Pencombe research day - Devon Archives

 I did find one interesting Feoffment in the Devon Archives:

 Feoffment (partially illegible) (I) Walter Babacomb and Richard Wylle To Richard Burgyn, gent.; John Addyngton, gent.; William Susan; William Androwe; John Salterne; William Chynge; Thomas Leche; Thomas Yeo; William Colybeare, sen.; Aldred Stockeham; Richard Pynkeham; John Parson; Roger Salterne; John Lake, sen.; Thomas Mogar; William Porson [sic]; John Susan; John Androwe; William Davye; William Yeo; Henry Salterne; John Babacomb, jun.; Henry Rusten; Richard Johns; Anthony Horye and John Lake de Aggeven Property in Bideford; Barnstaple; Combe Martin; Roborough; Westleigh; Little Torrington; Alverdiscott; Northam; Abbotsham and elsewhere in Devon 14 Jan. 1566
Repository    

North Devon Record Office

Reference number   BBT/1/1

Date    14 Jan1566

Access status   Open

Level     File

Richard Pynkeham is an interesting person (is he the son of Philip Pynkeham known to have left his will in 1564 at Tawstock?). It is a summary of a large document likely and the list of places tend to be in the area that is of interest. Chart 10 produced by the earlier researchers, Galen Pinkham and Dr Richard Pinkham, has the following:

Phillipp Pyncombe (b 1563) married Wilmote Beare 10 Feb 1583 at Bideford. I already have a problem with these dates because a Philip Pynkeham's will was probated in 1564. However the spelling in the Bideford Registers is as shown so who is this Phillipp Pyncombe? This particular chart does not have contributors so is likely prepared by the two researchers. They are falling back on the history of the Richard Pinkham who came to Old Dover, New Hampshire( at least by the early 1640s likely) written by the Rev. Charles Nelson Sinnett. He was said to have two brothers who settled in other parts of New Hampshire. But the writer says he found nothing to support these thoughts. With the data at hand in the Bideford Parish Registers (the original scans are on Find My Past) there does appear to be a Pyncombe family at Bideford from the beginning of the Registers. But who are they? From whom do they descend? 

Known to be at North Molton from 1486 or thereabouts on, John Pencombe who came with John Lord Zouch. By 1524 listed with John at North Molton a William Pencombe and a Thomas Pencombe (Thomas beside John in the listing and has Wages listed beside his name - so perhaps the youngest son) as William has a property value as does John. The elder son John was known to be at South Molton and he is there with his eldest son Christopher (younger son John is not listed on the Lay Subsidy of 1524-7). Other than a Philip Pynkeham listed at Tawstock there are no other names similar to Pincombe/Pinkham in the Lay Subsidy (Stoate does tend to be quite good with transcriptions). Missing from the 1524-7 Lay subsidy the parishes of: Exeter omitted on purpose (published by Mrs Rowe in Tudor Exeter), Partially missing: Talaton, S. Molton Borough, Northoe, Petrockstow, Frithelstock, Burrington, Nymet Tracey, Eggesford, Stoke Damarel, Bere Ferrers, Plympton St Mary, Revelstoke. 

Tawstock is a large parish (145 names of whom 51 received Wages). Listed with the forename Philip in the 1524-7 Lay Subsidy: Philip Pyngham W 1. Interesting I could readily get Pynkeham out of that (the original would have to be consulted. So likely an apprentice. Will see if that brings up any records. Finding him on two Lay Subsidies at Tawstock is interesting.

I think my task at the moment is collection of all data from the 1400s and 1500s for all derivatives of Pencombe that I am able to locate. So that will be my task for the rest of this month anyway on the Pencombe days.

British History online proved interesting with records of Pynkeham in Devon in 1292. I shall read that one again tomorrow. Gradually I am starting to think that Pynkeham arose in Devon itself as a free standing surname. Some members of the Pincombe family did use the spelling Pinkham which has led to thoughts that this is one family. I am slowly becoming convinced that both families are free-standing with Pynkeham being the older family in Devon as Pencombe was know to arrive in 1486 with John Lord Zouch at North Molton. But I will continue to work on this on Friday. 

But it does give me more incentive to write the Pencombe Family of Herefordshire and North Molton as an independent book because of the presence of Philip Pynkeham on the 1524-7 Lay Subsidy at Tawstock as a relatively young adult and he is simply not listed as a son of John Pencombe whose sons are all close by him in North Molton and South Molton. 

Today is a Blake day and I will continue working on The Blake Pedigree Chart created in 1690 by the College of Arms for Daniel Blake. 

Teatime and Latin all accomplished. Breakfast next.

Caught up on the images from another researcher - almost finished

I did catch up on the images and in total  there are 810 items that I have selected. I did not select Pink or any derivatives of that possibility as that is a standing surname still found in the UK. There were smaller ones that I also discarded because they still exist in the UK and I can be limiting in my thoughts. I have a column that lets me restore the original entry form; there is a line for the image number making it easy to go back and check the image. I can separate Baptisms from Marriages easily. I have a single column entry for the year as well as the entire date. I have a separate column for the mother's name. By separating out the marriages I can easily acquire the spouses in a file. So I am happy with the file as it appears to cover any possibility of sort that might come to my mind. The Place is individual as well, the forenames and surnames each have their own columns. 

Next item to have a look at is the Herefordshire Visitation - I purchased all of the Visitations at some point in the past that could possibly or remotely interest me. Someday all of this will go to the Anglican Church Archives near me (if they still want it) and so I was generous in what I selected as they can make good use of it. The time for that is perhaps still far off but one never knows really. I am willing to continue writing until I have completed all of my tasks but my eyes are not one of my strong features unfortunately. That has been the case my entire life though and I have made it successfully this far. The medical student that once told my grandmother I would be blind by the time I was twenty was somewhat mistaken but he was only a student. I remember him saying that actually and thinking what a strange thing to say in front of a child - my solution was to learn Braille at the tender age of seven years! There were books in the library for that. Mostly I always ignored people as a child but did listen to what they were saying and always remembered to be polite as my mother had asked me to be like that since I did have this habit of being rather abrupt with people. I did notice though that if I found people to be overly friendly and difficult to keep away I could do the reverse and be very friendly and kind and forward a bit (not so much as to take up my time to any extent) and they would eventually leave me alone as they probably got tired of me fairly quickly! I am like an encyclopaedia and can talk up a storm of details when I want to do that. Enough about me for sure and back to work. I am no longer that polite because when I turned 75 and I was widowed I decided that I could revert to being me - very blunt. That way you will not get scammed quite so easily by people pretending to be friendly. 

I have divided up the main file into four workbooks in Excel - 1500s, 1600s, 1700s, and anything else but it is mostly 1800s.  I will concentrate on the 44 entries from the 1500s for the next Issue of the Pincombe-Pinkham Newsletter. Trying to fish out thoughts that I have as a result of entries that I do not recognize (I will add that information to each line as I go through the items singly). I think I will now sort on the Baptism/Marriage column and then put a few lines between the two sets of data and re-sort into year range. In the 1500s this yields 30 baptisms and 14 marriages. I do have a Notes column where I can record the known items and how they relate to John Pencombe (thought to be by me the first Pencombe at North Molton with Lord de la Zouch in the latter part of the1480s).

Baptisms

There are six entries for North Molton until  the early 1560s and then one in the 1570s, four in the 1590s. 

There are two entries for Bideford in the 1560s, another in the 1580s and four in the 1590s. 

One entry for Ilfracombe in the 1570s. 

There is one entry in the 1570s for Roborough by Torrington, three in the 1580s and three in the 1590s. 

There is one entry for Chittlehampton in the 1570s. 

There is one entry for Molland in the 1590s. 

There is one entry for Barnstaple in the 1590s.

There is one entry for Bishops Nympton in the 1590s.

Marriages

There are six entries for North Molton until the mid 1560s.

There is one entry for Roborough by Torrington in the 1570s.

There is one entry for Bideford in the 1570s, there are two entries in the 1580s.

There is one entry for Charles in the 1570s.

There is one entry for Barnstaple in the 1590s.

There is one entry for Bishops Nympton in the 1590s.

There is one entry for Abbotsham in the 1590s.

These entries do give you an impression that the center was North Molton (and the Visitation of Devon 1620 did give support to that idea). The movement appeared to be mostly to the west of North Molton, slightly south of North Molton but not really very much to the east. The Charles entry seems somewhat out of place in the Marriages. I will carry on with these thoughts in tomorrow's blog. The newspaper is starting to shape up in mind somewhat but still pretty fluid.

Reviewed the Herefordshire Visitation 1569 and did not find any entries for Pencombe. Not surprising given that one of the name accompanied Lord de la Zouch to North Molton in the latter part of the 1480s. If they had land they probably lost it before or when King Henry VII was crowned. Likely right after the Battle of Bosworth Field which would account for John Pencombe leaving with Lord de la Zouch. That some members of the family remained in Herefordshire is in the records but they do appear to be of reduced circumstances. A very polite English idiom from my childhood that my grandmother used to use!

Will have to see what sort of tax subsidies are online for Herefordshire. 

Will continue working on the new information (from yesterday's new image) to insert it and one to go. Added the new set and it is all Cornwall. Joe Flood and I have had that discussion on Pincombe in Cornwall - he wondered if that was their ancient home and this data doesn't begin until the 1600s leaving one to ponder that likely it is simply spill-over into Cornwall from Devon and mostly in Morwenstow, Bodmin, Talland, and Morval. No entries for the 1500s with the earliest being 1614 at Morwenstow. They could be economic migrants and will look into that. The forenames are generally as expected although Nicholas is uncommon. Pincombe does not appear on the Visitations of Cornwall although will have a longer look just to make sure I did not miss a particular spelling.

Gardening is starting to beckon. The last hosta plant was starting to emerge so I cleared away the growth of wild flowers to give it breathing room. Perhaps today we might get a little garden soil spread around as it is going to rain this evening into tomorrow. Bedding plants all purchased but will not likely plant them before the end of the month - time will tell on that. The grass is growing nicely. The trees are quickly filling in now. The racoon is getting braver and was actually sitting in the bird feeder but I banged on the window and the next door neighbour chased him off of his property and so he scampered away. He/she wasn't on my back doorstep this morning. Generally they stay away from people but will be back all summer I am sure. The rabbit is afraid of the racoon I would say. The birds are not bothered. A big crow flying at a racoon suspended on the feeder could give it a run for its life for sure! The racoon must be hungry though but it is garbage day today so was perhaps just getting a look at the lay of the land. Smart mammals for sure. Good memories.

Woke up again today with strains of different hymns in my mind - a lovely way to wake up. God's world is always with us; we are very blessed. Breakfast soon; the best meal of the day for sure although last night we had orange chicken - my daughter's style. It was lovely. Tonight I think it is some sort of a bean dish with special pasta and some fresh asparagus and we also picked up some lovely fresh spinach. I do love spinach. I may have been in the minority in my childhood  but my grandfather would always let me eat the spinach right out of the garden and there is nothing tastier when the first greens are showing up in the garden. 

Interesting weather continuing

Another rainy day perhaps; snow was mentioned but not yet seen and we are  1 degree celsius so anything is possible. Weather in Canada in April is very unpredictable except perhaps by our wonderful weather people. 

The Bible Reading today was from 1 Peter 1:13-25 and the entire passage is interesting but I especially like a quote:

"Humans wither like grass,

and their glory fades

like wild flowers.

Grass dries up,

and flowers fall

to the ground.

But what the Lord has said

will stand forever."

I summarize the section before this quote to say that the New Commandments which Jesus brought to us from God are a winning constant in our lives. We must love the Lord God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind this being the first and greatest commandment and the second is like unto it (and I take it to mean it is also one of the greatest commandments) We must love our neighbour as ourselves. Love is the key word and we must find that in our world because only our true love of the world will save it. That is why we created the United Nations. 

On to the Kipp Newsletter today; cleaning all accomplished and I would like to finish it by the end of the week so that I can get back to the Siderfin book. Next month I want to work on Pincombe once again. 

The Pincombe history goes back (known to us) to the late 1480s in Devon and I believe it extends back even further in Herefordshire at a place called Pencombe at least to the early 1300s. Although I created a yDNA study at FT DNA I have done very little with it partly because the number of testers is so small. One of my third cousins once removed has tested and he matches our mutual fifth cousin in Australia taking the line back to John Pincombe married to Mary Charly in 1767 at Bishops Nympton, (John was baptized 13 Feb 1728 and son of John Pincombe and Grace Manning who likewise married 20 Mar 1725 at Bishops Nympton) since they are the most recent common ancestors (MRCA) for them. Another match within the project is likely descendant of the Barnstaple/Bideford branch of the family although a name change has blurred that a little but it was a female COAD who reverted back to her maiden name having been married to a Pincombe (early 1800s) and they had several children. Family lore of the Pincombe family at South Molton has members of that family moving to the Barnstaple area in the 1600s but I have not yet proven that line. This would take the matching line back to John Pincombe son or grandson of  Pencombe who came to North Molton with Lord de la Zouch in the late 1400s. There is another match in common with this group of three (using the Pinkham surname) and his line traces back to an emigrant to the English Colonies in 1750 but little is know about his ancestor and I have not yet put time into looking at that. There is a second group of known descendants of the Richard Pinkham family of Dover, New Hampshire (although one uses the Pyncombe spelling) and there are two members of this group that are close and a third that is in the same general area of match. Although yDNA studies are very interesting and informative they do not take into account events in the history of a family particularly the case when a family line is daughtering out and a decision is made to "adopt" one of the sister's children as a descendant of a brother who does not have children. This can happen long ago in the past and will likely lead to an apparent break in the line (in the case of primogeniture though titled or landed property can not pass in this way but most property in the Pincombe/Pinkham family was freehold or copyhold). Although a non paternal event is suggested by some as a reason I suspect that very often in the past it was an adoption where possible inheritance depended upon the son of a daughter in a line daughtering out taking on his uncle/grandfather's surname and inheriting the property. The more people who test the easier it might be to spot such events particularly if they occur after the introduction of the parish registers and their regular use. One set of data is R haplogroup and one set is I haplogroup. I will do a little more work on the deep ancestry of both of these groups for the next newsletter to discuss the areas to which the deep ancestry points.The British Isles does have areas that were more likely to be one haplogroup or another although this is percentage more than a lack of or non existence in any area.

I have a project with a set of papers listing events which has been given to me by another researcher in the family that I want to work on in May; so my May will be busy with gardening and analyzing. Sounds like a wonderful time although I am still only a little convinced on gardening but it is my daughter's joy to garden. 

Off to breakfast, the day is young but rather wintery looking at the moment but that is April; one is used to it.

Beautiful sunrise but cold again

Only minus 14 degrees celsius at 7:30 a.m. this morning and we are promised a snowfall later today. The laneway all melted out so ready for the next deluge. Cleaning all accomplished yesterday and will finish today with just the basement to do. 

Continuing to solidfy the first three generations of Pencombe at North Molton/South Molton. It would be fascinating to know the surname of John Pencombe's son John's wife. Her first name was likely Emma but all else is lost to time perhaps although  the Manor Books for South Molton might be helpful. Since he is shown with Goods at 10 on the 1524-7 Subsidy and his son Christopher (who is likely a young child) with Goods at 5 his marriage must have been to an heiress. Perhaps it is significant that John Pencombe at South Molton was taxed in South Molton borough and his son Christopher was taxed in South Molton Parish. South Molton is a beautiful town with its beautiful facade on the main streets dating back to the days of wool merchants. We visited it in 2008. 

A little searching on the Discovery Catalogue at the National Archives of the United Kingdom reveals an item of interest in 1363/64 for a John Pencombe. Too early to be the Pencombe with Lord de la Zouche at North Molton but interesting to see that the name John was used by this Hertfordshire family.  I do not see any mention of a John Pencombe of Hertfordshire being investigated at the relevant time period before 1489 when he likely arrived at North Molton. The Manor Books of Pembroke Hertfordshire might provide more information. There is mention of John Pencombe and Thomas Pencombe in some of the records held by the National Archives. 

I tend to think this is a young person who has come to North Molton with Lord de la Zouch, likely as a page. He was protected for his devotion to Lord de la Zouch and brought with de la Zouch when he finally was released from being attainted and restored to some of his lands in 1489. Guessing age around 15 would make him old enough to marry by 1500 and the four children would have been born over a period from 1500 to 1520 perhaps since we find Thomas, next to the youngest possibly as his sister Margret Pencombe married in 1539 (Philip Kingdon 15 Nov 1539 at North Molton) when she would have been in her early 20s or older. Earning wages and found beside John Pencombe at North Molton one might think Thomas is in his teens in 1524 as the records were used from this year being the best preserved of the original documents. Interesting really and I must get into those early Pencombe documents that I photographed at Kew in 2010 and 2013. They are in latin and slowly my ability to manage improves - very slowly but perhaps sufficient to help me as I work through the early generations of this family. Interesting how the name evolved from Pencombe to Pyncomb(e) to Pincomb(e) and in the West Devon area around Bideford and Barnstaple to Pinkham. 

The question does remain though was there a distinct family named Pinkham in 1500 as we do find an outlier of this family with the name Philip Pynkeham at Tawstocke on the 1544 Subsidy with a worth of 8. By 1581 this is an Edward Pencombe at Tawstocke with Goods worth 5 at Tawstocke. By 1641the Protestation Returns do not list anyone in Fremington with the Pencombe etc surname. Moving forward to 1733 and the Freeholders Book at Fremington there isn't anyone with the surname Pencombe etc listed. If for what ever reason this family lost their land they would not appear in these early records other than the BMBs  of the parish which I shall have a look at in the Fremington Hundred and mostly at Tawstocke. I am unable to place Philip into the early family at this point in time so in the fourth generation he remains an outlier. Richard Pencombe at Bideford is, I suspect, a descendant of the North Molton line but I am at this time unable to assuredly place him into the family structure. However, I continue to forge ahead. 

Having reached this point I shall work on the autosomal DNA matches at Ancestry which have proven to be rather interesting given that I (along with my siblings and cousin) appear to have matches with a number of individuals who trace back in their trees to a Richard Pinkham of Dover Neck, New Hampshire. 

On to breakfast and the cleaning.

Will of Thomas Blake, Mariner of Biddiford, Devon now living at Placentia, Newfoundland - The National Archives PROB 11/636/118, probated 6 Mar 1730

Thomas Blake, the testator, mentions his wife Sarah and his sons George and John and his daughters Joan and Dorothy with Dorothy being named as Executor of his will. Searching on Family Search did not reveal any new information.

Thomas Blake, the testator, does make mention of the Merchant Ship the Queen Charlotte in which he has a part interest. Of interest 27 Jan 1813 the West Indian merchant ship Queen Charlotte was lost with four sailors of the Scilly Islands. This is quite a bit later though and is perhaps a different ship. This websites mentions that the West Country merchants including at Bideford controlled the fisher industry in Newfoundland in this first third of the 18th century in which the will is written.

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/18fishery.html

Thomas Blake, the testator, does mention his property at Instow and on the Friends of Devon Archives: Oath Rolls can be found:

Thomas Blake, yeoman of Instow (signed).

The Oath Rolls project on the Friends of Devon Archives webpage lists the following Blake entries (of interest these rolls include the names of 25,000 Devonians which is about 1 in 5 of the adults living in Devon in this time period of 1723):

Tawstock (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/10b.htm)

Christopher Blake of Roborough (signed)
Thomas Blake, yeoman of Instow (signed)

Exeter (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/6/1j.htm, http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/exeter/2.htm)

Edith Blake of Sampford Peverell (marked “B”)
John Blake, cordwinder (marked “JB”):
Nicholas Blake, ironmonger (signed)
Thomas Blake, goldsmith (signed)
Thomas Blake, tailor (signed)

Honiton (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/3/2a.htm)

Thomasin Blake, spinster of Honiton (marked “T”)

Plympton St Mary (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/2b.htm)

Elizabeth Blake of Yealmpton/Plymstock (marked)
Nathaniel Blake of Cornwood (marked)
Roger Blake of Plympton St Mary (signed)
Susanna Blake of Plymstock (marked)

Ashburton (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/4/7a.htm)

Elizabeth Blake of Ugborough (marked “B”)
George Blake of Ugborough (marked “B”) also signed at Modbury

Modbury (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/3/13f.htm)

John Blake of Ugborough (signed)

Buckland Brewer (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/9a.htm)

George Blake, Clerk of Alwington (signed)
Mary Blake of Bulkworthy (marked)
Samuel Blake of Langtree (signed)

Burlescombe (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/16b.htm)

Humphrey Blake of Churchstanton (marked “H”)

Moreleigh (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/1/7b.htm)

Joan Blake of Diptford (marked)

Braunton (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/11a.htm)

John Blake of Charles (marked “B”)

Chittlehampton (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/2/13.htm)

John Blake of Warkleigh (marked “B”)

Chulmleigh (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/3/12b.htm)

John Blake of King’s Nympton (marked “B”):

Witheridge (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/QS17/2/3/5.htm)

John Blake of Stoodleigh (marked “+”)

Great Torrington (http://www.foda.org.uk/oaths/greattorrington/1.htm)

Philip Blake (signed)
Richard Blake (signed)
Wilmott Blake (marked “W”)

In one spot to look at them at a later date I will add the Freeholder information also from the Devon Genuki website and the Friends of Devon’s Archives:

Black Torrington
Andrew Blake, freeholder, North Petherwin (1734, 1735, 1736, 1738, 1739, 1742, 1743, 1744, 1745, 1747, 1749, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1753, 1754, 1755, 1757, 1758, 1759, 1762, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1780)
Thomas Blake, North Petherwin (1721, 1757, 1758, 1759, 1762, 1763, 1765, 1766, 1769, 1770, 1799)
John Blake, North Petherwin (1752, 1753, 1799)

Modbury
George Blake, Ugborough (1719, 1720, 1725, 1727, 1729, 1751)

Braunton, Duchy of Lancaster
John Blake, gentleman, Goodleigh (1711, 1714, 1715, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1725)

Shebbear
John Blake, leaseholder, Ware Gifford (1783)

South Molton
Richard Blake, yeoman, South Molton (1757, 1759, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1770, 1771, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1780, 1783)
William Blake, South Molton (1777, 1780)

Hayridge
Thomas Blake, Plymtree (1762, 1763, 1767, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777)
William Blake, Plymtree (1777, 1778, 1780, 1799)

Coleridge
William Blake, leaseholder, Slapton (1733)

Having been a transcriber for some of this material, it is interesting to now be making use of it!

Parish Return towards the Rebuilding of St. Paul’s Cathedral (1678) (these records have many blanks). But the results are none the less interesting where they do exist.
http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/StPauls/index.html

Alwington
Thomas Blake, Rector

Goodleigh
John Blake

Honiton
Thomas Blake

Ide
Elizabeth Blake

Inwardleigh
George ?lake
Henry ?lake

Oakford
John Blak?

Parkham
Anthony Blake

Roborough
William Blake, Churchwarden

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/636/118
Testator: Thomas Blake, Mariner of Biddiford, Devon
Place: Placentia, Newfoundland
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 13 Jun 1729, probated 6 Mar 1730
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent]
[Margin]: Thomas
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Thomas Blake of Biddiford in the Kingdom of Great Brittain
3    mariner and now at Placentia in Newfound Land being much indisposed
4    in Body but of perfect Mind and understanding blessed be God
5    for it do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner
    [Page 2]
6    and Form following that is to say Imp[rim]is I recommend my Soul that
7    precious and immortal part of me in into the hands of a gracious
8    redeemer hoping through his Meritts to inherit eternal life, Life and
9    immortality being brought to light through the Mediation of Jesus
10    Christ and my Body to be decently interred according to the discretion
11    of my Executors hereinafter named and as touching such worldly
12    estate or Goods as God has been pleased to bless me withal I
13    give devise and bequeath in Manner and Form following via[ a vi]t I
14    make and ordain my dearly beloved daughter Dorothy Blake of
15    Biddiford sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament
16    reposing special Trust and Confidence in my good Friends Capt[ain]
17    William Chappell and Capt[ain] John Strange who I appoint her
18    Guardians and Trustees to this my Will especially for what Effects
19    I have in this Country (except my part of the Ship Queen Caroline
20    and Cargoe) which Effects are to be for her sole uses Benefit
21    and Behees for ever Item I give and bequeath to my Son George
22    Blake my part and Interest in the Ship Queen Caroline and
23    cargo now at Placentia aforesaid and in case my Wife Sarah
24    Blake should marry after my decease then I give devise and
25    bequeath all that my Estate called Nap in the parish of Instow in
26    the County of Devon to be equally divided between my too daughters
27    Joan Blake and Dorothy Blake Item I give to my daughter Joan
28    ten pounds to be paid out of what Effects I have in Newfound
29    Land and which is left to the discretion of the Guardians and
30    Trustees above named whether it shall be given or not Item I
31    give to my Wife Sarah my Clock and my best Bed with the
32    furniture thereof and also a Book intituled the Saints everlasting
33    rest Item I give to my Wife one doz pewter plates and six
34    pewter dishes as also Ten pound in Money Item I give to my
35    son John Blake Five pounds to be paid at the discretion of the
36    Guardians afore named all the Rest of my Goods and Chattles
37    not otherwise disposed of to be divided amongst all my Children
38    which shall be surviving at the time of my decease and I do
39    hereby indempnifie my Trustees from paying any debts of mine
40    further than they shall have Effects in their hands and I do hereby
41    revoke all other Wills formerly by me made and declare this to be
42    my last Will and Testament whereunto I have set my hand
43    and Seal this thirteenth day of June anno domini 1729 Thos
44    Blake Signed Sealed and published by the Testator to be his last
45    Will and Testament in presence of us James Chappell Chr Chappell
46    Edward Mills

Pincombe-Pinkham yDNA study

When I inherited the one  name study from the earlier researchers (in a round about way as I acquired their archived material from the Society of Genealogists via my cousin in England), the two researchers were definitely of the opinion that Pincombe and Pinkham were the same founding name and had simply acquired different spelling from the original Pencombe in the 1400s. The Pinkham name can be found as early as the late 1500s so has been around quite a long time and can be found in single families where some have spelled their name Pincombe and others Pinkham (or does it?). I am in the process of looking at the census and will have a better idea on that thought later.

A second Pinkham has done his yDNA study in the Pincombe Guild study at FT DNA. He does not match the earlier tester and he does not match the result that I found on ysearch which is said to be that of my fifth cousin. One other individual is part of the yDNA study and he has a surname change from Pincombe to Coad. He has a perfect 37 marker match with another Coad/Pincombe. I can find this family in the Barnstaple/Bideford area where they appear to have been for several hundred years although later moved to Cornwall. Family lore takes the Barnstaple/Bideford family back to the South Molton branch of the Pincombe family. The Pencombe family was first at North Molton in 1485.

I expected the two Pinkham testers to match to be honest or at least one to match my fifth cousin. As it turns out the match between my cousin and the Coad/Pincombe family is:


13    24    14    11   11,14     12    12    12    13    13    29    18    9,10    11    11    25    14    19    29     14,15,16,17

13    24    14    11   11,14     12    12    12    13    13    29    17    9,10    11    11    25    14    19    29     14,15,15,16

The differences between them are in the fast moving markers DYS 458 and DYS 464.

Given that the known most recent common ancestor for these two lived in the latter part of the 1400s and the early part of the 1500s the differences are quite acceptable. However, I have only the ysearch values for this cousin. I hope one of these days to have another Pincombe test for this line. Unfortunately my uncle was the last one in my close family and he died before I thought about genealogy. The results above are very interesting because they support the family lore that the Barnstaple family and the South Molton family are related with the Barnstaple family being descendant of the South Molton family. But further testers are needed before any conclusions can be drawn.

I do not know what to make of the results for the Pinkham family. When I check the 12 markers for haplogroup prediction I get I2a and I2b1. I will await further clarification from FT DNA though on the haplogroup. The differences are substantial enough though that these two testers are not related in thousands of years. Nor are they related to the other testor in thousands of years. Is the Pinkham family descendant of unknown Pencombe who arrived with Lord de la Zouch at North Molton in 1485? It is certainly a mystery I didn't expect to have happen in this study. The earlier researchers spent about thirty years collecting information on the various family lines and for the most part the charts are supported by parish registers although my own line was incorrect but I have corrected that now.

My thoughts on all of this are that I need to have more people test for the Pincombe/Pinkham family lines. I hope to be able to persuade some of the family members in England to test as well. The Pinkham family came early to the United States and there is always the possibility of children being left orphan and being adopted into families which can get lost over time. If they took on the surname of their adoptive family that may not appear in early records which could result in different haplogroups than expected.

Pincombe images from John Rylands University Library at the University of Lancashire

My two images have come quickly from the John Rylands University in Lancashire UK and I am very pleased with the result. I looked up John Rylands on wikipedia with the following resultant information gleaned:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rylands

"John Rylands (7 February 1801 – 11 December 1888) was an English entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was the owner of the largest textile manufacturing concern in the United Kingdom, and Manchester's first multi-millionaire.

"After having learned to weave Rylands became a small-scale manufacturer of hand-looms, while also working in the draper's shop his father had opened in St Helens. He displayed a "precocious shrewdness" for retailing,[1] and in partnership with his two older brothers expanded into the wholesale trade. So successful were they that in 1819 Rylands' father merged his retail business with theirs, creating the firm of Rylands & Sons.[1] At its peak, the company employed a workforce of 15,000 in 17 mills and factories, producing 35 tons of cloth a day."

There is a much longer writeup on John Rylands in the article, I have quoted the lead paragraphs only.

The two images were of the Pincombe family at South Molton:

Formerly Phillipps MS. 31843, being lot 303 in the 1911 sale  RYCH/2890  April 3, 1605

Archival history:
[R. 77719]

Contents:
Co. DEVON.
An extent of all the manors, etc. of the late John Pincombe, gentleman,
inherited by his son and heir, John Pincombe the younger; taken at South
Molton, co. Devon, Parchment roll. Seal missing.

I have been trying to place the lines of this family in a correct historical timeline. There are four John Pincombe's in this line with the first being the son of the first Pincombe member at North Molton who arrived with Lord Zouch in 1485 according to the Visitation of Devon 1620 (original). This John Pincombe was likely born in the early 1500s and had died by 1571 at South Molton. According to the original Visitation of Devon 1620 he had two sons John and Christopher who both lived at South Molton. It is possible that the wife of this first John Pincombe was of the Dodderidge family. Her brother John was the father of Richard Dodderidge and his daughter Amy married the grandson of the first John Pincombe. However, I am still proving that line.

The document has a preamble which states that John Pincombe senior (this is the son of the first John Pincombe) died 18 Dec 1604 at South Molton at which time his son John was still alive. However in the time between death and probate John Pincombe junior also living at South Molton and married to Amy Dodderidge 17 Nov 1578 at Barnstaple has died with probate 13 Apr 1605. Hence the heir at law became the son of John Pincombe and Amy Dodderidge and this was again John Pincombe (a minor by the terms of the will) who was born 11 Feb 1584 at Barnstaple and he married Mary Carew. These two are the parents of Gertrude Pincombe who left the Pincombe Trust which included the properties listed on this "Extent of Manors" which was prepared to be attached to the Probate.

This now clarifies the descent of the Pincombe family in this line and with the son of John Pincombe and Mary Carew dying without heirs, the line became extinct in the Pincombe family. This was the armigerous line of the Pincombe family. Since the Coat of Arms was awarded in 1616 it must have been to John Pincombe married to Mary Carew but there does appear to be a discrepancy in that regard as the Coat of Arms appears to have been awarded in 1598 as well. Perhaps the original awarding was to John Pincombe as High Sheriff of South Molton (John Pincombe senior) and then in 1616 his grandson John applied to renew the Coat of Arms to himself and as the eldest and heir apparent of his grandfather he would inherit the right to bear the Coat of Arms bourne by his grandfather.

I shall transcribe the information at a later date but I am now satisfied that this line is correct although there is no mention of Christopher's line which was shown to be extinct on the charts of the earlier Pincombe study. Christopher himself had died by 1585 at South Molton but he appears to have left two sons John and William. William does appear to have an extended family which appears to be later found at Bideford. Only yDNA can really answer the lines of the Pincombe family found around the North Devon area and later much further afield.

Pincombe Family of Devon (Will of William Pincombe - PROB11/106 - Image Reference 35/405) , Blackford Family of Somerset - two different emails

I had an interesting email lately on the Pincombe family wherein the writer quoted me as saying that all Pincombe descendants have a common ancestor and this from my one name study webpage. Actually what I say is:

"The first Pincombe appears to be Thomas Pencombe and he had two sons Thomas and John. I suspect that this is a singleton surname with all descendants related back to the common ancestor Thomas Pencombe whose name was spelled Pincomb in the next generation or Pyncomb."

Proving this to be fact will be a long time coming I suspect in that my yDNA study has only one person and I have knowledge of one other set of yDNA results. They only match 22/25 which is not that close. More samples are needed to prove that this line is a singleton or not.

He was asking about a descendant of Jane Pincombe (daughter of William Pincombe and Joan Davies) who married Silas Hiscott 31 Dec 1755 at Bideford. I wrote the following for others who may be interested in this particular line.

"I have two yDNA results only and they are not conclusive - one set is from my own direct line and the other from a descendant of the Barnstaple Pincombe family. yDNA remains the best way to distinguish whether or not a name is a singleton.

I have Jane Pincombe (daughter of William Pincombe (baptized 3 Aug 1705) and Jane Davies who were married 26 Dec 1727 at Bideford) marrying Silas Hiscott 31 Dec 1755 at Bideford. I do not have their children listed yet. This information was from the earlier Pincombe one name study.

William Pincombe was the son of William Pincombe (baptized 13 Apr 1665 Abbotsham/Northam) and Mary Pearce and he was baptized at Abbotsham according to the chart and Northam according to the IGI. I have not yet found their marriage place and date.

I have as the father of William baptized 1665 another William (baptized 20 Oct 1631 and it is implied that this is at Bideford) but no wife listed. Again the father was a William (baptized 24 Dec 1599; d 1641 and this time at Bideford). This William is said to be the son of Richard Pyncombe and Joan Row who were married 27 July 1599. This Richard has William listed as his father and he was said to be born at Bideford.

All very interesting and I have yet to prove all of it to my satisfaction but I share the results of the earlier study with you.

There is a family lore in the Pincombe family that says that William Pincombe of South Molton (son of a William Pincombe there) moved to Barnstaple/Bideford in the 1500s. Still remains to be proven and as more and more records become available it may yet be proven. However y DNA remains the best means to connect family lines that can not connect back on paper.

I can continue back from William Pincombe at South Molton to the first known Pincombe who arrived in Devon in 1485 from unknown location but possibly Herefordshire. This too is still to be determined."

 A second email that has proven to be most interesting came from a Blackford family researcher. I spent a couple of  hours sorting through material that I had thought about earlier because the published book on the Siderfin Family of West Somerset had the wife of Robert Siderfin as Elizabeth Blackford. This proved to be quite erroneous and fortunately not too long after I started to think about it out loud in my blog. I had a comment back a few days later wherein the researcher looking at her own family had found my reference to Robert Siderfin and mentioned a will that included Robert Siderfin and his wife Elizabeth; this Elizabeth actually being Elizabeth Question daughter of Augustine Question. That answered two questions; one Elizabeth was Elizabeth Question not Elizabeth Blackford and two the name of their second child was Augustine which had not appeared in the Siderfin family to date but obviously named after his grandfather.

For the benefit of other Blackford researchers I will relate the information that I sent to the Blackford researcher here in my blog as well.

At the National Archives (UK) documents on line provides the following wills of interest to the Blackford family of Devon and Somerset:

Will of William Blackford of Holnicote Court , Somerset    03 March 1732    PROB 11/650 Will of Elizabeth Blackford, Widow of Dunster, Somerset    23 May 1699    PROB 11/450 Will of Richard Blackford, One of the Kings Majesty's Masters extraordinary of His High and Honorable Court of Chancery of Dunster, Somerset    04 April 1689    PROB 11/395 Will of Sidwell Stoden otherwise Blackford, Widow of Selworthy, SOM 01 May 1657 PROB 11/264 Will of John Stodden alias Blackford, Weaver of Selworthy, Somerset
Will of John Blackford, Weaver of Bishops Nympton, Devon  11 January 1610 PROB 11/115
I also searched the Catalogue of the National Archives  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/default.asp?j=1  looking for mention of the Blackford family of Somerset and found:
Item reference C 11/100/18 Short title: Coffin v Dyke. Document type: three bills and ten answers. Plaintiffs: John Coffin merchant of Minehead, Somerset administrator of Mary Coffin deceased his late wife. ...  Context C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions      Division within C  Records of Equity Side: the Six Clerks        C 11  Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Pleadings 1714 to 1758           Sewell Division              C 11/100  Pleadings. (Described at item level). Record Summary Scope and content Short title: Coffin v Dyke. Document type: three bills and ten answers. Plaintiffs: John Coffin merchant of Minehead, Somerset administrator of Mary Coffin deceased his late wife. Defendants: William Blackford esq, Edward Dyke, Henrietta Blackford an infant (by James Samson), George Sawbridge Littell esq, James Samson esq, Edward Leeds esq, Gregory Gardiner esq, Richard Cridland gent and Elizabeth Dyke widow. Date of bill (or first document): 1729. Date of last document: 1733 Covering dates 1733 Note The naming of a party does not imply that he or she will appear in all the documents in this cause (after the bill) Held by The National Archives, Kew  Legal status Public Record(s) Language English This actually gives me the name of Mary Coffin's husband - John. My interest in all of this is the Quirke family. Mary Coffin (sister to John) married John Quirke and they had three daughters: Isott married her cousin John Quirke; Mary married John Question brother to my Elizabeth Question (married to Robert Siderfin) and Alice married Walter Siderfin (cousin to Robert Siderfin). The son of Walter and Alice inherited Old Cleeve manor from his cousin. The researcher with whom I was corresponding was interested in James Blackford who had gone to Jamaica. I was looking for possibilities on where his name might be mentioned and found the reference below in the right time period. However, one must really be on the spot at Kew to go through all this material in any practical way. Item reference C 112/168 Dyke v. Coffin (1744): Three cash books concerning Holnycote Court, Selsworthy and William Blackford (d. 1730). Context C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions     Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters        C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits           C 112/168   Record Summary C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions    Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters      C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits        C 112/168  Scope and content Dyke v. Coffin (1744): Three cash books concerning Holnycote Court, Selsworthy and William Blackford (d. 1730). Covering dates 1726-1730 Held by The National Archives, Kew  Legal status Public Record(s) This document has William Blackford dying in 1730 (his will was dated 1730) although probate did not occur until 1732. This would be a brother to James. C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions     Division within C  Records of the Equity Side: Chancery Masters        C 112  Chancery: Master Rose's Exhibits           C 112/207   Top of page Record Summary Scope and content Two deeds of property in Dunster and Old Cleeve, Som, with related bonds etc. securing them to William Blackford in return for loans. Covering dates 1697-1734 Held by The National Archives, Kew  Legal status Public Record(s) Scans of these documents would be available for purchase. I mentioned them in case one is able to find someone in England (hopefully in London) who is also interested. They do imply a fair amount of legal manipulation with the properties in the late 1720s into the 1730s. The following document may be helpful in figuring out the property which William Blackford held at death (perhaps from his mother).

Item reference C 11/286/2
Short title: Nicholls v Hayman. Document type: Bill and three answers. Plaintiffs: Iltyd Nicholls clerk of Llanvase, ...

Context
C  Records created, acquired, and inherited by Chancery, and also of the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions
    Division within C  Records of Equity Side: the Six Clerks
       C 11  Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Pleadings 1714 to 1758
          Sewell Division
             C 11/286  Pleadings. (Described at item level).
Top of page Record Summary
Scope and content Short title: Nicholls v Hayman.
Document type: Bill and three answers.
Plaintiffs: Iltyd Nicholls clerk of Llanvase, Glamorganshire (administrator of Susannah Nicholls deceased his late wife, who was a daughter of John Whitlock junior, gent of Winsham, Old Cleeve, Somerset and Joan Whitlock his wife, who was only daughter and heir of William Shenton, gent and Joan Shenton his wife both deceased), Whitlock Nicholls (eldest son and heir of said Susannah Nicholls) an infant aged 4 years (by his father said Iltyd Nicholls).
Defendants: William Blackford, Philip Sydenham and Sarah Sydenham his wife, William Francis and Joanna Francis his wife, George Hayman, Robert Darch and John Sealy.
Date of bill (or first document): 1728
Covering dates 1728
Note The naming of a party does not imply that he or she will appear in all the documents in this cause (after the bill)
Held by The National Archives, Kew 

Legal status Public Record(s)
Language English

  I then turned to the Country Registry office and  looking at the Somerset Record Office Catalogue
http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/DServe/DServe.exe?dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Search.tcl

and using the search expression blackford and limiting the date to 1700-1740 yields 100+ documents some of which might be interesting. You can open up the finding aid and sometimes there is some detail.

It seems odd not to find the Blackford family on the Visitations. They appeared to hold substantial property but that wasn't always the criteria for inclusion; "old" family I think predominated the Visitations particularly in the more agrarian parts of England. It was likely possible to retain one's ancient home long after the property had been sold that had originally given the family their status.

I also continued working on the Blake marriages matching up spouses and this is an enormous task which has only really just begun (over 30,000 marriages in Free BMD). Once I have completed that then I can start working with the family lines that I already know in Hampshire and put them together. I will then move out from Hampshire to the Home Counties where the Hampshire Blake families moved. But I want to also work concurrently on the other Blake families of the British Isles. It will be a slightly different approach because I do not know as much about their lineages.

But in the meantime the garden grows weeds rapidly and is my first call. The other argument in the summer is that it lasts such a short time in reality here and then the long dark cold days and nights come back which are absolutely perfect for reading fiche and transcribing wills. It is a little too bright in the summer to spend too much time at that. However, yesterday I transcribed a will that I thought I had completed years ago. In actuality it was back in my early days of genealogy (2003) and I had read it so I have now transcribed it. This particular Pincombe had seven sons and it is my premise that these sons moved out from the North/South Molton area towards Barnstaple/Bideford in the later part of the 1500s. Proving that will be an interesting task although yDNA makes it more likely that one can actually prove or disprove Pincombe as a singleton name with respect to having a single founder. Over time other haplogroups/markers may well appear because of surname changes or non paternal events but initially I do wonder if Pincombe was a single family taking up that name.

Will of William Pincombe (Richard the fourth son is my ancestor and he settled at Bishops Nympton; amazingly his son William is also mentioned) I insert below for anyone interested. William was married to Emotte Snow (this marriage does not appear in the Parish Register which commenced for marriages in 1558). I do not know the name of her father but her brother William Snowe was the father of Honor Snow and she married Thomas Blackmoore (my 10x great grandparents) 8 Oct 1570 at Bishops Nympton.

Richard Pincombe (my ancestor) married twice and the two families represent all the Pincombe lines found at Bishops Nympton in the 1600s and into the 1700s. There are several entries in the Parish Registers there that I can not sort into these families though in the later 1700s. When this will is written in 1602 William (son of Richard) is three years old; his elder sister Anne died in 1598 as a small child and his mother Anne (surname unknown) was buried 3 May 1600 at Bishops Nympton. Richard married Francis Gill 11 Nov 1603 at Bishops Nympton. Richard was buried 31 Jan 1648 but his age was not listed. Working from the premise that Anne was his first marriage and that Anne (daughter was born in 1598) then Richard may have been born in the mid 1570s or earlier.

Recorded: 29 July 2011
Source: Public Record Office, London, UK, PROB11/106 - Image Reference 35/405
Place: East Buckland, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 20 December 1602

Condition: photocopy, bold, old English writing

[In margin] T[estator] Willi[a]m Pyncombe


1    In the name of God, Amen.  The Eighte and
2    twentithe day of december in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred
3    and two I Willyam Pyncombe the elldeste of Easte Bucklande in the countie of Devon yeoman
4    beinge of perfecte remembrance (thanks be unto Allmightie God) do make and ordayne this
5    my laste will and Testamente in manner and forme followinge.  Firste I bequeathe my
6    soule unto Allmightie God.  And my bodie to be buried within the Churche or Churchyard
7    of East Bucklande aforesaid.  Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore of the parish of East
8    Bucklande aforesaid Three Shillings foure pence.  And toward the rep_cord of the parish Churche
9    there Three shillings foure pence.  Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore of Southmolton
10    tenne Shillings.  And unto the poore of Northmolton tenne shillings.  Item I give and bequeathe
11    unto Willyam Pyncombe my sonne Sixe pounds thirteene Shillings foure pence.  Item I give
12    and bequeathe unto my saide sonne Willyam Pyncombe my greate tableboord whiche standeth in
13    my hall, the cubborde in the same hall, and the seelinge of the saide halle, my beste fetherbedd
14    performed and all my ploughe s_ath, to have and enioye the same presentlie after the decrease or
15    nexte maryage of his mother. Item I give and bequeathe unto Symon Pyncombe my sonne (if he
16    bee nowe lyvinge and do returne againe into this Realme of Englande) Tenne pounds. And I doe
17    praye his mother to have further consideration of him. Item I give and bequeathe unto Johane
    [Page 2]
18    Johan Pyncombe my daughter Fiftie pounds.  Item I do give and bequeathe unto Katheren Pyncombe
19    my daughter Fiftie pounds.  Item whereas I have and houlde by the demise and grannte of John Davy
20    gentleman deceased to me my executor and assignes for terme of Fourescore and nyneteene yeares ___
21    to be compleate and ended, if Symon Pyncombe, Richard Pyncombe and Thomas Pyncombe my sonnes
22    so longe lyve, or anie of them so longe lyve, all that the hall of the Tenement and Barton commonlie
23    called Over Mollande Sarazin, the entire, and house adioyning to the northe part of the said halle
24    the chambers over the saide halle and the house within the said halle, one chamber over the said house
25    and the shippinge in the easte part of the saide house. And all that parte or portion of the Towne
26    place there which is lymitted and appointed by meerts and bonds, the garden by southe the yokinge
27    house. One close of lands called the Southedowne, one other close of lande called the bottoms close
28    and dyvers other closes platts and quilletts of lande, meadowe, woods, wayes and other hereditam[en]ts
29    within the appurtennces in Northmolton in the countie before said, as by a deed indented whose date
30    is the nineteenth day of September in the foure and twentithe yeare of the Queenes ma[jes]ties
31    raigne that nowe is more plainelie the large yf dothe and maie appear. I do give and bequeathe
32    unto Lewes Pyncombe and Peter Pyncombe my sonnes their executors and assigns all and singuler
33    my rights, tytle,  estate, intereste and terme of yeares whiche shal[l ]be to come and unexpired of their
34    foresaid terme at the tyme of my deathe of and in all and singuler the foresaid house, landes, tenem[en]ts
35    closes, meadows, curtilages, woods, Quillettes and parcelles of lands and meadows w[i]th all & singuler
36    their appurtenances, and everye parte and parcell thereof contayned in the foresaid deed, indented
37    excepted suche parte of the houses, closes of lande, meadowe, curtilages, woods, quilletts, and parcelles of
38    lands and meadows with the appurtenances contayned in the foresaid recited deed indented, as before this
39    tyne I have by deed wrytinge given, grannted, assigned and sette over to John Pyncombe my sonne
40    his executors and assigns. To have and to houlde all and singuler the aforesaid houses, closes of
41    Lands, meadowes, curtilages, woods, quilletts, and parcelles of lands and meadows withe their appurtenances
42    (excepte before excepted) unto the said Lewes Pyncombe And Peter Pyncombe my sonnes their executors
43    and assignes from the daie of my deathe untill the expiration and end of the same terme of fouerscore
44    and nyneteene yeares, yeeldinge, performenge and doinge as I my executors and assignes are bounde by the
45    afore recited deed indented to yeelde, do and performe. And my meanenge is that my executors shall
46    freelie have and take all suche corne in and uppon the premisses afore geven and bequeathed as shal[l ]be
47    in the Earthe at the tyme of my deathe or decease withoute payenge any thinge for the standinge
48    thereof Item I geve and bequeathe unto my saide sonne Peter Pyncombe Tenne poundes Allso
49    I geve and bequeathe unto my foresaid two sonnes Lewes and Peter all my pewter vessells w[hi]ch
50    are marcked w[i]th W and P equallie to be devided betwixt them ymediatlie after the deathe or next
51    marrage of their mother. Item I geve and bequeathe unto Elizabeth Colliscotte the daughter of John
52    Colliscotte deceased fortye shillings to be employed to the beste use for her untill she accomplishe one
53    and twentie yeares of age by my sonnes Willyam Pyncombe and John Pyncombe And then to be payde her
54    by them withe the proffytte thereof (if see be lyvinge) otherwise to remaine and be by even and
55    equall portions unto my two sonnes Willyam and John Item I geve and bequeathe unto my brother
56    Richarde Pyncombe Thirtie shillinges Item I geve and bequeathe unto Thomas Pyncombe
57    sonne of my brother Richarde Pyncombe Tenne shillinges and an ewe and a lambe Item I geve
58    and bequeathe unto Willyam Pyncombe, John Pyncombe and Marye Pyncombe the chilldren of
59    my sonne John Pyncombe twentie shillings equallie to be divided amongste them Item I geve
60    bequeathe unto Willyam Pyncombe sonne of Richard Pyncombe my sonne Sixe shillings eighte
61    pence Item I geve unto Willyam Hutche one ewe sheepe Item I geve unto Anne Breshton
62    Agnes Brisheton the daughter of Thomas Brisheton to either of them a lambe Item I geve and
63    bequeathe unto everie of my god chilldren sixe pence a peece. The residue of all my goods moveable
64    unmoveable I geve and bequeathe unto Emott Pyncombe my wife whom I ordayn and make my
65    Executrix of this my presente Testamente and laste will. And I do ordayne and make overseers
66    of this my presente Testamente & laste will my lovinge sonnes Willyam Pyncombe and John
67    Pyncombe and my lovinge neigheboure Anthony Wedlake alias Brailey whom I do desier to see
68    this my laste will and Testamente in all thinges performed accordinge to my entente and
69    meanenge In wytnes whereof the saide Willyam Pyncombe the elldeste have hereunto sette
70    my signe the daie and yeare before saide in presence of those whose names are hereunder wrytten
    [Page 3]
71    Signed William Pyncombe the elldeste wytnesses hereunto Willyam Pyncombe Thomas
72    Birsheton

Pincombe One Name Study - 2 August 2009

Yesterday evening, I had a marvelous find in the Crediton County Courier:

Pincombe family reunion success

Friday, 10 July 2009

DESCENDANTS of the Pincombe family, originating from Queen Dart near Rackenford, held their first ever family reunion at the Waie Inn, Zeal Monachorum - and what a memorable occasion it was!

More than 140 adults, plus children, gathered together, some from as far away as Yorkshire and Cheshire, to reminisce and study photographs of several generations. William and Sarah Pincombe started farming at Queen Dart at the end of the 19th century, where they brought up 11 children. The Pincombe family continued to farm there for the next 100 years. Large gilt framed photographs of William and Sarah Pincombe were on display as well as the Pincombe coat of arms, which was incorporated onto a large reunion cake. The 11 members of the original Queen Dart family were Jack, Emma, [Lily], Bessie, Fred, Frank, Bert, Ernest, Winnie, Henry and Gladys, who continued the family tradition of farming, marrying locally and settling in the area as have very many of their descendants; in fact you don’t have to go very far in North Devon without bumping in to a member of the Pincombe family! The eldest person at the reunion was 91 year old Ruby Cole and the youngest was six month old William Parris, whose grandparents, Winston and Heather Pincombe were celebrating their Ruby Wedding: certainly an unforgettable day for them. Everyone agreed that it was a most successful and enjoyable event and thoughts have now turned to the possibility of holding a similar event in a few more years.

Alan Quick

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I haven't made much of an effort to contact the Pincombe family directly in England other than people who contact me first. My line that was at Bishops Nympton is fairly dispersed from there since the mid to late 1800s.

One child is missing in the article from the list of eleven children - Lily would come between Emma and Bessie. I had not been able to place this group at Oakford into the overall family tree but have been able to take William Pincombe (married to Sarah Ann Skinner) who was born 1863 at Oakford to his parents Richard Pincombe and Caroline Arthurs. Richard was also born at Oakford circa 1835/1836 although the census give a birthdate closer to 1837/1838. His parents were William Pincombe and Elizabeth according to the census with William born circa 1793 at Bideford. My Bideford chart that I have from the earlier Pincombe one name study is one of the most incomplete in that it only traces lines down to the mid 1700s and there are at least 10 lines there. I haven't worked on that chart at all yet. The furtherest back ancestor for the Bideford group is William Pincombe with wife unknown. They had four known children: William (married to Johanne Pyne) 31 Jan 1587, Phillipp (b 1563) and married to Wilmote Beare 10 Feb 1583, Johane (b 5 October 1566) and Richard Pyncombe (married to Joan Row 27 July 1599). Phillipp and Richard appear to be the only two sons with descendants (four each). Since two of the four children were baptized in the 1560s then William may have been born around 1525 to 1535. I have suggested that he is the younger son of Christopher Pincombe who lived at South Molton with father John and is found on the 1620 Visitation for Devon. Christopher's son listed on the Visitation is John and he continued to live at South Molton. Christopher's older brother John's grandson John Pyncombe married Amy Doddridge (daughter of Judge Doddridge) and he was the Mayor of South Molton in 1598 and was granted a Coat of Arms which I shall search out and list here in a couple of days or sooner depending on when I find it! Family lore suggests that the Bideford/Barnstaple Pincombe families are descended from the South Molton Pincombe family.

I haven't a great deal of interest in Coats of Arms possibly because I am female and could only use one if I didn't have any brothers and was in a direct line from the original individual who was granted to Coat of Arms. In my case I have four brothers who would all come before me. There are Coats of Arms for the Blake, Pincombe, Siderfin and Routledge families that I have acquired information on thus far with my ancestors.

There is a hint that they will have another Reunion which is really very exciting. In another couple of years I will have input all of this information that I inherited from the original Pincombe one name study (one of their line was part of the research team (2 individuals)) which I would share with them if they are interested. This Pincombe line had one individual who emigrated to the United States in the 1600s and one member of the earlier research study was a descendant of that individual.

It always quite fascinates me how families flow actually. My Pincombe line has daughtered out (my uncle was the last). However the other two sons of John Pincombe and Elizabeth Rew Pincombe (the emigrants in 1850 with their five children to Canada) have a number of lines still carrying the Pincombe surname.

Tomorrow I shall continue working on the Pincombe family as this newspaper item has cleared up a few mysteries for me in the census. I have a picture of my emigrant Pincombe ancestor who was born15 Apr 1808 and baptized 5 Jul 1808 at Bishops Nympton.