Will of Elizabeth King of Little Horwood, spinster, 1827 (proved 1828)

TNA PROB 11/1739/212

This is the last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth King late of Passenham in the County of Northampton but at present residing in Little Horwood in the County of Bucks Spinster First I give and bequeath unto my Mother Sarah King the watch which recently belonged to my late Father Thomas King deceased

[The will then goes on to list the following legacies - all her books, her writing desk and gold thirty shillings piece to Thomas Brett of Beachampton, farmer. Plate and jewellery to be equally divided between her friends Fanny Gilling, Sarah Whitehead, Sarah Godfrey, Ann Elizabeth Loveacre, Catherine Comfort Hayward, Elizabeth Hayward, Elizabeth Reeve, Harriet Reeve & Lydia Lines. Her three sisters Sarah the wife of Jeremiah Rolfe, Mary Marsh widow and Ann the wife of William Reeve and two sisters-in-law Martha the wife of John King and Elizabeth the wife of Matthew King were jointly left ‘all my clothes wearing apparel and ornaments of my person of every description’. Her lace pillow with the lace thereon and all her lacemaking materials were left to Sarah wife of Henry Phillips. All furniture and household goods were bequeathed to her niece Anna the daughter of Humphry Ray. Her brother John King who would be nominated executor of the will was entrusted with extensive responsibilities in connection with administration of her finances including settlement of debts including funeral and testamentary expenses. He was also responsible for ensuring the delivery of all legacies contained in the will which went on to specify payments of £40 each to her niece Charlotte King, nephew John Frederic Rolfe and George King son of her brother Matthew King. £20 was left to her niece Anna Ray and a further £5 to Sarah Philips. The residue of her personal estate was devised equally among her named nephews and nieces - Humphry Ray, John Ray, James Ray and Anna Ray; Thomas King, John King, Ann King, Mary King, Frederic King and Elizabeth King and Thomas Marsh with the benefit of survivorship among them … ]

I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Brother John King sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby authorise and empower my said Brother John King by and out of the Monies that shall come to his hands by virtue of the trusts aforesaid to retain all such Costs Charges and expenses he may suffer sustain or be put unto in the execution of this my Will or the trusts hereby reposed in him In Witness whereof I the said Elizabeth King the Testatrix have to the first Sheet of this my last Willa and Testament contained on two Sheets of paper set my hand only and to this the second and last sheet thereof my hand and seal this 24th day of October in the year of our Lord 1827 Elizabeth King [signature] Signed Sealed published and declared by the said Elizabeth King the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses thereof Dav Tho Willis [signature] Robert Corbett [signature]

Proved at London on the 18th April 1828 before the Worshipful Henry Gaunt Lansbury Dr of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of John King the Brother the sole Executor to whom adm(inistrati)on was granted being first sworn duly to administer

Notes

Elizabeth King was the daughter of Thomas King, farmer of Nash, whose will was proved in 1825 (TNA PROB 11/1706/150). He left her £300. The surname was very common in Little Horwood, Winslow and surrounding villages.