Another good day on research

Yesterday completed my review of the subsidies of 1641 and 1642 for Somerset. It was a long somewhat eye straining exercise but I am satisfied with the results. Interesting I am noting that James Sanders was born in the same year as one of my great grandfathers so in 1912 when he published the book he was 67 years of age. Although that seems a young age to me now he probably was not as mobile as we are these days. I have never really looked at his family but he married Anne Mountjoy June quarter 1867 at South Molton and they had seven children (three sons and four daughters with the youngest son named Harry Siderfin Sanders - interesting it was at this later date that he named a son with his mother's surname. The third daughter also received Siderfin as her middle surname and the youngest his mother's forename as her middle name. His accumulation of material was perhaps inquisitiveness as he says in his preface he was looking at a book written by James Savage and published at Bristol by William Strong, Clare Street but also in London by Longman et al in 1830. The book by Savage is indexed but does not contain any indexing for the Siderfin surname. Perhaps I should actually read it and may think about doing that. I did find mention of  Robert Siderfin of Croydon who created a memorial for his wife in the local Church in Luxborough. Perhaps it was the lack of information about the Siderfin family that set him on his quest. He mentions that his mother having been a Siderfin does leave one with the impression that he is looking at this book after the death of his mother (1882) although she could have brought it to his attention at some point mentioning her own maiden surname perhaps around the time of the birth of his third daughter since she carries the surname (1877). I found it curious that it was the surname that interested him which is the same in my case. One does wonder where one's surnames come from I suspect and we are all born with two in actual fact from both of our parents and my mother was very conscious of her need to talk about her family line which she did and my father perhaps as well although I learned more from my grandfather (his father) than from him but he was a very busy man running his own business. I worked for him in the summers from the time I was 12 until I turned 15 at which point he suggested that I should perhaps also work for other people and I did although did find it quite intimidating to do so initially perhaps because some people are very curious and I was always a rather withdrawn person. 

However, my quest to find more information on Robert the second son of Robert has been fruitful and I can now clearly say that James Sanders was partially correct in his descent as John was one of his children but there were two other children missing on the chart. I am only going to think of one generation at a time as I work my way forward to the present. That is perhaps the difference between a one-namer and a family genealogist. I am not really that interested in just looking at all the ancestors of my lines or the cousins and resultant descendants of all those lines. My interests lie mainly with the Blake surname and the Pincombe surname although I acquired an interest in the Siderfin surname about the same time as I had found it looking for the details of a Profile of the Pincombe family for my cousin's books that he was editing - The Westminster and Delaware History Books (this being two of the Townships in the County of Middlesex in the Province of Ontario, Canada). Fortunately my younger sister has taken up the mantle of genealogist for the family and pursues all of those cousins and descendants as well as ancestors in her own study which includes both her line and that of her husband. 

Today the quest will continue partially as my eyes can use a rest for a bit. I have extracted all the Siderfin information from the Index to the Minehead Parish Registers and will now look at the original parish registers which I also have on fiche. As time permits I will also look at some of the surrounding parishes as I have fiche in some cases and access to Ancestry, Find My Past, My Heritage to look at original registers online as they exist. Pulling together the Fourth Generation as completely as I am able is the task at hand. 

I did get rather distracted by the meteorite that flew by so close to us yesterday. I find such things to be utterly fascinating and do get carried away in my thoughts to be sure. I found Yuri Gagarin's space ride equally fascinating as a child. The desire to be out there was strong in me for quite a while but I did not pursue it. 

A bit of snow clearing to do today although we will probably get quite a bit enough for the company to come and clear it away tomorrow but I like to keep it cleared so that it doesn't create ice on the walks and steps. 

Glory to Ukraine and one hopes that the tanks will help to send the Russians back to their own borders - they can not just randomly claim land as their own with a fake referendum that was not overseen by the United Nations. Once again Putin makes his claim against Ukraine of Nazism when it is  the psychopathic Putin and his enablers that are the Nazis trying to steal land and riches from the people of Ukraine. Death to the invaders and glory to Ukraine. I think it is pretty clear that the Ukrainians have a right to their land they have also lived on for thousands of years; tanks are simply a means to stop the bloodshed and drive the invaders from their land. Why the Russian people would allow the Nazi Putin and his enablers to treat them as serfs is beyond me for sure. Absolutely no one is going to invade Russia now or ever (at least not the so-called West; likely we will want to have as little to do with Russia as possible although it is nice to let them take part in international events just to let them see how the real world lives). The Nazi Putin and his enablers have destroyed Peter the Great's Russia. He had such hopes for the future of Russia and all taken away by the Nazi psychopathic Putin and his enablers who let the youth of Russia die on the battlefields of Ukraine as cannon fodder. Russia created those battle fields but the sons of  the Nazi Putin and his enablers are not dying in this war just the sons of the Russian people that they have turned back into serfs.

A very busy three days

 That was a very busy three days in Orleans - not three whole days as we arrive in the late afternoon and then head back late afternoon but feels like three days given the amount of work that needs doing! There is still probably another 5 or 6 bags of leaves/stems to rake up and will accomplish that next weekend perhaps time will tell. Our lives are fluid here because my doctor daughter is literally on call in terms of being needed although not on a call schedule this week which is nice. My other daughter has been busy creating and teaching a new course at her University. Her term has been very busy and it will be nice to see her at Christmas time. We spent so much time together the past year and a half during COVID and I could not have looked after her father without her help. They were always very close and watching from afar was so very painful for her. 

This week it is back to the Siderfin book. I did not have time to extract the Wills for the Siderfin family from the fiche but will do that next time. Now that I am into working on this book I would like to put everything into it that I know about the Siderfin family which is basically what James Sanders did in 1912. Perhaps one hundred years from now someone will discover this material. I will give a copy to Family Search to facilitate that as well as the Guild of one name studies and Society of Genealogists. This is a very English family these days but James Sanders hypothesized that this was a family from Italy perhaps. I do have a number of matches in this family so perhaps in time we can get together and see what segments passed from this family and whether ancient ethnicity can answer the question of where this family came from before they appear in England. An exciting prospect for some future researcher for sure. 

I shall also begin to look at the Carling-Beverley-Gray-Hildred-West-Mason family book which also includes my Routledge-Pincombe family coming down from the Gray line. My great grandmother Grace (Gray) Pincombe's first cousin was Sir John Carling (MP Canada and Minister of Agriculture). All that remains of him here in Ottawa is Carling Street named for him. Carling Breweries (his familys business) has long disappeared and part of O-Keefe Breweries. This book is 253 pages long and I had chatted with my cousin George DeKay (the author) about republishing this book which he published in the mid 1970s. He was working on that he mentioned to me although his closer family is probably more aware of that as I no longer live in the London, Ontario area and have not been back there for a few years now due to COVID-19 and my husband's declining health. We were last there in 2018. There is a Reunion though of my high school (South Collegiate now South Secondary High School) in 2023 that I may try to attend. That would mark 60 years since I graduated from South actually. It would be interesting to see some of my fellow classmates from that time period. George and I crossed paths (we are fourth cousins) back in 2003 when he approached me to write a profile for my Pincombe family which I did with assistance from my Pincombe cousins and my siblings. 

The Charley book has certainly inspired me to look at the publications that contain information on my family lines as it is yet another way to formally preserve the material that I have collected. One other major project remains and that is the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (and Diocesan Wills) for the Blake family. I have transcribed hundreds of them now and they are divided by County. I need to put them all together (by diocese (but noting county) I will probably do) in an *.pdf and see if Family Search would like those as well along with the Guild and Society of Genealogists. Finding more than one repository is probably a good idea. Copyright considerations may limit some of this material but I will investigate that as I move along. Since I am retyping and reformating the work that may get around copyright issues in particular when I am adding in a lot of new material. 

On to the day and my breakfast!

Will of Catharine Blake, Spinster, Canterbury, Kent - The National Archives, PROB 11/1301/232, probated 14 Feb 1798

Catharine Blake, the Testatrix, was buried 6 Feb 1798 at St Mildred Canterbury, Kent. She was said to be 85 years of age so born in 1713.

There was a Catherine Blake baptized 4 Nov 1712 at St Mary Breadman, Canterbury, Kent daughter of Thomas and Ann Blake.

Alice Blake was baptized 19 Jun 1709 at St Andrew, Canterbury, Kent daughter of Thomas and Ann Blake.

Elizabeth Blake was baptized 12 Dec 1706 at St Andrew, Canterbury, Kent, daughter of Thomas and Ann Blake.

I did not find any information that was helpful using the nephews names.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Jul 2019
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1301/232
Testator: Catharine Blake, spinster
Place: Canterbury, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 11 Nov 1796, probated 14 Feb 1798

[Margin]: Catherine Blake

1    This is the last Will
2    and Testament of me Catharine Blake of the City
3    of Canterbury Spinster made this Eleventh day of
4    November in the year of Our Lord one thousand
5    Seven hundred and Ninety Six as follows First I
6    desire to be buried in a decent and private manner
7    in the Burial Ground called Chapel Church Yard in
8    the said City as near the remains of my late
9    Father and Mother as may be and my Worldly
10    Estate I dispose of as follows: I give and bequeath
11    unto my nephew Richard Robert Sanders One
12    hundred pounds stock part of my Capital
13    Stock in the three per Centum Consolidated Annuities
14    in the Bank of England to be transferred unto him
15    within six calendar months next after my decease
16    Also I give and bequeath unto the four sons of my
17    Nephew Thomas Sanders now lately deceased the
18    sums of five pounds apiece of lawful money of
19    Great Britain Also I give and bequeath unto the
20    several persons the ________ Effects and Legacies
21    following (that is to say) unto John Hodges Gentleman
22    One of the Alderman of the said City the picture of
23    the Late Thomas Hanson Esquire as the same is
24    now framed and Glazed and unto my friends Mary
25    D Poirer Wife of John J Poirer of the said City
26    ________ and my silver pint pot and unto my
27    _______ Henry Mayor my watch and unto my nephew
28    William Mayor the Mourning Ring ______
29    for the late Mr Harrison and a Crown piece which
30    is now kept with it And unto Rebecca the Wife
31    of my Nephew William Major my Green damask
32    Gown my brood Lace Handkerchief and my Lace
33    apron and unto my Maid Servant Mary Stagg
34    (if she shall be Living with me at the Time of my
35    decease) over and above what Wage if any be then
36    due to her the Sum of thirty five pounds of Lawful
37    Money of Great Britain my Green Bed with
38    the Bedstead Blankets Quilt and Furniture to
39    the same belonging and all the rest and Residue
40    of my Wearing Apparel of every Kind not by
41    me hereinbefore otherwise disposed of for her
42    faithful Services to me during my Long Illness
43    And also the further Sum of Five pounds of like
44    Lawful Money for Mourning all which said Several
45    Effects and Legacies I Order and direct shall be
46    delivered and paid to the Legatees thereof respectively
47    within Six Months next after my decease and
48    as to all the rest remainder and Residue of my
49    Capital Stock in the said three per Centum
50    Consolidated Bank Annuities Effects and personal
51    Estate whatsoever and wheresoever not by me hereinbefore
52    otherwise disposed of after and Subject to the payment
53    of my just Debts Legacies Funeral Expences the Charges
54    of proving this my Will and all other incident
55    Expences I give and bequeath the same and
56    every part thereof unto my said Nephew William
57    Major his executors and Administrators for his and
58    their Own use and benefit and I appoint him my
59    said Nephew William Major the Sole Executor of this
60    my Last Will and Testament And Lastly I do hereby
61    revoke all former Wills by me at any time made and
62    declare this duly to be and contain my Last Will
63    and Testament In Witness whereof I the said
64    Catharine Blake the testatrix have here unto set
65    my hand and Seal the day and year first before
66    Written Catharine Blake Signed Sealed and
67    Published and declared by the said Catharine Blake
68    the Testatrix as and for her Last Will and Testament
69    in the presence of us who at her Request and in
70    her presence and in the presence of each other
71    have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses
72    George Goreley Edwd Dering
73    This Will was proved at London the
74    Fourteenth day of February in the year of Our
75    Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ninety
76    Eight before the Worshipful Charles Coote doctor of
77    Laws and Surrogate of the Right honorable Sir
78    William Wynne Knight doctor of laws Master
79    Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of
80    Canterbury Lawfully constituted by the Oath of
81    William Major the Nephew of the deceased and Sole Executor
82    named in the said Will to whom administration
83    was granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattels
84    and credits of the said deceased having been first
85    Sworn duly to Administer

10th Most Difficult Genealogy Brickwall in my lines

Getting back to blogging hopefully daily and I decided to do a challenge I have noticed on other sites.

My 10th most difficult genealogy brickwall and I will work my way down to my biggest brickwall.

Brick Wall Number 10. Parents of Mary Davies

Mary Davies married Augustine Siderfin 29 Apr 1720 at Cutcombe Somerset England. I really know nothing about her other than that. There is a Mary Davies daughter of William Davies baptized 24 Nov 1700 at Yatton Keynell, Wiltshire (this is 63 miles from Selworthy so I am somewhat ambivalent about thinking that this would be the Mary Davies who married Augustine Siderfin). I am tempted to think that she could be from Wales.

Augustine Siderfin was a schoolmaster at Cutcombe and Wootton Courtney. He was buried at Wootton Courtney 1 Mar 1762.They had two children as far as I can determine - John baptized 14 Jan 1722 at Cutcombe and Robert baptized 23 Jun 1726 at Cutcombe. This is also verified by the family tree created by another research back in 1912 (History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset by James Sanders, J.P., of South Molton, Devon, Exeter: W. J. Southwood and Co, Dynamo Works, 1912). Although he made an error connecting my family line in, the overall chart is quite good in terms of descendants of each individual line. He misconnected his own line actually.

But even another day of looking at the records fails to reveal the parentage of Mary Davies my 5x great grandmother.

Will of Richard Blake, husbandman, Christchurch, Hampshire - Family Search Film 186695, Catalogue C-1148, number 24, probated 20 Feb 1558/59

The testator is Richard Blake, husbandman, of Christchurch. There are a number of wills for Blake at Christchurch and I shall complete them all before really commenting on them.

Richard identifies his wife as Margery and his brothers as William and Thomas. His estate is being split between his wife and Thomas to have one half and William to have the other half. Richard is the eldest as he inherited all of his father’s property (although this isn’t stated anywhere other than that he did inherit it). He states that he has children but does not identify them.

I transcribed Blake wills for Christchurch in 2012. One of which was for Henry Blake and dated 10 Jul 1594. There is a will for a William Blake, husbandman, 1585 which will be interesting to transcribe when I acquire it and will perhaps assist in understanding the Blake family at Christchurch.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Mar 2014
Source: Family Search Film 186695, Catalogue C-1148, number 24
Testator: Richerd Blake, husbandman
Place: Christchurch, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 3 Feb 1558/59, probated 20 Feb 1558/59
Condition: 16h century English, legible copy

[Wrapper]: T[estament] Richerd Blake de Christchurch 1558

1    In the name of god amen the iij th day of February yn the yere of o[u]r lorde 1559 I Richerd Blake
2    of the p[ar]ishe of christchurche husbandman beyng sicke of bodie (but god be thancked) hole of mynde and
3    memorie do make this my last will conteynyng my testament In suche a[  ]re and forme as hereofe
4    doth folowe Fyrst I bequesse my soule to almightie god o[u]r lady saynt mary and unto all the
5    blessyd company yn heven and my bodie to be buridd withyn the church yearde of the p[ar]ishe
6    aforesaid It[em] I bequesse to my mother churche of wynt[on] vij d and unto my p[ar]she churche one pense
7    and I bequesse to my brother William blake my carte and all my horse bestes and lede And all
8    the howsholde stufe that was my fathers It[em] I geve and bequesse to my wyffe all suche howshold
9    stufe as she ___ hir to me It[e]m I bequesse to each of my children v shepe to willia[m] sanders
10    v shepe and to Richerd Curtes a shepe It[em] I geve and bequesse to __ele ballie a shepe and to
11    Gerry garwoke a shepe bullock of too yeres age
12    The Residewe of my goods bothe moveable and unmoveable I geve and bequesse to
13    Margery my wyffe and William and Thomas my brothers _____ _______ executori
14    that are to say my brother William to have the one half and my wyffe and my brother
15    Thomas the other halfe betwixt them And I make William sanders and alexander curtes
16    myn ov[er]seers gevyng to eche of them for there labors askyng yn that behalf a shepe apece
17    S[y]r William wylson Richard esquier and Thomas more recording the same
18    Probatum fuit humoi testamentum coram mro Robertus
19    Raynolds vichi generali apud winton xx
20    die februarie 1558 p ……….
21   
22   
23    The Invitorie of all the goods chatalles
24    late Richerd blake of the p[ar]ishe of Christ[church]
25    prysed by William sander alexander
26    curtes and William wyst
27    In primis the stufe yn the chamber    xiij s iiij d   
28    It[e]m iij pans iij kettellis and two crookears    xiij s iiij d   
29    It[e]m iij platers v potyngers one saucer and too candelstickes    ij s viij d   
30    It[e]m all the ledden vessellis    ij s
31    It[e]m the hay in the barne    v s
32    It[e]m vij horse bestes a carte a plowe with there farnisings    v l
33    It[e]m iiij eyew    iiij l   
34    It[e] v kyne    lv s   
35    It[e]m iiij bests of too yeres age    xxvj s viij d   
36    It[e]m iij calvs    vj s viij d   
37    It[e]m xl shepe    vj l
38    It[e]m viij hogie    xij s iiij d   
39    It[e]m the grayne yn the barne    iij l   
40    It[e]m ij acrs of whet and iij acres of corn    xl j s viij d   
41    It[e]m the wode    vj s viij d   
43    Sume tot[al]     xxlij l xij s   

Will of Michael Blake, Yeoman, Rockford, Ellingham, Hampshire - The National Archives PROB 11/299/430, probated 19 Jul 1660

This Blake family at Ellingham is somewhat of a mystery. Ellingham is 18 miles west of Southampton. Michael Blake, testator, was buried 5 Apr 1659 at Ellingham. There is another will for Michael Blake of Ellingham which was probated in the Winchester Court in 1593. Since Michael, in the will below, mentions that he is ancient than he is perhaps the son of this Michael whose will was probated in 1593 although he does not mention him by name only his daughters. But given that property was often entailed and there wasn’t a need to mention a single son inheriting than that could be the reason.

The farm house at Rockford is a Grade II building dated 17th century and thus could be the home of Michael Blake in 1659 when he died. Look at the aerial view.

http://gohistoric.com/places/rockford-farmhouse-ellingham-harbridge-ibsley

A search of the catalogue at the Hampshire Record Office did reveal an inventory for a William Blake of Ellingham in 1702 which I might look at some time but no will listed.

Ellingham is 1.7 miles from Ringwood, 9 miles from Downton, Wiltshire, 15 miles from Laverstock and Ford, Wiltshire, and 17 miles from South Newton, Wiltshire.

The present testator identifies his wife as Avis, his son as Thomas, his daughters as Sarah and Avis Sanders and his grandchildren as Michael Russel and Michael Blake.

The next will is for the likely father of Michael Blake the present testator.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 11 Jan 2014
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/299/430
Testator: Michael Blake, Yeoman
Place: Rockford, Ellingham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 1 Apr 1659, probated 19 Jul 1660
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Michael
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the name of God Amen The first day of April in the
2    yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred Fifty  nine I Michaell Blake
3    of Rockford in the parish of Ellingham and county of South[amp]ton Yeoman anc-
4    jent in body but thancks bee to God of perfect memorie doe make and ordaine this
5    my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following first and principally
6    I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ
7    my onely Creator and Redeemer and my body to bee buried in the yard of the parish
8    Church of Ellingham Item I doe give unto my wife my Lease at Gorley in the
9    parish of Ibsley Iteme, I doe give unto my daughter Sarah the house and orchard thereof
10    of the stand in the wood thereof dureing the terme of ye Lease And I doe give unto
11    my daughter Sarah forty pounds to bee paid unto her two yeares after my decease
12    Item I doe give unto my daughter Avis Sanders widow tenne poundes Item I doe
13    give unto my grandchild Michaell Rusell tenne poundes Item I doe give unto my
14    grandchild Michaell Blake five poundes Item I doe give unto my sonne Thomas
15    Blake two table boards ands cupboard and chest after my wife’s decease And the rest
16    of all my household goods I doe give unto my two daughters after my wife’s decease to
17    bee equally within dores divided betweene them fairlie And I doe make Avis my wife my sole
18    Executrix of all the rest of my goods and Chattells and monies of this my last Will
19    and Testament Michaell Blake his marke Signed Sealed in the presence of us
20    Katherine Coles Thomas Hide
21    This will was proved at London the nineteenth day of July in the yeare of
22    of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and sixty Before his Right H[on]orable
23    William Mericke doct of Lawes Master Keeper or Comissary of the Prerogative
24    Court of Cant lawfully Constituted by the oath of Avis Blake the Relict of the
25    said deceased, sole Executrix named in the said Will To whome Admon of all
26    and singular the goods chattels and debts of the said deced was graunted She being
27    First by commission sworne truly to Administer the same according to the tenore and
28    effect of the said Will

Will of Margery Blake of Rattery, Devon - The National Archives PROB 11/1902/280, probated 22 Nov 1838

Hatchlands is a large manor house which is still occupied and in the 1700s was the property of the Earle family. Joseph Earle married Mary Blake sister of Margery Blake the testator. They had the following children mentioned in the will: William, Margery, Rachel and Sarah Ann. Children born to the couple and found on Family Search: Rachel (baptized 18 Oct 1807), Nicholas (baptized 19 Jun 1810), Sarah Ann (baptized 4 Apr 1813), and Nathaniel (baptized 29 Oct 1815). The marriage of their daughter Margery Earle to Edward Whesthorp was 14 May 1828 at East Stonehouse, Devon (Find My Past). No luck at finding the marriage between Joseph Hodge Earle and Mary Blake but there is a World Connect record which seems to somewhat match the details.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=a-french&id=I8141

The surname of Mary is unknown in this particular entry and the children listed are William, Samuel, Grace, Nicholas and Sarah Ann. William and Grace born at Diptford and Samuel, Nicholas and Sarah Ann born at Rattery. The parents of Joseph were William Earle and Elizabeth Hodge and they married 24 Sep 1763 at Ugborough, Devon. Possibly the same family but unsure.

Her brother in law Daniel Freeman and his daughter Grace Marks and Joseph Freeman are also mentioned. Daniel Freeman and Grace Blake were married 17 Jan 1806 at Rattery, Devon, England. Children born to this couple: Grace (baptized 1 Feb 1807), Daniel (baptized 5 Mar 1809), Mary Ann (baptized 22 Mar 1812), Joseph (baptized 18 Sep 1814), George (baptized 17 Nov 1816), and Elizabeth (baptized 19 Aug 1821). Grace Freeman married John Marks 30 Oct 1834 at Rattery (Find My Past).

There was an Ezekiel Blake baptized 11 Nov 1810 at Plympton St Mary and the son of Ezekiel and Alice Blake. The marriage of Ezekiel Blake and Allice Lethbridge was celebrated 15 Mar 1798 at Plympton St Mary. Peter Lethbridge and John Sullock were witnesses to the marriage. Children listed in the will include: Elizabeth Hilson, James, Grace Sanders, Peter Lethbridge and Ezekiel. Betty Blake married Henry Hilson 5 Apr 1822 at Plympton St Mary. Grace Blake married George Sanders 6 Mar 1829 at Plympton St Mary.

An earlier marriage for an Ezekiel Blake to Thomasin Ash is recorded 18 Jul 1760 at Cornwood Devon (Cornwood is 4.5 miles ENE of Plympton St Mary).

Ezekiel Blake is found on the 1861 census at the home of his son Peter at Plympton St Mary. Also living there is Alice the daughter of Peter (18 years of age). Ezekiel was a widower born circa 1770 at Sidford Devon. His son Peter was born circa 1807.

Ann Ball may be the mother found on the census in 1881 with son in law Francis Shute and daughter Margaret Shute with their child Sarah Shute. They lived at Diptford and Ann was born 1797 at East Allington, Devon. On the 1851 Census there is a James Ball married to Ann with daughter Margaret 15. Ann is said to be 50 years of age and born at East Allington. Margaret is said to be born at Rattery.

The siblings of Margery named in the will: [Grace] Freeman (deceased and not mentioned but assumed), Mary Earle, Ezekiel and the mother of Ann [Ball]. An interesting will and the forename Ezekiel is found in other Blake families in Devon.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 29 Jul 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1902/280
Testator: Margery Blake
Place: Rattery, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 10 Jun 1837, probated 22 Nov 1838
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Margery
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 6

1    The last Will and Testament
2    of me Margery Blake now residing at Hatchland in the parish of Rattery in
3    the County of Devon being of a sound mind and Memory do this tenth day of June One
4    thousand Eight hundred and thirty seven and in the eighth year of the Reign of his
5    Majesty King William the fourth make this my Will as follows viz [a vi]t First I will and
6    direct that all my just debts and funeral Expences which is to be at Diptford be paid and
7    discharged by my Executors hereinafter named as well as the legacies herein
8    after named I give and bequeath to my
9    Sister Mary Earle ten pounds of lawful money I give and bequeath unto my brother
10    Ezekiel Blake of the parish of Plympton St Mary fifty pounds of lawful money I
11    give and bequeath unto the five children of the aforesaid Ezekiel Blake namely Elizabeth
12    Hilson James Blake Grace Sanders Peter Lethbridge Blake and Ezekiel Blake ten pounds
13    each of lawful Money I give and bequeath unto Grace Marks and Joseph the children
14    of David Freeman of the parish of Rattery fifty poun each of lawful money I give and
15    bequeath unto my Nephew William Earle Son of Joseph Earle of the parish of Rattery
16    ten pounds of lawful money I give and bequeath unto my brother in law Joseph Earle
o    Of the parish of Rattery aforesaid One hundred pounds of lawful money Upon trust to
18    be applied to the use and disposal of his daughter Margery Westhorp now residing
19    at Sheerness in the County of Kent Free from the power control debts and encumbrances
20    of her husband or any other purpose whatever I give and bequeath unto my Niece
21    Ann Ball of the parish of Rattery aforesaid Thirty pounds of lawful money Free from
22    the power and control of her husband and her Receit alone to be a discharge for the
23    same I give and bequeath unto Margarett the daughter of the aforesaid Ann Ball
24    my six silver tea spoons All the aforesaid legacies heretofore given and bequeathed
    [Page 2]
25    are to be paid by my Executors hereinafter named within one calendar months
26    after my decease I give and bequeath unto Rachel and Sarah Ann the daughters
27    of the aforesaid Joseph Earle All my household Furniture of every description
28    consisting of Bed Bedding chest drawers and Sundrys of other articles Silver Tea
29    spoons already bequeathed excepted I give and bequeath unto the aforesaid Margery
30    Westhorp all my Wearing apparel of every description All the Rest and Residue
31    of my property of every description in the funds money securities for money Goods Chattels
32    not hereinbefore given or bequeathed I give to my two brothers in law Joseph Earle and
33    Daniel Freeman both of the parish of Rattery aforesaid with power to one for all debts Either
34    at Law or in Equity and I also Nominate and appoint the aforesaid Joseph Earle and
35    Daniel Freeman whole and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament
36    hereby revoking all other Will or Wills by me made In Witness whereof I have here set
37    my hand and seal the day and year above written Margery Blake
38    Signed Sealed published and declared by the testator as and for her last Will and
39    Testament in the presence of us who have hereinto subscribed our names as Witnesses
40    in her presence and in the presence of each other Jno Kingston Elizabeth
41    Kingston
42    Proved at London 22nd November 1838 before the Judge by the Oaths
43    of Joseph Earle and Daniel Freeman the Ex[ecut]ors to whom admon was granted
44    having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer

Siderfin Family and continuing French Canadian Ancestry

My new correspondent and I have been sharing information. She found a new will (new to me!) at The National Archives (London UK) which has illuminated another error in James Sanders book. Definitely John Siderfin married to Joan Adams was John the son of John Siderfin and Joan Greenslade and not the son of Robert Siderfin and Grace Kent. This makes James Sanders chart completely incorrect as he shows his great grandfather as John Siderfin married to Sarah Clark being the son of John Siderfin and Joan Greenslade. This means that my Elizabeth (Betty) Siderfin (sister to John Siderfin married to Sarah Clark) was aunt to his grandfather Robert Siderfin. That means that Elizabeth Rew (Elizabeth Siderfin's daughter) was first cousin to Robert the father of Elizabeth Siderfin (mother to James Sanders). Mind you Robert was born in 1788 and Elizabeth in 1801. Then Elizabeth (daughter of Robert was born in 1817) and William Robert (my great grandfather) wasn't born until 1837. It could be the generational differences that resulted in this loss of knowledge. Plus my family emigrated to Canada in 1850. But it is still surprising that he incorrectly selected his great great grandparents. Mind you he wrote the book in the early 1900s and his mother died in 1882 and his grandfather Robert Siderfin died in 1859. James grew up at South Molton which is quite aways from the Watchett/Selworthy homes of his Siderfin ancestor. Surprisingly my Elizabeth Rew married John Pincombe at Bishops Nympton just five miles from South Molton but the discrepancy in ages may well have resulted in the mistake. In my family, the name Siderfin was never recorded on this side of the Atlantic so that family line was completely lost.

I continued working on my son-in-law's family. I am proving the 3x great grandparents now on his grandfather's side. I have managed to pull out quite a bit of information - census, CMBs and BMDs but a few still elude me. I spent part of the morning reading the 1851 census at St-Polycarpe, Vaudreuil County but did not find the Matte (Mathieu/Matts), Gagnon (Gagné), D'Outre or De La Tour families that I had hoped to find there. There were LaTour families but not the one I needed. I still need to check the marriage registration for Léon Matte and Marie Louise Gagnon at Prescott in 1865. The Geneaogical Society has transcribed the register and listed parents as Olivier Gagnon/Josephte Beruit (census shows de LaTour) and Joseph Matte/Josephte D'Outre (census shows Louis Matte/Josette Doutre). Reading the original at the Archives of Ontario will be helpful for this marriage I suspect. Because all four families were from the Vaudreuil area originally I had hoped to discover some information on the 1851 census but they may have already been moving to the Prescott area of Ontario by then. I do not find them at Prescott so possibly somewhere in between.

Today I will enter the proofs for the 3x great grandparents of the one line and then begin to work on the maternal line back to the 3x great grandparents. Putting the trees on ancestry was very very helpful with all the searching ability of this site. I had some really good hints that were most helpful.