The Minor Family of Somerset

Wakefield-- At the great Court held there 29th April 1614: We pa
yne Edwarde Hemyngwaye, of Sibden Milne, that he shall aft or be
fore the feast
of St. Michaell next, take awaye, pull, and caste downe one grea
te dame of water, newlie erected in
August last, demmed over all the whole broke and hyeway att Damh
ead, to the greate daunger of drowninge both men and cattell, an
d to the
annoyance of all passengers, and especiallie of the Inhabitante
s of Northowram,in payne xxxix.s. xd.
From the Survey of the Greaveship of Hipperholme, 1607,the land
s of Edward Hemingway are des cribed as: "Edward Hemingway, Robe
rt's son,
is described as holding by copy, in fee one Close of Pasture cal
ledthe Park, containing by estimation half an acre, with all th
e ways to the same
belonging to the same with appurtenances in Northowram , aboundi
ng upon Shibden Brook on the East, and the lands of Robert Hemin
gway on
the West, andSouth, for which he is to contribute to His Majest
y with the lands of RobertHall 2d.
The said Edward doth hold in fee, in reversion after the death o
f the said Robert, of New Copyhold now Granted by Deed from th
e late Earl of
Leicester. One messuage and a half a rood of land with appurtena
nces at SibdenMilne, paying therfor to
His Majesty 1/2d.
Memorandum-That the said Robert Hemingway and Edward Hemingway d
o pay his Majesty 2s. for Shibden Milne and certain lands and
watercourses there which he claimeth to hold by deed and did pro
duce divers deeds, fines, and other assurances
purporting the same."
Willof Edward Hemingway, dated 21st April 1623, with its probat
e is preserved atShibden Hall.
Summary- Recites the surrender made by him of the same date of h
is copyhold property to trustees, in fulfilment of his last will
, of all that
messuages, etc., in his own occupation, and of three-quarters o
f one watercorn milne, called Shibden
Milne, with all goits, dams, etc. and the soke andrent of the f
reeholders and customary tenants. Also the will recites the gran
t of the trustees of all
of his freehold lands. The testator desires that Joseph and Nath
an Drake, his trustees, should, at his death, sell both the copy
holds and freeholds,
and should divide the proceeds , after debts paid, among all hi
s children, as follows: "100 pounds thereof to be paid unto John
,mine eldest son,
and residue amongst all my children, Sara, Abraham, Jeremy, Susa
n, Edward, Anne, and Timothy Hemingwaie equally."
The testator appoints Phoebe his wife, sole executrix, "to who
m I commit the tuition of all my children." The 100 pounds was n
ot to be paid to
John, the eldest son, "till he beloose of his apprenticeship" b
ut in the meantime to be employed for
the maintenance and bringing up of the testator's younger childr
en. The witnesses were Humphrey Drake, Jonas Holdsworth, Jerem
y Drake.
The Will was proved 28thJan 1623/24.
On the death of Edward the trustees proceeded to carry out his w
ill by conveying on the 1st of July 1623 (?) the copyholds as fo
llows: The fourth
part of the cornmill, the Newarks, the Milner Roydes, the Riding
s, thePark, etc. for 340 pounds
to Samuel Lister of Shibden Hall, and Humphrey Drake, of Halfax
, the witnesses of this deed being Michael Hopkinson, Jeremy Dra
ke, Henry
Walton, and William Smith.
From dispositions of witnesses in a suit regarding the mill hel
d in 1630, 78 witnesses were called for the defendents side. Ann
e Haldesworth, age
83, stated "her father used to use Halifax Mill and Ovenden Mil
l to grind his corn at, save once,
when he went to ShibdenMilne, and that was because the then own
er of the milne kept her said fathera fighting cock."
Elizabeth Deane, wife of John Deane of Northowram, clothier,age
d 49, said her grandfather EDWARD GIBSON, charged 1-24th (one ve
ssel
containing one stroke in 24 for multure toll), and for malt too
k half a peek.Since then the toll had been
reduced to 1-30th.