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Note: James Dakes (Dykes) paid taxes on Hignalls [Hignott] Choice from 1755-1774.
James Dakes was the executor of the will of his mother, Sarah Bounds Dakes Gunby.
According to an inventory of the estate of Daniel Dakes of Worcester County, 30 January 1761, James Daks and Daniel Dicks were nearest of kin; Sarah Dickes was executor (Ann Inv. 73:229). He reportedly left tracts of "Hignetts Choice" and "Whitely Rectified" or "Beckfield" (called "Fair Meadow") and "Golden Lyon."
Will of James Dakes(Dykes) - 1791
I James Dyckes of Somerset County, being sick and weak of body, but of Sound and disposing Mind, Memory - and Understanding, and Calling to mind the certainty of Death, and the Uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to Settle my worldly affairs, and thereby be the Better prepaired to Die and Leave this World of Woe whensoever it shall please God to call me Do Make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and form following: that is to say, first and principally I commit my soul to God and my Body to the Earth to be Decently Buried at the discretion of my Executor Herein after mentioned and as Touching my Worldly Estate I Dispose of the same in the following Manner:
Item I give and Bequeath unto my son Jesse Dyckes, during his Natural Life, one hundred and sixty five Acres and one half Acre of Land be the same more or less which lyeth on the South Side of the following Divisional Line to Witt. Beginning at a state set up near the North Side of the County Road, that leads from Rehoboath Town to Merumsco Branch Near to which state, there stands a Marked pine, and running from the said state Westerly, by a line of Marked trees, Two hundred and forty Seven pearches to a Marked pine, standing on the East side of Merumsco Creek this day Marked by my sons Jessee and Daniel and Stephen, and Surveyed by Samuel Smith and after the Death of my son Jesse Dyckes, my Will and Desire is that the said one hundred and sixty five acres shall be Equally Divided between my son Stephen Dyckes, and my Grandson James Dyckes (son of Jessee) and the lawful begotten Male heirs of their bodies for ever. But, if my son Stephen Dyckes should die without a Male heir lawfully Begotten as aforesaid, then my Will and Desire is that the part before mentioned to him, shall be the Estate and Right of my son Daniel Dyckes, his heirs, and assigns for ever --- and if my Grandson Jesse Dyckes Should Dye without male heir lawfully begotten of his Body, then my Will and Desire is that the part of my Lands above mentioned to him, shall be equally divided between my Two sons Daniel Dyckes and Stephen Dyckes, to be holden in equal shares by them and their heirs and assigns for ever.
Item I give and Bequeath unto my son Daniel Dyckes all that part of my Land that Lyeth on the North Side of the aforesaid Divisional Line being part of a Tract of Land called Hignetts Choice, containing eighty two acres and three quarters of an acre of Land, be the same more or less to him and his heirs and assigns for ever.
Item I give unto my son Stephen Dykes my Bay mair, saddle and Bridle, also one of my best Feather Beds and Furniture also my Best Rugg and one Middle Sized Pewter Dish and three Pewter plates and one Newest Pewter Bason,
Item I give unto my Grand Daughter Jemima Broughton, one Cow and Calf.
Item My Will and desire is that after the aforesaid Legacies and all my just Debts are paid that all the Remainder of my Estate shall be equally divided amongst my four Children, Jesse Dyckes, Daniel Dyckes, Stephen Dyckes, and Sabra Sturges in Equal Shares.
Lastly, I do hereby Nominate and Constitute, and Appoint my son Jesse Dyckes, whole and sole executor of this my Last will and Testament; disannulling and making void all other will or Wills by me heretofore made: Ratifying and Confirming this, and no other to be my Last Will and testament. In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this sixteenth day of March in the year of our Lord God Seventeen hundred and Ninety one
Signed, Sealed Published and Declared
by the said James Dyckes to be his last Will his
and Testament In presence of us who at James Dyckes {seal}
his request and in his presence subscribed mark
our names as evidences thereto in the
presents of Each other
Samuel Smith
Stephen Marshall
Thomas Marshall
December the 6th day 1791 then Came Jesse Dyckes and made oath upon the holy Evangels of Almighty God that the within instrument of writing is the true and whole last will and Testament of James Dykes late of Somerset County deceased that hath come to his possession or knowledge and that he doth not know of any other.
Before Esme Bayly Reg December the 6th day 1791 Then came Samuel Smith and Thomas Marshall two of the subscribing witnesses to the within last will and Testament of James Dyckes late deceased and made oath upon the holy Evangels of Almighty God that they saw the Testator within named sign and seal this will, and that they heard him publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and Testament and that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehensions of sound disposing mind memory and understanding and they ******* subscribed their names as witnesses to the same in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other. And they further depose that they saw Stephen Marshall subscribe his name as a witness to this will in the presence and at the request of the Testator.
Before Esme Bayly Reg WSC
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