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In the Name of
God Amen I Ann Byers Widow of the
late Isaac Byers of Bideford in the
County of Devon being of sound mind
and looking forward in the blessed
hope of Salvation to that hour when
my Soul may humbly trust through the
merits of my blessed Redeemer Jesus
Christ be received into the Mansions
of eternal rest and may God in mercy
fit and prepare me for this awful
moment Amen! I do make and ordain
this my last Will and Testament in
the following manner and request
that my mortal body be not too
hastily interred and also that it be
done private and without the least
pomp whatever but in a quiet plain
decent manner as required in the
beautiful sublime and solemn service
of our Holy Church devoutly
performed by some pious servant of
God ffirst I hold myself responsible
to my son James Broff for a legacy
left to him by his dear ffather of
£426-7-7 four hundred and twenty six
pounds seven shillings and seven
pence this sum as his lawful right
(and only held in trust by me) must
be paid prior to any other
arrangements Secondly I bequeath to
my Daughter Mary Ann Wife of Colonel
B.W.D. Seeley now in the East Indies
on the Bombay Establishment the sum
of four hundred pounds for her own
use and disposal independant of her
husband and in the event of her
death to her child or children that
may survive her but if she should
die without issue the said four
hundred pounds shall be equally
divided between her Brothers James
Broff John Sparks Richard Hoare and
Robert Walter I also give to my
aforesaid Daughter the small
quantity of Plate and trinkets I may
be possessed of to be added to the
silver teapot and stand left to her
by her dear ffather also my quarto
bible my wearing apparel and linen
but as aforesaid in the event of her
death without issue these articles
shall be given to my two Grand
Daughters Amelia Broff and Maria
Helen equally divided by the
discretion of their Mother Thirdly
as a small tribute of affection to
my Daughters and Son in law I give
to each the sum of twenty pounds
that is to say To Maria Wife of
James Broff £20 To Mary Wife of John
Sparks £20 To Eliza Wife of Richard
Hoare twenty pounds To Ann Wife of
Robert Walter £20 To Benjamin W D
Sealy £20 ffourthly I give and
bequeath to my Son James Broff all
my household furniture now in his
House except any article I may
hereby otherwise dispose of ffifthly
I do give and bequeath all the
remaining part of my property to be
equally divided between my four Sons
i.e. James Broff John Sparks Richard
Hoare Robert Walter and that the two
Eldest James Broff and John Sparks
shall by my appointment be the
Executors to fulfil this my Will
being lawfully enabled to do so be
me And I do nominate constitute and
appoint the said James Broff and
John Sparks my lawful Executors And
I request that should the Almighty
be graciously pleased to permit my
Daughter Mary Ann Sealy to return to
England that she may have a few
trifles in remembrance of her Mother
who watched over her with parental
tenderness and anxious care I name
the following articles if she wishes
for them _ the tea things from India
the chimney piece ornaments which
Colonel Sealy gave me the very
ancient cup which was my......
ffather’s Writing Desk Wardrobe
Calamander Work box and stande
Dressing table and swing Glass Watch
And now my dear children accept my
blessing and may our God bless and
send his holy Spirit to guide and
direct you all I offer to you my
sincere and grateful thanks for the
many comforts I have received from
your very dutiful and most
affectionate attention to me during
my Widowed life which the Almighty
has been pleased to prolong and has
strengthened the common tie of
nature with a stronger bond of
mutual love implanted by him in each
of our hearts to create an earnest
desire to support each other and
forward all our temporal and
spiritual happiness as one body May
the same spirit of affectionate love
continue to unite you when I am (by
the help of my God)far removed to a
better World which through faith in
my all gracious Redeemer’s merits
only I do look forward to with a
blessed hope Amen! _ Ann Byers
N.B Having
strong proof that my dutiful
Children are ever ready to comply
with my desire and will know this to
be my own act and hand writing I
shall not strengthen it by calling
the aid of witnesses but only add my
name and seal in the presence of
Eleanor Susan Loraine _ The seal of
Ann Byers To John Broff and James
Sparks (Byers) 1823
(Affidavit of
due Execution sworn by James Margoty
of No 26 Upper Berkeley Street
Portman Square in the County of
Middlesex Esquire relating to Ann
Byers formerly of Bideford in the
County of Devon but late of Lamphey
in the County of Pembroke)
Proved 23 June
1829 by the oath of Reverend James
Broff Byers, Clerk power reserved to
Reverend James Sparks Byers, Clerk
PCC
Prob11/1756 |
