Will of Ann Griffin (nee Gyles), 1727 (proved 1732)

National Archives PROB 11/654/152

In the Name of God Amen I Ann Griffin of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Widow being something Indisposed in body but of sound and perfect Mind and Memory praised be Almighty God therefore and considering the certainty of death and the uncertain time thereof do this thirty first day of May Anno D(o)m(in)i 1727 make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following that is to say First and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Maker and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buryed at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and as for such temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I give will devise and bequeath all and every my Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever which are in in the Tenure or occupation of one Henry Moore and which are stituate lyeing and being in the parish of Hurst in the Countys of Wiltes and Berks or one of them and the Appurtenances belonging to the same unto Nathaniel Griffin my Son and his Heirs for ever paying thereout unto his Brothers and Sister such Money as Benjamin Griffin my late Husband did by his last Will and Testament direct and appoint should be paid unto them out of the said premisses and also one shilling more unto each of them Item I give will devise and bequeath unto Martha Norman my Sister my velvet backt Scarfe to be delivered unto her by my Executor immediately after my death Item I give . . . unto Ann Gyles my Sister in Law the Wife of my Brother Joseph Gyles my blew and white Calimancoe Gowne and Pettycoat to be delivered unto her immediately after my death by my Executor herein after named Item I give . . . unto my kinswoman Elizabeth Gyles Daughter of the said Joseph Gyles my Brother my Suit of pinners which I brought with me from Dunstable to be delivered unto her immediately after my death by my Executor herein after named Item I give . . . All the Rest of my Goods Chattles and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said Nathaniel Griffin my Son and I do hereby make ordain and appoint the said Nathaniel Griffin my Son full and sole executor of this my last Will and Testament And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me before made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day and year first above written

Ann Griffin [signature] Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Witnesses in the presence of the Testatrix William Gyles Sarah Gyles Jane Andrews

            April ye 6 1731
It is my Will and Desire that if Ann Gyles doth not pay the forty Shillings borrowed of me then my desire is that my Executor should not give those things within mentioned in this my Will to Ann Gyles and Elizabeth Gyles her Daughter Witness my hand Ann Griffen [signature] Witness John Hicks Elizabeth Hicks Ann Coon

Probate at London with codicil annexed 19th October 1732 on the oath of Nathaniel Griffin sole executor.


Notes

Ann was the daughter of William and Mary Gyles the Baptists. See Gyles Family page. She married Benjamin Griffin, Baptist of Wokingham, before 1683, and they had at least 8 children. He died in 1703. She was living in Winslow by 1723. Presumably she came back with her youngest son Nathaniel to join in the family business, as he was described as mercer of Winslow in 1725. Unlike her siblings she didn't have any property in Winslow.

According to a Chancery case (National Archives, C 11/1779/29), by indenture of 13 May 1719 she gave to her daughter Mary and Mary's second husband Richard Palmer two houses in Wokingham and a new house which Anne had erected there. By an agreement of 23 Jan 1721/2, Anne was to hold property in Wokingham for three years from the following Lady Day, paying rent to her son Nathaniel to whom it had been left under her husband's will.

Copyright 2 May, 2018