John BLANO/BLAYNE/Blane?? 1677 Essex Co., MA depostions
I am not related to this man (that I know of anyway), but while requesting a research of my own from the Peabody Essex Museum's Phillips Library in Salem, MA, they sent me a copy of a page from the 1677 Essex Co., MA records and files.
As the spelling in those early days was quite poor I have no idea how this man's name was really spelled but there is a footnote that says this man's "autograph" read BLAYNE, so from that I will continue.
Apparently (and they didn't send me the entire article so I have no idea what started this whole inquiry and all of the depositions leading up to it), but from what I can gather, John BLAYNE was under scrutiny for not properly caring for his family and for perhaps being a bit of an alcoholic.
In these old records however his last name is spelled "Blano".I have an idea the early transcriber of these records mistook the ending "e" for a "o" and hence the odd spelling, because as I mentioned above, the man's own signature was spelled Blayne.
John Blayne was living on a place known as the Darling farm.George Darling was a Scot POW who was brought to Essex Co., MA in 1651 or 1652 either from the Battle of Dunbar or the Battle of Worcester in Scotland.Captured by Cromwell's men during the uprisings in England and Scotland at the time.
It goes on to say that John Blane hired Elizabeth Heburd to take care of his children and that they wanted for nothing but were maintained as well as most children.
It also says that Bettie KING came for his daughter Hannah unknown to Blane and never came but once since and then said that Blane supplied her with what she wanted.
(these old sentences make little sense sometimes).
George Darling aged about 60 years and Engrome MOODIE age 16 (my ancient ancestors son, his father was Ingraham MOODIE, Sr. the proper spelling of the name and a Scot POW who came from the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 on the ship UNITY to Boston harbor and then on to Lynn, MA where he was indentured to the Saugus Ironworks in Lynn), and they said in their deposition that being a neighbor of Mr. John Blane's that they never heard him or the children complain of not having food and raiment and said Blane provided as well for them as any other man thereabouts. He had several times bought quarters of mutton, butter, cheese and milk for them. -Sworn in Court-
Apparently a Daniel KING stated that he had left to his daughter Darling's farm so called and she having deceased without a will, her children inherited the estate and that John Blane had spent the estate by drinking rum and strong drink etc.
John Blayne's answer to this statement was - that he paid 101 i. per year rent for the farm, "it will be evident that I have not nor will I dispose of it for RUM etc. as the plaintiff from his "durty" mouth with other filth cast at mee, " etc.
Apparently a Mr. Ralph KING and Ezekell NEDHAM had gone with some other men to the house where John BLAYNE dwelt and demanded the estate that is the farm called by the name of Darlin's farm of which the houses and fences were ruined and the wood and timber carried away, and he refused it.
-Sworn in Court-
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This is all of the info I have from this page of the Essex Co., MA depositions of 1677.
I am also wondering if perhaps by any chance this John BLAYNE might have been known as John BAYNE also spelled BEAN who was another Scot POW.