will in 1521. But more on that later but the relationship is distant cousinship and he does not mention them as his kinsmen.
Today a working day and an exercise day and I rather think I will do rowing and running this morning and weight lifting this afternoon since no hard frost yet. Yesterday was run/jog and yoga along with of course my waking up exercises!
Solitaire puzzles next as my tea is cooling. Good to have the Blake Newsletter completed. The next one is technically H11 1st of November and then Pincombe 1st of December. That completes the year although these newsletters (unless they include parish register transcriptions) will be short. The books have priority at the moment.
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