Richard Holmes
born very roughly 1626
died February–April 1696
in Wolsingham, Co. Durham
According to John Holmes: 'Our Holmes story starts with Richard Holmes of Wiserley, Wolsingham, Durham, England who died in 1696 [sometime before 27 April]. From the parish records of Wolsingham we have found that Richard was a church warden in 1676, a surveyor in 1683, and a collector in 1690. Richard left a will naming his wife Elizabeth and children Richard, Leonard, Henry, Abigail and John. [...] During this period Richard and Elizabeth Holmes were living at Stotley, Middleton-in-Teesdale.'
NB that Richard' marriage to Elizabeth might have been his second; John Holmes notes that "there is a burial record for 'Margaret, wife of Richard Holmes' at Middleton in Teesdale in 1652", and suggests (plausibly, I think) that the sons Richard and Leonard, mentioned in his will, might have been children of this first marriage.
John Holmes says 'As far as we know, he died at Wiserley, he was buried at Wolsingham.' (High Wiserley, Wiserley Hall, and Low Wiserley are all just to the south of Wolsingham, on the south side of the Wear.)
A transcription of Richard Holmes's will:
In the Name of god amen. I Richard Holmes of Wiserley in the parish of Wolsingh[am] in the county of Durham Doo make and ordaine this my last will and tastament in manner and form following. First I bequeath my soule into the hands of almighty god my maker hoping through his meretorious death & passion to receive free pardon & forgivenes of all my sins & my body to be buried in Christian buriall according to the discretion of this my executors here after Nominated.
[?] I give unto Richard Holmes my son the sume of four pounds & unto Leonard my son the sum of four pounds and unto Henry Holmes my son the sum of four pounds & unto Henry Holmes my son the sume of four pounds and unto Abigale my daughter the sume of thirty pound with a bedstead and furneter belonging to it and half of the [?] all the rest of my goodes Catteles Chatteles debts and Credebts I give unto Elezebeth my wife and John Holmes my sone and here I doe make them two my sole executors of this my last will and testament witnes my hand the third day of february in the yeare of our lord on thousand six hondred and Ninty on
A transcription of the inventory of his property carried out after his death:
A true and perfect Inve[n]tory of all the goods Cattell Chattell and Debts of Richard Holmes of Wiserley Deceast made and prized by John Brierley Ralph Trotter thomas Pattison and Ingram Chapman the 27th day of Aprill in the 7th yeare of the Reaign of king Will[iam] the third and in the yeare of our lord Anno Domi[ni] 1696
[?] his horse his purse and his Apperrell...................10:00:00
Item 4 kine.................................................12:00:00
Item 3 [?]..................................................06:00:00
Item 2 yeare old Calves.....................................02:00:00
Item 15 Eves and Lambs......................................06:00:00
Item 12 Hogg sheep..........................................03:00:00
Item All the Household goods................................10:00:00
Item [?] upon An ingagement of Land.........................40:00:00
Item more [?] upon bond.....................................30:00:00
Item more [?] upon bond.....................................11:00:00
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[?] [?] Alias [?]..........................................130:00:00