Yeovil's Virtual Museum

1815 will of Elizabeth Masters

Widow

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth Masters the elder of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Widow I give and bequeath my Bedstead and bed in the little Room at the head of the Stairs in the House wherein I now live together with the curtains sheets and blankets commonly used there with unto my Great Niece Mary Ann Torrell Wife of James Torrell of Martock I give and bequeath the bedstead which I usually sleep with the furniture thereof together with the Feather bed bolster and two pillows two blankets four Sheets and the White Counterpane commonly used therewith and also the Chest of Drawers Dressing Table and Pier Glass in my bed room and the small dining Table for white painted Chairs and the Tea Urn in my sitting room to my Granddaughter Sarah Masters I give to my daughter in law Elizabeth Masters Widow of my late deceased Son William Hooper Masters and also to Mr Samuel Anstice and to each of my Trustees and Executors hereinafter named a Mourning Ring of the value of two Guineas I give and bequeath the mourning ring which I had upon the death of my Cousin James Hooper Esquire unto my Grandson William Hooper Masters I give and bequeath the mourning ring that I had upon the death of my Brother Jonathan Hooper Esquire unto my grandson Jonathan Hooper Masters and I give and bequeath my Stone Mourning Ring unto my Granddaughter Sarah Masters I give and bequeath the small Copper furnace in the back kitchen of the Dwellinghouse in which I now reside to my Daughter in law the said Elizabeth Masters and I direct that the large Copper furnace in the back Kitchen of my said Dwellinghouse be on my Death removed into the adjoining Dwellinghouse the Moiety whereof I have hereinafter devised to my grandson William Hooper Masters And it is my Will that the said last mentioned furnace and also the Apple Mill and Cyder Press vessels and Utensils for making Cyder and three fivehogshead Casks and one Cask containing two Hogshead's and half belonging to the said last mentioned Dwellinghouse be considered as Heir looms and be for the benefit of the person or persons who for the time being shall be beneficiary entitled to the same Dwellinghouse and Premises I give and devise my moiety or half part of and in the Messuage or Dwellinghouse with the Garden Orchard and Appurtenances thereto belonging in Backstreet aforesaid late in the Occupation of my deceased Son William Hooper Masters and also the entirety of the plot of Ground in Backstreet aforesaid opposite to the said Dwelling House which I purchased of Thomas Clark unto John Hooper of Yeovil aforesaid Esquire and William Cayme of the same place Gentleman their Heirs and Assigns In Trust for my Grandson William Hooper Masters his Heirs and Assigns for ever But in case my said grandson William Hooper Masters shall happen to die under the Age of twenty one Years without of lawful issue then I give and devise the same moiety plot of Ground and Premises to my Grandson Jonathan Hooper Masters his Heirs and Assigns for ever Charged and Chargeable nevertheless with the payment of the Sum of Four hundred pounds which on the event of my said Grandson William Hooper Masters dying under the Age of twenty one Years and without Issue as aforesaid (but not otherwise) I hereby give to my said Granddaughter Sarah Masters and to direct that the same be paid to her by my said Grandson Jonathan Hooper Masters in six Months next after the Death of my said Grandson William Hooper Masters under the Age of twenty one Years and without issue as aforesaid And as and for and concerning all the rest and residue of my Goods Chattels Monies and Securities for Money Stocks in the Public Funds and all other my Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature kind or quality soever (charged in the payment of my Debts Funeral and Testamentary Expenses and in particular with the Payment of the Sum of Five hundred pounds which by a Settlement made on the marriage of my Granddaughter Elizabeth Masters with Mr Edward Porter I have Covenanted to be paid by my Executors to the Trustees therein named in six months after my death) I give and bequeath the same unto the said John Hooper and William Cayme to hold to them their Executors Administrators and Assigns upon this special Trust and Confidence nevertheless that is to say that they my said Trustees and the Survivor of them and the Executors or Administrators of such Survivor do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my Death convert the whole thereof into money and call in and receive all such Debts Sum and Sums of Money as shall be due and owing to me at the time of my Death and place the money to arise and be produced therefrom at Interest on such Real Security or Securities in their own Names and in such manner as they my said Trustees shall think proper and do and shall pay and apply the Interest thereof from time to time as the same shall be received into the proper hands of my Granddaughter Elizabeth Porter or otherwise permit authorise and empower her to receive the same for her sole use and benefit for and during the term of her natural life to the intent that the same may not be at the disposal of or subject or liable to the control Debts or Engagements of her present or any husband she may hereafter intermarry with but only for her own separate use and benefit and my Will is that the receipts of my said granddaughter Elizabeth Porter under her Hand for the Interest arising and payable from my said Residuary Estate shall from time to time (notwithstanding she may be under Coverture) be a good and sufficient discharge to the person or persons paying the same for so much thereof for which such receipt or receipts shall be given And upon this further Trust that they my said Trustees and the Survivor of them his Executors and Administrators do and shall from and after the decease of my said granddaughter Elizabeth Porter then pay the principal of my said Residuary Estate unto or between and amongst all and every the Children of my said Granddaughter Elizabeth Porter equally to be divided between them (if more than one) share and share alike And if but one then the whole to such only Child the share or shares of such of the said Children as shall be a Son or Sons to become a vested in interest in him or them respectively when and as he or they shall attain his or their Age or respective Ages of twenty one Years And the share or shares of such of them as shall be a Daughter or Daughters to become vested in her or them respectively as and when she or they shall attain her all their Age or respective Ages of twenty one Years or Day or Days of Marriage which shall first happen But so nevertheless that the payment thereof shall be postponed until after the decease of the said Elizabeth Porter Provided always that if any such Child or Children being a Son or Sons shall die before he or they shall attain or arrive at his or their Age or respective Ages of twenty one Years or being a Daughter or Daughters shall die before she or they shall attain or arrive at her all their Age or respective Ages of twenty one Years without having been married Then all and every the share or shares of him her or them so dying of and in my said Residuary Estate shall go and accrue to the Survivors and Survivor of such Children and shall be equally divided between or amongst them if more than one share and share alike And the same shall become vested and payable to such surviving Child or Children at such age and ages time and times as is hereinbefore directed touching his her all their original share or shares And in case all the Children of the said Elizabeth Porter shall happen to die before any of them being a Son or Sons shall attain or arrive at the Age of twenty one Years or before any of them being a Daughter or Daughters shall attain or arrive at the Age of twenty one Years or be married then In trust that they my said Trustees and the Survivor of them his Executors and Administrators do and shall after the decease of the said Elizabeth Porter pay and divide my said Residuary Estate unto and amongst my said three other Grandchildren Sarah Masters William Hooper Masters and Jonathan Hooper Masters equally to be divided between them share and share alike and their respective Executors and Administrators I point the said John Hooper and William Cayme Executors in Trust of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby expressly declare that my said Trustees and Executors or either of them their or either of their Executors or Administrators shall not be Charged or Chargeable with or accountable for more of my said Residuary Estate and Effects than shall come to their respective Hands nor with or for any loss which may happen without their wilful default nor the one of them for the other of them nor for the Acts Debts Receipts or Disbursements the one of the other and also that it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Trustees and Executors in the first place by and out of the Estate and Effects to reimburse him and themselves respectively all such loss Costs Charges and Expenses as they or either of them shall sustain explained or be put unto in the Execution of this my Will or the Trusts hereby in them reposed In Witness whereof I the said Elizabeth Masters the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and Seal this twenty fifth Day of May one thousand eight hundred and fifteen

Eliz Masters

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testatrix Elizabeth Masters as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request have subscribe our Names as Witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testatrix and of each other

Jno Batten     Jno Frampton     John Bird

 

Whereas I Elizabeth Masters the elder of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Widow have duly made and published my last Will and Testament bearing date the twenty fifth Day of May one thousand eight hundred and fifteen and have thereby given and devised my Moiety or half part of and in the Messuage or Dwellinghouse with the Garden Orchard and Appurtenances thereunto belonging in Backstreet in Yeovil aforesaid therein particularly mentioned and also the entirety of the Plot of Ground in Backstreet aforesaid opposite the said Dwellinghouse to John Hooper of Yeovil aforesaid Esquire and William Cayme of the same place Gentleman their Heirs and Assigns upon certain trusts therein declared of and concerning the same And I have by my said Will given and bequeathed all the residue of my Goods Chattels Monies and Securities for Money Stock in the Public Funds and all other my Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature kind or quality soever (Charged as therein is mentioned) unto them the said John Hooper and William Cayme their Executors Adm[inistrat]ors and Assigns upon the Trusts therein also declared of and concerning the same and have appointed the said John Hooper and William Cayme joint Executors in Trust of my said Will And Whereas since the Date and Execution of my said Will the said William Cayme hath departed this life and I am desirous of substituting Peter Daniell of Yeovil aforesaid Merchant as a Trustee and Executor of my said Will (jointly with the said John Hooper) in the place and stared of the said William Cayme Now therefore I do by this Codicil to my said Will give and devise the Moiety of the said Messuage or Dwellinghouse Garden Orchard and Appurtenances in Backstreet and the entirety of the said Plot of Ground in Backstreet in my said Will mentioned to them the said John Hooper and Peter Daniell their heirs and Assigns upon the Trusts and for the ends intents and purposes in my said Will mentioned and expressed and declared of and concerning the same And I also give and bequeath all the residue and remainder of my Personal Estate and Effects in my said Will and hereinbefore mentioned (Charged as therein is expressed) to them the said John Hooper and Peter Daniell their Executors Administrators and Assigns upon the trusts and for the ends intents and purposes in my said Will mentioned and expressed and declared of and concerning such the residue of my Personal Estate and I appoint the said John Hooper and Peter Daniell joint Executors In trust of my said Will and do declare that the said Peter Daniell as well as the said John Hooper shall be indemnified and reimburse by and out of my Estate and Effects in respect of the said Trusts and Executorship in like manner as is directed by my said Will in relation to the Trustees and Executors therein named And whereas I have by my said Will given and bequeathed my Bedstead and bed in the little Room at the head of the Stairs in the house wherein I now live together with the Curtains Sheets and blankets commonly used their with unto my Great Niece Mary Ann Terrell (wife of James Terrell) of Martock Now I do hereby revoke the said bequest in favour of the said Mary Ann Terrell And to direct that the said Articles and things last hereinbefore mentioned shall be considered as part of my residuary Personal Estate And I do hereby ratify and Confirm my said Will in all respects save where this same his altered or varied by this present Codicil In Witness whereof I have to this Codicil to my said Will set my hand and Seal this twenty first day of October one thousand eight hundred and eighteen

Eliz Masters

Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Testatrix Elizabeth Masters as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testatrix and of each other

J Seaward     Jno Batten     Robt Fitchett

 

Proved at London with a Codicil 3^d of November 1820 before the Judge by the Oaths of John Hooper Esq the Ex[ecut]or named in the Will & Peter Daniel the Ex[ecut]or named in the Codicil to whom Adm[inistrati]on was granted being first sworn by Com[missi]on duly to Adm[iniste]r

 

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn