William Hobcraft 1777

In the Name of God Amen I William Hobcraft of Haversham in the County of Bucks Yeoman being weak in Body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praised be God for the same do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say First I will order and direct that all my just Debts and Funeral Expences be fully paid and satisfied Next I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving Wife Ann Hobcraft the several Household Goods and things are as follows that is to say the Yellow Bed Bedstead and Furniture eight pair of sheets nine Table Clothes two dozen of Napkins six Silver tea spoons four large Silver Table Spoons and one pap spoon a Silver Cream Boat the six Parlour Chairs the Beaulet Bureau Looking Glass in the Gilt Frame a Mahogany Dining Table and a Mahogany Tea Table and all other the Goods and Furniture that was her own before Marriage Next I give and bequeath all my Clothes and wearing apparel unto my Kinsman William Ellis Next I give and bequeath unto my Brother in Law Henry Hanwell of Monks House in the County of Oxford Yeoman and my friend Jonathan Abbott of Milton in the County of Bucks Yeoman All the Rest Residue and Remainder of my Household Goods and Furniture whatsoever and also all my Stock of Grain Hay Corn Chattells Cattle ready Money Securities for Money and all other my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature sort or kind soever not herein before by me bequeathed In Trust that they the said Henry Hanwell and Jonathan Abbott or the survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators of such survivor shall and do immediately after my decease sell get in and receive the same and of the Moneys arising thereby I will and direct to be disposed of as follows (that is to say he In the first place to take out the Sum of Five hundred Pounds and put and place the same out at Interest upon Government or Real Securities immediately after my decease and pay and apply all the Interest Profits or Proceeds thereof or so much Income as thereof shall be made unto my dear and loving Wife Ann Hobcraft or her Assigns during the term of her natural life in case she so long continue my Widow But in case she shall think proper to marry again then and in such case I do hereby give and bequeath unto my said Wife Ann Hobcraft or the Person to whom she shall happen to marry the Sum of two hundred Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain And I do hereby order and direct my said Trustees or the survivor of them or the Executors or Administrators of such survivor to pay the said Sum of two hundred Pounds to my said Wife or her Executors or Administrators within three Months next after she shall so choose to marry again But my mind and will further is that in case it shall happen that my said Wife Ann Hobcraft shall depart this Life before she shall marry again as aforesaid that then and in such case I do hereby give and bequeath the Sum of two hundred Pounds herein before given to her as aforesaid and to such Person and Persons and to and for such uses intents and purposes as she my said Wife shall by any Deed in Writing or by her last Will and Testament in Writing Direct Limit or Appoint And for want of such Direction Limitation or Appointment I do hereby give and bequeath the same unto her Executors or Administrators and I do direct that my said Trustees to pay the same accordingly to them within three Months after the decease of my said Wife as aforesaid  Next I give and devise all and singular my Messuages Cottages Closes Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Premises at Shalstone in the County of Bucks and all other my Real Estates whatsoever and wheresoever unto my Brother in Law Henry Hanwell and my Friend the said Jonathan Abbott and to their Heirs and Assigns upon Trusts and two and for the several uses intents and purposes herein after mentioned and declared (that is to say In Trust in the first place to sell and dispose of the same as soon as possibly they can after my decease for the best price or prices that can be had or gotten for the same and convey the same to such Purchaser or Purchasers thereof in such manner as shall be reasonable and necessary in that Behalf and the Money arising there by I will order and direct shall be disposed of as follows that is to say First I will order and direct that the sum of three hundred Pounds be immediately put and placed out at Interest upon Government or Real Securities in the Name of my said Trustees and the Interest Proceed and Profit thereof or such Income as thereof shall be made I will and direct shall be paid by my said Trustees unto my loving Mother Mary Hobcraft or her Assigns for and during the term of her natural Life and the remainder of the said Purchase Money to be divided amongst my three Sisters in such and the same manner as the Residue and Remainder of my Personal Estate is hereinafter particularly mentioned to be divided the Rents and Profits of my said Estate in the mean time before such Sale to be paid to my Mother or her Assigns for her sole use and benefit And from and immediately after the decease of my Mother Mary Hobcraft I give and bequeath the said Sum of three hundred pounds hereby given and to be put out for her use as aforesaid unto my said three Sisters to be divided between them in the same manner as the Residue of my Personal Estate is hereinafter particularly mentioned to be divided Next I give and bequeath unto my said Trustees the said Henry Hanwell and Jonathan Abbott the Sum of ten Guineas apiece for their Trouble in be due Execution of this my Will And Lastly as to all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever after the said sum of Five hundred Pounds is taken and put out for the use of my Wife as aforesaid and after all my just debts and funeral Expences are fully paid and satisfied I give bequeath and dispose of the same as follows that is to say unto my sister Mary Paxton I give one fourth part and one other fourth part thereof I give unto my Sister Elizabeth Gibbs and the remaining two fourth parts thereof I give to my Sister Ann Hanwell she paying her daughter Ann Hanwell the Sum of Fifty Pounds the remaining Sum of three hundred Pounds out the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds above mentioned to be put out for the use of my Wife as aforesaid when the same shall become due and payable I give and bequeath the same unto my said three Sisters their Executors or Administrators to be divided between them in the same manner as last above mentioned that is to say one fourth Part to my Sister Mary Paxton one other fourth part to my Sister Gibbs and the remaining two other fourth parts to my Sister Ann Hanwell And I do hereby further Will Order and Direct that my said Trustees or the survivor of them or the Heirs Executors or Administrators of such survivor shall have and take to themselves all such just and reasonable Costs Charges and Expences whatsoever as their he or either of them shall be put unto or shall lay out and expend in and about the Management and the due Execution of this my Will and of the Trusts hereby in them reposed and shall in no wise be Answerable or Accountable for the Acts of One another but for their several proper Acts only and for what they shall respectively receive and as shall not be liable to make good any involuntary Loss or Losses that shall or may happen in the Management of this my Will and I do hereby make ordain constitute and appoint the said Henry Hanwell and Jonathan Abbott Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking disannulling and making void all former and other Wills by me at any time or times heretofore made do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said William Hobcraft the Testator have to this last Will and Testament contained in two sheets of paper set my hand and seal that is to say to the first sheet my hand and to the second and last sheet my hand and seal this twenty eighth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six William Hobcraft Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Hobcraft the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have here unto subscribed our names as Witnesses at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other W. Elkins Thos Greaves Richd Patch

Probate: 29 January 1777