To be sure

[Kit]

I've recently discovered that there is a family bible for OHs family dating back to the 1700s. I don't have the bible but due to a lovely auctioneer it has ended back into the hands of family and placed online.

This has broken a longstanding brick wall for me and someone on FB has given me a history back to the 1500s and now I am setting out to prove it.

My eldest son has just discovered he shares his ame with his 6th great grandfather, which is lovely, although Great Grandad can't spell his name correctly.

The bible does not mention a wife for 6g grandfather so I'm hoping parish registers do mention her as none of OHs 5g grandfather and siblings appear to be baptised.

The will for 6g grandfather however does mention his wife, Jane, so I am excited.

What did make me laugh though was that after making sure Jane was well and truly looked after, to the extent she can evict a tenant if she is not paid her annuity on time, he leaves something to John "my son or reputed son", just in case DNA testing becomes a thing and John is proven not to be his son.

There are 3 other children so we'll see if there is any doubt as to their parentage.

[Kit]

To be sure, to be sure:

Everything goes to the wife, unless she dies or displeases him or the executors in which case he or the executors will make her entitlement void, then it goes to the eldest child unless he dies etc etc to the fourth child. Any remaining property is to be shared equally between any surviving of the 4 children, any children he may have between the writing of the will and his death and any child in utero when he dies but is born alive. He is thorough.

[Olde Crone]

Or maybe it was the solicitor or will writer who was thorough, they were paid by the word back then, haha.

OC

[Kit]

That would make sense, it was very wordy and repetitious. No wonder his wife only got 30 pounds per annum, he'd spent the rest on the will. His father's second wife, however, was given the grand sum of 40 pounds just to bury her husband, at least that's all I could read that particular 40 pounds.

I didn't mention that if the wife dies or is disinherited and the eldest child has not yet reached their majority then he goes into details how they should be given a trade or apprenticeship.

Originally Posted by Kit

That would make sense, it was very wordy and repetitious. No wonder his wife only got 30 pounds per annum, he'd spent the rest on the will. His father's second wife, however, was given the grand sum of 40 pounds just to bury her husband, at least that's all I could read that particular 40 pounds.

I didn't mention that if the wife dies or is disinherited and the eldest child has not yet reached their majority then he goes into details how they should be given a trade or apprenticeship.

sorry Kit I did laugh at that 'money spent on will' puts me in mind of when I was a child and my Nan said eff my grave and gravestone spend it on the living and my mum said but we won't be able to find you and she said that might be a blessing for some around these parts they can't find me while I'm living and giving one of my uncles a dirty look at the same time.

[Kit]

lol at your poor Nan.

My Dad used to say his will said "being of sound body and mind I spent the lot".