In her 1736 Staffordshire will, a woman named Mary Simpson named her grandson (John Bourne) executor. Bourne requested a proxy (George Hand), and in the proxy request, officials referred to Simpson as a spinster. See image below, in which "spinster" was inserted after another word (possibly "widow") was erased. Nowhere in the will does Simpson refer to her daughter (Bourne's mother) as a "natural" daughter, which was the standard form for referring to children born out of wedlock. Nor does she refer to a husband. I am curious to hear how others might interpret this.
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tepary66
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Do you have baptism records for Mary Simpson, John Bourne and his mother, that you can include details of in your question? I think they may help to put this letter in context. – PolyGeo Mar 04 '17 at 07:22
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Unfortunately, this will is the only document I have that shines light on these relationships. – tepary66 Mar 04 '17 at 18:36
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Perhaps "natural daughter" was not used (so consistently, at least) for the relationship to the mother (rather than to the father); parenthood and inheritance was more at issue with the father. Another possibility is that Mary was divorced from the father, and thereby had regained the status of spinster. – RobertShaw Mar 05 '17 at 23:13
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Thank you, RobertShaw. Those in fact were the two options that came to my mind, and I had wondered in particular about the second option because I have not yet come across a clear case of divorce, in this part of the world at least. – tepary66 Mar 06 '17 at 18:58
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The OED (physical edition) has an exampe of the use of spinster from 1564: "Joan Lambe, widow of London, spynster" so perhaps it was still being used in some circels for an unmarried widow in 1736? – Apr 10 '17 at 14:56
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Also, could she have been a spinster by occupation? – Apr 10 '17 at 15:12
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Thank you very much for this. These are both excellent suggestions! – tepary66 Apr 12 '17 at 13:34
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By law an illegitimate child could not inherit from the father. If a father wanted to provide for his natural child he had to make a gift in his lifetime or include the child in his will. In either case, the modifier "natural" could be added to distinguish between that child and any born in wedlock.
In the case of the mother, such a distinction was unnecessary. Any child could inherit from the mother, regardless of legitimacy. A will would be needed only if she intended to direct specific legacies to persons who could not be considered heirs, or to avoid any controversy among heirs.
Can you post the entire will as an attachment?
"SPINSTER, a Title usually given to all unmarried Women from the Viscount's Daughter downward in all Deeds, Bonds, &c. Spinning being figuratively taken for all sorts of Work that Maids or unmarried Women are supposed to be employ's in." The New World of Words: or, Universal English Dictionary, compiled by Edward Phillips, Gent., 7th ed., London: Printed for Philips at the King-i Arms in S. Paul's-church Yard, M DCC XX.
stemmatis
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As commented by @user104:
The OED (physical edition) has an exampe of the use of spinster from 1564: "Joan Lambe, widow of London, spynster" so perhaps it was still being used in some circels for an unmarried widow in 1736
PolyGeo
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