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Will of William Adams, Gentleman of Thurlestone

Proved 13 August 1777

© Crown Copyright

PROB 11/1033/326, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Transcribed by Kathleen Noye

The last Will and Testament of me William Adams of Thurlestone in the county of Devon Gentleman made this twenty fourth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy seven ffirst I Will and direct that all my just Debts and ffuneral charges be paid and discharged And I do charge and make liable all my Estate and Effects of what nature or kind soever to and with the payment of all my just debts Also I give and bequeath unto John Square of Buckland within the said parish of Thurlestone Gentleman and unto John Adams of Southdown and James Adams of Rue both within the parish of Marlborough in the said County Gentlemen their Executors and Administrators All my Leasehold Estates within the said parish of Thurlestone and elsewhere in the said County To hold the same unto the said John Square John Adams and James Adams their Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns during all my terms and Interest therein respectively upon trust to set the same for any Term or Number of Years and under such Rents and Covenants as they or the Survivors or Survivor of them shall think proper And do and shall apply the rents and profits thereof equally for the benefit of Sarah Adams (Daughter of my deceased Brother Nicholas Adams) and of James Worden (Son of Mary Wordon of Thurlestone aforesaid) until they shall attain their respective Ages of twenty one years at which time I direct my said Trustees to assign the said Leasehold Estates unto the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon equally between them share and share alike to whom I give the same and to pay over unto them the savings of the Rents and profits of the said Estate in the mean time as their own proper Moneys equally to be Divided between them But my Will is in case either of them the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years that in such case the Survivor of them shall be intitled to the whole Rents and profits and savings of the said Estates at attaining his or her Age of twenty one and be intitled to the whole of my said Estates at that Age And I do direct my said Trustees to assign the said Estates and pay the said Savings accordingly ffirst deducting thereout all Costs Charges and Expences they shall be at or put unto or reasonably deserve in or about the Execution of the said Trust and also deducting what shall have been expounded in the Education and Maintenance of the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon or either of them But if it shall so happen that both of them the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon shall happen to die under the Age of twenty one years Then my Will is and I do direct my said Trustees or the Survivors or Survivor of them to assign my said Leasehold Estates unto Mary Adams (Daughter of the said John Adams) and to James Adams (Son of the before named James Adams) equally between them share and share alike and to pay over unto them the savings of the said Estates equally between them and all the rest and residue of my Goods Chattels Personal and Testamentary Estate whatsoever I do give and bequeath unto the said John Square John Adams and James Adams the ffather upon the following Trusts (that is to say) in the first place to apply the same or part thereof in discharging of all my just Debts and the surplus to place at Interest on some good Security or Securities for the benefit of the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon until they shall respectively attain their respective Ages of twenty one years at which time I give the same with the Improvements thereof to them equally to be divided between them But in case either of them shall happen to die under the Age of twenty one years Then I direct the Survivor of them shall be intitled to the whole at attaining that age But if it shall so happen that both of them the said Sarah Adams and James Wordon shall die under the Age of twenty one years Then I do give the said residuary Estate unto the said Mary Adams and James Adams the Son equally to be divided between them Also my Will is that my said Trustees shall from time to time reimburse and pay themselves all such Costs Charges and Expences as they shall be put unto or reasonably deserve in and about the Execution of this my Will and that they shall not be answerable or accountable for any more Moneys than they shall actually receive nor be answerable or accountable the one for the other of them nor for the Arts or Receipts of the other but each for his own Arts and receipts only nor be answerable or accountable for the loss of any Money that shall happen to be placed at Interest by the Insolvency of the person to whom the same shall be lent unless the same loss shall be occasioned by their willful neglect And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said John Square John Adams and James Adams the ffather to be Executors of this my Will Upon the trusts and for the purposes aforesaid And I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written Wm Adams LS Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Adams as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto in his presence and in the presence of each other Rt Prideaux W. H. Hatherly ./.

This Will was proved at London the thirteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven before the Right Worshipful Sir George Hay [?] Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of John Square John Adams and James Adams the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the dec[eas]ed having been first sworn by Commission duly to administer./. Exd