Richard Johnson of [Beckingham] in the county if Lincoln, yeoman, being in a good state of health and understanding blessed be God do make this my last will and testament. First I commend my soul to the hands of the Almighty God for the resurrection of the dead and to inherit through the merits of interception of our Blessed Lord and Saviour. My body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred at the —- of my Executor hereafter named. As to my worldly [goods] ——– dispose of them —-. I give to my son Thomas Johnson my house with all the Tenements and Hereditaments thereunto and also one oxgang of land which I bought off Mr [Cross] with all the —– of pasture thereunto belonging to him, to his heirs for ever. Item I give to my son Richard Johnson — oxgang of land which I bought and purchased off Mr [Cross] and the meadow, commons and commons of pasture thereunto to him and his heirs forever. Item my will is that my [son] Richard shall pay for my grandson Robert Hardy the ——- when he shall attain the age of eighteen and if he should happen to die before then that the legacy to be null. —- I give to my son Richard Swan one shilling. Item I give to my daughter Swan forty shillings and to her three children living twenty shillings each. Item I give to my son Robert one shilling and my will is that all these legacies to my daughter Swan and their children and my son Robert Hardy be paid by my Executor hereafter named within on year if my decease. Also I make and constitute my son Thomas Johnson —- and sole Executor to this my last will and testament. [Item] I give and bequeath al my goods and chattels whatever otherwise disposed of. In witness whereof I have hereunto – hand and seal this ninth day of April Anno Domini 1719

Sealed , published and declared

In the presence of us

[Willing] fleet

–Johnson Rd Johnson

X his mark

25 September 1719.

An oxgang is 10 – 20 acres it was based on fertility etc rather than strict measurement of area.

• The will does not provide Richard’s wife’s name but implies that she had predeceased him.
• Thomas named first and executor is probably older than the other sons mentioned: Richard and Robert. As the copy is so unclear I am not certain about son Robert.
• Robert Hardy is named as a grandson so Richard must have had a daughter who married a Hardy but she is not referred to in the will.
• Richard Swan is referred to as his son. I suspect it means son in law especially as the will goes on to refer to “my daughter Swan”. It is likely that Richard Johnson had a daughter who married Richard Swan and they had three children by 1719.
• I think Richard Johnson died in 1719.

There is a family in Beckingham which fits:

Richard Johnson husbandman mar Katherine Clifton of [Westborough cum Doddington – IGI submitted] 14 May 1674 in Doddingham]

Elizabeth d/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 31 Mar 1677

Anne d/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 27 Feb 1680

Mary d/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 20 Jan 1683

Mary d/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 10 May 1684

Thomas s/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 31 Jan 1685

Richard s/o Richard & Catherine Johnson bapt 9 Mar 1688

IGI has

Catherine 28 November 1675 (IGI only)

Elizabeth 31 March 1677

Anne 27 February 1680

Mary 20 January 1683 (IGI as 16 Dec 1683)

Mary 10 May 1684 (not in IGI)

Thomas 31 January 1685

Richard 9 March 1688 (IGI gives 1689)

Moreover there are two marriages that fit:

Elizabeth Johnson married Richard Swan at Beckingham on 13 July 1701. She would be about 24. Three Swan children baptised in Beckingham [IGI] are likely to be theirs: Elizabeth on 30 April 1704, died 4 March 1718; Ann on 1 July 1709 and Catharin 11 November 1711. The will says three living children but this suggests Elizabeth had died a year before the will was drawn up.

Ann Johnson married Robert Hardy at Stragglethorpe [nearby] on 24 May 1709. She would be about 29. There was a Robert Hardy baptised Beckingham 8 April 1711, son of Robert, mother not given. This ties in with the will perfectly. Robert Hardy also had a daughter Ann baptised 21 July 1717 at Beckingham, mother Elizabeth. Robert and Elizabeth had a second daughter, Eizabeth baptised 12 November 1727 who died 9 May 1731 [IGI].

Had Robert’s wife Ann died before 1717 and that is why she is not referred to in the will.

The will does not refer to Richard’s daughters Catherine and Mary (there were two Marys, presumably one died in infancy) which suggests they had died before 1719.