The Document Chest
1839 Will of John Harris
Gentleman of Vagg Farm
This is the last Will and Testament
of me
John Harris of Vagg Farm in the parish of
Yeovil in the
County of
Somerset
Gentleman I give
and bequeath
unto my friend
Edwin Newman of
Yeovil aforesaid
Gentleman all
and singular my
household goods
and furniture
live and dead
farming stock
and implements
of husbandry of
whatever
description to
hold the same
unto the said
Edwin Newman his
executors
administrators
and assigns upon
trusts and for
the ends intents
and purposes
next hereafter
mentioned that
is to say Upon
trut to permit
and suffer my
dear wife to
have use and
occupy the same
and the produce
arising
therefrom for
and during the
term of her
natural life for
the benefit of
herself and her
children now
born or
hereafter to be
born in due time
of my decease in
such manner as
she shall think
proper and
expedient and
from and after
her decease I
direct that all
and singular my
said household
goods and
furniture
together with
all such live
and dead farming
stock as shall
not have been
disposed of in
her life time
shall be
immediately
converted into
money and be
received by my
said Trustee or
Trustees for the
time being upon
trust for the
joint and equal
benefit of all
my said children
who shall be
living at that
time and shall
have attained
his or her age
of twenty one
years or shall
thereafter live
to attain that
age I expressly
empower my said
Wife to use and
manage my said
household goods
and furniture
live and dead
farming stock
and implements
of husbandry and
to carry on the
Estate I now
occupy or any
other Farm which
she may in
future occupy in
any manner she
may think proper
without any
interferance
whatever by or
on the part of
my said trustee
or trustees for
the time being
And I further
empower my said
Wife to pay and
apply any money
to be received
by her from the
sale of any part
or parcel of my
said Farming
Stock or the
gains or profits
arising
therefrom to or
for the benefit
of all or any of
my said Children
and even to the
exclusion of any
one or more of
them in any way
she may think
proper during
the term of her
natural life I
give devise and
bequeath all and
singular my real
and all other my
Personal Estate
whatsoever and
wheresoever
including a
Policy of
Insurance on my
life for One
thousand pounds
and of what
nature or kind
soever not
hereinbefore
disposed of unto
and to the use
of the said
Edwin Newman his
heirs executors
administrators
and assigns
according to the
nature and
quality thereof
respectively
Upon trust that
he the said
Edwin Newman his
executors or
administrators
do and shall as
and when he or
they shall think
proper sell and
dispose in
thereof for so
much thereof as
shall not
consist of money
and grant and
convey the same
and every or any
part thereof
unto any person
or persons who
may be willing
to purchase the
same for the
best price or
prices in money
that can be
reasonably
obtained for the
same and do and
shall stand
possessed of the
rents and
profits thereof
until sale and
after sale of
the purchase
money arising
therefrom and of
all and singular
the monies due
to me on
mortgages bonds
notes or
otherwise
wheresoever and
all other my
residuary
Personal Estate
and Effects
whatsoever upon
trust for the
benefit of my
said Children in
equal shares and
proportions And
I declare that
each child shall
take a vested
Interest in his
or her portion
thereof as and
when he or she
shall arrive at
the age of
twenty one years
I empower my
said Trustee and
Trustees for the
time being to
apply the rents
and profits of
each childs
presumptive
portion or any
competent part
thereof for his
or her
maintenance and
education until
he or she shall
have acquired a
vested interest
therein and to
[cause?] and
apply any part
of the
presumptive
portion of any
or either of my
said Children
for his her or
their
advancement in
life during his
or her minority
I empower my
said Trustee and
Trustees for the
time being to
continue my said
trust money in
its present
State of
Investment or to
call in the same
or any part
thereof at his
or their
discretion and
again to
reinvest it
together with
the produce to
be received from
any sale of my
said real estate
and all other my
said residuary
personal estate
whatsoever upon
such securities
whether real or
personal as he
or they may
think proper I
give devise and
bequeath unto
the said Edwin
Newman his heirs
executors
administrators
and assigns all
and singular my
trust and
mortgaged
Estates
whatsoever
subject to the
Equities
affecting the
same
respectively I
declare that
every receipt of
the said Edwin
Newman his heirs
executors
administrators
and assigns
shall be a good
and sufficient
discharge for
all monies paid
to him or them
under or by
virtue of this
my Will and that
the person or
persons paying
the same shall
not be obliged
to look to the
application or
be answerable or
accountable for
any
misapplication
thereof I
declare that the
said Edwin
Newman his heirs
executors
administrators
and assigns
shall not be
answerable for
more money than
he or they shall
actually receive
nor be
accountable for
any involuntary
losses I
nominate and
appoint the said
Edwin Newman
sole
Executor In [word illegible] of this
my last Will and
Testament In
Testimony
whereof I have
hereunto set my
hand and seal
this eighteenth
day of January
one thousand
eight hundred
and thirty nine
John Harris
Signed Sealed
published and
declared by the
said John Harris
the Testator as
and for his last
Will and
Testament in the
presence of us
who at his
request in his
presence and in
the presence of
each other have
hereunto
subscribed our
names as
Witnesses
Robert Chapman
Ann
Chapman
Proved at London 28th March 1839 before the Worshipful Jesse
Addams Doctor of
Laws & Surrogate
by the oath of
Edwin Newman the
sole Executor to
whom Adm[inistrati]on
was granted
having been
first sworn duly
to administer
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
