William Semple, of New Castle

Biography

William Sample came from England and is believed to have arrived in Maryland in February 1653/4. He first appears in Maryland records in January 1653/4 when he "Demandeth Fifty acres of land for Transporting himself into this province about February last." He perhaps went from Calvert Co., Maryland to Delaware after 1660, while it was still under Dutch rule.

He first appears in English Court records of New Castle Co., DE on 4 April 1677. He was a prominent citizen of New Castle Co. He was a justice of the peace and served as magistrate on the County Court from 17 July 1678 until his death in 1682/3.

His wife, Josine, was of Dutch origin. "As Sample's wife, she shared her husband's English status, but as his widow, she was no longer considered an English citizen. . .On February 21, 1682/3 two months following her husband's death, Josine was one of 71 inhabitants of New Castle County who signed a petition expressing their 'desire to bee Naturalized.' Her name appeared theron as 'Josyn Sempill.' "

William Sample owned the following land at the time of his death: -- 600 acres, "The Vinyard," in St. Johns County (later Kent Co.), Maryland -- 400 acres, on a branch of Christina Creek, New Castle Co., Maryland -- town lot, New Castle, Delaware (The Sparks Quarterly, ibid, p. 5455)

(Sparks Family Note: One other Maryland record has been found pertaining to William Sample. On April 1, 1660, he and one Francis Carpenter witnessed the will of Richard Hix in Calvert County. Hix was identified in the will as living on "Patuxent River". Here William Sample signed his name as "Wm. Sampell." Perhaps it was from Calvert County Maryland that he went to Delaware while it was still under Dutch rule. Because he had had the resources to transport himself to America, William Sample must have been a young man of some means. By the time he appears in the English Delaware records, he seems to have been a man of both Financial resources and status in his community.)

Will

This will was recorded "vetbatim" in the records of the Court of New Castle meeting January 1, 1683, at Which session "The laest [i.e. last] will and Testament of William Sempill, Late of New Castle, deceased" was produced (i.e., probated) by two of the witnesses, John Biske and Jonas Arskin. The text of this will follows:

The Last Will and Testament of William Sample

In the Name of God amen this 11th day of December in the yeare of or Lord God 1682. I: William Sempill, Inhabitant of New Castle upon delaware River being Sick and weake in Boddy but of perfect mind and memory thankes be Given unto God, Therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my Boddy and knowing that itt is appointed for all men once to dye, Doe make and ordayne this my Laest will and Testament in manner and forme following That is to say first and Principally I: give my Soule into the Hands of God who Gave itt to mee and for my boddy I: commend itt to the Earth, to bee burried in decent Christian manner, noteing butt att the Gennerll: Resurection I: shall Receave the same againe by the mighty power of God, And as touching Such worldly goods as itt hath bin pleased God to bless me in this Lyfe tyme wth I: Give devyse bequeath and dispose the Same in manner & forme following Vizt: First I: give, devyse and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wyfe Josyn Sempill and my Little daughter Margaret wth: Rest of my wifes Children all my p'sonall Estate as goods and Chattles & moveables to be Equally divyded and distributed to my wife and daughter Margret and the rest of my wyves Children to use, occupy and dlspose of as Shee my said wyfe Shall See necessary and conveniety for the use of my sd: wyfe and daughter Margaret and my wyves Children, only Excepted I: doe devyse and bequeath & Give unto my Little daughter Margaret all my Estate in Christina Creeke or upon a brainch of the said Creeke boath Reall & personall movements and imovables, goods and Chattles wth: all the increase to the Soale and proper use and behoffe of she my said daughter Margartet itt being my will that first of all my wyfe Josyn Sempill puts on and upon the Plantation in Christina or brainch of the sd Creeke for the use of my daughter Margaret Soe manny Cowes, Sowes and other Chattell and What Els I: am allreaddy obliged to put upon the aforsd Plantation all being for the Soale and proper use and behoofe of my daughter Margret, until Shee Marryeth or Comes of age, the Increase to be att the disposal of my wyfe Soe Long as she remains a widdow provyded She my wyfe Keepes the old Stoke good, and in the next place, if itt please God to call mee out of this world I: doe ordaine Constitute and appoint my beloved friends Mr. James Walliam & Samuel Land of the Towne of New Castle, to bee executors: of what what worldly Estate I shall Leave behind mee, and to use the best of their Indeavors for the bennefitt of my wyfe, my daughter Margret and my wyves Children, with all that my wyfe Josyne Sempill pay all Just debts due from me, to others, and that sheereceive all debts due from others to mee, and I: doe hereby utterly disallow Revoake & Annull all and Every other former Testaments, wills, Legacies, bequeaths. Executors: by me in any wise before this type named, willed, or bequeathed, Ratifying and Confirming this and none other to bee my Laest [last] will & Testament whereof I haue hereunto Sett my hand & Seale the day & yeare above written--

[signed] Will: Sempell (LS) Signed Sealed published
pronounced. declared by
the sd: William Sempill
as his Laest will & Testament
In the Presence of us --

J. D haes [Johannes DeHaes]
January Bisek [John Bisk]

In this will, a symbol from Old English and Old Norse, the Runic character called the "thorn," was used for the letters th, as in the, this, etc. The symbol resembles the letter y, and many editors substitute a y for the thorn, thus spelling the word "the" as "ye" or "that" as "yt " implying that "the" had been pronounced "ye" or "that" as "yet;." Since the thorn was not a y, this writer prefers to substitute the letters "th" to retain the pronunciation that the original writer had intended.

From the will of William Sample, it is apparent that his wife Josine, had been married previously, and that she had had children by that earlier husband. Unfortunately, however, William Sample did not mention the surname of Josine's children by her earlier marriage. We will return to this question later in this article.

From the wording of his will, its seems apparent that William Sample intended that his two friends, James Walliam and Samuel Land, serve as executors of his estate, although he qualilied their appointment with the words "use the best of Indeavors for the bennefitt of my wyfe, my daughter Margret and my wyves Children... The Court record indicates that when this will was presented to the Court for probate, William Sample's widow, Josine, made the claim that her husband had intended that she administer his estate, and that James Walliam and Samuel Land should "bee understood only as overseers & assistants to the widdow [herself] in the performand of her husbands will." Josine must have been a strong and bold woman for her day, for the justices accepted her argument.

References

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 23 2020, 17:51:49 UTC
• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 3 2020, 3:32:14 UTC
• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Joslyn_Boyer_%281%29
• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 22 2023, 18:17:15 UTC
• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Semple_%2821%29
• https://sparksfamilyassn.org/php/view_pages.php?article=192-D