Administration 1729 Cousin??

[ElizabethHerts]

Yesterday I received six wills/administrations/inventories from Lincolnshire Archives.

One was the administration of John Wood who died in Hemswell in 1729.

I expected him to be John Wood with wife Ann.
Children baptised for this couple were:
Ann 1677
Mary 1678
John 1682
Thomas 1687
Ann 1691

However, the administrator is John Dewick and it says John Wood's estate is "For the use and benefit and during the minority of Wm Dewick and Sarah Dewick the Cousens of the sd deceased".


What signifcance could "cousen" have. Does it have a wider meaning than we understand?

I'm not sure who this John Wood is. It makes me think he was an unmarried man whose estate is passing to his nearest relatives, so not my ancestor.

Back to the drawing board.

[kiterunner]

Well, cousin could be used loosely to mean "some relative" but certainly it sounds as though he had no surviving wife or child.

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate. As I suspected, just some relation, not necessarily a cousin as we would understand it.

This John Wood must be connected to my family in some manner. It is only a small village.

[Olde Crone]

That's rather odd, are you sure you have the right man/Will?

Admon, then as now, followed strict rules and John Dewick must be a close relative, otherwise the estate would have gone to the Crown. Nor would the estate "jump over" him to his children, he would inherit before his children in an admon.

OC

[ElizabethHerts]

OC - Here is the transcription:

The Condition of this Obligation is such that if the above-bounden John Dewick Administrator of all and singular the Goods Rights and Creditts Cattle and Chattels of John Wood late of Hemswell deceased for the use and Benefit and during the minority of Wm Dewick and Sarah Dewick the cousons of the sd deceased do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventary of all and singular the Gooods Chattels and Creditts of the sd deceased wch have or shall come to the Hands Pssion of him the sd John Dewick or into the Hands or Possion of any Person or Psons for him and the same so made do exhibit into the Registry of the Archdeacon of Stow at or before the last Day of May next and further do make or cause to be made a true and just account of his said Administration when thereunto lawfully required that then this Obligation to be void or else to remain in full force
Sealed and delivered in the presence of
Rob: Rustat N:P:

[ElizabethHerts]

I was wondering if John Dewick were related through the female line - either wife's or mother's family.

[Phoenix]

Cousins often mean grandchildren: would that be possible?

[ElizabethHerts]

OOh, Phoenix, I did rather wonder/hope that might be the case.

I have been looking for Wood/Dewick marriages, but to no avail so far.

[ElizabethHerts]

I should say that I was hoping that the will was for John Wood, baptised at Harpswell.
All his children were baptised at Harpswell, but his son John (also my direct ancestor) moved over to Hemswell. They are only just over a mile apart.

John Wood filius Thomas Wood et An Wood bapt erat March 24th (1651?)

[kiterunner]

There is a Sarah Dewick baptised at Hemswell 7 Apr 1725, daughter of John and Sarah. But I can't find a William to go with her.