After his death, his widow and two children moved to Hampshire, and settled in Andover on
the estate called "Eastontown", formerly part of the estate of Avice Wallop.
After her husband's death, she and her sons moved to Hampshire and settled in Andover on the
estate called "Eastontown". This was formerly part of the estate of Avice Wallop, her
mother-in-law.
He lived in Calne and Quemberford, Wiltshire. He acquired large estates in Hampshire through his
wife. He is represented in armor in a stained glass window in the church at Calne where they are
buried. He has a surcoat with his armorial bearings.By his marriage, Robert acquired estates in Southampton. One of them, in
Andover, was subsequently transferred to his son William. An Inquisition
was held after the death of his wife to determine the tenure of her
estates in Hampshire and her successor, when it appeared that John Blake
was her eldest son, aged at the time of her death forty years and more.Robert and his wife were burried in Calne Church, where, in a window of
stained glass, he was represented habited in armor, with a surcoat
charged with his armorial bearings, and she in a long robe, with a scarf
embroidered with the arms of her family. [A Record of the Blakes of
Somersetshire, 1881]
He was called "the elder." He succeeded to the manor of Plainfield and to other estates.
He received by will the patronage of the church at Aisholt, co.
Somerset, England. In his will of 11.26.1576 he bequeathed to his son
Richard, the advowson of the Over-Stowey church. He and his wife were both buried
in the chancel of the church at Over-Stowey.Summary of the will of John Blake of Plainfield, Somerset, dated 26 November 1576,
proved 25 January 1576/7.
To be buried in the chancel of Overstowey (Somerset)
Twelve pence to the St. Andrew, his church at Wells.
Ten shillings to the poor of Over Stowey.
Ten shillings to the poor of Nether Stowey.
Ten shillings to the poor of Spraxton (Spaxton?)
To eldest son, Humfrey Blake all tenements in Plainfield which are in the tenure and
occupation of Otywell Artur, Richarde Morley, Henrie Croker, Richarde Luker, John
Hanniball and Joyn Payne. Also my land in the parish of Aisholt in the tenure of
Humfrey Luker. Also all the premises in free Socage of the Manor of Estgrenewiche.
To son William Blake, all my land in the parish of Bishops Lydeard in Busshops Woode
and Busshops downe. Also, one tenement in Plainfield in the tenure and occupation of
Robert jenckins and all my land in Padnaller, in the parish of Spraxton in the tenure and
occupation of John Burnall.
To son Richarde Blake all my land in Wurstin in the parish of Burnham late in the tenure
and occupation of Nicholas Sheperd and now in the tenure of one Smithes and of the
widow Everett's children.
To Johan, my wife and son Richard all my interest in the Rectorie or personange of
Over Stowey.
To son Humfrey, four oxen, home furnishings and six silver spoons.
To dau. Alice Richardes, ten shillings and six shillings to each of her children.
To dau. Anne Saunders, ten shillings.
To Isabell Bellick (Elizabeth Sellect, wife of Robert Sellect?) ten shillings and ten
shillings to her son.
To all my god-children, twelve pence each.
Residue to wife, Johan.
Executors: Wife Johan and sons William and Richard.
Overseers: The right Worshipful Mr. Thomas Mallett, Esq., Robert Blake and Robert
Zellick (Selleck).
Witnesses: Samuel Mercer, Robert Blockinge, Ottywell Artur, Richard Blake, Robert
Black, Thomas
Blake, Humfrie Blake, William Blake and Richard Blacke.The above will was probated at London at the Perogative Court of Canterbury on 25
January 1576/7, by Johan the relict of the deceased and executrix to whom was
granted administration of the said deceased's estate.
William, son of John Blake, the elder, received from his father lands and houses in Over
Stowey and Bishops Lydiard, at Plainfield, in Over Stowey, and Padnoller, in Parish
Spaxton. He bought land in Pitminster in 1586 and went to live there. Children: Grace,
baptized 9th February 1588; Eme (or Anne), 3rd December 1592; William, BEF. 10th
July 1594 in Pitminster, Somersetshire, England; John, 15th June 1597; Anne, 16th
October 1600; Richard, 17th April 1603.William Blake, born 1564, is the eldest son of John and by the will of his father, was
bequeated lands in Over Stowey and elsewhere. No subsequent trace of him is found
upon the parish registers and he is the man who is supposed to have settled in Pitminster
as stated below. The Manor rolls of Taunton, Somersetshire, show that a William
Blake, in 1586, bought lands in Pitminster. Of his birthplace and parentage, noting is
known, but it is a natural inference that he is the William Blake whose name appears on
the parish registers in 1588 and in subsequent years. He may, too, be the one who is
buried in the same parish 13th June 1642. There is no record of his wife's name, but
there is a widow Anne Blake buried there 14th August 1644. The parish registers of
Pitminster which begins in the year 1544, are in very good state of preservation and
from them the names and dates of their children are obtained.Surname appears in Register as Black, Blacke, Blaak, Blake
Humphrey Blake was in Somerset in the early 1500's and founded that county's Blake
family. He died C1588, and is buried on 28th December 1588 in Over Stowey,
Somerset, England. In the early 1500's, he purchased large estates in Over Stowey,
where he acquired the Plainsfield Manor (now Spaxton) and lived in the manor house,
now called the "Court House", which still stands today. He became Lord of the Manor
of Plainfield, situated on the east side of Quantock Hills, it consists of 4 hamlets of
march Hills, Addiscombe, Ely Green, and Plainfield. the manor house (Plainfield) has
the Blake arms over the fireplace in the great hall. In 1555, Humphrey Blake added the
adjorning manor of Tuxwell. Arms of the Wiltshire Blakes: Argent, a chevron between
three garbs sable. Crest: On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a martlet, argent. This
coat of arms was borne by Admiral Robert Blake on his ships, as his personal coat of
arms since he is the son of Humphrey XII [Robert X] and great nephew of John the
elder, Robert and John the both being son of Humphrey IX.His will was dated 19th
November 1558 and proved 11th May 1559 Over-Stowey, co. Somerset, England.
Member of the Parliment from Bridgewater. Robert Blake's grandson was Admiral
Robert Blake known as "Father of the British Navy"
Irish Family Histories by Ida Grehan
In the twelfith century, Richard Caddell came to Ireland from Wales with the Normans.
He was known as Niger or le Blaca (the black). In time the name was transformed to
Blake, a very common name today both in Ireland and England.
The Blakes were awarded large tracts of land in Connacht where they remained for six
centuries, mainly around County Galway. Branching out into new families, they covered
Connacht with their castles and mansions, many of which are still standing.
In medieval times, Galway was an important port with strong European links, mostly in
Spain. The leading merchant families were nicknamed by the Cromwellians "The
Fourteen Tribes of Galway". Blake marriage records show them intermarrying almost
exclusively with their fellow merchants, notably the Lynch, Kirwan, French and Browne
families. For instance, James Blake married Margery, daughter of Dominick
Browne,"The richest merchant in Ireland".
Several Blakes went abroad to take part in the Crusades. In 1591, because of the
anti-Catholicism of the Elizabethan age, James Blake went to Spain to entreat the King,
Philip III, to aid the Irish by invading Galway. Philip, old and ailing, sent no troops. In
1598 he died, and when the Spanish did arive in 1601 they were too few and too late
and shared the Irish defeat at the battle of Kinsale, which was followed by the flight of
the Irish nobility to Europe. James Blake remained behind to join the victorious English
and was suspected of being a spy in their pay.
For generations a Blake was Mayor or Sheriff or Burgess of Galway. During a period
of religious persecution, Robert Blake, though Catholic, was Mayor of Galway when, it
is recorded, "for the first time freemen of the town were made capable to vote". He was
also the first Mayor in thirty years not to be questioned for recusancy-refusal to attend
Protestant services.
About the Blakes of Menlough many stories has been told. Valentine is a recurrent first
name and in 1622, Valentine Blake was created a baronet of Ireland. When Sir
Valentine was killed in a duel he was succeeded by his brother, Sir Walter Blake. He is
described in Blake's Irish Peerage as 'the first Catholic gentleman that joined the
standard of the Prince of Orange". He even raised a regiment for King William "which
he maintained and clothed at his own expense".
In County Kildare the Blakes have given their name to the town of Blakestown. The
enforced Anglicization of old Gaelic names can often cause confusion. There were
Blakes in the West of Ireland of earlier, Gaelic rather than Norman, origin. In Irish their
name was O Blachmbaich which Anglicized, became Blowick or, more usually, Blake
JAMES (Jim) BLAKE ROGERS (#7) (William Penn Adair) was born in New York
City, N.Y. July 25, 1915. He was 9/64th Cherokee Indian and on the rolls of the
Cherokee Nation. A Webb High School graduate, he attended Pomona College.
Named for his maternal grandfather, James operated the Beverly Hills Citizen with his
brother, Will, Jr. He served in the U.S. Marines and following the war made several
films. As a child, James played in three Will Rogers featured films and later co-starring
in three Comedy-Cowboy movies. A life long horseman, he owned ranches in the Santa
Barbara and Bakersfield areas of California and served on the Will Rogers Memorial
Commission of Oklahoma until his death April 28, 2000. James is buried in the family
vault at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma.April 28, 2000 James Blake "Jim" Rogers, 84, of Bakersfield, CA died Friday at his home. He was the third child of Betty and Will Rogers. He was the last surviving child of the Rogers'. He will be interred in the family tomb on the Will Rogers museum grounds in Claremore, OK. He is survived by his second wife, Judith BRAUN, and two sons and a daughter. Last surviving son of Will Rogers succumbs to cancer 4/29/00 CLAREMORE (AP) -- Jim Rogers, the last surviving son of cowboy humorist Will Rogers, died Friday after a bout with cancer, officials with the Will Rogers Memorial said. Jim Rogers, 84, served as the family's representative on the official Will Rogers Memorial Commission of Oklahoma. He died at his home in Bakersfield, Calif. "Jim Rogers was inspirational, kind, humorous and articulate just like his father," said Michelle Lafebvre-Carter, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission of Oklahoma. Jim Rogers referred to Will Rogers affectionately as `Dad' in family matters and `WR' in reference to the icon." Born July 25, 1915, in New York City, James Blake Rogers appeared in three of Will Rogers' feature films. He was a cinema cowboy in three Hopalong Cassidy westerns, made Army training films with Rod Cameron, and co-starred with Noah Beery Jr. in "Dudes are Pretty People," "Calaboose," and "Prairie Chicken," all produced by Hal Roach Jr. In the 1940s, Jim Rogers was editor- publisher of The Beverly Hills Citizen. He joined the Marine Corps in the latter period of World War II as a writer- correspondent. He was married for nearly 50 years to Astrea Kemmler, who died in 1987. He married Judith Braun in 1995. The couple ran a riding stable in Bakersfield. In addition to Judith Braun, Rogers is survived by sons James Rogers of Nashville, Tenn., and Charles Edward Rogers of Cave Creek, Ariz., and daughter, Astrea Elizabeth Rogers, of Chowchilla, Calif. Rogers was the third child of Will and Betty Rogers. His father died in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska, in 1935, and his mother died nine years later. Jim Rogers' brother, Will Rogers Jr. died in 1993; his sister, Mary, died in 1989 and his brother, Fred, died in 1920. Jim Rogers will be interred in the family tomb on the Will Rogers museum grounds in Claremore.