Will of Thomas Whiteaves, yeoman, 1750 (proved 1754)

National Archives PROB 11/809/32

[Some repetitive phrases are indicated by ...]

In the Name of God Amen This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Whiteaves of Winslow in the County of Bucks Yeoman which I desire may be

[p.2] fulfilled and performed after my decease and first and principally I resign my Soul to Almighty God  And as to my Temporal Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to intrust me To the end all Controversies and disputes relating thereto amongst my Wife and Children may be prevented and Peace and good Agreement continued between them as is by me heartily wished and desired And for the making a sufficient Provision as well for the Payment  of all such debts as I shall owe at the time of my decease as also for the due payment of the Legacies herein after mentioned and my Funeral expences and Charges of proving this my Will and all Charges and Expences incident thereto and to the performance of the Trusts hereby reposed in my Trustees Executrixes and Executor herein after named I dispose of the same in manner following (that is to say) I having made a Surrender of all my Copyhold Lands and Tenements to the use of my Will I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved Wife Elizabeth Whiteaves all and every my Copyhold Lands and Tenements held of the Mannor of Winslow with the Members for the term of her natural life (except my House Barn Yard and Orchard situate in Shipton in the Parish of Winslow  in the said County of Bucks with its appurtenances and now in the Occupation of John Seaton and [blank] Holland [margin: Origl. so] or one of them) Also I give unto the said Elizabeth my Wife all my Freehold and Leasehold Lands in Sinckleborough in the Parish of Great Horwood in the said County for the term of her natural Life Also I give unto the said Elizabeth my Wife all my Freehold Lands in Adstock (which I purchased of George Everett) for the term of her natural Life Also I give to my daughter Elizabeth Mayne and Son in Law George Stevens immediately after my death all my Lands and Tenements lying and being in Adstock  aforesaid (excepting that which I purchased of George Everett as aforesaid) To hold to my daughter and Son in Law Elizabeth Mayne and George Stevens and their heirs  for ever In Trust nevertheless and to the Intent and purpose that they or the Survivors or Survivor of them or the Heirs of such Survivor do and shall with all convenient speed sell to such person or persons as they my said Trustees ... shall think fit and dispose of the Money arising by such Sale in manner following (that is to say) Two hundred pounds of lawfull British money to my said Daughter and Son in Law Elizabeth Mayne and George Stevens Share and Share alike and the remainder to my Son William Whiteaves  Also I give to my said Daughter and Son in Law immediately after my decease all that my House Barn Yard and Orchard with its Appurtenances situate in Shipton aforesaid To hold to my daughter and Son in Law Elizabeth Mayne and George Stevens and their heirs In Trust nevertheless and to the Intent and purpose that they my said Trustees ... do and shall with all convenient speed sell to such Person or Persons as they my said Trustees ... shall think fit and dispose of the Money arising by such Sale to my dearly beloved Wife Elizabeth for her

[p.3] sole use and benefit and after the decease of  the said Elizabeth my Wife Then I give to my daughter Elizabeth Mayne all that my half yard Land in Adstock aforesaid (which I purchased of George Everett) to hold to the said Elizabeth Mayne and her heirs for ever And also after my said Wifes decease I give unto my Son in Law  George Stevens and Mary his Wife all my Freehold and Leasehold Lands in Sinckleborough in the Parish of Great Horwood aforesaid in the said County To  hold to the said George Stevens and Mary his Wife and their heirs for ever Also after my said Wifes decease I give to my daughter Elizabeth Mayne all and every my thirteen acres and an half of Copyhold lands lying in Winslow aforesaid To hold to my Daughter Elizabeth Mayne and her Heirs for ever Also after my said Wifes decease I give to my Grandson William Mayne my Close lying in Shipton field To hold to my Grandson William Mayne and his heirs for ever All the rest of my Goods and Chattels undisposed of I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my Wife (except my own Cart and Wheels one Chest of Drawers and the large Kettle which I give to my Daughter Elizabeth Mayne) Also I give and bequeath to my five Grand Children Thomas Sarah Elizabeth William and Mary Whiteaves five shillings apiece  Lastly I Make and ordain my said Wife Elizabeth my daughter Elizabeth Mayne and my Son in Law George Stevens Executrixes and Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me heretofore made  In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this thirteenth day of September in the twenty fourth Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the Faith and so forth and in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and fifty.

The Marke of Thomas Whiteaves

Signed sealed published and declared by the abovenamed Thomas Whiteaves as and for his list Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator and in the presence of each other
William Firth       Robert Evans     Ferdo. Southam

This Will was proved at London the fifth day of June in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and fifty four before the Right Honourable Sir George Lee Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Elizabeth Whiteaves  Widow and Elizabeth Mayne  Widow the surviving Executors named in the said Will To whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the deceased being first Sworn by Commission duly to administer. Ex(ecute)d.


Notes

Thomas Whiteaves was buried on 21 May 1754. George Stevens evidently predeceased him but was not buried at Winslow.

Thomas was probably the son of William & Elizabeth Whiteves baptised at Adstock on 6 May 1676. He was overseer of the poor for Winslow in 1713/14. His daughter Elizabeth was bap. at Winslow on 30 June 1708, his daughter Mary probably 5 April 1710 and his son William 24 Aug 1712. William returned to Adstock, where the grandchildren mentioned in the will were baptised from 1733 onwards.

Elizabeth married Richard Main/Mayne, and their son William was bap. 6 July 1733. They had a number of other children not mentioned in the will, and Richard's will was proved in 1752 (although he died in 1747). Elizabeth still held the land which her father left her at Enclosure in 1767, when it was reduced to just under 8 acres.

Copyright 28 May, 2015