Transcript of the Will of John Wells 1715 - 1761
In the name of God amen
I John Wells junior of South Somercotes Graizer and farmer in the County of Lincoln Being weak of Body but of Sound and Perfect memory Praised be God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in mannor and forme as ffolloweth. First I Give and Bequeath my Soul into the Hands of almighty God my maker hopeing through the merrots of Christ to obtain full Pardon of all my sins and my Body to a Christian Burial at the direction of my Executor hereafter named And as to my Worldly Goods I Dispose of as ffolloweth
Imprimis I do Give to my Brother William Wells Three Guineas every year as long as he lives and the money to be Paid and lade out for him by my Executor in a full Swine Hogg or any thing he most wants and if my Executor shall be the shortest life then my Will is forder that his Executor or Executrix administrators or assignor shall still continue Paying the money once by the year And forder my Will is that I Give to my Brother Will Wells a Good Cow and a Calf worth six pound And my Executor to Buy him her and let him have her within one year after my Decease and forder I do give my Brother William Wells one sack of Barley and one sack of Wheat to be carried to him by my Executor once by the year as long as he lives in the Parsonage farme and no longer with out he Pleases
Item I do Give to my Sister Mary Hutton and to my Sister Ann Willows to Each of them five Pounds of Good and Lawfull Money to be Paid to them by my Executor one year after my Decease & if Either or Both dye before the money comes Due to be Equally Divided amongst their children
Item I do Give to Thos [?Tison] the Elder and to my man Miles to Each of them one Guinea and my Housekeeper Ann [?Howson] I Give to her Seven Shillings and sixpence and to my man Thos Odling I Give to him Half a Guinea and as for my other man Tom that came from yon Far Town to him Ile Give Half a Crown this money to be paid to [?them] by my Executor within one year of my decease.
Item I do Give to the Singers that Sings in the South Somercotes Church a Piece of Ground Lying in South Somercotes Ings and it lyes a long by Butcher Close Side on the South Side and goes the same length it lyes only for 3 Roods But little [?In] to Two acres I say ile Give it to the Singers to Suckseed one another as Long as the world Endures ile Give one third part of the money its let for to the man that Loads the Psalms in the church And the other Two third parts I Give to the Rest of the Singers and to Enter on it a year after my decease.
My Gunn and my Violin I Chuse to be Kept in the House as long as they Both do last for Housekeepers & to Guard the House.
My Will is that my Brother Thos Wells Shall keep my [?farme] no longer than he [??] at it and then my will is that John Willows [?...]
Item I do Give to Cousin Edward Wells of North Somercotes One Guinea to be Paid him by my Executor within one year after my Decease and if he die before it comes Due then to fall to his wife.
Mrs Standaloft has a Book of mine Shee Borrowd Cost 4s/6d which I do Give her it at my Decease.
Item I do Give to my father if he Pleases to Except them my Best Coat and Waistcoat and a Pair of New Buckskin Breeches, And as to all the Rest of my clothes my Executor may keep Sum & Give Brother Will the Rest
Item I do Give to Mrs Lingard Half a Guinea to be paid by my Exectr one year after my decease.
Item I do Give to the Parish People of South Somercotes as many Bricks as Will Build em a New Town Pinfould if, Providing they Git em and makes the fold Before Michaelms Next 1761 and if they do not Git em Before Michaelmas then my Will is that they Shall not have them after, But fall to my Executor.
Item I do Give to my Kinswoman Elizabeth Huton Half a Guinea by my Executr with in one year of my Decease to be paid
And all the Rest of my Goods and Chattals and Personal Estate Debts owing to me and Ready money I Give to my Brother Thomas Wells whom I do make whole and full Executor of this my last Will and Testament he paying all my Debts and Legacies Before mentioned and Defraying all my Funeral Expence In Witness where of I have here unto Set my Hand and Seal this 16 Day of January 1761
John Wells Junior [seal]
Sealed Signed Published
and Declar’d to be his last Will
and Testament in the Presence
of us
Thomas Marsh
Edman Lunsdale
Elias Stubbs
I John Wells junior of South Somercotes Graizer and farmer in the County of Lincoln Being weak of Body but of Sound and Perfect memory Praised be God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in mannor and forme as ffolloweth. First I Give and Bequeath my Soul into the Hands of almighty God my maker hopeing through the merrots of Christ to obtain full Pardon of all my sins and my Body to a Christian Burial at the direction of my Executor hereafter named And as to my Worldly Goods I Dispose of as ffolloweth
Imprimis I do Give to my Brother William Wells Three Guineas every year as long as he lives and the money to be Paid and lade out for him by my Executor in a full Swine Hogg or any thing he most wants and if my Executor shall be the shortest life then my Will is forder that his Executor or Executrix administrators or assignor shall still continue Paying the money once by the year And forder my Will is that I Give to my Brother Will Wells a Good Cow and a Calf worth six pound And my Executor to Buy him her and let him have her within one year after my Decease and forder I do give my Brother William Wells one sack of Barley and one sack of Wheat to be carried to him by my Executor once by the year as long as he lives in the Parsonage farme and no longer with out he Pleases
Item I do Give to my Sister Mary Hutton and to my Sister Ann Willows to Each of them five Pounds of Good and Lawfull Money to be Paid to them by my Executor one year after my Decease & if Either or Both dye before the money comes Due to be Equally Divided amongst their children
Item I do Give to Thos [?Tison] the Elder and to my man Miles to Each of them one Guinea and my Housekeeper Ann [?Howson] I Give to her Seven Shillings and sixpence and to my man Thos Odling I Give to him Half a Guinea and as for my other man Tom that came from yon Far Town to him Ile Give Half a Crown this money to be paid to [?them] by my Executor within one year of my decease.
Item I do Give to the Singers that Sings in the South Somercotes Church a Piece of Ground Lying in South Somercotes Ings and it lyes a long by Butcher Close Side on the South Side and goes the same length it lyes only for 3 Roods But little [?In] to Two acres I say ile Give it to the Singers to Suckseed one another as Long as the world Endures ile Give one third part of the money its let for to the man that Loads the Psalms in the church And the other Two third parts I Give to the Rest of the Singers and to Enter on it a year after my decease.
My Gunn and my Violin I Chuse to be Kept in the House as long as they Both do last for Housekeepers & to Guard the House.
My Will is that my Brother Thos Wells Shall keep my [?farme] no longer than he [??] at it and then my will is that John Willows [?...]
Item I do Give to Cousin Edward Wells of North Somercotes One Guinea to be Paid him by my Executor within one year after my Decease and if he die before it comes Due then to fall to his wife.
Mrs Standaloft has a Book of mine Shee Borrowd Cost 4s/6d which I do Give her it at my Decease.
Item I do Give to my father if he Pleases to Except them my Best Coat and Waistcoat and a Pair of New Buckskin Breeches, And as to all the Rest of my clothes my Executor may keep Sum & Give Brother Will the Rest
Item I do Give to Mrs Lingard Half a Guinea to be paid by my Exectr one year after my decease.
Item I do Give to the Parish People of South Somercotes as many Bricks as Will Build em a New Town Pinfould if, Providing they Git em and makes the fold Before Michaelms Next 1761 and if they do not Git em Before Michaelmas then my Will is that they Shall not have them after, But fall to my Executor.
Item I do Give to my Kinswoman Elizabeth Huton Half a Guinea by my Executr with in one year of my Decease to be paid
And all the Rest of my Goods and Chattals and Personal Estate Debts owing to me and Ready money I Give to my Brother Thomas Wells whom I do make whole and full Executor of this my last Will and Testament he paying all my Debts and Legacies Before mentioned and Defraying all my Funeral Expence In Witness where of I have here unto Set my Hand and Seal this 16 Day of January 1761
John Wells Junior [seal]
Sealed Signed Published
and Declar’d to be his last Will
and Testament in the Presence
of us
Thomas Marsh
Edman Lunsdale
Elias Stubbs
In transcribing family wills for this site I have maintained spelling and punctuation of the Wills or Probate Copies