Will of Elizabeth Clark, widow, 1821 (proved 1826)
Herts RO 262AW1
This is the last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth Clark of Winslow in the County of Bucks Widow First I give and bequeath unto my Grandchildren John Townsend Edward Townsend Richard Townsend Thomas Townsend Ann Townsend Jane Townsend and Sarah Townsend the Children of my Daughter Elizabeth Townsend of Atterbury in the County of Oxford Widow the Legacy or Sum of Ten Pounds each which I direct to be paid to them respectively within one Month next after my decease And I do direct that the Receipt or Receipts of such of my said Grandchildren as shall at the time of my decease be under the age of twenty one years shall notwithstanding such his her or their Minority or Minorities be good and sufficient Discharge or Discharges to my Executors hereinafter named for the said Legacy or Legacies so by me herein before given and bequeathed to them respectively Also I give and bequeath unto Thomas Dunston of Old Street Saint Lukes in the County of Middlesex Gentleman and Charles Willis of Winslow aforesaid Gentleman the Sum of Four hundred and twenty six Pounds Stock in the Five Pounds per Cent Bank Annuities and all and every or any other Sum or Sums of Money Stock or Fund which at the time of my decease shall stand in my name in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England or be due to me Upon Trust that they the said Thomas Dunston and Charles Willis or the Survivor or them his Executors or Administrators Do and shall continue the said principal Sum of Four hundred and twenty six Pounds upon such Security or Securities on which the same shall at the time of my decease be placed out at Interest And pay and apply the yearly Sum of Twenty Pounds and sixteen shillings part of the Interest Dividends and Produce thereof to and for the use and benefit of my said Daughter Elizabeth Townsend in manner following (that is to say) the Sum of eight shillings weekly and every Week during the Term of her natural life the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the first Monday after the first half yearly day on which the said Interest Dividends and Produce shall become due and payable after my decease And from and immediately after the decease of my said Daughter Elizabeth
[signed] Elizabeth Clark
[p.2] Townsend Upon Trust that they the said Thomas Dunston and Charles Willis or the Survivor of them his Executors or Administrators Do call in and receive the said principal Sum of Four hundred and twenty six Pounds with such Interest as shall then be due thereon and unapplied and pay and divide the same unto and among my said seven Grandchildren John Townsend Edward Townsend Richard Townsend Thomas Townsend Ann Townsend Jane Townsend and Sarah Townsend equally share and share alike to such of them as shall then have attained the age of twenty one years within six calendar Months next after the decease of my said Daughter Elizabeth Townsend and unto such of them as shall not then have attained the age of twenty one years when and so soon as they shall respectively attain thereunto With benefit of Survivorship amongst them as to the share or shares of any or either of my said Grandchildren who shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years and without Issue And as to all the rest and residue of my personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever (not hereinbefore by me specifically disposed of) I give and bequeath the same and every part thereof and all my Estate and Interest therein and thereto unto my said Daughter Elizabeth Townsend To hold the same and every part thereof unto my said Daughter Elizabeth Townsend her Executors Administrators and Assigns absolutely Subject nevertheless to the payment of all such Debts as I shall justly owe at the time of my decease my funeral and testamentary Expences and the Legacy Duty to become due and payable in respect of the Interest Dividends and Produce of the said principal Sum of Four hundred and twenty six Pounds hereinbefore mentioned and by me given and bequeathed to her during her life as aforesaid And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Thomas Dunston and Charles Willis joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament And my mind and will also is and I do hereby direct that my said Executors and Trustees shall be each of them answerable for his own Acts and Deeds only and not the one of them for the other of them And that they or either of them
[signed] Elizabeth Clark
[p.3] shall not be answerable for any more Monies than shall be naturally allowed [?] by them or come to their Hands respectively nor for any less or reduction therein without their or one of their wilful neglect or default And also that they shall retain all their Costs Damages and Expences in the Trusts or Executorship of this my Will out of the Estates and Effects in them respectively vested by virtue thereof or out of the Monies arising therefrom In Witness whereof I the said Elizabeth Clark the Testatrix have to the two first Sheets of this my last Will and Testament contained on three Sheets of Paper set my hand only and to this third and last Sheet thereof my hand and seal this twenty second day of February in the year of our Lord Christ One thousand and eight hundred and twenty one.
[signed] Elizabeth Clark
Signed Sealed Published and Declared
by the said Elizabeth Clark the Testatrix
as and for her last Will and Testament
in the presence of us who in her presence at
her request and in the presence of each other
have hereunto subscribed our names as
Witnesses thereto
Dav(id) Tho(mas) Willis
Dav(id) Norris
Archdeaconry of Saint Alban The 18th day of Nov(ember) 1826
Charles Willis one of the Executors in this Will named was duly sworn as such And that the personal Estate of the Testatrix doth no account in the whole to the sum of six hundred pounds to the best of his knowledge and belief Before me Jas Preedy Surrogate
Notes
Elizabeth Clark was buried at Winslow in 1826, aged 75. She doesn't seem to have been married at Winslow, and neither does her daughter. She lived in the household of Edmund Cox and received an annuity under his will (proved 1820) where she is described at the widow of Matthew Clarke. Thomas Dunston was also his executor. She then lived in Horn Street in a house called the Pent House (site of 14/16).
Eliza Townsend aged c.70 and her daughter Sarah aged c.30 are recorded at Atterbury in the 1841 Census. The death of Elizabeth Townsend aged 78 was registered in 1848 in the Banbury district.