the "southcottian" movement did not end with her death in 1814. her followers are said to have numbered over 100,000, but had declined greatly by the end of the 19th century. in 1844 a lady named ann essam left large sums of money for "printing, publishing and propagation of the sacred writings of joanna southcott". the will was disputed in 1861 by her niece on grounds including that the writings were blasphemous and that the bequest was contrary to the statutes of mortmain: the court of chancery refused to find the writings blasphemous but held the bequest was contrary to the statute of mortmain and therefore void.