Theydon Mount Wills during the reign of King James I (1603 – 1625)

The study of Wills allows local historians and genealogists to trace ancestry particularly in instances where Parish Registers do not exist. Ten Theydon Mount wills are preserved in the Essex Record Office during the reign of King James I. I have transcribed most. Having written two items on this set, this concluding note draws these documents together as a whole.

The ten Wills studied were:

1605 Richard Gilson, husbandman

1612-13 Robert Hill

1612 Thomas Bredge

1613-14 William Winter, husbandman

1614 Robert Knoppe, yeoman

1616-17 John Moore, yeoman

1623-24 Thomas Gilson, tailor

1624 Thomas Herd, yeoman

1624-25 Richard Gladwin, bricklayer

1625 Susan Winter, widow

Richard Gilson (d. 1605) was the father of Thomas Gilson (d. 1623). He names his wife, Mary, and children: Richard, Thomas, George, Elizabeth, Susan and Mary who were all under 21 years old at the time. When Thomas dies a bachelor eighteen years later he mentions his siblings: Elizabeth, who by then had a son Richard and two other children; Richard, who had 4 children; Marie (Mary); George; and John, who is unnamed in his father’s will so may have been unborn at the time of his death. Susan is not mentioned in Thomas’ will but his brother-in-law George Herd receives an inheritance as does his children, Thomas and William. We must assume that Susan had married into the Herd family but died. The Gilson and Herd families would want to search further.

When we look at the Will of Thomas Herd (d. 1624) we note he had a brother George with a son Thomas and realise a growing family tree. William is the other named brother of Thomas Herd. The testator has a son, Thomas, and grandson, Thomas. Family historians have to be careful not to omit a generation when constructing their family tree. He also leaves money to “John Heard my uncle George Heards sonne his fower Children that he had by his first wife”. John was Thomas’ cousin.

A Thomas Herd is mentioned as “my kinsman” in Susan Winter’s will of 1625, appointed as an overseer alongside the minister, M[aste]r Juby. She had three sons: Thomas, John and William. When her husband, William, writes his Will in October 1613 he mentions only Thomas (who was not 20 years old) and John “my yongest sonne” but later mentions “these my three Children”. Perhaps William was alive but did not receive an inheritance, or was perhaps unborn with a daughter not receiving an inheritance. A puzzle for the Winter family.

Robert Hill’s will (d. 1613) does not mention by name his family. “I give to my wife all the goods and Chatles as 7 beaste 26 sheepe 2 mares and 2 Colts with all my houshold stuffe and moufable goods also I giue to my 5 chilldren at 18 years of age 3 to oxenone of them”. He names Thomas Hill his brother as overseer. He names the people who owe him money. There is no note for write off but a reminder.

Robert Knoppe’s lengthy will (d. 1614) names his wife Mary, Robert his son and three unnamed children. It is full of conditions, including provision should “thre skore poundes” not be paid to “the residue of my children”.

John Moore, yeoman, wrote his Will on 16 November 1616. He was buried on 20 December 1616. He mentions firstly his wife, Catherine, his children William and Joan, and brothers and sisters, including the children of Thomas the older and Elizabeth. Here follows an extract, which has some interesting spellings and unusual bequests to modern eyes.

9 It[e]m doe giue and bequeath unto Cathron moore my wiffe twenty poundes of good and lawfull money to be paid
10 hir w[i]thin wone month after my goodes shall be sould by my Exec[u]et[o]r. Item I giue my daughter Joone forty
11 shillings to be paid her at the age of wonantwanty years or day of maridg by my Ex[e]c[u]ter. Item I doo will
12 and giue to my sonn William Moore the sum of threescore pounds to be paide him by my Ex[e]c[u]tors
13 upon he shall acomplesh the age of wonantwanty yeares p[ro]vided that my son William deseas
14 befoore hee shall com to the age of xxi years my will and mynd is that the remainder of his ledgesie I giue
15 and bequeath as followeth first I giue to my sister Elizabeths Children x Li[bor] pounds to be paid them when they
16 shall com to the age of wonantwanty years of p[ro]vided that if ether of them s[h]all deaseas befoore thay
17 acomplesh to thare Seavorall ages of xxi years then my will is that his or her porsion so deseas shall be
18 equally devidded amonste them that are living. Item I will that … shall rest in my Ex[e]c[ut]ors
19 handes shall be dividded amonste my brother Thomas Mores Children equally to be divided amonste them
20 upon they shall com to thar severall ages of xxi years p[ro]vided alwaies that if any of them shall suffer
21 to deaseas befoore thay com to the severall ages of xxi years then my will is that thar leggeses so deseased
22 is also equally dividded amonste them that are livinge. Item I will and giue to my brother Thomas Moore
23 the older three pounds of good and lawfull money to be paid him within six months after my deseas. Item I will
24 and giue to to Alys Ingold vis viijd to be paid by my Ex[ecu]ters which are underwritten. Item I will and giue
25 to catarne my wiff the bed steed which I liupon with the worshe fether bed and a pare of sheetes to blankets and
26 won pillow …
27 … will all her aparill with the yarne and a linne whode.
28 Item I will and giue to my older brother Hen Moore my Cloock and my best hat and all my wordadaie
29 apparill. Item I will and giue to my brother Thomas More the younger my best seute of apparill
30 and I do intreate my loving nabore Thomas Filde of theydon mount and William Start
31 of lucton … to be my Exsectors and Itim I giue them for thare pains xxs apece and
32 and I intreate my loving naber Thomas Feuens to be my overseer of this my last will
33 and teastament and I giue him for his pains xxs in witness wharof I the said John Moore hand hear unto sett to
34 my hand and seale the daie and yeare firste about written sined sealed made in the p[re]sent of us
35 whoos names are heare under written
36 The mark of John Moore
37 The mark of Joone Inggoll
38 The mark of Phillos Sharpe
39 [Probatum]

Richard Gladwin (d.1625), our bricklayer, had a wife, Susan, and two children, Richard and Bridgit.

Finally, the Will of Thomas Bredge (d.1612) led me to conclude that he died fairly young. He wrote his Will on 27 April 1612 and was buried three days later at Theydon Garnon believing that his wife, Agnes, was pregnant with their fifth child: “If it happen my wife to be with childe …”. A search of Registers may determine a baptism thus revealing a fifth child in addition to James, Margaret, Anne and Elizabeth. Also named were his brothers Robert and Richard.