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Will of Thomas Watts, ironmonger, 1722/3 (proved 1725)
National Archives, PROB 11/604
Some of the repetitive formulae have been omitted or summarised
In the name of God Amen I Thomas Watts of Winslowe in the County of Bucks Iron Monger being indisposed in body but of sound and perfect minde and memory praised be Almighty God therefore and calling to mind the certainty of Death and the uncertain time thereof do this Nine and twentyeth day of February Anno Dom(in)i 1723 make and ordaine 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 sic orig my Maker hoping through the Merits Death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of everlasting life and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and for such temporall 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 unto William Watts my brother and William Watts my Godson the sume of twenty pounds apeice of lawfull money of Great Britain to be paid unto them by John Watts my kinsman son of the said William Watts my brother or his heirs four years next after my Death out of my Messuage and premises hereinafter bequeathed unto him Item I give Will [etc] unto Jane Bradford my kinswoman Daughter of the said William Watts my brother the sume of five pounds [etc] to be paid unto her by the said John Watts my kinsman or his heirs four years next [etc] out of my Messuage [etc] in Case she shall so long live But in Case the said Jane Bradford my kinswoman shall happen to depart this life before her said legacy shall become due and payable then I give Will [etc] the said legacy or sume of five pounds so bequeathed unto her unto and amongst such of her Children as shall be living at the end of four years next [etc] each of them an equall share thereof to be paid unto them four years [etc] or at such time as they shall respectively attaine the age of one and twenty years which shall last happen with lawfull Interest for the same from the end of the said four years [etc] to the time of payment thereof by the said John Watts [etc] or his heirs out of the Messuage [etc] Item I give Will [etc] unto my kinswoman Elizabeth Seaton Daughter of my brother William Watts the sume of one and twenty shillings [etc] for to buy her a Ring with to be paid unto her within one month next [etc] by the said John Watts [etc] out of my Messuage [etc] Item I give Will [etc] unto my kinswoman Katherine Watts Daughter of the said William Watts my brother the sume of ten pounds [etc] to be paid unto her by John Watts [etc] his heirs four years next out of my Messuage [etc] Item I give will [etc] unto and amongst the six children of the said Jane Bradford my
[p.2] kinswoman the sume of fifteen pounds of lawful [etc] to be paid unto them or such of them as shall live to attain the age of one and twenty years each of them and equal share thereof and they shall respectively attain the said age of one and twenty years by the said John Watts [etc] I give Will [etc] all that my Copyhold Messuage or Tenement wherein I now dwell with all the Outhouses Barns Stables Yards Orchards Gardens backsides privelleges and appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining unto my kinsman John Watts son of my brother William Watts and his heirs for ever provided always and upon this Condition nevertheless that if the said John Watts and his heirs do and shall permit and suffer my kinsman Peter Stutsbury my Executor hereinafter named and his Executors and Administrators peaceably and quietly to have hold occupy possess and enjoy the said Messuage [etc] for the term and Space of two whole years next after my death for his and their Conveniency of making of my Stock att the best advantage and that without paying or demanding any rent or reward for the same other than the parish dues and Kings Taxes charged upon the same within that time and do also out of the same pay or cause to be paid unto my Legatees herein before mentioned the Legacies or sume of money herein before bequeathed unto them at such times and do also out of the same within one month next after my decease pay or cause to be paid unto his brother William and such of his sisters which have not been already paid their Legacies given and bequeathed unto them in and by the last Will and Testament of Katherine Watts my Mother deceased their Legacies so bequeathed unto them by the said Katherine Watts my Mother deceased and cause and procure them to Sign Seal and deliver unto my Executor hereinafter named \Legall Discharge for the sume and do also himself sign seal and deliver unto my Exeuctor hereinafter named/ within one month next after my Death a legall discharge for the Legacy or Sume of money given or bequeathed unto him in and by the said will of the said Katherine Watts my Mother without receiving any money of my Executor concerning the same but in case the said John Watts my kinsman and his heirs shall neglect or refuse to permit and suffer my Executor hereinafter named his Executors and administrators to occupy hold and enjoy my Messuage or Tenements Outhouses and premises aforesaid with the appurtenances for the space of two years next [etc] in manner as aforesaid or shall neglect or refuse to pay any or either of the Legacies by me here before bequeathed or any part thereof when the same shall be due and payable or shall neglect or refuse to pay any or either of the Legacies now remaining
[p.3] unpaid which were given and bequeathed unto his brother and sister by the said Katherine Watts my Mother Deceased or shall neglect or refuse to sign and procure for my Executor such Legall Discharges as aforesaid then I give Will [etc] the said Messuage [etc] unto the said Peter Stutsbury and his heirs for ever he the said Peter Stutsbury and his heirs paying thereout the Legacies herein before menconed in such manner and at such times as is herein before mentioned limited and appointed for the payment thereof Item I give Will [etc] unto my kinsman Daniel Bradford the six Guineas that he oweth me and I do hereby release and acquit him thereof Item I give Will [etc] unto my sister Ann Anderson the sume of ten pounds [etc] to be paid unto her by my Executor [etc] but in Case the said Ann Anderson my sister shall happen to depart this life before her said Legacy shall be due and payable then I give Will [etc] the said legacy of ten pounds so bequeathed unto her unto and amongst such of the children of Katherine Horwood her Daughter as shall live to attaine the age of one and twenty years each of them to be paid by my Executor hereinafter named an equal share thereof as they shall respectively attaine that age of one and twenty years with lawfull Interest for the same from two years next after my Death to the time of the payment thereof Item I give Will [etc] unto the said Katherine Horwood Daughter of my sister Ann Anderson the sume of ten pounds [etc] to be paid to her by my Executor [etc] but in Case the said Katherine Horwood shall happen to depart this life before her said Legacy shall be due and payable then I will [etc] amongst such of the children of the said Katherine Horwood as shall live to attaine the age of one and twenty years [etc] Item I give will the same [etc] unto Elizabeth Stutsbury my sister the sume of twenty pounds [etc] to be paid unto her by my Executor [etc] but in case Elizabeth Stutsbury shall happen to depart this life before her said Legacy shall be due and payable then I give will [etc] the same unto Elizabeth Stutsbury her Daughter to be paid to her by my Executor [etc]
[p.4] Item I give will [etc] unto Henry Stutsbury son of my said sister Elizabeth Stutsbury the sume of twenty pounds [etc] to be paid unto him by my Executor [etc] but in case the said Henry Stusbury shall happen to depart this life before the said Legacy shall be due and payable then I give Will [etc] unto and amongst such of the children of him shall live [etc] Item I give will [etc] unto Katherine King Daughter of my Sister Elizabeth Stutsbury the sume of ten pounds [etc] to be paid unto her by my Executor [etc] but in case the said Katherine King shall happen to depart this life before the said Legacy shall be due and payable then I give Will [etc] amongst such of the children of the said Katherine King as shall live to attaine the age of one and twenty years [etc] Item I give will [etc] unto Elizabeth Stutsbury Daughter of my Sister Elizabeth Stutsbury the sume of ten pounds [etc] over and above what is due to her on the account of the Legacy given her by my mother to be paid unto her by my Executor [etc] in case of death it will be bequeathed unto Elizabeth Stutsbury my sister Item I give will [etc] unto my brothers in law Nathaniel Anderson and Charles Blunt each of them a Guinea to buy them Rings to be paid unto them by my Executer [etc] within one month next [etc] Item I give will [etc] all the rest and residue of my Goods Chattells and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto the said Peter Stutsbury my kinsman Son of my Sister Elizabeth Stutsbury he paying my Funeral Expenses and Debts and Legacys on his part to be paid and I do hereby make ordain and appoint the said Peter Stutsbury full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day and year first above written. Thomas Watts. Signed sealed
[[.5] published and declared in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses in the presence of the Testator and these words (their Legacies so bequeathed unto them by the said Katherine Watts my Mother deceased) being first interlined between the seven and twentieth and Eight and twentieth lines hereof
William Shelton Jun(ior)
James Budd
Peter Goldsworth.
[Probate at London 3 Aug 1725 on the oath of Peter Stutsbury Executor]
Notes
Thomas, b.1660, was the son of John Watts (d.1692), whose business he inherited, and Catherine Watts (d.1710), who left him her property in Winslow. The business evidently passed to Henry Stuchbury (d.1750), son of the nephew Henry mentioned in Thomas' will. John Watts the nephew mentioned in the will was an ironmonger at Stony Stratford.