Cover Image: Last Will and Testament – Feb 1640/41 (proved 7 Mar 1640/41)
Formal Transcription (Early Modern English)
On or about the beginning of the month of February Anno Domini 1640 Nehemiah Babb of Greatberkhampstead in the County of Herts[fordshire] – Clothworker being sick in body but of great mind & memorie for disposing of his worldly goods did desire that Mary his wife should have the enjoying and disposeige of them all at her owne will pleasure only he desires his brother William Babb should have five pounds thereof and after his decease
In witnes whereof we have hereunto the ascribed our names the seventh day of March Anno Praedicto [the year aforementioned]
Clerk John Fletcher
Maria [possibly Martha] (her mark) J Burton
Saunders widow
Modern English Translation
Around the beginning of February 1640, Nehemiah Babb of Great Berkhamsted in the County of Hertfordshire, a clothworker, being sick in body but of sound mind and memory, desired that his wife Mary should have the enjoyment and disposal of all his worldly goods at her own will and pleasure. He only desired that his brother William Babb should receive five pounds from his estate after his death.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names on the seventh day of March in the aforementioned year.
Clerk John Fletcher
Maria [possibly Martha] (her mark) J Burton
Saunders widow
Glossary of Terms
Anno Domini Latin for “In the year of our Lord”, used to denote years after the birth of Jesus Christ.
Greatberkhampstead An old spelling of Great Berkhamsted, a town in Hertfordshire, England. In the 21st Century
Clothworker A person who works with cloth, such as a weaver or tailor.
Disposeige An archaic form of “disposal”.
Praedicto Latin for “aforementioned”.
Place Name Analysis
– Greatberkhampstead: This is an old spelling of Great Berkhamsted, a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England. In the 21st Century this town is referred to as Berkhamsted.
Nehemiah Babb, summary of the burial and the formal grant of administration (8 Mar 1640/1
Formal Transcription (Early Modern English)
Octavo die mensis Martii Anno Domini 1640
On the eighth day of the month of March in the year of our Lord 1640, in the parish of Great Berkhampstead in the County of Hertfordshire, appeared Jacob Barker, surrogate, and in the presence of Thomas Morison and others of the parish, the body of Nehemiah Babb, deceased, was buried.
The said Mary Babb, widow and relict of the deceased, was granted administration of all and singular the goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased, faithfully to administer the same and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof.
Witnesses to the declaration were Martha Burton and Saunders, both widows, of Redbourn.
The bond was entered in the sum of £30.
Modern English Translation
On the eighth day of March in the year of our Lord 1640, in the parish of Great Berkhampstead in the County of Hertfordshire, Jacob Barker, surrogate, appeared, and in the presence of Thomas Morison and others of the parish, the body of Nehemiah Babb, deceased, was buried.
Mary Babb, widow and relict of the deceased, was granted administration of all the goods, chattels, and credits of the deceased, to faithfully administer the same and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof.
Witnesses to the declaration were Martha Burton and Saunders, both widows, of Redbourn.
The bond was entered in the sum of £30.
Glossary of Terms
Octavo die mensis Martii Latin for “On the eighth day of the month of March”.
Anno Domini Latin for “In the year of our Lord”.
Surrogate A judicial officer who has authority to grant probate and administration of estates.
Relict A widow; the surviving spouse of the deceased.
Goods, chattels, and credits Legal terms referring to the personal property and financial assets of the deceased.
Faithfully administer To manage and distribute the estate according to the law and the will of the deceased.
Exhibit a true and perfect inventory To present a complete and accurate list of the deceased’s assets.
Bond A legal agreement to ensure the faithful performance of duties, often involving a financial guarantee.
Place Name Analysis
– Great Berkhampstead: Modern-day Berkhamsted, a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England.
– Redbourn: A village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.
Nehemiah Babb – Estate Records – Bond (Sept 1641)
Formal Transcription (Early Modern English)
Octavo die mensis Martii Anno Domini 1640
On the eighth day of the month of March in the year of our Lord 1640, in the parish of Great Berkhampstead in the County of Hertfordshire, appeared Jacob Barker, surrogate, and in the presence of Thomas Morison and others of the parish, the body of Nehemiah Babb, deceased, was buried.
The said Mary Babb, widow and relict of the deceased, was granted administration of all and singular the goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased, faithfully to administer the same and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof.
Witnesses to the declaration were Martha Burton and Saunders, both widows, of Redbourn.
The bond was entered in the sum of £30.
Modern English Translation
On the eighth day of March in the year of our Lord 1640, in the parish of Great Berkhampstead in the County of Hertfordshire, Jacob Barker, surrogate, appeared, and in the presence of Thomas Morison and others of the parish, the body of Nehemiah Babb, deceased, was buried.
Mary Babb, widow and relict of the deceased, was granted administration of all the goods, chattels, and credits of the deceased, faithfully to administer the same and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory thereof.
Witnesses to the declaration were Martha Burton and Saunders, both widows, of Redbourn.
The bond was entered in the sum of £30.
Glossary of Terms
Octavo die mensis Martii Latin for On the eighth day of the month of March.
Anno Domini Latin for In the year of our Lord.
Surrogate A judicial officer who oversees the administration of estates.
Relict Widow or widower.
Administration The management and settlement of the estate of a deceased person.
Goods, chattels, and credits Personal property and financial assets.
Exhibit To present or submit formally.
Inventory A detailed list of items.
Bond A formal written agreement to perform certain duties, often involving a financial guarantee.
Place Name Analysis
– Great Berkhampstead: Modern-day Berkhamsted, a town in Hertfordshire.
– Redbourn: A village in Hertfordshire.
Inventory of Nehemiah Babb’s Estate
This document is incredibly hard to read, but it starts with a list of debts and then of his assets. In the end, his estate was worth £69 19s 4d in 1640 would be worth roughly £10,000 to £11,000 in 2025. While the sum seems modest in today’s money, it was a bloody fortune at the time. Only the Canterbury Court could handle estates over £5. They were the most important court in the land and any estate of this size was quite significant!
Two other important notes are that Nehemiah is called out as the owner of the inventory at the top of the document and that Maria (Latin for Mary) is noted at the bottom in her official capacity at the Executrix.
Citation:
“Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England records,” images, FamilySearch (https:// http://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSNL-CS33-Q?view=fullText : Jun 6, 2025), image 339 of 607; Church of England. Archdeaconry of Huntingdon. Hitchin Division. Court.
Image Group Number: 008084775
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSNL-CS33-Q?view=fullText
The Tree
Nehemiah can be found in the Hertfordshire Pedigree (Berkhamsted 1546) which is included on this post. He is on the 4th page and is the 8th child of William Babb (#4 in the report). Note that this link is not to his brother William, but to his nephew William Babbe the son of his brother Thomas.
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