John Bland (bef. 1572 - 1632)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Research Notes 2 Sources 3 Acknowledgements

Biography

JOHN BLAND 1572 - 1632^[1] Merchant Adventurer

John Bland's parents were ADAM BLAND and JOAN who "lived all their lives in St. Gregory's Parish, London, England, where all of their 13 children were born."

John Bland, the last son and ninth child of Adam and Joan Bland, was christened in the parish of St. Gregory, London, on the 28th September, 1572.^[2]

He became a member of the Grocers' Guild, London and developed his business interests in England and overseas in France and Germany. He was also a member of the Virginia Company. An investor who sent family members, indentured servants and merchandise to Virginia. He was part owner of three merchant ships The Abigail, The London Merchant and The Jonathan.

John Bland died suddenly in London, on 20th April 1632 and was buried at the church of St. Antholin on 5th May 1632 with his youngest daughter Joneane. His will was written on 24 Sep 1627 and proved 20 Apr 1632. It partially states, "I will that my body be decently carried to the church between 3 and 4 clock in the afternoon with some few of my friends and neighbors and buried in the parish church of St. Antholin's where I dwell...According to the City of London's laws my wife is to have the thirds of my estate and the other third my children, and the other third is at my dispose. Out of my third I bequeath unto my well beloved wife Susan Blande 500 pounds towards her widowship. If she marry than my son Thomas shall have 100 pounds of it John fifty and Susan Blande, my daughter, fifty pounds, if unmarried. The rest of the 500 pounds to be divided amongst the rest of my children unmarried, by equal portions, at twenty one,,,My wife Susan to allow her mother fifteen pounds per annum during life, if she continues a widow, so long as her mother liveth...Thomas, John, and Susan Blande shall allow to their grandmother Mary de Deblere, out of their legacies three pounds percent per annum, for every 100 pounds, so long as she shall live...The executors to be my loving wife Susan and Thomas my son and John my second son, and the overseers to be my son in law Emanuel Probye, my cousin Samuel Blande Robert Edwardes and Samuel Northey."^[3]

Research Notes

This is not the same John Smith alias Bland of Colchester (b abt 1591) who married Isabel Drake and emigrated to New England, settling initially in Watertown, and the to Martha's Vineyard.

Sources

1. ↑ ​Bland, John - A903; baptized 28 September 1572 London, England, died 1632 London, England: (Member Virginia Company). accessed 9 September 2021
2. ↑ London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (Ancestry.com; subscription required); not found through familysearch.org
3. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1894, Genealogical Gleanings in England, Vol. 48, Pg. 112-113. On-line at Google Books, https://books.google.com/books?oe=UTF-8&id=mSgKB8v3M7kC&q=Bland#v=snippet&q=Bland&f=false

• Colonial Chesapeake Families: British Origins and Descendants, by Harrison Dwight Cavanagh
• Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary, by Martha W. McCartney
• John Bland on Geni.com

Acknowledgements

John Blann or Bland was first entered by Molly Day on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.