Will of Thomas Morecraft, farmer, 1859 (proved 1860)

Principal Probate Registry

ON the 29th day of February 1860, the Will of Thomas Morecraft late of Winslow in the County of Buckingham Farmer deceased, who died the 8th day of December 1859 at Winslow aforesaid was proved in the Principle Registry of Her Majesty’s Court of Probate, by the Oaths of Mary Gibbs Morecraft of Winslow aforesaid Widow the Relict and John Grace of the same place Schoolmaster the Executors therein named they having been first sworn duly to administer

personal Estate and Effects under £1,500

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Morecraft of Winslow in the County of Bucks Farmer I give devise and bequeath unto my Wife Mary Gibbs Morecraft and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life (she and they keeping the same in good and tenantable repair and condition and the buildings insured against loss or damage by fire) All and every the freehold  copyhold and if any Leasehold messuages cottages closes lands tenements hereditaments and real estate of which I may be seised or possessed at the time of my decease And from and immediately after the death of my said Wife I give devise and bequeath the same hereditaments real estate and premises in manner following (that is to say} unto my Son Thomas and to his heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely my close or piece of land called Brook Field with the yard cowhouse and paddock thereto adjoining situate and being in the Parish of Winslow aforesaid unto my son George Mayne and to his heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely my close or piece of land in the Parish of Winslow \aforesaid/ called Hawkseye or Oxeye unto my Son William Richard and to his heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely my close or piece of land in the Parish of Granborough in the said County of Bucks And unto my daughters Elizabeth Anne Morecraft Mary Morecraft Ann Morecraft and Frances Matilda Morecraft in equal shares and proportions as tenants in common and to their respective heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely All the rest and residue of my said messuages cottages closes lands tenements hereditaments real estate and premises In case any one or more of my said Sons shall die under the age of twenty one years without issue I devise and bequeath the estates hereditaments and premises hereby given devised and bequeathed to him or them (subject to the life interest therein of my said wife) unto the other or others of my said Sons and to his or their respective heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely such sons if more than one to take the same as tenants in common In case either or any of my said daughters shall die under the age of twenty one years without issue I devise and bequeath the share or shares of her or them so dying of and in the residue of my estates hereditaments and premises (subject to the life interest therein of my said wife) unto the other or others of my said daughters and to her or their respective heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely such daughters if more than one to take the same as tenants in common I bequeath unto John Grace of Winslow aforesaid Schoolmaster the legacy or sum of five pounds as a small acknowledgement for the care and trouble he will have as Executor of my Will I bequeath unto my Wife absolutely all the residue of the personal estate which I shall be possessed of or entitled to at the time of my decease subject to the payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses I appoint my said Wife Mary Gibbs Morecraft and the said John Grace to be Executrix and Executor of my Will I appoint my said Wife during her life and after her death the said John Grace to be Guardian of my minor children And I further declare that my Executrix and Executor shall not be answerable for each others acts or receipts nor for losses happening without their own respective default and shall be at liberty to retain and allow to each other all expenses incident to the execution of the powers of my Will Lastly I revoke all other Wills In witness whereof I the said Thomas Morecraft the Testator have to each sheet of this my last Will and Testament contained on two sheets of paper set my this twenty third day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty nine Thos. Morecraft [signature] This and the preceding sheet of paper were each signed by the said Thomas Morecraft the Testator in the joint presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses the word “devise” having been first interlined between the first and second lines of the first sheet and “interest” having been also interlined between the twenty seventh and twenty eight lines of the same sheet Dav: Tho Willis [signature] Solicitor Winslow Thos Price Willis his Clerk

Proved at London 29th Feby 1860 by the oaths of Mary Gibbs Morecraft the Relict and John Grace the Executors to whom Adm(inistrati)on was granted.

Notes

Thomas Morecraft was the eldest son of John Morecraft, butcher, who died earlier in 1859. He was born in 1804 or 1805 and married Mary Gibbs Mayne (b.1815 at Stony Stratford) in 1837. They lived at 4-8 Church Street. The children listed in the will (some others died young) are:

In 1861 Mary the widow was listed as farming 140 acres and employing 4 men. In 1881 she was living in Station Road with her daughters Mary and Frances who were described as needlewomen. In 1891 she and her daughter Mary were living at The Beeches, Buckingham Road. She died on 5 July 1892 aged 76.

Copyright 15 April, 2020