Another contribution was recorded the same year, with James making a contribution of £5, and George making a contribution of just over £4.

In the name of God Amen the five and twentieth day of March Anno Dei 1650 I James Francklin the elder of Haddenham in the County of Bucks yeoman being of body ill and weake but of good and perfect minde and memory thanks be given to Almighty God therefore doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following revokeing and making voyd all other wills and testaments whatsoever. Imprimis I doe give and bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my maker and to Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer by whose mercy and merritts I doe hope to have everlasting life and my body to buried in church chancel or church yard of Haddenham aforesaid or else where at the discretion of my executors hereafter mentioned. And as touching all my worldly goods I doe give and bequeath viz. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Joseph Francklin my sonn all those my two meads in the parish or liberties of Thame in the County of Oxon to have and to hold the said two meads of meadowe ground to my said sonne Joseph Francklin his heires and assignes for ever provided always and my will and meaning is, that if Edward Francklin my eldest sonne and heire apparent his heires executors administrators or assignes or any of them doe and shall pay or cause to be well and truly contented satisfied and paid unto my said sonn Joseph Francklin his heires executors administrators or assignes or any of them the full sume of one hundred pounds of good and lawfull mony of England within one whole yeare next after my decease that then this my guift of my said two meads to my said sonne Joseph Francklin shalbe utterly voyd and of none effect. And all those my two meads shalbe  and remaine to my said sonne Edward Francklin his heires and assignes forever if the said hundred pounds be paid according to the true meaning of this my present will. Item I doe give and bequeath unto James Francklin my sonne all that my messuage or tenement called Thurlestone with the howses orchard garden yards and backsides and the little close and all those tenn acres of aruable land and three roods of meadow ground lyeing and being in Stansome meade which I lastly purchased of George Hollyman of the parish of Okly in the County of Bucks yeoman, and also all that my close of pasture ground adjoining to the said close of pasture ground afore mentioned and also all those six acres more or lesse that I purchased of Thomas Heyborne of Almer together with the commodities hereditaments and appurtenances to the use and behoofe of my said sonne James Francklin his heires and assignes to the sole only proper use and behoofe of my said sonne James Francklin his heires and assignes forever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Richard Francklin my sonne all those fower acres of arable land more or lesse which I purchased of Richard Bramgrin of Haddenham aforesaid gent to the use of my said sonne Richard Francklin his heires and assignes to the sole only proper use and behoofe of my said sonne Richard Francklin his heires and assignes for ever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Susan Flight my daughter five pounds of good and lawfull mony of England to be paid unto her within one yeare next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto Alice Francklin my daughter threescore pounds of good and lawfull mony of England to be paid unto her when shee shall accomplish the full age of one and twenty years or a or upon her day of marriage which shall first happen the mony to be paid at or in my dwelling howse scituate and being in Haddenham aforesaid. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Dorothy Francklin my daughter threescore pounds of good and lawfull mony of England to be paid unto her when shee shall accomplish the full age of one and twenty years or at or upon her day of marriage which shall first happen the mony to be paid at or in the now dwelling howse of me the testator scituate in Haddenham aforesaid. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Mary Francklin my daughter thrscore pounds of good and lawfull mony of England to be paid unto her when shee shall accomplish the full age of one and twenty years or at or upon her day of marriage which shall first happen the mony to be paid at my dwelling howse aforesaid. Item I doe give unto my said daughter Susan’s two children twenty shillings a peece. Item I doe give and bequeath unto the poore people of Haddenham aforesaid aforesaid forty shillings of good and lawfull mony. Item I doe give and beqeath unto my two executors Susan my now wife and Edward Francklin my sonne all the debt due or to be due from John Very of Duddington in the County of Bucks yeoman to me the testator upon a mortgage or if default be made of non payment of the said mony due or to be due upon the same mortgage. That then my will incomeing is and I doe give and bequeath all the close or closes mortgaged and other the premisses to my said wife Susan and Edward Francklin my sonne and their heires and assignes for ever either mony or land equally to be devided betwixt them. Item all the rest of my goods cattell and chattels yest unbequeathed my debts being paid my legacies and funerals discharged and this my present will performed I doe give and bequeath unto Susan Francklin my now wife and Edward Francklin my sonne and doe herby make and ordaine them to be my full and whole executors of this my last will and testament. In wittnes whereof I the said James Francklin the elder the testator have hereunto setto my hand and seale dated the day and yeare first above written James Francklin his Marke. Sealed acknowledged and delivered in the presence of us Edward Rose senr George Francklin John Clarke senr



Susan died as a widow and was buried 2 February 1675 in Haddenham. She left a will dated 1 May 1672:


In the name of God Amen the ffirst day of May in the ffower and twentieth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles the second by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland king defender of the faith Anno Dmi 1672 I Susanna Francklin of Haddenham in the Countie of Bucks widow being weake in body but of sound and perfect memory thanks be to Almighty God for the same doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following ffirst I commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God hoping that I shall receive free pardon for all my sinnes and be saved by the pretious death and merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redemer And my body to the earth from whence it was taken be buryed in such decent and Christian manner as my executors hereafter named shall be thought meete and convenient And as for my worldly estate as the Lord in mercy hath lent mee I give and dispose in manner and forme following Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Alice Salter twenty pownds of lawfull current of England to be paid by my executors within one whole yeare next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Cox twenty pownds of lawfull current money of England to be paid unto her within one whole yeare next after my decease by my executors hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath unto my grandchild James Francklin sonn of Edward Francklin my sonn deceased ten pownds of lawfull current money of England to be paid unto him by my executors hereafter named within one whole yeare next after my decease. Item I give unto my sonn James Francklin ffyve pownds of lawfull current money of England to be paid unto him by my executors hereafter named within one whole yeare next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my sonn Richard Francklin ffyve pownds to be paid unto him by my executors hereafter named within one whole yeare next after my decease. All the rest of my goods and chattels whatsoever unbequathed I give and bequeath unto my sonn James Francklin and my sonn in law Richard Cox whom I doe ordeine and make my sole executors of this my last will and testament they paying my debts and my ffunerall discharged. Item my will and meaning is that whereas my moneyes is the greatest part in other persons hands if any should be left as my executors could not recover it by law then my will and meaning is that every person whom I have given and bequeathed a legacy unto shall abate out of theire legacy proportonably. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written. The mark of Susanna Francklin. The marke of James Guttridg Edmund Friday./





James and Susan had the following children:


1. Edward, occupation - yeoman; died, leaving a will in 1667.


*2. Susan, christened June 1622 in Haddenham; married John Flight.


3. Joseph


4. James, christened 30 January 1624 in Haddenham; married Dorothy.


5. Richard, married Mary; occupation - shepherd; buried 3 May 1677 in Haddenham.


6. Alice, married Mr. Salter.


7. Dorothy, christened 1 July 1632 in Haddenham; died unmarried in about 1669 of Nethercote in Lewknor, leaving a will which mentioned her mother Susan Franklin, brothers Richard and James Franklin, sisters Alse Salter and Mary Coxx, brother-in-law John Flight and his children Ann, John, William, James and Grace Flight, kinsman James Franklin. She left bequests to the poor of "Lucknor and Nethercourt" and "Hadenham".


8. Mary, married Richard Cox.



SOURCES: Will of James Francklin of Haddenham, 1650, Prerogative Court of Canterbury; will of Susannah Francklin of Haddenham, 1672, Prerogative Court of Canterbury; will of Dorothy Franklin of Lewknor, 1669; Haddenham parish register; www.findmypast.com.


EARLIER FRANCKLINS IN HADDENHAM:

Wills are indicated in the Buckinghamshire Will Index for:

• Edward Franklin, yeoman of Haddenham, 1596 - mentions wife Dorothy, daughters Dorothy, Alice and Marrion, Edward Franklin son of his brother Richard Franklin, and Thomas Franklin, son of his brother William Franklin.
  
• Dorothy Francklyne, widow of Haddenham, 1606- widow of Edward. Her will mentions daughter Marryan Fitche, wife of Leonard Fitche, and daughter Dorothy Firsley, wife of Thomas Firsley.
  
• Joan Francklyne, widow of Haddenham, 1602
• Katherine Frankline, widow of Haddenham, 1613
• George Franklin, yeoman of Haddenham, 1646  - possible brother for James. James was a witness on George's will. George's will mentions wife Margery, sons Thomas, John, Daniell and William, daughters Agnes and Alice.