PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born  m=married  d=died

C=Christened        B=Buried

BIRTH

Elizabeth Cole married in 1670 so a birth around 1650 or earlier is expected.  She married at Great Oakley where Robert Cole was the vicar from 1628 to 1662, but the registers there are almost absent between 1641 and 1663.  However the following evidence and reasoning leave little doubt that Elizabeth was the daughter of the vicar and his wife Rachel:

 

The will of Rachel Scarpe of Manningtree made in 1683, just after her marriage to John Scarpe, identifies her as a daughter of Robert Cole vicar of Gt Oakley. She previously married Robert Blackshell of Little Oakley who died in 1681. Both Rachel and her first husband made bequests to Elizabeth and Mary Ames, in the latter case to be paid when aged 21. Elizabeth Ames was of Manningtree when she married Philip Hempson in 1690, so there is no doubt that Elizabeth and Mary Ames are the orphaned daughters of Elizabeth Cole b 1671 and 1672. Rachel calls them kinswomen along with Rachel Woodward and Susan Blackshell and they are listed between bequests to two brothers so probably close relations.

 

Rachel Woodward is her niece, daughter of her brother Humphrey, mentioned as such in Robert Blacksell's will of 1679. She married Woodward in 1681 and so was Rachel Woodward in Rachel's will of 1683:

 

m 19Apr1681 Rachel Cole single of Lt Oakley & John Woodward single of St Leonards Colchester, at Gt Oakley

 

Susan Blacksell is probably Susan Cole who married John Blacksell in 1670 just a month before the marriage of Elizabeth Cole 

 

m  6Jul1670 Jno Blacksell gent & Susan Cole spinster at Great Oakley
m 16Aug1670 Wm Amis gent & Eliz Cole spinster at Gt Oakley

 

With a probable birth date of around 1650, Susan is likely to be Rachel's sister, married to a relation of Rachel's first husband Robert Blacksell. They cannot be brothers because although John mentions his brother Robert in his will of 1711, Rachel's hiusband Robert died in 1681

 

In all probability therefore Elizabeth and Mary Ames were also nieces of Rachel; their mother Elizabeth was sister to Rachel and Susan  and daughter of Robert Cole.

MARRIAGE 

Elizabeth Cole married William Amis-10 at Great Oakley:

 

m 16Aug1670   Wm Amis gent & Eliz Cole spinster at Gt Oakley

 

Although Robert Cole was the vicar at this time, the register pages are signed by John Bokenham minister

DESCENDANTS and DEATH

William and Elizabeth baptised 5 children at Ramsey but only two survived infancy and childhood. In 1678 both William and Elizabeth and their son William died, leaving Elizabeth aged 7 and Mary aged 6 as orphans

from the Ramsey parish register:

C  2Aug1671   Elizabeth d Will  & Elizabeth Amis
C 18Jan1672   Mary      d Will  & Elizabeth Amis
C 16Mar1673   Willm     s Willm & Elizabeth Amis B  6Jul1678 Willm  s Willm & Elizabeth Amis
C  1Sep1675   Rachel    d Willm & Elizabeth Amis B  3Sep1675 Rachel d Willm & Elizabeth Amis
C  4Mar1676/7 Rachel    d Willm & Elizabeth Amis B 27Mar1677 Rachel d Willm & Elizabeth Amis

B 17Apr1678   Willm Amis

B  5Nov1678   Elizabeth Ames widow

 

m 26Dec1693 Thomas Grigson single & Mary Amise single of Ramsey at Gt Oakley

OTHER

will of Rachel Scarpe

Rachel Scarpe of Manningtree wife of John Scarpe maltster of same town
to brother Henry Cole of Gt Oakley clerke property in Lt Oakley
to husband £20 out of this property
to brother Henry Cole's youngest child Elizabeth Cole £10 owed to me by Robert Seamans of Harwich
to my kinswomen Elizabeth Ames  Mary Ames  Rachel Woodward   Susan Blackshall all household stuff in the house
   which I had in my widowhood except one clock to my husband
to my brother Humphrey Cole of Gt Oakley £5
to Joseph Kent son of Joseph Kent of Gt Oakley £5 when 21
tp ---sley Surry and Ann Park of Lt Oakley widows 20 shillings
If I have a child the will is revoked and be of no force
exec John Sharpe & Henry Cole; wit: Alice Wicks, Sarah Flemming, Thomas Edmunds, Robert Headley
signed 26Feb1682/3 proved 29Jul1693

from register of Gt Oakley

m 31Jan1682/3 John Scarpe widower of Manningtree & Rachel Blacksell widow of Lt Oakley

will of Robert Blacksell ERO D/ACW 19/251

Robert Blacksell of Little Oakley yeoman 15 Jan 1679
to my wife Rachel Blacksell ;

£100 and £50 worth of the best household stuff, all her gold rings & 5 pieces of gold;
all my freehold copyhold and tenements in Ramsey in occupation of Edward Clarke and 5 acres of meadow called silepond in Great Oakley for life and after to the heirs of her body by me and in want of such heirs to John Blacksell my brother and after to John Blacksell his son paying to my sister Abigail Harris the late wife of Richard Harris £8 a year for life out of the lands in Ramsey

to John Blacksell my brother and Susan his wife

my house and malthouse in Great Oakley Street with all the lands in occupation of my brother Robert Beale and after to Robert Blacksell son of my brother John Blacksell and Susan his wife paying Rachel Harris my sister £5 a year out of the house of my brother Beale

to my sister Abigail Harris, my sister Mary Beale, my sister Rachel Harris £5 each
to Mary Blacksell daughter of my brother John Blacksell £200 at age 20
to Richard Harris eldest son of sister Abigail £50, son Robert £60, dau Abigail £60, dau Rachel £60, son William £50 when each are 21
to Rachel Cole daughter of Humphrey Cole £20
to to Elizabeth Amis and Mary Amis £5 each when 21
to Samuel Paske £5
to Robert Blacksell son of George Blacksell £5 and to John Blacksell son of my cousen John Blacksell £5 all when 21
to Rachel my wife a years board
rest a part from a ship bonds bill debts ready money to my brother John Blacksell executor
witnesses: marks of Rachel Cole, Elizabeth March, Susan Coleman; proved 21 Jan 1680/1
latin on pages 2 and 4 ends with: Cole Robt de Okeley mag

will of John Blacksell ERO D/ACW 24/46

John Blacksell of Ramsey gentleman
to my wife Susan all lands in Ramsey or Oakley in occ of William Barrell for life and after to son Robert Blacksell
to son Robert lands in Great Oakley street
to wife Susan lands in Wickes in occ of John Mulley and after to daughter Susan
to daughter Frances lands in little Oakley in occ of John Simsone and lands in Thorpe le Soken
to wife Susan one third of all goods and chattels
to brother Robert Blacksell £20
to John Debnam son of Sam. Debnam an eight part of hoy called the John's Goodwill
rest between my three children Robert, Susan and Frances
my wife and Mr John Scarpe of Manningtree gentleman executors

signed 2May1711 wit: Robert Riche Robert Blacksell Ann Hempson

proved 9Oct1711 by Susanna Blaxsell widow

 return to top