Samuel Sims was Ari’s 7x great-grandfather.
View of the Derwent valley from Broadholme Lane
He was born in 1727 in Broadholme, Belper, Derbyshire, and baptised on 24 September that year at St Alkmund’s in Duffield.
Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538–1812, Ancestry.co.uk
Samuel’s parents were James Syms and Hannah Barber, and he was their fifth child.
On 11 February 1752 Samuel married Mary Smith at the church in Duffield.
Derbyshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538–1812, Ancestry.co.uk
(Although it says 1751, this entry comes after the page for December 1751.)
Samuel’s father James died in 1763, and his will mentions Samuel as follows:
Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved son Samuel Simms all my share of land being situate and lying at Hithin(?) Holler. Item I also leave to my said son Samuel Simms the Swinny Croft and the Dunge Pingle; I also leave to my said son Samuel Simms all the whole possession of Broadholm living with all the personal estate thereto belonging.
Item. I leave to my said son Samuel Simms all the whole possession of the Fishyards my son Samuel paying his brother Charles the sum of ten pounds to be paid at the expiration of twelve months after my decease. And I do hereby nominate and appoint my said son Samuel Simms my sole executor of this will and testament.
At some point I will have to investigate old maps of the area to see where these pieces of land are. I have seen references to Dunge Wood and Dunge Farm on Broadholme Lane. A typed bulletin of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society from 1957 has this:
“Going back to the Alport Road we come to Sandiford Lane, where another road seems to have gone East down to the Derwent where there was a ford by Dunge Wood. The name Sandiford must have been used for this ford. … This road … is the boundary between Belper and Alderwasley. The road goes by Dunge Wood and the top of Broadholme Lane, across Crich Lane, over the Heage and Belper Common to the Bent. It appears to have led to Morley Park and Rykneld Street and was probably used for both lead and coal for Wirksworth for smelting purposes. The road from the top of Broadholme Lane would be to an alternative crossing at Belper if the other ford was difficult.” (p. 65)
Perhaps some kind person reading my blog one day will help out with the place names!
On 17 November 1791, Samuel made a will, as follows:
In the name of God Amen I Samuel Sims of the Liberty of Heage in the county of Derby, Yeoman do make this my last will and testament in the manner following that is to say I give unto my wife Mary all my moneys and securities for money and all my personal estate during her natural life while she keeps in the same name and then I bequeath all my effects after her decease unto my three sons Samuel, James and John equal share and share alike their executors administrators and assigns only paying to my four daughters Hannah Sarah Elizabeth and Ann the sum of twenty pounds to be paid twelve months after my wife decease. I nominate and constitute and appoint my wife Mary and my son James joint executors of my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal’d this seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one.
Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate 1521–1860, Findmypast
His 5x grandson will be pleased to see that he signs his own name as Sims, not Syms.
Samuel died in February 1792 and was buried in Duffield on the 19th of that month. His will was proved on 24 April 1792. The will was very helpful in confirming who his children were.
Broadholme in the news: Derby Mercury, 13 July 1842, Findmypast
Ari, this is how you are related to Samuel:
