Interesting wills

[Jill on the A272]

I've transcribed a lot of old wills, many of them leave conditions for inheritance, the most common being that a widow would lose anything should she re-marry but this one from Georgian farmer John Hackman from Pellingbridge in the parish of Lindfield in 1779 protects his beloved fruit trees:
"I Will and direct that neither of my said Children shall cut down grub
up or otherwise destroy and Fruit tree growing on any of my Lands and premises at the
time of my decease or be suffered to do before all of my said Children shall have attained
their respective ages of Twenty one years under the Penalty of laying and forfeiting to
the rest of my said Children Forty Shillings for every Tree so cut down or
destroyed"

He was reported in newspapers as having produced a record breaking apple crop, and another gives an account of the festivities following his annual squirrel hunt where his wife and household had produced 500 apple pies.

A will of 1852 for a Lindfield man in my husband's tree, Thomas Compton, leaves his youngest daughter Ann an income for life (£60p.a.) to cease should she marry. Further investigation revealed from the 1871 census that she was classed as an "idiot" so did not have mental capacity, so it was to protect her from a predatory marriage.

Has anyone else got any interesting wills?

[kylejustin]

One of my ancestor's was the governor of fort marlbro in sumatra who died in 1780. In his will he freed his slaves and gave them money for a new life. He also left his infant dau practically all the rest, and his wife got barely anything and wasn't in control of their daughter's inheritance. His reasoning being she was still due her share of her first husband's estate- she was the third wife and there was a legal battle between her and her sister in law for the estate.

but i have often wondered if he didn't trust his wife to manage the estate properly....

[Jill on the A272]

That sounds complicated and expensive to dispute. Family legend has it that ggm was left a sideboard by her 2nd husband but his family marched in and reclaimed it, small fry compared to your will!

[kylejustin]

Basically, the first husband's sister was guardian for his children, and she produced a will written during his second marriage. In it his estate was left to his children.

my ancestor contested the will, saying he had promised to write a new one leaving her a share of his estate. She had a letter proving his intention.

I don't know the outcome of the case, but her case had copies of the letter, marriage record (fort malrbro records are patchy), the date of arrival in sumatra, and the birth and death dates of a baby son they had.

she essentially had to prove she had married him, but no such proof was required she had subsequently remarried. The case was started in 1771 from memory, and still ongoing in 1778 when the governor wrote his will, since no amendment was made, likely still fighting it in 1780.

[cbcarolyn]

I've transcribed a lot of old wills, many of them leave conditions for inheritance, the most common being that a widow would lose anything should she re-marry but this one from Georgian farmer John Hackman from Pellingbridge in the parish of Lindfield in 1779 protects his beloved fruit trees:
"I Will and direct that neither of my said Children shall cut down grub
up or otherwise destroy and Fruit tree growing on any of my Lands and premises at the
time of my decease or be suffered to do before all of my said Children shall have attained
their respective ages of Twenty one years under the Penalty of laying and forfeiting to
the rest of my said Children Forty Shillings for every Tree so cut down or
destroyed"

He was reported in newspapers as having produced a record breaking apple crop, and another gives an account of the festivities following his annual squirrel hunt where his wife and household had produced 500 apple pies.

A will of 1852 for a Lindfield man in my husband's tree, Thomas Compton, leaves his youngest daughter Ann an income for life (£60p.a.) to cease should she marry. Further investigation revealed from the 1871 census that she was classed as an "idiot" so did not have mental capacity, so it was to protect her from a predatory marriage.

Has anyone else got any interesting wills?

How interesting, who would be the person that would ensure that his wishes were kept, re the trees?

[Jill on the A272]

How interesting, who would be the person that would ensure that his wishes were kept, re the trees?

His widow, or if she remarried (as she did a year later) the people he had appointed as trustees/guardians for the children (the eldest was 16) in the event of her remarriage. I did some research for the current owner just before Covid19 struck, she said there were no fruit trees left but she was planning to plant an orchard using old varieties. Rather pleasingly I have just discovered an old school friend is a descendant and lives on a fruit farm not far away.

[Gwyn in Kent]

Great that the orchard may one day be reinstated.

I love old Wills and the glimpse they give into people's characters.

I have written before about my step grandmother, who died in late 1930s.
She must have gone round the house listing all her property and itemised in detail bequests to all her children,... eg. to (name) my best teaset, the one he gave me, when he was in the Army..etc.

The part that got me wondering was..........

........... "and to George Herbert, my forgiveness for all the unpleasantness that he caused in 1932."..........

What did he do to offend his mother like that ?

[PhotoFamily]

The part that got me wondering was..........

........... "and to George Herbert, my forgiveness for all the unpleasantness that he caused in 1932."..........

What did he do to offend his mother like that ?

But also made sure he (and the rest of the family) would never forget it?

Have you checked newspapers for his name in 1932?

[Jill on the A272]

Gwyn in Kent how intriguing, I wonder how he felt when he read that, absolved or resentful that the past had been raked up.

[Gwyn in Kent]

I must admit that I haven't researched this step branch much, but I will look for him now. .. Probably in Portsmouth, as that is where this family were based.