Will of Judith Ransom (nee Judith Blyde) - 15th September 1725
In the name of God, Amen, I Judith Ransom of Castle Parish in the County of Sussex,
widow, being sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory (praise be given to
God for the same) & knowing the uncertainty of this life on Earth, and being desirous to
settle things in [order?] do make this my last will and testament in manner and form
following (that is to say) first and principally I commend my Soul to Allmighty God my
Creator, hoping to receive full pardon and remission of all my sins and to be saved by the
[…] of my blessed Savior & Redeemer Jesus Christ & my body to the Earth from whence it
was taken to be buried in such decent and Christian manner as my Executors hereafter
named shall be thought [right?] and convenient. And as touching my worldly Estate as the
Lord in his mercy has sent to me, my will and mind is (my funeral Expenses being
discharged) the same shall be bestowed in the manner following […] I give and devise unto
my Eldest Son John Ransome One Messuage or Tenement Situate and Lying at Sidley
Green in Bexhill parish being now in the occupation of said John Ransom to him and his
heirs forever. Item I given unto my youngest Son James Ransom one Guinea to be paid by
my executors hereafter named within one year of my decease. Item, I give and devise
unto Mary Blackman my daughter All that Cottage or Tenement situate in Castle parish
now in the occupation of the said Mary Blackman. Item, I given & bequeath to the
aforesaid Mary Blackman my daughter Thirty pounds to be paid to her or her heirs out of
the house of my Son John Ransom aforementioned by him or his Assignee to be paid as
five [annual?] payments, that is to say five pounds till the whole of the Thirty pounds
shall be paid. Also I give to the same Mary Blackman my daughter all my wearing apparel.
Item, I give all my household goods whatever to be equally divided between John Ransom
and Mary Blackman aforesaid. Lastly, I do make [restitute] & ordain the aforesaid John
Ransom and Mary Blackman my son and daughter executors of this my last will and
testament & I do hereby revoke, renounce, [ ], & make void all wills by me formerly made
& do make & declare this to be my last will and & Testament. In witness whereof I have
herewith set my hand and Seale this fifteenth Day of september 1725. Judith Ransom
(her mark). Signed, sealed & delivered in the [presence of?] John ?azior, Richard App(s)
his mark, Susanna [ ] her mark.
Probaturm.
Notes by transcriber:
The parish register entry for Judith's wedding to James Ransom in Hollington indicates
Judith Glide is from Bexhill. The 1657 christening of Judith Glide makes a nice match for
the marriage. However, the will of John Blyde of Bexhill, mentions his daughter Judith
and his grandson John Ransom, who would have been a few months old at the time the will
was written. Thus her surname might have been more appropriately Blyde or Blide.
Judith married James Ransom, son of John Ransom and Joane Snepp, on 21 May 1678 in
Hollington, Sussex, England. James Ransom was born about 1642 in Westfield, Sussex,
England, and died before 1725.
Judith was my 6th great-grandmother.
13/10/2004
Transcribed by L. Ransom Burton
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