Seckingtonfamil y edited and published by

The Dispersion of the Family Overseas
The two main destinations for Seckington emigrants were North America and Australia. Canada and the United States cannot be accounted for separately as immigrants moved freely between them. Emigration in sailing ships involved the danger of shipwreck. The safest ships were the convict transportation vessels. Of 825 transportation voyages to Australia, only five were wrecked, one without loss of life. 550 convicts were lost at sea. There is no record of the number of emigrant ships to Australia, but it is known that at least 26 ships were wrecked with the loss of 2500 lives.

The distance to North America was a quarter of the length of the route to Australia, and yet, paradoxically, the North America bound immigrant had much less chance of arriving safely at his destination. In the spring of 1834 alone 18 emigrant ships and 700 lives were lost on the North Atlantic. This was made worse by deaths from diseases while at sea.

In 1847, 107,000 people started out for North America. 6,000 died on the voyage and 11,000 died shortly after arrival.

The differences between the losses for Australia and North America can be accounted for by the fact that Australia was a "government colony" and North America was a private enterprise area. Private ships were often defectively constructed, poorly maintained, grossly overloaded, and well insured. Ships to Australia had to meet government standards and carried surgeons to safeguard emigrants' health.

There were two emigrations to USA and Canada from Helmdon. James and Ann Seckington emigrated to Elizabethtown, New York State, about 1848. Their son, James, moved to Montreal, Canada, later and is the ancestor of the Canadian Seckingtons. Montreal is about 100 miles north of Elizabethtown.

John and Mary Seckington left Helmdon to emigrate to Canada in 1843. They moved to Elizabethtown in 1850.

Edward, alias Edmund Seckington, son of Samuel Seckington of Helmdon, went to Western Australia in 1853.

The Canadian Seckingtons
The first family of Seckingtons to emigrate to Canada were John and Mary Seckington who settled in Montreal about 1843. In 1850 they moved to Elizabethtown in New York State to join another family of Seckingtons already living there. This family was that of James and Ann Seckington.
James, the son of James and Ann Seckington, later moved to Montreal where he became Superintendent of Waterworks. James the younger was the ancestor of all present day Canadian Seckingtons.


The American Seckingtons
The Registrar of Vital Statistics in Elizabethtown, Essex County, New York State, gave information that a family of Seckingtons were living in that town in the last quarter of the 18th century. This family, which has not been identified, was the first Seckington family to emigrate to America.

The most likely people are John (b.1737) and Mary Seckington of Brackley, and their two children, also named John and Mary. They disappeared from Brackley sometime after 1774. No present day descendants of this family have been found.

The next Seckington emigration to America took place in 1848 when James (b.1821), son of Samuel Seckington of Helmdon, and his wife Ann, went to Elizabethtown. They had at least three children, all boys, born in that town. They appear to have left Elizabethtown after 1855 to go to Montreal, one hundred miles farther north. James and Ann Seckington were the ancestors of the present day Seckingtons of Canada.
In 1843, John (b1799) and Mary, his wife, left Helmdon for Montreal. In 1850 they left Montreal to settle in Elizabethtown. They had ten children of whom three died in infancy in England. One son, Daniel, returned to England before 1848, and resettled there. John and Mary Seckington are the ancestors of all the present day Seckington families in the United States.
Henry (b1838), the son of John and Mary, was the progenitor of both the New England and Californian families. His eldest son, Richard, went to Colorado where he married and settled. Some of his children moved to California.

Martin, Henry's younger son, remained in New England and is the progenitor of the Seckington families of New York and Vermont.

Frederick (b1841), the youngest son of John and Mary Seckington, moved to Missouri, and was the ancestor of the Seckington families living in Missouri and Kansas.

The Colorado and California Families
The first ancestor of this family was Richard (b1858), son of Henry Seckington of New England. Richard married Margaret Kelly and they had ten children. They lived in Georgetown, Colorado, in the 1880s. Records of this family were lost in a fire at the county courthouse in Georgetown, but have been reconstructed from a family Bible and other sources. At least two children of Richard and Margaret moved to California early in the 20th century.

William Seckington (b1889), son of Richard, was the progenitor of the Los Angeles family, and Lawrence K. Seckington (b1895), was the ancestor of the San Diego Seckingtons.

The Missouri Family
Frederick Seckington, son of John and Mary Seckington was the ancestor of the Missouri Seckingtons. According to his obituary notice in a Missouri newpaper:-

"Frederick Seckington was born in Northamptonshire, England, in 1840. When two years old he came with his parents to Montreal, Canada, and again moved with them to Elizabethtown, New York, at the age of 12 years.

He learned the brickmaking trade when quite young, and at the age of 21 years went back to Montreal and worked two years. During this time he was married to Miss Mary Ann Fogarty of Montreal on October 13, 1862. Two years after the marriage they settled in Victor, Iowa, where they lived until February, 1886, when they moved to Cimmarron, Kansas, and lived there two years. During the year 1888 they came to Maryville and settled. Mr. Seckington and his two older sons had charge of the brickyard here for several years."
Frederick and Mary Ann Seckington had four children, 3 boys and 1 girl. Frederick Seckington died on January 15, 1913, aged 72 years, and is buried in the Mirian cemetary, Maryville. Mary Ann Seckington died on May 17, 1917, aged 75 years, and is buried in the same place.
Reva Seckington supplied the following notes:-

Anthony Seckington, eldest child of Frederick and Mary Ann Fogarty Seckington, was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1863. In 1864 the family moved to Victor, Iowa, and three more children came to bless their home; Austin, in 1872, Mary Margaret in 1874, and Edward in 1875. In February 1886, they moved to Maryville, Missouri, and settled.

Georgia Anna, eldest child of James Smith Ames, jr., and Emma Root Ames, was born near Brookfield, Missouri, in 1859. Her father worked for the railroad, and they lived on a farm that in later years was the site of the Kelsey Orchards. The railroad ran through the farm and, when her father started out on a 'run' the family gathered in the yard and he always stepped to the back of the platform and waved to them as he left. The farm was located a short distance west of Brookfield, just south of the present U.S. Highway 36.
Some time later, Mr. Ames was transferred to Maryville and the family relocated. In the course of time Anthony and Georgia met, and they were married in Maryville on December 17, 1890, and became the parents of four children: David Kirk, born in 1891, Frederick Bertram, born in 1893, Lula Mae, born in 1895, and Vern, born in 1897. During these years, Anthony, his brother Austin, and their father, plied their trade of brickmaking, and were in charge of the brickyard in Maryville.
In 1909 they moved to a farm a short distance north of the small town of Reger, Missouri. Georgia liked to talk about her childhood in Brookfield and their life on the farm. Each fall, she and Anthony took the horses, hitched to the farm wagon, to Brunswick, Missouri, to pick up pecans. In those days it was quite a trek, so they camped at the 'Little Red Schoolhouse', located between Linneus and Laclede, on the present Missouri Route 5. The next night they camped at Pecan Grove, and on the way back spent another night at the 'Little Red Schoolhouse', altogether a four day journey. But it was a welcome break from the dreary monotony of farm chores.
During the years on the farm their children all married and left the nest. About 1919 they moved to Reger and Anthony and Georgia, along with their son Vern and his wife Elgeva, bought a Mercantile store, which they owned until 1925, when they sold the store and their home, and Anthony and Georgia moved back to Maryville.
In 1929 Anthony passed away after losing a bout with pneumonia. Georgia remained in Maryville for a number of years, sharing a home with Anthony's maiden sister, Margaret. Later she came back to the Reger area and divided her time with Vern's family, near Reger, and Lula's family in Galt, Missouri.
In the early 1940s, Lula and her husband Everett Robinson, moved to California. Georgia spent the rest of her life with Vern and Elgeva until her death on March 31, 1950. Her life, spanning eighty years, had come full circle - her death occurring less than 30 miles from the place of her birth.
The New England Seckingtons
The ancestor of the Seckington families of New York and Vermont was Henry, son of John and Mary Seckington of Elizabethtown.

Henry's obituary was printed in the Elizabethtown Post of October 27, 1898. It states

"Henry Seckington, brother of Timothy Seckington of this village, died at his home in the town of Moriah Friday last after a long and painful illness, aged 62 years. Deceased was born in England but formerly resided in Elizabethtown, where he was known and respected as an industrious hard-working man. His feats in the line of labour have long been on record and none will dispute them now that the strong man has been called to his eternal rest. As a wood sawyer he had no equal that we ever heard of.

Funeral services were held in the Catholic church in Mineville Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the remains being buried in the cemetery just below Moriah Center.

Deceased is survived by five children, 2 sons and three daughters.
The obituary of Timothy Seckington, the brother of Henry, appeared in the Elizabethtown Post of July 19, 1900. It states

"Timothy Seckington, Elizabethtown's far-famed landscape gardener, whose illness was noted in our issue of July 5, died at his home on Water street in this village Saturday night at 12 o'clock in the 74th year of his age. He was born in North Hampshire, (Northamptonshire), England, October 11, 1826, and came to Montreal when 17 years of age. As a young man he worked at making brick and as a landscape gardener in the city of Montreal. Eventually he settled in Elizabethtown and raised a large family, five of which - three daughters and two sons - survive. He is also survived by a sister, Mrs Sarah Crowningshield of Lewis and three brothers, one a resident of Idaho and two in England.

Deceased was a large man and in his prime was exceptionally powerful. He was a good brickmaker, a great well digger, and as a landscape gardener had few equals and no superiors. Elizabethtown is famed far and near for neat well laid out, well kept lawns nearly all of which bear the imprint of Timothy Seckington, whose masterhand created them.

His wife died about three years since. Funeral services were held at his late home on Water Street, Tuesday afternoon. Mortal remains being buried in Riverside cemetery.

The Adirondack Record of August 20, 1942, carried the obituary of Daniel W. Seckington, a son of Timothy Seckington.

"Daniel W. Seckington was born at Crown Point, October 4, 1868, and came to Elizabethtown with his parents when young and lived most of his life here. He spent 34 years in the service of the State of New York, part of the time in Albany and 25 years as game protector in this district. Mr. Seckington married for his first wife, Nellie Seckington, a cousin. Some time after her death he married Mrs. Mary Flynn Patterson, widow of Frank Patterson of Elizabethtown, whom with her daughter Gertrude P. Mahoney, survive him.

Funeral services were held in Elizabethtown's church on Tuesday morning at 9:30, Revd. E.H. McCarthy officiating. Interment was in Riverside cemetery.


The Australian Seckington Families
There have been three separate emigrations of Seckingtons to Australia. Edward Seckington, who was born in Helmdon, went to Western Australia in 1853 and settled there. In 1929 two brothers, Arthur and Frank Seckington, sons of Edwin Seckington of Liverpool, went to Queensland. In 1968 Derek and Beryl Seckington emigrated to New South Wales.

The West Australian Seckingtons

Edward Seckington
Edmund Seckington, born in 1833, was the youngest son of Samuel Seckington of Helmdon, England. He later changed his name to Edward.
On 7 March 1850 Edward appeared in the Northampton court in England on charges of theft. He was convicted and sentenced to transportation to Australia on 18 April 1850. He arrived in Western Australia, aboard the Pyrenees on 30 April, 1853, and was given his ticket of leave on 1 May, 1853. He received a conditional pardon on 1 July, 1854, and became an Expiree in 1857.
Edward Seckington married Elizabeth (Eliza) Cunningham in the Congregational church at Guildford in Western Australia, on August 17, 1854. Eliza had arrived in Western Australia on 13 June, 1854 on board the Sabrina from Liverpool, with her sister Ellen. They were originally from Dublin.
Western Australia, first known as the Swan River Colony, had 1500 inhabitants in 1832 and this grew to 25,000 in 1871. It seems to have been precariously balanced on the edge of economic ruin for the first 50 years of its existence. Edward Seckington, like many of his contemporaries, ranks as a founding father of the new state.
Edward and Elizabeth Seckington moved to Bunbury where he ran a saddlery shop employing three saddlers. They had three children, Mary Ann, Sarah Jane, and Samuel Edward. Their eldest daughter, Mary Ann, married William Trott, son of Tom Trott, a stonemason. William learned the trade of stone masonry from his father.
The Seckington and Trott families moved to Albany which was then the major port of Western Australia. Edward Seckington ran a cab plying between the waterfront and the town. Jim Waters, a descendant, has a picture of Edward's cab, two horses and a leader, standing outside the family home in York road, Albany. This house was built by the Trotts. Edward's wife, Elizabeth, provided room, board, and meals for new arrivals by sea.
Sarah Jane, the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth, married James O'Doherty on 11 November 1893. They had two children, Kathleen and Baronia Clare. James had been a student for the Catholic priesthood but withdrew. He was literate in English, French, Gaelic, Greek, and Latin.
Edward Seckington died on 1st December, 1903, at Inverack Farm, Albany. Eliza Seckington died on 21 October, 1909, at Rowby Street, Albany.

Samuel Seckington
Samuel Seckington, son of Edward Seckington, was born on 7 December, 1868, at Beverley, Western Australia. Samuel worked for the Telegraph department in Albany. He married Alice Ellen Orton on 26 February, 1913 at Perth. Samuel left Albany after his marriage and became a railway stationmaster at Cundip which was halfway between the Ravensthorpe copper mines and the port of Hopetown. Cundip was also the station for the Phillips River goldfield. Sam held a Miner's Right and frequently went on horseback fossicking for gold in the Darling Range. These trips took place regularly until 1939.
The family moved to Perth in the late 1920's. Samuel's death was reported in the West Australian newspaper in 1944. It read

"Old-Time Horseman's Death"

Recently Mr Sam Seckington died in Perth, where he had resided for many years. When racing was booming in the Albany and Great Southern districts during the nineties of the last century and later, Sammy was prominent as a rider. He won practically every cup and other race of note at these meetings, including the Albany Cup on Little Will O' for Mr E. Perkins. Seckington's riding career finished at Mt.Barker many years ago, when his mount, Millicup, fell and he was seriously injured."

Samuel Seckington's Descendants
Samuel Seckington had three children, Alice, Hilda, and Edward.

Edward was born at Hill Street, Albany, on 10 July, 1917. He married Jeanetta Catherine Bloxsome in Perth on 29 August, 1947. Edward served in the Royal Australian Air Force in New Guinea and other islands in the Pacific in the Second World War.

Jean Seckington died on 5 October, 1959. Edward died on 21 November 1963.


The Seckingtons of Queensland
Arthur and Frank Seckington, sons of Edwin Seckington of Liverpool, England, arrived in Queensland in 1929. Frank seems to have led an unsettled life, turning up in Queensland from time to time to visit his relations. He is said to have died in South Australia, before 1990.
Arthur spent a large part of his life in the Australian armed forces. During the Second World War he served in the Australian army and later transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force.

Arthur and his wife Elizabeth lived in Townsville and Caloundra before settling in Brisbane. They had eleven children, some of whom have left Queensland and are now living in every Australian state except New South Wales.

Arthur Seckington died in 1970 in Brisbane. Elizabeth Seckington died in 1990 in Ipswich in Queensland.

The Modern records of the Seckington Family

1600-1699

1610 Calendar of Assise Records.

Essex Indictments: James I : Chelmsford Assizes.

16 July 1610.
537: Goal Prisoners: Remanded: 29 names including Thomas Seckington.
654: Seckington, Thomas, of Dedham, labourer.

Indicted for petty larceny.

On 2 May 1610 at Dedham he stole a sheep (11d.) from Thomas Younge.

Confessed: whipped.

1645 Brackley Parish Register.

11 June 1645.

Francis Seckington, daughter of Francis Seckington and Elizabeth his wife, was baptised June 11 1645.
1652

1 June 1652

The first day of June in the year 1652.

A particular of the several and respective Commons of Beast that the Husbandmen and Cottagers in Brackley are to have to go and depasture in Bandlands Common and the fields of the said Town of Brackley and (pay?) as follows...

Francis Seckington 1 Beast.
1652 Brackley Parish Register.

20 July 1652.

Elizabeth, ye daughter of Francis Seckington and Elizabeth his wife, was baptised ye 20th day of July 1652.
1654 Brackley Parish Register.

20 August 1654.

Francis Seckington, ye daughter of Francis Seckington and Elizabeth his wife, was baptised August 20 day 1654.
1657 Sutton Hundred: County of Northampton.

The Retourne of the jury of the said Hundred to serve at the Quarter Sessions to be held at Northampton on Tuesday Aprill the 7th, 1657, before the honorable the Justices there.

Inter alia:

Samuel Harding of Brackley,

Frauncis Seconton of the same.

John Elliot, bayliffe.

1657 Brackley Parish Records.

11 October 1657.

Samuel Seckington, the son of Francis Seckington and Elizabeth his wife, was baptised October 11 day 1657.
1670 Ellesmere/ Brackley Collection No. 563.

Indenture: Articles of Agreement.

1. William Bulmer, on behalf of John, Earl of Bridgwater, to

2. John Stokes

John Preswill

Samuel Harding the elder

Matthew Harding

Francis Seckington

John Loveday

Samuel Harding the younger, butchers.

Ann Phillips, widow of James Phillips, butcher.
1. to procure from the Earl a lease to 2. of butcher's stalls which they now occupy in the Market Place, Brackley, for 21 years, the lessees paying 12s. 6d. for each stall for 5 years last past, and 5s. for future 21 years, except for the stall of John Stokes, a blind man, for which Sir John Habey, deceased, promised he should pay one shilling per annum.

Signatures and seals.

1674. 
      Parish of St.Peter and St.Paul;
      

(probably Coleshill, Warwicks.)

Reference, not followed up, to a family named Seconton living in the parish at this time.

c1675

There is a reference to a family of Seckingtons living in Grimscote Forge, Northants, about this time.

1681 Brackley Parish Register.

20 October 1681.

Samuel Seckington, the son of Samuel Seckington and of Anne his wife, was baptised 20 October 1681.

1683 Brackley Parish Register.

17 August 1683.

Anne Seckington, the daughter of Samuel Seckington and of Anne his wife, was baptised 17 August 1683.
1684 Brackley Parish Register.

26 February 1684.

Elizabeth Seckington, daughter of Samuel Seckington and Anne his wife, was baptised the 26th day of February, 1684.
1687 Brackley Parish Register.

10 August 1687.

A still-born child of Samuel Seckington was buried on the 10th day of August, 1687.
1688 Brackley Parish Register.

23 December 1688.

Elizabeth Seckington was buried in woollen only on December 23 1688.
1689 Brackley Parish Register.

28 October 1689.

Francis, son of Samuel and Anne Seckington, was baptised.
1690 Brackley Parish Register.

3 February 1690.

Francis, a child (son) of Samuel Seckington, was buried in woollen only on February the third, 1690.
1694 Brackley Parish Register.

31 March 1694.

Francis Seckington was buried on 31 day of March 1694.
1700-1799

1703 Brackley Parish Register.

29 April 1703.

Samuel Seckington of Brackley, butcher, married Mary Radbourne of Barby on 29th April 1703.

The above marriage was the subject of a licence issued by the Bishop of Peterborough, and recorded in a Register of licences issued between 1687 and 1705.

1704 Chancery Proceedings: Reynardson's Division 1649-1714 preserved in the P.R.O.

SECKINGTON- HALL date 1704 bundle 463 No. 86.

Samuell Seckington the younger, and others.

PRO. C9/463/86

14 June 1704. (in English).
" 14th day of June, 1704.

To the right Honourable Sir Nathaniel Wright, Lord Keeper of the Greate Seale of England:

HUMBLY COMPLAINING shew unto your Lordshipp your Orators and Oratrixes Samuell Seckington the younger of Brackley in the County of Northampton, Butcher, and Mary his wife, and Anne Radburne of Brackley aforesaid, Spinster, by her neat freind Samuell Seckington the Elder of Brackley aforesaid, Butcher, which said Mary and Anne are the only issue of William Radburne the younger, late of Woolscott in the County of Warwicke, and Anne his wife, both deceased. That William Radburne the Elder, late of Woolscott aforesaid, deceased, Grandfather to your Oratrixes Mary and Anne was, amongst other things, seized of Severall Messuages, Closes, and Inclosed ground Lands, Tenements and hereditaments Situate and being in Woolscott aforesaid and in Wallcott Grandbourough alias Greenbourough and Willoughby in the said County of Warwicke, and being soe Seized Did, on or about the yeare of our Lord one thousand Six hundred Eyghty three, by Some Deed or writeings Convey, Settle and Assure all or very considerable part or share of his said estate and premisses in Woolscott and in Wallcott Grandborow alias Greenborow and Willoughby aforesaid to the said William Radburne the younger, his then Eldest Son and heire apparent and late father of your daid Oratrixes Mary and Anne, Or to some other persone in trust, And in Such Deeds or writeings or the considerations therein mentioned, and perticularly in Consideration of a marriage then had and Solemnised by and between the said William Radburne the younger, your Oratrixes said father, and Anne his then wife, who was one of the Daughters of one Timothy Cooke of Burdinbury in the County of Warwicke, Clerk, did among other uses therein limitted and Declared, limitt and appoint the said premisses from and after the decease of the said William Radburne the Grandfather and Mary his then wife to be to the use and behoofe of the said William Radburne the younger, for and during the terme of his Naturall life, And to one considerable part or share thereof after his decease Then to the use of the said Anne his wife for herlife for her Jointure, and in lieu of her Thirds and Dower att Common Law, And from and after the deceases of the said William Radburne the younger and the said Anne his wife and the longest liver of them, Then the premisses are declared to be in Trust and limitted with contingent Remainder over to the Severall uses therein mentioned, Amongst which It is therein and thereby limitted and Declared that for default of Issue male by the said William Radburne the younger on the body of the said Anne his wife then begotten or to be begotten, That all and Singuler the premisses with the Appurtenances mentioned in such Deeds of Settlement as aforesaid, Should be to and for the use and behoofe of all and every the Daughter and Daughters of the said William Radburne the younger on the body of the said Anne his then wife to be begotten and to the heires of the body and bodyes of such Daughter and Daughters lawfully Issuing As in and by the said recited or intended to be recited Deed o Settlement, relation being thereunto had, had your Orator and Oratrixes the same to produce, would more fully and at large Appeare, and your Orators and Oratrixes further shew That the daid William Radburne the Elder and Mary his wife, your Oratrixes said Grandfather and Grandmother are long since deceased, and alsoe that the said William Radburne the younger, your Oratrixes said father, about Seventeen yeares Since departed this life, leaveing Issue only your said Oratrixes Mary and Anne begotten by him on the body of the said Anne his wife, and your Oratrixes said father William Radburne the younger in his life tyme and at the tyme of his decease waspossessed of a very considerable personall Estate to the value of Five hundred pounds and upwards, All of which came to your Oratrixes said mother Ann's possession, and that she tooke and applyed the same yto her own proper use and benefitt, And that some short Space of Tyme after your said Oratrixes fathers decease she, the said Anne your Oratrixes said mother, Intermarryed with one Samuell Hall of Barby in the County of Northampton, yeoman, whereupon and by meanes of such marriage Hee, the said Samuell Hall, did not only possesse himselfe of the personall Estate which was your oratrixes said late Fathers, and Such part of the reall Estate, lands and tenements as were limitted to the aid Anne your Oratrixes said mother in Jointure, but alsoe of all the other the Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and premisses which were late the Estates of your Oratrixes said late Father, William Radburne the younger, being other than what were in Jointure as aforesaid, And All the rents, Issues and proffitts thereof Hee, the said Samuell Hall hath taken and Did take and receive from tyme to tyme and all tymes Since and from and after the decease of your oratrixes said father, or from and Since his, the said Samuell Halls, Intermarriage with your Oratrixes said mother, without giveing any manner of Account of or applying any part of the proffitts thereof to your oratrixes or to either of their uses, And your Oratrixes further shew That in or about the month of October which was in the yeare of our Lord one thousand Six hundred ninety nine, your oratrixes said mother Anne departed this life, whereby his, the said Samuell Halls, Interest in and Tytle to the saids Lands and premisses Soe in Jointure was determined as your Orators and Oratrixes are advised, NOTWITHSTANDING which hee the said Samuell Hall continued to take and receive the Rents, issues and proffitts of all and Singuler the premisses untill Lady day last past (Saturday, 25 March 1704), and applyed the same to his owne use and benefitt and refuses to account for or disburse any part thereof to your Orators and Oratrixes or to any or either of them, and your Orators further shew unto your Lordshipp that about Two years Since The said Samuell Hall proposed to your Orator Samuell Seckington the elder a marriage betweene your said Oratrix Mary and your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger, and gave your said Orator Samuell Seckington the Elder severall Assurances that your Oratrix Mary would have a considerable fortune of her owne which with what he would give her, she your said Oratrix Mary might be deserving your said Orator Samuell Seckington the younger, and very much pressed your said Orator Samuell Seckington the Elder to Informe your said Orator Samuell Seckington the younger of Such his proposalls, And that your Orators should consider of itt, The said Samuell Hall very well knowing that your Orators or one of them had a very considerable reall Estate And alsoe a personall Estate of a great Value and that your Orators had a very great business and Employment in their Trades and calling, And that your said Orator Samuell Seckington the younger was the only Issue male of the said Samuell Seckington the Elder, and that almost the whole Estate, both reall and personall, were intended and fully declared to become his, your said Orators Samuell Seckington the younger, whereupon your Orator Samuell Seckington the Elder informed your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger of the said Samuell Halls proposalls, and after some tyme spent in thoughts about them, your Orators tooke a Journey to the said Samuell Halls where your Oratrix Mary then Inhabited, and some little tyme after, your Orators and the said Samuell Hall came to a treaty about makeing up a Match between your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger and your Oratrix Mary, and after some tyme spent about itt and Severall repeated visitts had been made by both or one of your Orators, Att length it was agreed that your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger should Intermarry with your said Oratrix Mary, and the said Samuell Hall did promise that in Case Such intended intermarriage was had as aforesaid, He the said Samuell Hall would give your Orator samuell Seckington the younger the Summe of Five hundred pounds which, with your Oratrix Marys fortune besides, might neare amont to a fortune answerable to your Orators, Samuell Seckington the younger, his Estate and Circumstances, WHEREUPON, and for which reason chiefly, some little tyme afterwards your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger Intermarryed with your Oratrix Mary, But now see it is, MAY it please your LORDSHIPP, he the said amuell Hall, Combining and confederating with Severall persons unto your Orators and Oratrixes unknowne, which, when discovered, your Orators and Oratrixes pray may be made partyes hereto with apt words to charge them, does pretend and give out in Speeches that there never was any Such Settlement made of the Estates and premisses or any parts thereof as your Orators and Oratrixes have herein before sett forth, Or that in Case there was any Settlement made that the whole premisses therein mentioned was thereby Settled in Jointure to his said late wife Anne, your Oratrixes said mother, and insists that he is not accountable for any of the Rents, Issues and proffitts thereof which he had and received during her life, And as for the Rents and proffitts thereof which have come into his hands Since the death of his said late wife Ann they are noe more in Value then what in truth he Expended in sueing and prosecuting or defending Suites in Law, about and concerning the tytle of the premisses or some part thereof, AND that the personall Estate which was late your Oratrixes said Fathers and which came into the hands or into the possession of the said Samuell Hall, He the said Samuell Hall did lay out and disburse in Cloathes, education and other necessary expenses in bringing up your said Oratrixes, And as to the Five hundred pounds the said Samuell Hall promissed your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger in case he intermarryed with his now wife your Oratrix Mary, He the said Samuell Hall gives out in Speeches that he never made any such promise, oe in case he did promise he only meant and Intended to make your said Oratrixes Marys fortune amount to Five hundred pounds, WHEREAS in truth he promised absolutely, without mentioning anything relating to your Oratrixes Marys owne proper fortune, to give Five hundred pounds in marriage with her to your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger, AND your Orators and Oratrixes further shew that the above recited Deed of Settlement and all or the greatest part of all other the writeings, escripts and Muniments relateing to the tytle of the said premisses are in the Custody or possession of the said Samuell Hall, or in the hands of Some other persons in Trust for him, INSOMUCH that NOTWITHSTANDING your Orators and Oratrixes, or Some of them, have an undoubted right and tytle in and to the said premisses, Yet the said Samuell Hall refused to deliver them to your Orators and Oratrixes, All which actings and doings are against Equty and good conscience, IN TENDER CONSIDERATION whereof, and for as much as matters of this nature are properly Examinable and releivable in this Honourable Court, and your Orators and Oratrixes are without remedy by the course of the Common Law, their Witnesses being remote and Unknowne and many of the matters charged as aforesaid transacted in private, TO THE END therefore that the said Samuell Hall may upon his Oath, true, full, and perfect answer make, and in perticular may sett forth and discover what Deeds and writeing he or any person in trust for him, or by or with his privity or knowledge, hath or have in his or their hands or Custody relateing to or concerning all or any the premisses, and alsoe what personall estate the said Anne his late wife, your Oratrixes said mother, was possessed of att the tyme he intermarryed with her, which was heretofore the Estate of the said William Radburne the younger your Oratrixes said Father, which then or at any tyme before or Since came to his the said Samuell Halls hands or possession and of what the same in perticular consisted, and of what Value they really and bona fide were, and alsoe of what part or portion of the said lands and premisses he has had and enjoyed and the yearely Rents and Value thereof, and for how long tyme he has possessed and enjoyed the same or received the Rents and proffitts thereof, and how he applyed them, And alsoe whether your said Oratrixes Mary and Anne did not live with him as Servants and really and bona fide Earned and deserved all Such necessaryes as he allowed and expended on them in their Maintenance and Education, and whether he the said Samuell Hall did not promise your Orators, in case your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger would Intermarry with your Oratrix Mary, that he would give him the Summe of Five hundred pounds for and towards your Oratrixes Maryes marriage portion, And alsoe that the said Samuell Hall may discover, Sett forth, and give a Just and true Account of what Summe or Summes of Money he hath att any tyme or tymes expended, disbursed or laid out in prosecuting or defending any Law Suites and what Law Suites for, about, or concerning the premisses and which or what part or parts thereof, and when the same was contested and upon what account and for what reasons, And that the said Samuell Hall by the decree of the Honourable Court may be compelled to deliver or cause to be Delivered the said recited Deed of Settlement and all other the writeings which in any wise relate to the said premisses or any part thereof which he hath in his owne custody or possession, or that are in the custody or possession of any other person In trust for him or by his Delivery, privity or knowledge, to your Orators and Oratrixes, And that the said samuell Hall may be Decreed to come to a Just and fair Account with your Orators and Oratrixes for all the personall Estate late of William Radburne the younger that come to his hands, and to pay and deliver or otherwise make Satisfaction for the Same to your Orators and Oratrixes and alsoe of all and every such Summe and Summes of money, Rents, issues and proffitts of the said Estate and premisses, or Soe much thereof as in right and Justice he ought to doe that he att any tyme or tymes hath received, ariseing out of the premisses or that came into his possession, and to pay and deliver the same or to make Some Sufficient Satisfaction therefore to your Orators and Oratrixes, And alsoe to pay and Satisfye to your Orator Samuell Seckington the younger the Summe of Five hundred pounds soe by him promised as part of the marriage portion as aforesaid, And your Orators and Oratrixes be releived in all and Singuler the premisses according to Equity and good Conscience, May it please your Lordshipp to grant unto your Orators and Oratrixes her Matjesty's most gracious writt of Subpena, directed to him the said Samuell Hall, thereby commanding him at a certain day therein limitted and expressed, pesonally to be and appeare before your Lordshipp in the high and Honourable Court of Chancery, and then and there upon his Oath to make answer unto all and Singuler the premisses aforesaid, and to Stand to and abide and order therein as to your Lordshipp shall seeme meet, And your Orators and Oratrixes shall ever pray, etc..."
Lower left-hand corner: "William Field"

Lower right-hand corner: "Thomas Hiccocke"