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I Anthony PELHAM of Fordington in the County of Dorset being weak and sick in body yet of perfect memory do with mine own hands make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:- Impremis: [In the first place] I bequeath my soul to God that gave it, and my body for Christian burial. Item: The entailed Land in Sussex I desire it may be to be sold and distributed amongst my children equally reserving the first borne right viz a double portion. Item: All other goods chattels leases revenues etc I desire to have such as are fit for sale and will yield monies to be sold to pay debts and the overplus [surplus] to be distributed amongst the children.
Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of the marks of Elizabeth BUNN George MANNELL This Will was proved at London the seven and twentieth day of July one thousand six hundred fifty nine Before the judge for probate wills and granting administrations by the oath of Thomas PELHAM one of the executors to whom Administration was committed he being by demon first sworn truly to administer reserving power to Ralph IRONSIDE Clerk the other executor to take on him probate and administration when he shall come and legally require the same. Genealogical Notes: 1. Anthony Pelham was the son of Herbert Pelham of Fordington by his 2nd wife Elizabeth West and Baptised on 5th March 1599 at the Manor of Michelham which was bought by his father in 1587 but sold when they moved to Fordington. See the short biography of Edward Pele (1582-1643) 2. Thomas Pelham was Anthony's older brother and had 2 sons Robert & Thomas. Robert Pelham (1622-1682) was heir to his fathers estate and Sheriff of Dorset in 1677. The 2nd son Thomas studied at New College Oxford being awarded a BA (16 Nov 1649) and MA (15 Jul 1652) before being incorporated into Cambridge in 1658. He served in the Parliamentary Army and was ordained a deacon and priest on 2nd March 1661 being appointed Rector of Compton Valence 3 days later. He married Hester the daughter of William Oviett and they had a son William baptised 10 June 1667. 3. Ralph Ironside (1605-1683) mentioned above. His father also called Ralph Ironside (1559-1629) came from Durham and was rector of Winterborne Abbas in 1590 moving to Long Bredy in 1601. He died there 25 May 1629. His son referred to above was educated at University College from 1622 to become Rector of Upcerne in Dorset in 1625 when he obtained his BA. His MA followed in 1628 when he took over as Rector of Long Bredy from his father who died the following year. He was ejected from his living by the Long parliament in 1650 for continuing to read from the Book of Common Prayer and was reduced to the utmost poverty. He was reinstated in that post under the Act of Uniformity on 3 Jul 1662 and was made archdeacon of Dorset on 16 Sep 1671. He died 5th March 1682, just three days after his wife Margaret – they were buried together on 7th March 1682 under the chancel’s north wall. 4. The absence of any reference to his wife suggests that she died prior to 1659. The Will also refers to an unspecified number of children. |