Transcript of the Will of John Portas 1733 - 1783
This is the last Will and Testament of me John Portas of South Somercotes in the County of Lincoln Grazier First I devise that all my just Debts Legacies and Funeral Expences be paid and satisfied I give and devise all & singular my Messuages Cottages Farms Lands Tenements & hereditaments which I shall die seized off unto my dear Wife & her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural Life and from & immediately after her Decease I give the same real Estates unto my Daughter Mary Coote the Widow of Matthew Coote dced for and during the Term of her natural Life and from & after her Decease I give & devise the same Messuages Lands Hereditaments & permits unto & equally amongst all the children of my said Daughter Mary Coote which shall be living at her Decease their Heirs & Assigns for ever & they to take as Tenants in Common & not as joint Tenants And my Will & Mind is that all such Debts as shall at my Decease appear to be due & owing from me jointly with my late Son in Law Matthew Coote shall all be paid as well as my own Debts singly out of my personal Estate and that the Estate & Effects of my said Son Matthew Coote shall be clear & exonerated from the payments of the said joint Debts And I desire that my good friends Mr Andrew Dunholm of Yarborough & his son Andrew Dunholm & Mr John Wallis of Yarborough will be aiding & assisting to my Wife in the Sale & Management of my personal Effects & see that all my Debts are punctually paid I give to my said Wife All & singular my Goods Chattells & personal Estate & Effects whatsoever & wheresoever subject to the payment of my said Debts & funeral Expences for her Life & after her Decease I give the same to my said Daur Mary Coote & her Assigns for her Life & after her dece I give the same unto & equally amongst all the children of my said Daughter Mary Coote which shall be living at her Decease share & share alike And my Will & devise is that Andrew Dunholm the Younger may have the refusal of my Land at Mablethorpe at the clear yearly Rent of thirty five pounds but if he declines to Rent the same then I would have the same Land let to the best Advantage And I do hereby revoke & make void all former & other Will & Wills by Me at any time heretofore made declare this only to be my last Will & Testament and appoint my said dear Wife sole Executrix hereof In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the eleventh day of June one thousand seven hundred & Eighty three.
John Portas
Signed sealed published & declared by the sd John Portas
the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in
the presence of Us, who have hereto set our Names as
Witnesses in his presence & in the presence of each other
Tho. Phillips
Thomas Wells
Wm Harrison
Proved by the Executrix 7th July 1783
John Portas
Signed sealed published & declared by the sd John Portas
the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in
the presence of Us, who have hereto set our Names as
Witnesses in his presence & in the presence of each other
Tho. Phillips
Thomas Wells
Wm Harrison
Proved by the Executrix 7th July 1783
In transcribing family wills for this site I have maintained spelling and punctuation of the Wills or Probate Copies