Will of Gilbert Johnson, Yeoman 12th June 1654

baxtersp · Will of Gilbert Johnson, Yeoman 12th June 1654

Hello all

I was looking through the Wills online for North Meols and I found the Will of Gilbert Johnson (12th June 1654). Given it's age and size I thought it was worth £3.50 so I bought it.

If anyone want's a copy just let me know. It's three full pages (in PDF format) and the writing is fairly clear considering the age of the document.

Steve Baxter

PS Sorry, I posted this on the wrong Forum by mistake, could someone move it over. I had a nasty bang to the head last night and I'm still a bit woozy.

Dotty · Old saying...

My grandmother had a saying if someone banged their head...

"Where there's no sense, there's no feeling..."

I'm sure this doesn't apply to you Steve. Hope the noggin's OK today.

Dotty :smt056

Jane

Hope this seems like the right place. J for Johnson.

Steve hope the head is ok today. Horrible when you see those stars

baxtersp

Hello Dotty

My ears are still ringing a bit, but I feel better than I did when I woke up this morning. I had went out for a walk before and that seems to have helped.

I'll have a proper look at Gilbert Johnson's Will a bit later when I feel up to it. As it's from the 1650's it's not in what passes for English these days, but at least it's not in Latin!

Thanks for moving the post Jane. I was just throwing something in the bin in the kitchen last night and I head-butted the knife sharpener.

I also received another Johnson related certificate this morning in the post, the birth certificate (entry of Birth) of Jenny Johnson born 1st April 1846 in Banks to Thomas and Ellen Johnson (nee Bond).

Actually it's Jenny's sister Mary who's my ancestor (2nd great grandmother) but I didn't think I'd be able to pick the right Mary Johnson from the Civil Registration Index. There was only one Jenny Johnson anywhere near the right age though, so I ordered Jenny's birth certificate instead.

Jenny married Peter Wright in 1879, and her sister Mary married Stephen Wareing (son of Richard Wareing) 2nd Dec 1871 and they became my 2nd great grandparents. I'm named after him, sort of, I was was named after my grandfather Stephen Baxter (born 1904), who was named after Stephen Wareing. My father is also named Stephen Baxter, just to confuse things a bit.

So now I've got another link to the Bond's, my mother's lot. After a bit of shifting about on my computer I've found my parents are now 4th cousins, as well as 12 or 13 other lesser relationships I wont bother you with. It really is starting to worry me!

Bez

baxtersp

Hello all

Joyce Otterstrom has been kind enough to send me her transcription of the Will, so I thought this might raise some interest. If anyone wants a scan of the original just let me know.

Gilbert Johnson 1649

In the Name of God Amen the Fyve and Twentieth Day of July In the yeare of our Lord God One Thousand Six hundred Fourty and nyne I Gilbert Johnson of the Northmeoles in the County of Lancaster yeoman beinge aged and weake in body but yet of perfect memory Parysed bee God and beinge Sensible of the certainty of Death though most uncertayne of the hour and tyme thereof inex…fort beinge willinge to settle that Small Estate which itt hath pleased the lord to affored mee in such manner as may prevent any futhure quarrels or question Doe make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge first and principally I gyve and bequeath my Soule unto the most merciful Custody of Almighty God my maker by whose bitter passion and precious bloudsheding in the person of my lord & Saviour Jesus Christ I doe stedfastly believe to bee Saved And mybody to bee buried in the p[ar]ish Church of Northmeales aforesaid in full and p[er]fect hope of a joyfull resurrection And where as the …Hugh Hesketh late of Northmeales, aforesaid Esyn… and Thomas Hesketh his sonne and heir by their Indenture of Demyse or Lease bearinge late the Sixth Day of March in the Twentieth yeare of the reigneof our Late Souveigne Lord Kinge James over England & forth Considerations therein mentioned And out of the p[ic]ticuler respects to the said Hugh Hesketh and Thomas ever did beare unto me I did demyse GrantGrant sett and to fearine lest unto meee and my assigns All that their messuageor Tenement with the appurantances in Northmeales aforesaid then in the foremure and occupation of mee and of John Chirstoferson my late father Since Deceased And all and Singuler Houses edifices Orchards gardens Crofts & Houses la… I Tenements Meadows feedings Fishinge pastures Common of Pasture and Turbury liberty as commodities & fitts advantages and hereditaments what soe & thereunto belonginge or in any wise appertayninge To have and to hold the said messuage & tenement hereditaments and premises with their and only of their apperteances unto mee and my Assignes for the terme of the natural life and lyves ofthe said John Christoferson my selfe and John Gibertson my sonne and of the longest lyver of us and … As in and by the said recited Indenture mor… att largemay appeare Touchinge Which said messuage or Tenement houses buildings and premises with their and only of their Appurtences there unto belonginge I doe give grant and assigne the same and do Impart and p[ar]cell there of unto My Said Sonne John Gilbertson To have and to hold the said Messuage or Tene=ment and all their the premises or in the said Indenture mencioned to him thesaid John Gilbertson his execrutors Administrators and assignes from the day ofthe death and naturall Decease of mee the said Gilbert Johnson for and In=ringe all the rest and residue of the said terme mentioned in the said recited Indenture in full satifaction of his fitiall porcion and Child or part ofgoods which hee the said John Gilbertson or his executors or Administratorsor any of them shall or may att any tyme hereafter title Challenge or …from mee or my executors or Administrators or any of the said John Gil=bertson havinge already peaceably enjoyed eleven Acres of my said tenement for Twenty tears last past or thereabouts and hath but only paid mee Two and Twenty pounds and doth pay mee the yearly Rent of Six shillings and I have over sitheure paid all l…yes Rents and facacous for the whole Tenementand for my transitory and worldly Goods which I have obtained by the …of Almighty God it is my will and minde that the sume shall be bestowed and distributed in manner and forme followinge (vix) first it is my will & minde that my Debts funeral expences and legacys shall bee paid and discharged forth of my whole goods (that beinge done) It is my Will and minde that all the rest and residue of my said Goods and chattels Shal bee divided into two equall parts One part thereof I reserve to my Selfe and the other part thereof I gyve unto my four children hereafter namedwhich I have not already made any provision for or Gyven any …ermtunto (that is to say) Richard Johnson Alis Gilbertson Robert Gilbertson Thomas Gilbertson and Alice now wife of Hugh Balkley to bee equally Destributed amongst them foure And for my owne part which I have reserved to mySelfs I doe hereby give devise and bequeath the same unto my two sonnes Robert Gilbertson and Thomas Gilbertson to be equally divided betwixt them Item I gyve unto my Sonne John Gilbertson over and besides my said Tenement which I have heerby given granted and assigned unto him the sum of Tenn shillings in further discharge of his filiall porcion & Childes part of goods Item I giyve unto my Daughter Anne Rymer late wife of Nicholas Rymer one such as shalbee my mee hereafter named in fullDischarge of her filiall porcion albeit I have already preferred her in Marriage given her a portion and have aleyall discharge from her late husband Item I Gyve unto my Servant Ellen Blundell one heffer Andunto Ellen Johnson (my Kinswoman) Two Ewe Lambes or Six shillings eight pence in money And finally I desire my very good friends William Smith of Snape Gentleman and Robert Wright of Northmeoles aforesaid yeoman to be supervisors and overseers of this my last Will And to Enable the better to performe the trust which I do repose in them I doe hereby con=stitute ordayne and make them the Said William Smith Robert Wright And Robert And Robert Gilbertson my Sonne Executors of this my last Will and Testamenttrusting they will see the same will truly performed in witness whereofto this my last Will and Testament of the Said Gilbert Johnson have heerunto put my hand and Seale the day and yeare first above written debts owinge unto mee as followeth I lent unto Sone in lawe Hugh Bulkleyin gold Twenty shillings unto my Sonne Richard Johnson fortye shillings owinge by the said Hugh Bulkley for one Bushell and a halfeof S… Barley att five shillings the bushell Seven shillings six pence signum predicte Gilberti Johnson Sealed Signed and Published in the presence of William Grice Richard Daver.

BrianG

Steve

If Joyce has her research right down this line then Gilbert Johnson is probably a gtx10 uncle, so yes please send over a copy of the original - many thanks.

The line travels down from Gilbert's sister Ann to one of my Halsall lines. In my correspondence with Joyce I have established a marriage link between two separate Halsall families, and according to Joyce she and I are related through both of them.

I have written up this "Halsall investigation" for the Sandgrounder - I am told it will probably be in the Summer issue unless it can be squeezed into the next one.

Brian

baxtersp

Hello Brian

I've sent you the scan, let me know if you don't receive it. Thank God these documents still exist, the early Parish records are confusing to say the least, especially it took the Johnson's a while before they settled on a surname.

I bet many North Meols families can trace a link back to Gilbert, one way or another.

BrianG

baxtersp

Hello Brian

Just the date of the Will, I think Gilbert made a few alterations to the original.

I'm just about to have my first proper look at the Will to be honest. I was working on some much more recent stuff when I saw Gilbert's Will on the National Archives online and just couldn't resist downloading it for later perusal. The last time I'd looked at the site they only had three Wills for North Meols, so Gilbert's Will must have been only scanned recently. No doubt more will come online given time.

I'm sure glad Joyce will be happy to field any qeustions you have, although she's in a frenzy of activity at the minute pulling off the Will of John Christopherson etc.

Regards

Steve Baxter

Bez

This will is a very nice example of the way in which a will can be used as a title deed, with the lease being passed to his son. Copies of the original lease may not exist now. You have a lot of names to work with as well.

baxtersp

Hell Beryl

Yes I was very lucky, not bad for £3.50, eh!

Gilbert is my 10th great granduncle at the minute, his sister Ann has a couple of my direct line as children. The Will naming their father as John Christopherson was the icing on the cake, as Joyce Otterstrom has since found and transcribed his Will, also a rather lengthy document.

I 'm working through what Joyce has sent me on Gilbert Johnson first, then I'll see what she's sent on John Christopherson. Most of the bits I've added to my tree in the last year or so are much more recent (from the Census and gravestones), so there might be a fair bit of typing involved.

At least it keeps me off the streets ...

Steve Baxter

Bez

I agree that it's good value - especially when you think about travel costs to see an original document - although nothing beats the thrill of holding in your hands a document signed by an ancestor and bearing his seal - it's a direct link, almost from his hand to yours.

The other big thrill is finding a really good inventory- some are so detailed you can draw a plan of the house from them.

Joyce contacted me recently with a transcription of the will of William Twist - at the same time that I was getting a photocopy of the original from the LRO. I got the photocopy scaled down to A4 size so that I could scan it and send it to her, because all she had was the transcription - she hadn't seen the original. The exciting thing was an additional child.

BrianG

Will of Gilbert Johnson, Yeoman 12th June 1654

Old saying...