Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies DAWe: 93/24 DAWf: 94/124

Joseph Lancaster 1762
This is the last Will and Testament of me Joseph Lancaster of Little Linford in the County of Bucks Grazier and Husbandman. First I Give and bequeath unto Eliz. My Wife my Silver Watch and all my Silver Plate my large Silver Cup with two Handles excepted which I Give and bequeath unto my Mother Mrs Ann Lancaster Widow. Also I Give and bequeath unto my said Wife Elizabeth all my Household furniture together with my Household Linnen and Woollen. Nevertheless All things belonging to my Dairy and to my Business as a Husbandman excepted. Also I Give and bequeath unto my Nephew John Ward all my wearing Apparel. Also I Give and bequeath unto my said Nephew John Ward fifty pounds to be paid To himself whose receipt for the same notwithstanding his Minority shall be a full and sufficient Discharge for the same to my Executor Nevertheless the said John Ward shall pay to my Aunt Mrs Eliz Pulley lawful Interest for the same during the term of her natural life. Also I Give and bequeath unto my Cousin German Joseph Manning of Orlingbury in the County of Northampton Twenty Guineas for his Trouble as my Trustee and Executor Also after my rents debts funeral Expences. Expences of the probate of my Will and all necessary Expences relating to the discharge of the Office of Executor shall be fully paid I Give and bequeath unto my said Wife Elizabeth One Moiety or half of the remaining part of my goods and Chattels real and personal moveable and immoveable Credits Bonds Notes of Hands and Interests due on them at the time of my death of whatever else I shall happen to die possessed off by what terms soever distinguished by the Law. Also the other Moiety or half of my said Goods and Chattels as above described I Give and bequeath unto my Cousin German Joseph Manning of Olingbury aforesaid and unto his executors and Administrators Nevertheless In Trust for the following Uses that is to Say First that the Money arising from the said Moiety which is not already put out to Interest shall as soon as may be placed out for the best Interest and upon the best Securities that can be procured And that the whole Interest money arising from that together with the Interest money arising from that already put out upon Securities shall be paid unto my Mother Mrs Ann Lancaster Widow as it shall become due from the said securities during the Term of her natural life and from and after her decease my Will further is that One fourth part of the last mentioned Moiety shall be paid unto my Nephew John Ward of Great Linford aforesaid personally if of the Age of Twenty one Years But if under that Age Then it shall be paid unto Mary his Mother Wife of Phillip Ward for the sole Use and benefit of the said John Ward and her Receipt for the same for the sole Use and benefit shall be a full and sufficient Discharge to my said Trustee his Executors and Administrators notwithstanding her coverture Also from and after the death of my said Mother Ann Lancaster I Give and bequeath unto my Niece Mary Ward the Interest money arising from one other fourth part of the said Moiety until she shall arrive unto the Age of Twenty one Years which said Interest shall constantly as it becomes due be paid into the hands of Mary her Mother for the sole Use and benefit of her said Daughter and the receipt of the said Mother shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the same to my Trustee His Executors and Administrators notwithstanding her Coverture And as soon as the said Mary shall arrive at the Age of Twenty one Years the principal of the said fourth part shall be paid into the Hands of my said Niece Mary for her own sole Use and benefit together with the Interest then due thereupon But in Case my said Niece Mary Ward shall die before she attain unto the age of twenty one Years Then my Will is that her said fourth part together with the Interest then due thereupon shall be paid unto her Brother John Ward if living But if he should be dead then her said fourth part shall continue in the hands of my said Trustee his Executors and Administrators and the Interest arising therefrom on shall be paid unto Mary her Mother during the term of her natural life And from and after her decease I Do Give the said fourth part of the said Moiety together with the Interest arising therefrom unto the Children of my Sister Ann Wife of Edward Cox as well unto those that hereafter may be born as unto those already in Being (Nevertheless my Will is that the said fourth part of the said Moiety with the Interest money arising) therefrom shall continue in my said Trustee’s hand and in the Hands of his Executors and Administrators and as the Interest shall become due and shall be received it shall be put out to Interest by him or them for the said Children’s benefit until one of them shall arrive at the age of Twenty one Years When an equal Division of all the Interest and the Increase thereupon arising together with the said fourth part of the said Moiety shall be calculated according to the then Number of my Sister Ann’s Children share and share alike And then the eldest shall receive his or her own share for his or her own Use and benefit and the same shall be done as they shall respectively come of age as aforesaid Only leaving out at the second Calculation the the oldest and at the third the second Child that no one may have two Shares and so on Also and after the Death of my Mother Mrs Ann Lancaster I do Give and bequeath unto the Children of my Said Sister Ann Cox wife of Edward Cox as well unto those which may hereafter be born as unto those already in being The other half of the said Moiety not yet disposed of Together with the Interest arising therefrom nevertheless my will is that the said half of the Moiety with the Interest money arising therefrom shall continue in my said Trustee’s hands and in the Hands of his Executors and Administrators and as the Interest shall become due and shall be received it shall be put out to interest by him or them for the said Children’s benefit until one of them shall arrive at the Age of Twenty one Years when an equal Division of all the Interest and the Increase therefrom arising together with the said half Moiety shall be calculated according to the number of my Sister Ann’s Children share and share alike And then the eldest shall receive his or her own share for his or her own Use and benefit And the same shall be done as they shall severally and respectively come of age as aforesaid Always leaving out him or her or them who shall have received a Share as also directed and furthermore my Will is that if all the Children of my said Sister Ann Cox shall die before herself that my said Sister shall receive all the Interest arising from the principal sum or sums arising in the Trustee’s hands or in the Hands of his Executors and Administrators which the said Children stood entitled to have had had they lived to have received the same during the term of her natural life and from and after the decease of herself and all her Children if my Nephew John Ward and my Niece Mary Ward shall be alive or either of them Then they if both living shall stand entitled to the whole share and share alike And if only One shall be living he or she shall receive the whole for his or her own Use and benefit But if neither of them shall be living Then my Will is that my Sister Mary Ward receive the Interest of the same during the term of her natural life And if all the Children of my said Two Sisters Mary and Ann and my said two Sisters Themselves shall be both dead Then my Will is that my Cousin German Joseph Manning aforesaid shall keep the whole Legacy first given to my Niece Mary Ward and the whole Legacy given to my said Sister Ann Cox’s Children or his Executors or Administrators if he be dead shall pay the whole both Interest and Principal sum or sums of money to his Heirs or Assigns And I do order and my Will is that my said Trustee shall from Time to time and at all times be allowed the necessary Expences that he shall be at in the performance of the Trust and shall deduct the same as such Expences shall arise out of the Interest money and further I do order and my Will is that if any part or parcel of the money hereby left in Trust with my Cousin German Joseph Manning his Executors and Administrators shall happen to be lost through the failure of Securities or otherwise that neither himself his Executors or Administrators shall be liable to make good the same And I do hereby appoint the said German Joseph Manning sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this – day of – in the year of our Lord 1762 Joseph Lancaster

Signed sealed published and declared as and for the last Will and Testament of the above said Joseph Lancaster in the presence of us who have hereunto set our hands as Witnesses unto the same at the request of the said Testator and in his presence and in the presence of each other Rich Patch John Todd

But notwithstanding I have directed that the Interest arising from the two above mentioned legacies given to my Sister Ann Cox’s Children shall remain in the Hands of my Trustee his Executors and Administrators And that it shall be put out to Interest for their Benefit And each shall receive a share thereof as he or she shall arrive at the age of one and Twenty years Yet if it shall happen that Edward Cox her said Husband shall die before her That she shall receive all the Interest arising from the said Legacy during her continuing a Widow to assist her in bringing up her Children But if she shall be married again Then I will that my Trustee his Executor and Administrators shall pay the same into such hands as he or they shall Judge will act most to benefit and Advantage of the said Children so that they may during their Minority have the whole Advantage thereof. Joseph Lancaster Witness hereto. Rich Patch John Todd

Proved the 28th day of May 1764 before the reverend John Taylor Doctor of Laws Arch Deacon of the Archdeaconry of Bucks by the Oath of Joseph Manning sole Executor To whom Administration was committed He being first sworn duly to administer