Will of Hannah Martha Jones, spinster, 1832 (proved 1833)
Herts RO 269AW4
Most of the repetitive and legalistic clauses have been omitted
This is the last Will and Testament of me Anna Martha Jones otherwise called Hannah Martha Jones of Winslow in the County of Bucks Spinster First I give and bequeath unto my Mother Elizabeth Jones and my Brother Edward Williatt Jones the Legacy or sum of one hundred pounds each of lawful British money and unto my Sisters Mary Ann Jones and Sarah Jones the Legacy or Sum of fifty pounds each of like lawful money to be paid to them ... within six Calendar months next after my decease And I direct that the receipt in writing of my said Brother Edward Williatt Jones for the said Legacy hereinbefore given and bequeathed to him shall notwithstanding his Minority be a sufficient discharge for the same to my Executors hereinafter named Also I give and bequeath unto my Nieces Elizabeth Ann Jones and Nancy Morecraft Jones the daughters of my Brother George Jones the younger the Legacy or sum of ten pounds each of lawful money aforesaid to be paid to them respectively on their attaining the age of twenty one years With benefit of survivorship between them in the event of either of them dying under that age and without issue And in the mean time ... I direct my Executors hereinafter named to place and continue their said Legacies in some bank for Savings and permit the same to accumulate for the benefit of my said Nieces ... Also I give and bequeath unto my Brother Robert Williatt Jones the Legacy or sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money aforesaid to be paid to him when he shall attain the age of twenty one years ... and that the interest thereof may be applied for the benefit of my said Brother Robert Williatt Jones as my said Executors ... may think proper And in case my said Brother Robert Williatt Jones shall depart this life under the age of twenty one years Then I direct my said Executors ... to pay apply and dispose of the said last mentioned Legacy or sum of one hundred pounds and all accumulations thereof to and among such
[signed] Hannah Martha Jones
[p.2] person or persons in such parts shares and proportions at such times and in such manner and form as the said Robert Williatt Jones notwithstanding his minority by any deed or deeds instrument or instruments in writing with or without power of revocation to be sealed and delivered by him in the presence of and attested by two or more credible witnesses or by his last Will and Testament in Writing or any writing in the nature of or purporting to be his last will and testament or any Codicil or Codicils thereto to be signed and published by him in the presence of and attested by the like number of credible witnesses shall from time to time direct limit or appoint or give or bequeath the same And for want or in default of such direction ... then ... I give and bequeath the said last mentioned Legacy or sum of one hundred pounds ... to my said Brother Edward Williatt Jones ... But in case the said Edward Williatt Jones shall die in the lifetime of my said Brother Robert Williatt Jones then ... unto my said Sisters Mary Ann Jones and Sarah Jones equally to be divided ... Also I give and bequeath unto Richard Staniford of Winslow aforesaid Brickmaker and David Thomas Willis of the same place Gentleman (my Executors hereinafter named) the Legacy or sum of one hundred pounds of lawful money aforesaid Upon trust that they ... do and shall in the mean time until my Nephew and Nieces George Emerton Mary Emerton and Elizabeth Emerton (the Children of Edward Emerton and his late Wife Elizabeth Emerton my Sister deceased) shall arrive at a proper age to be sent to boarding School place and continue the said last mentioned legacy or sum of one hundred pounds at interest ...
[p.3] And do and shall pay the interest thereof in the mean time to Ann Lamburn the Housekeeper of my Brother in Law the said Edward Emerton (if she shall so long continue in that situation) as part of her wages in consideration of her kind treatment towards the said children And do and shall if the said Ann Lamburn shall die or leave her said situation before the said children shall arrive at a proper age to be sent to boarding school apply such interest for the benefit of the said Children ... And do and shall when and so soon as the said George Emerton shall arrive at a proper age for that purpose apply a sufficient part of the said last mentioned sum of one hundred pounds in paying the Expences of the said George Emerton being educated and supported for one year at some good and respectable boarding school And do and shall apply the residue of the ... one hundred pounds in paying the Expences of my said Nieces ... being educated and supported at some good and respectable boarding School when they shall arrive at a proper age for that purpose ... Also I give and bequeath unto the said Richard Staniford and David Thomas Willis the further legacy or sum of one hundred pounds ... Upon trust that they ... do and shall in the mean time from and after my decease during the respective minorities of my said Nephew and Nieces ... put [it] ... at interest ... And permit and suffer the interest ... to accumulate
[p.4] And as ... my said Nephew and Nieces ... shall attain the age of twenty one years call in and receive and pay unto him or her ... one equal third part or share ... Provided nevertheless and I do hereby authorise and empower the said Richard Staniford and David Thomas Willis ... at such time as either of them my said Nephew and Nieces ... shall attain the age of twenty one years by and out of the accumulation which shall up to that time have arisen upon and in respect of the said last mentioned legacy ... pay the Expences of painting cleaning and renovating the Grave Stones erected to the memory of their late Mother Elizabeth Emerton their late Grand Mother Mary Emerton and Great Grandmother Elizabeth Blake and the Grave Stone intended to be erected to the memory of my late Brother Williatt Jones deceased Also I give and bequeath unto my said Mother Elizabeth Jones all my ready money and securities for money my share and interest of and in the residue of the personal Estate of my late Uncle John Jones deceased and all other my debts rights credits personal estate and effects ...
[p.5] … subject nevertheless to the payment of all such debts as I may justly owe at the time of my decease my funeral and testamentary Expences and the several legacies or sums of money by me hereinbefore given and bequeathed And I declare and direct that the said legacy or sum of one hundred pounds and share of residue of my personal estate hereinbefore respectively given and bequeathed to my said Mother Elizabeth Jones shall be paid into her own proper hands for her own use separate and apart from my Father George Jones the elder … And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Richard Staniford and David Thomas Willis joint Executors in trust of this my last Will and Testament ...
[p.6] And also that notwithstanding his appointment as a Trustee and Executor under this my will the said David Thomas Willis shall be intitled to his proper fees and charges for any professional business he may transact in the Execution of the trusts hereby reposed in him In Witness whereof I the said Testatrix have to the five first sheets of this my last Will and Testament contained on six sheets of paper set my hand only and to this the sixth and last sheet thereof my hand and seal this twelfth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
[signed] Hannah Martha Jones
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Testatrix
as her last Will and Testament in the presence of us
who in her presence and in the presence of
each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereof
[signed]
Char: Willis
Sarah King
Archdeaconry of Saint Alban
The twentieth day of June 1833
Richard Staniford and David Thomas Willis the Executors in this will named were duly sworn as such and that the personal Estate of the Testatrix doth not amount in the whole to the sum of eight hundred pounds to the best of their knowledge and belief
Before me [signed] Mark Henry James Kerr Surrogate
Notes
See the Blake Family page for more information. Hannah (1808-32) was the daughter of George Jones (1771-1834) and his wife Elizabeth, nee Blake (1774-1856).