Will of Dorothy Docton, Widow of Northam, Devon

29th March 1748, proved 18th May 1748

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/762, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Strahan Quire Numbers: 145 - 189

Transcribed by David Carter

In the Name of God Amen.

I Dorothy DOCTON of Northam in the County of Devon, Widow calling to mind the certainty of my death and the great uncertainty of time thereof and being now of sound mind and memory and in different health of body do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say // first I commend my God and my Body to be decently interred in such manner as my Executrix hereinafter named shall think fit But it is my particular desire and request to be buried as near my late husbands grace as conveniently may be done and as to my worldly estate I dispose thereof, as follows // first Whereas I have both by deed and another instrument in Writing, bearing date the third day of November which was in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and thirty seven according to the purport of the last Will and Testament of John JEFFERY late of Appledore in Northam aforesaid dated the third day of August which was in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty four touching an annuity of forty shillings a year therein mentioned given and devised by my said deed unto Robert DOLEMAN then of Northam aforesaid clerk but since deceased James CHAPPEL and George POLLARD the annuity of annuity of forty shillings a year in the Will of the said John JEFFERY mentioned upon several Trusts in my said deed mentioned and which said deed I also advise of Counsel caused to be inrolled in his Majesties High Court of Chancery and I do hereby also as much as in ~~??es ratify and confirm the same accordingly // also I give unto the poor of the parish of Northam aforesaid five pounds to be distributed by my Executrix within three months next after my death unto such as are poor and have large familys - to provide for without any respect of persons // I also give the sum of five pounds to be laid out on the parish church of Northam aforesaid in such manner as the Minister of the said parish for the time being shall judge most meet to be paid also within three months after my death // I also give unto my sister Christiana DOCTON and also unto her three daughters Christiana DOCTON Elizabeth Mary DOCTON and Cordelia DOCTON one Mourning Ring a piece // also I give unto my sister Margery FRENCH a Mourning Ring // also I give unto my three Nephews Henry FRENCH John SALTREN and Richard SALTREN and unto each of them five pounds // also I give unto my God daughter Dorothy FRENCH daughter of my said nephew Henry FRENCH four score pounds and unto all the rest of his children which shall be living at my death five pounds a piece which said Legacies last mentioned so by me given unto the children of my said Nephew Henry FRENCH I do hereby order and direct to be paid into the hands of my said sister Margery FRENCH In Trust for their several and respective uses and to be by her laid out for them respectively for such uses and purposes and at such times and seasons as my said sister Margery FRENCH shall in her prudence judge will tend most to their benefit and service // also I give unto my said sister Margery FRENCH fourscore pounds But to be in Trust for the sole and separate use of my Niece Mary COUCH wife of Richard COUCH and unto each of her children which shall be living at my death five pounds a piece which said last mentioned legacies I do hereby also order and direct to be all paid into the hands of my said sister Margery FRENCH in Trust for my said Niece Mary COUCH and her said children respectively and to be laid out for them respectively for such uses and purposes and at such times and seasons as my said sister Margery FRENCH shall in her prudence judge will most tend to their benefit and advantage respectively // also I give unto my niece Mary GRILLS my pair of silver salvers marked D F and also my silver tankard to be delivered at such time as her husband shall pay me up all the Interest due to me by his Bond home to Lady Day now last - past from which time it is my Will and meaning that all Interest shall cease upon condition that my said Niece Mary GRILLS husband to pay up all such interest home to the time above mentioned unto his two sisters in law Agnes SALTREN and Cecilia SALTREN to whom I do hereby in such case give the same equally between them within twelve months next after my decease // But if my said Cousin GRILLS shall not pay up such interest in manner and within the time before limited then and in such case I give my said two silver salvers marked D F and my said silver tankard unto my aforesaid two Nieces Agnes and Cecilia SALTREN equally between them and in such case I do remit and release unto my said Cousin GRILLS all Interest owe unto me on his said Bond // also I give unto my Godson GRILLS son of my aforesaid Niece Mary GRILLS five pounds // also I give unto my aforesaid two Nieces Agnes SALTREN and Cecilia SALTREN one hundred pounds a piece // also I give unto the Reverend Mr Joshua BAWDEN Vicar of Northam, and also my Cloth and Furnace // also I give unto my Niece Cecilia BAWDEN one hundred pounds and also my Wrought Bed together with the Wrought Window curtains belonging thereto // also I give unto my Niece Elizabeth BLEIGH one hundred pounds and also my piece of work which usually hangs in a frame in my parlour // I also give unto my Cousin Margery ISSICH daughter of my Niece Joan ISSICH deceased fourscore pounds // also I give unto my Cousin Christopher CHAPPELL the husband of my Niece Lucy CHAPPELL five pounds // also I give unto my three Cousins William CHAPPEL James CHAPPEL and Robert CHAPPEL a Mourning Ring a piece // also I give unto my said Niece Lucy CHAPPEL the use of my Gold Watch during her life and after her death I give the same Watch unto my God daughter Dorothy CHAPPEL forever // I also give unto my said God daughter Dorothy CHAPPEL my diamond ring set in silver provided nevertheless that if my said God daughter Dorothy CHAPPELL survive her mother whereby she will become intitled unto my said Gold Watch then and in such case I give my said Diamond Ring unto my Cousin Cecelia CHAPPEL absolutely forever // also I give unto my Cousin James CHAPPEL son of the said Christopher CHAPPEL my pair of silver salvers whereon are engraved a Coat of Arms // Also I give unto my said Niece Lucy CHAPPEL all my wearing apparel both woollen and linen which I have not in this my Will otherwise disposed of or which I shall not give and dispose of in my lifetime // also I give unto my Cousin Roger MELHUISH esquire of Watertowne and unto my three Cousin DOCTONS of Docton in Hartland to wit Mary DOCTON Dorothy DOCTON and Eleanor DOCTON and also unto my Cousins Edward WADDON and Honor WADDON his sister and unto each of them a Mourning Ring a piece // I also give unto Mr George POLLARD the elder of Appledore a Mourning Ring // I also give unto my servant Ann SCAMP my black down? pudasway? gowne and two suits of my linen throughout // I also give the said Ann SCAMP three pounds in money and it is my Will and desire and I do hereby also direct that all the Rings which I have herein given shall be of the price of one Guinea each and he paid and delivered by my Executrix or her order unto the several persons hereinbefore respectively named to whom I have given the said Rings asoon after my death as the same can conveniently be prepared and got ready and as to the aforesaid several pecunary and other specific Legacies hereinbefore by me given and directed to be paid I do hereby also direct and order that the same be paid to the respective legacees thereof hereinbefore named within twelve months next after my death // and I do hereby also direct that the Iron Bath which is walled in my Hall Chimney and also all the shelves which I have fixed up about my dwelling house shall after my death remain therein for the use of my Landlord William BANFIELD // also all the rest of my goods and Chattells Rights and Credits and all other my personal estate of what nature kind or quality soever after my debts legacies sum and sums of money hereinbefore mentioned and all my funeral expenses are fully paid and discharged I do hereby give and bequeath unto my said Niece Lucy CHAPPEL and unto my aforesaid Cousins William CHAPPEL and James CHAPPELL In Trust nevertheless and for the uses intents and purposes hereinafter expressed and declared touching the same that is to say first for the use and benefit of my cousins Dorothy CHAPPEL James CHAPPEL and Cecilia CHAPPEL and of all and every such other afterborne child or children as my said Niece Lucy CHAPPELL shall happen to have for and owing so long time as the Coverture between my said niece Lucy CHAPPELL and her present husband shall continue and from and immediately after the determination of the said Coverture Then in case my said Niece Lucy CHAPPELL shall happen to survive her said present husband it is my Will and intent and I do hereby in such case give and bequeath the one Moiety of halfendeale of my said Residuary personal estate unto my aforesaid Niece Lucy CHAPPELL and for her own only use and benefit forever without any attempt to be rendered or given for the same and the other Moiety thereof shall come remain and be to and for the only use and benefit of all such children of my said Niece Amy CHAPPEL as she shall happen to have by her said present husband to whom I do hereby give the same to be equally divided between them share and share alike and to be paid at their respective ages of twenty one years by my Trustees in such proportion as his her and their share and dividends shall at such time and times of his her and their attaining the age of twenty one years respectively appear to be // but if and in case my said Niece Lucy CHAPPELL shall happen to die in the lifetime of her said husband then all my said residuary estate goods effects and money to me remain and be unto and among all the children of my said Niece Lucy CHAPPEL to be equally divided between them and to be paid at their respective ages of twenty one years in manner as aforesaid // also I do hereby constituted and appoint my said Niece Lucy CHAPPEL to be Executrix In Trust of this my last Will and Testament but for the uses aforesaid hereby desiring her to see the due performance of this my Will by paying my debts and legacies and performing the Trust hereinbefore mentioned // and I do hereby desire authorise and impower my Trustees Lucy CHAPPEL William CHAPPEL and James CHAPPEL and the survivors and survivor of them and the Executors and administrators of such survivor to manage all my said residuary Estate and to sell all or any parts of my goods as they shall think fit and that they to employ and place out at interest all such sum and sums of money as they in their discretion shall think proper or improve the same in some other manner for the respective uses aforesaid and that they do render an account of all their proceedings and actings in their said Trust to the respective persons that will hereby be intitled to the benefit thereof // and it is my Will and I do hereby order and direct my said Trustees to deduct and retain to themselves for all reasonable costs charges expenses and accidental and other losses not being wilfull? that they shall be put into or have sustained in and about the execution of the said Trust and that oath? Trustee be accountable for his and her own act deed receipt? and default only and not the one for the other of them and I do hereby revoke all former Wills by me made in Witness whereof I the said Dorothy DOCTON the Executrix have unto oath of these two sheets annexed together containing my last Will and Testament respectively subscribed my name and set my seal this twentieth day of September in the eighteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second now King over Great Brittain and so forth and in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and forty four. Dorothy DOCTON ______ Signed Sealed Published and declared by the above mentioned Dorothy DOCTON the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us Nar(cisus) HATHERLY junr) John OXEHAM Mary YEO.

Whereas in my last Will and Testament to which this codicil is annexed I have given and bequeathed certain sums of money as legacies to the children of my niece Mary the wife of Richard COUCH of the County of Cornwall and have therein nominated and appointed my sister in law Margery FRENCH of the said County and Mother of the said Mary COUCH to act as and to be a Trustee or Guardian for the said children in respect of the said Legacies now the said Margery FRENCH being lately deceased my Will and appointment is that my two desires viz: Elizabeth BLIGHT of the County of Cornwall aforesaid and Cecilia the Wife of Jos BAWDEN ~?~ of the County of Devon be fully invested with the same power of acting as Trustees for the said children of my said niece Mary COUCH as my late sister Margery FRENCH if she had lived would have had in respect of the said legacies and I also hereby declare it to be my real design and intention in my said last Will and Testament that the several Legacies therein given and bequeathed but not payable till some months after my decease shall nevertheless be deemed become due tho' not payable immediately upon my decease as Witness my hand and seal the twenty ninth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty eight Dorothy DOCTON - signed sealed and published in the presence of Jos BAWDEN Ann SCAMP

This Will was proved at London with a codicil annexed the eighteenth day of May in the year or our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty eight before the Right Worshipful John BETTESWORTH Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of Lucy CHAPPEL wife of Christopher CHAPPEL the Executrix in Trust to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattells and credits of the said deceased being first sworn by commission duly to administer.