Administration of John Stevens of Granborough, 1731

Herts RO 168AW30

[Latin] Elizabeth Stevens of Granborough, Bucks, widow, Edward Duncombe in the said county yeoman and Thomas Duncombe of the parish of St Gregory, London, baker are bound to the venerable Dr George Paul, official of the archdeaconry of St Albans in the county of Hertford and diocese of London in £100. 28 June 1731.

[English] The condic(i)on of this Obligation is such that if the above bound Elizabeth Stevens Widow the Relict and Administrat\ix/or of all and singular the goods ch(att)ells and credits of John Stevens late of Grandborough aforesaid deceased doe make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods chattells and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands poss(ess)ion or knowledge of her the said Elizabeth Stevens or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for her and the same soe made doe exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry of the Archdeaconry aforesaid at or before the last day of September next ensuing And the same goods chattells and credits and all other the goods chattells & credits of the said deceased at the time of his death which at any time after shall come to the hands and possession of the said Elizabeth Stevens or into the hands and possession of any person or persons for her doe well and truly administer according to Law And further doe make or cause to be made a true and just accompt of her s(ai)d Ad(ministra)c(i)on at or before ye last day of June 1732 an all the rest and residue of the said goods chattells and credits which shall be found remaining upon the said Administrators accompt the same being examined and allowed of by the Judge or Judges for the time being of the said Court shall deliver and pay unto such person or persons respectively the said Judge or Judges by his or their decree pr sentence p(er)suant to the true intent and meaning of a later Act of Parliament made in the two and twentieth and three and twentieth yeares of the raigne of O(u)r late Soveraigne King Charles the second (Intituled An Act for the better settling of Intestate Estates) shall limitt and appoint And if it shall hereafter appeare that any last will and Testament was made by the said deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named doe exhibit the same into the said Court making request to have it allowed and approved according to the said Elizabeth Stevens above bound on being thereunto required doe render and deliver the said Le(tte)rs of Ad(ministra)c(i)on (approbation of such Testament having been first had and made) in the said Court Then this Obligation be void and of none effect or else to remaine in full force and vertue

Mark of Elizabeth Stevens
[signed] Edw Duncombe
Tho: Duncombe

Sealed and delivered in the presence of Wm Stubbs [signature] NP

[Latin notes] On Monday 28 June 1731 before the Venerable Dr George Paul official etc. in the upper chamber [cenaculo] & near the lodgings [hospitium] in the presence of the notary public written below.

The business of the grant of letters of administration of the goods etc. of John Stevens late of Granborough, Bucks, deceased, to Elizabeth Stevens widow and relict of the same decease.

On which day appeared personally the said Elizabeth Stevens widow and alleged that the said man deceased two years ago, that he had succumbed to the fates intestate (no will having been made by him) and that she had been and was the widow and relict of the same deceased.  Therefore she sought etc.  And the master at her petition decreed letters of administration of the goods etc. of the said deceased should be granted to her under suitable guarantee, and he entrusted the same to her, and charged her on oath to administer faithfully etc.

So I attest. [signed] Robt Sleeford notary public

[English] Elizabeth of Granborough, Bucks widow of deceassed
Edward Duncombe of Dunton, Bucks, yeoman
Thos Duncombe of St Gregory, Old Fish Street, London baker     securities


Notes

John Stevens was buried at Granborough on 14 Oct 1728 but his widow waited for nearly three years before getting letters of administration. She travelled to London to do so on the same day that she married (in the jurisdiction of the Fleet, i.e. a clandestine marriage) Edward Duncombe of Dunton, by whom she had two further children. They subsequently kept The Old George in Winslow. Edward was buried at Dunton in 1757 and Elizabeth at Granborough in 1771.

Elizabeth was the daughter of Robert and Mary Maynwaring, baptised at Granborough in 1695. She was the great-granddaughter of Robert Maynwaring, vicar of Winslow (d.1648).

John Stevens married Elizabeth Maynwaring at Granborough on 11 Nov 1717. Some property there, including The Crown, passed to Elizabeth, and then (1778) to her granddaughters Ann Mander and Elizabeth Stevens of Granborough. Ann Stevens married Robert Mander in 1769. Ann (b.1740) and Elizabeth (b.1742) were the daughters of William and Elizabeth Stevens. William Stevens, who must therefore have been the eldest surviving son and heir of John Stevens, was baptised in 1722 and buried in 1754 or 1768.

Copyright 31 October, 2020