Potential Family Outline from Wills

John Pickering, Yeoman of Gorstage, Weaverham Parish + Elizabeth

….. Born: ca. 1630-1640
….. Died: between March 19, 1687 and May 5, 1688 (Will)
….. Elizabeth died after Will was signed 1687

NEXT GENERATION (born between 1620 – 1640)

…….. (son) Thomas Pickeringe of Gorstich (Gorstage), Weaverham
…………..+ Elianora
………………… c: 27 Nov 1639, Weaverham
………………… d: 12 Apr 1685, Weaverham
………………… “Elianora uxor Thoma Pickeringe do Gorstith”
………….. Residence 12 Apr 1685, Weaverham
…………………. Source: Cheshire Bishop’s Transcripts, 1598-1900
………….. His Children (possible)
……………….. Elanor Pickering, Frodsham, c: 1 Jun 1684

…….. (son) John Pickering (of Tarvin?)
…….. Was mentioned in father’s Will – 1687
…….. Note: “A grammar school was founded here, (Tarvin) in 1600, by John Pickering,
…….. merchant, who endowed it with the sum of  £200, which was laid out in lands. Source: Pigot’s directory of Cheshire.
……..  Has 3 daughters (Father’s Will)

…….. (son) Bernard Pickering of Tarvin, Yeoman + Elizabeth Finchett
………….. b: 1586, Tarvin
………….. d: 1 Oct 1646
………….. m: 14 Feb 1635, St Peter, Chester
………….. WILL: 26 Jun 1645
……………… Brother-in-law: Thomas Finchett
…….. Was mentioned in father’s Will – 1687
…….. Was mentioned in his brother’s Will (Samuel, 13 June 1711) He received 1/3 of Samuel’s Estate.

…….. (son) Joseph Pickering of Gorstich (Gorstage), Weaverham
…….. Was mentioned in father’s Will – 1687
…….. Was mentioned in his brother’s Will (Samuel, 13 June 1711). He received 1/3 of Samuel’s Estate.

…….. (son) Samuel Pickering of Halton / Aston
…….. o: Taylor
…….. Was mentioned in father’s Will – 1687
…….. Wife and children were NOT mentioned in his Will of April 3 1712
……….. assumed deceased

…….. (son) William Pickering
…….. + Mary Blackamore
………….. (dau) Sara Pickering

…….. (dau) Daughter(?) Pickering + John Aldcoks (Alcock)

Clues found in Pickering Wills

John Pickering, died in Frodsham 1687-1688

John Pickering and his family were living in Gorstage, Weaverham Parish, Cheshire since the 1660’s or earlier. The place “Gorstage” was sometimes written as Gorstich in the old records. John Pickering died between March 19, 1687 when the Will was written and signed, and April 3, 1688 when the Inventory was taken. The Will was proven on May 5, 1688.

The following are extracted from his Will:

“…. I John Pickeringe of Gorstich …. yeoman … the Nineteinth day of March in the yeare …. One Thousand Six hundred Eghty Seven beeing sicke in body but in good and perfect memory …. ”
“…that my body shall bee buried at the parish Church of Weaverham ….”
“… my Reall Estate that I purchassed from Thomas Marbury of Marburye [ ] into ffeeform for ever as by deed of Indenture will more full declare at Large & Accordinge to An Agreement had and all Redy Made Covenanted With my son Thomas Pickering…”
“…. give and Bequeath to my said son Thomas Pickeringe the one halfe of all my Lands orchards Garding ….”
“my loving Wife Elizabeth Pickeringe …. son John Pickeringe …”
“to his younger Brothers … Samuel Pickeringe … Bernard Pickeringe … William Pickering…. Joseph Pickeringe …”
“And lastly I doe constitute and apoynte my loving wife my onely Sole Executrix …”

The Will was signed in the presence of Robert Wilcoxon, Thomas Stones, and John Bassnett.  The Inventory was done by John Bassnett, Peter Sante, Richard Ffryer and Thomas Pickeringe of Gorstich.

The signature and seal of John Pickering is on the document.

Among his belongings listed in the Inventory were
“twoe mares .. and one colte…”
“twoe Cows and twoe Calves…”
“nineteene Sheepes …. five Lambs…”
Elizabeth Pickering was living at the time when her husband John Pickering had his Will written and signed on March 19, 1687.

Bernard Pickering, died in 1646 of Tarvin

“In the name of god amen, the xxvith (25th) day of June in the yeare of our lord god 1645 I Barnard Pickeringe of Tarvin … yeoman beinge weake and sicklye in bodye but yet of good & pfect memory …”
“… unto Thomas ffinchett my brother in law and John Pickering my one brother as my loveinge ffreinds….”
“…. Elizabeth my now lovinge Wiffe ….”
“ … my Brother Thomas Pickeringe ….”
“…. I give to his Childern & to be put pethby Raphe Poughteen as a freind for them”
“I give [    ] to my brother Johns 3 daughters ….”
“to Richard Finchetts boy”
“I give to my brother Williams Childern…”
“Richard Rutters Child…”
“… unto Sara Pickeringe my brother williams – Daughter…”
“… I doe give my brother william my husbandry wares”
“…I doe give my brother John Aldcoks children…”
“…I doe give to my brother Tho: ffinchetts children…”
“… I doe give unto Sara Pickerings Daughter…”
“…I doe give unto my brother John Pickering my boots & spurrs”
“…I doe give my brother Williams Sonne John my green…”
“… I doe give to my Servant maide Elizabeth Woodfine…”
“…I doe give to Margreat Simson….”
“… my Brothers John Pickeringe & Elizabeth my wiffe my lawfull Executors.”

witnesses were John Bouth and John Hall
Bernard Pickering’s signature is on the document
“Inventory of all the goodes and chattels of Barnett Pickerenge of Tarvine …
the 24 Daye of Maye … 1646”

SAMUEL Pickering of Aston-by-Sutton
1659-1711 – Taylor

1687 – Samuel was mentioned in the Will of his father John of Gorstage  dated March 19, 1687.

1687 – From the Will of Thomas Breck of Runcorn, August 13, 1687, Samuel Pickering was one of the witnesses of the signing of the Will. Samuel’s signature is on the document. He also participated in the inventory of Thomas Breck’s goods and chattels, which was done on September 15, 1687.

1698 – From the Cheshire Marriage Act Book entry dated May 16, 1698 for the marriage of William Pickering and Mary Blackamore, Samuel Pickering is mentioned as a Taylor of Halton. Halton is in Runcorn parish, Cheshire.

1710 – From the Cheshire Marriage Bonds & Licences entry dated August 22, 1710 for the marriage of Bernard Pickering and Sarah Nixon, Samuel Pickering is mentioned as a yeoman of Runcorn, Cheshire.

1711 – Samuel died between 13 Jun 1711 when his Will was written and signed and 3 Apr 1712 when one of the executors, John Yockson, was sworn in. Probate was issued 17 April 1712. The following are extracted from the Will:

“…in the year of our Lord god one thousand seven hundred & eleven, I Samuel Pickering of Aston …. Taylor being at present but weak of body But of good & perfect memory ….”

• “I give and Bequeath my propriety of ye halfe estate I purchased from Thomas Mannering in great Buddeth Town to my Brother Joseph Pickering“
• “to John Pickering of Namphwich (Nantwich), my Brother’s son”
• “to the children of Anne Weston of Kingsley … if she dies without ishue to her brother John Pickering
• “I give & Bequeath the Rest of my personall estate, one third part to my Brother Barnard Pickering, but if he dies with out children to be equally dived Amongst the children of my Brother Williams & Josephs, & a third part to my Brother William Pickering, & another third part to my Brother Joseph Pickering ….”
• “I nominate & Appoint my Brother Joseph Pickering & John Yockson of Prenton to be Executors”

Apparently Samuel Pickering did not have any children when he died. If he was married, the wife was deceased before the Will was made. In studying the people who received legacies from Samuel, most of them are found to be the seven daughters and one son of the Thomas Breck who died in Runcorn in 1687.

It is possible that Thomas Breck or his wife, Anne cooper was related to the Pickerings since Samuel Pickering was one of the witnesses to Thomas Breck’s Will in 1687 and then 25 years later Samuel, in his own Will, gives legacies to the grandchildren of that family.

It is not know if there is a relationship between Samuel Pickering and Ellenor, wife of peter Cook of Northwich or Anne wife of Thomas Burges of Weston. But it is known that there was a Peter and Eleanor Cook that were Quakers and that they went to Pennsylvania in 1712.

WILLIAM Pickering
b. abt. 1678 – d. 12 Jan 1740 – Yeoman

William had two sons and two daughters, by his wife Mary: John (executor), William, Sarah, and Esther

1687 – William was mentioned in the Will of his father dated March 19, 1687.

1698 – He married MARY BLACKAMORE on May 18, 1698 in St. Mary church, Weaverham.  They were married by Licence.Earlier, from the Cheshire Marriage Act Book, May 16, 1698:

“Gulielmu Pickering de Cuddington yeoman and Maria Blackamore de Crowton spinster …. Samuel Pickering de Halton, Taylor.

“Both Cuddington and Crowton are in Weaverham parish, Cheshire. Mary was born in Crowton and christened January 1, 1675 in St. Mary church, Weaverham. She was the daughter of Randle Blackamore and Mary Hale.

1711 – William was mentioned in the Will of his brother, Samuel Pickering of Aston, Cheshire, dated June 13, 1711. William received 1/3 part of Samuel Pickering’s Personal Estate.

1728 – On July 26, 1728, an Inventory of the Goods and Chattels of William Blackamore, yeoman Late of Crowton in the parish of Weaverham, was done and the Appraisors were Bernard Pickering, Wm Pickering, and John Bassnett.  Their signatures are on the document. In the Will of Hesther Blackmore (Blackamore), widow of Crowton, Weaverham parish, dated May 23, 1728, William Pickering of Cuddington and Thomas Gorst of Middlewich, Cheshire were appointed the Executors of the Will.  William Blackamore and Hesther Blackamore were the brother and sister-in-law of William Pickering’s wife.

1736 – But attached to the Will is a document dated February 15, 1736, in which, Thomas Gorst and William Pickering both renounce and disclaim the Executorship.  Their signatures are on the document.  It is most likely they gave up the executorship in favor of Joseph Blackamore, William Pickering’s nephew, who by 1736 was old enough to execute the Will.

1740 – William Pickering of Cuddington was buried January 12, 1740 at St. Mary church, Weaverham. He had a Will written and signed on January 3, 1740.  Mary Pickering Widow & John Pickering Clerke, the executors were sworn in on June 9, 1740. The following were extracted from the Will

“…I William Pickering of Cuddington ….. yeoman the third day of January …. one thousand seven hundred thirty Nine [    ] forty …”

” my son William ….. my daughter Sarah … my daughter Ester … to Mary my wife ”

” … and benifit of all my Grand Children each to have share alike … ”

“And I do hereby Constitute and appoint My Son John and Mary my wife to be Executors of this my Last Will and testament …”

The Witnesses of the Will were Hannah Stones, Charles Stones, and Saml [H]atton.
The signature and seal of William Pickering is on the document.