Will of William Grainger, cordwainer, 1747/8 (proved 1749)

Herts RO 191AW2

[f.1] In the Name of God Amen I William Grainger of Winslow in the County of Bucks Cordwainer being Weake in Body but of sound and perfect mind and mem(m)ory praysed be Almighty God therefore and Considering the Certainty of Death and the uncertaine time thereof Do make and Ordeyne this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First and Principally I recom(m)end my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator trusting through the meritts of Jesus Christ my Saviour to Obteyne full Remission of all my Sinns and my Body I Com(m)itt to the earth to be decently Buryed at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and as for such worldly Estate as it hath or shall please God to Blesse my with at the time of my Death I Give and dispose thereof as followeth Imprimis I Give Will Devise and Bequeath unto Ann Webbster my Mother the Interest of the Thirty pounds which I have out at Use and also the Bedd and Bedding Three paire of sheetes and the Close stoole in the Little Room for and during the terme of her naturall Life and from and after her decease then to the use of Ann Grainger her Grandaughter forever And Likewise the Little porridge pott Two Little Kittles a skillet and Sauce pan for and during the naturall Life of the said Ann Webbster my Mother and from and after her decease then to the Use of John Toe my Kinsman forever Item I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my Kinsman Thomas Grainger Three paire of sheetes and my Great Kittle Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Kinsman Robert Grainger Son of John Grainger my Best Flock Bedd Two Blanketts Bollsters and Rugg my Best Frock and Breeches Three paire of sheetes the Large porridge pott and the second Biggest Kittle, a paire of Hand Irons Tongs \a Little Table and Coferr/ and Fire shovel belonging to the Great Roome and Six Chaires in the Little Roome Two pewter Dishes One Great one and One Little One halfe a dozen of pewter plates a White Rugg and a Table Cloth of his Sister Ann’s Chuseing Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Kinsman John Grainger Son of John Grainger One Flock Bedd Three sheetes a Yeallow Quilt and the rest of my Wareing Apparrell and one part out of the Two of the Tables and Chaires in the Chamber over the House Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Kinswoman Ann Grainger my Clock and Clock Case and the Fether Bedd which Came from her Aunt Bettyes a Holland sheet and some Linnen a Linnen Quilt Three White Blanketts and the Grate in the Great Roome a \paire of/ Hand Irons Fender and Tongs a Large Folding Table a Little Dressing Table a Chest of Drawers a Corner Cubbard the Large Looking Glass Three paire of sheetes the Table belonging to Two joint stooles the Chaires the Best Table Cloth and shaire of the napkin and Towells the Little sowl And Liberty to Live in the House during the time she Keeps herselfe single Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Kinswoman Grace Grainger One Flock Bedd One White Blankett Three Sheetes and One part out of Two of the Tables and Chaires in the Chamber over the House

The mark of William Grainger

[f.2] Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Kinsman Thomas Grainger Son of John Grainger and unto my Kinsmen Robert Grainger and John Grainger Sons of the said John Grainger and unto my Kinsman John Toe and unto my Kinswomen Mary Grainger Ann Grainger and Grace Grainger the sum(m)e of Thirty pounds of Lawfull money of Great Britaine to be devided between them shaire and shaire alike after the Death of the said Ann Webbster my Mother And Lastly I do hereby nominate Constitute and Appoint John Toe my Kinsman full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament He paying my Debts Legacyes and Funerall Expences And I do hereby Revoke all Former Wills by me before made and do declare this to be my Last Will and Testament and none other nor otherwise In Wittnesse whereof I have to this my Will Containing Two Sheetes of paper to the first sheet sett my hand and to the Last my hand seale this Thirteenth day of February One Thousand seven hundred and Forty Seven

The mark of William Grainger

Signed Sealed Published and Declared
by the said Testator as and for his
Last Will and Testament in the
presence of us who have hereunto
subscribed our names as Wittnesses
in the presence of the Testator and
of Each other

Hen(ry) Stuchbury
John Cox
Peter Goldsworth Jun

8th April 1749
Sworn the Executor above named
before me
No  Inv(entory)

John Stephens Sur(rogate)

Proved the 8th day of April 1749
before John Stephens Clerk Batchelor in Divinity
Surrogate by the Oath of John Toe Sole Exec(utor) to
whom ad(minstra)con was Com(m)itted he being first sworn
Duely to Administer

[Note on outside]
Probate &c delivered to
Mr Shelton the day it
was proved

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Notes

William was bap. 28 Sep 1701, youngest son of Robert Granger, shoemaker (d.1703) and his wife Ann (nee Pitkin). HIs burial is not recorded in the parish register (had he become a Baptist?). The beneficiaries of the will were nearly all the children of his brother John Grainger, cordwainer (d.1748). John Toe the executor was married to William's niece Elizabeth.

Aunt Betty: William had a sister Elizabeth (b.1689).

Sowl (reading not entirely certain) = a wash tub