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Summary:
Testator:
Joan Jenkins (1), widow
of Bremill, Wiltshire
Daughter and son-in-law:
Joan (2) and John
Tompson her husband
Son and
overseer:
Richard Jenkins (3),
clerk, of Frome Selwood
Daughters and
executrixes:
Jane, Margaret and
Elizabeth Jenkins (4)
Stepson and
overseer: Robert
Jenkins (5) of Melksham
Stepdaughters:
Anne, wife of Robert
Haxy, and Mary Jenkins
(6)
Signed:
3 January 1690
Witnesses:
Henry Willen and Francis
Edmonds
Probate:
Granted 20 October 1693
to the executrixes by
John Wilson
Notes:
-
Testatrix was the
second wife and
widow of Robert
Jenkins (1602-1670),
gent, of Bremhill,
Wiltshire;
-
Testatrix’s eldest
daughter Joan was
baptized at Bremill
in 1644 and married
John Tompson there
in 1681;
-
Testatrix’s son
Richard was Vicar of
Frome Selwood (now
simply Frome),
Somerset, from 1672
until his death in
1702; he married and
had twelve children;
-
Testatrix’s younger
daughters Jane (b
1650), Margaret (b
1652) and Elizabeth
(b 1657) were
apparently all
unmarried at her
death;
-
Robert Jenkins
(1636-1716) was the
only son of
testatrix’s husband
by his first wife
Katherine Salmon
(1612-1639); in the
will he is called
son-in-law which was
acceptable at this
time for a stepson,
but is now
considered
incorrect;
-
Anne Haxy (b 1634)
and Mary Jenkins (b
1638), daughters of
testatrix’s husband
by his first wife,
are called
daughters-in-law in
the will, but in
modern parlance are
stepdaughters.
Source:
Wiltshire and Swindon
History Centre, will of
Joan Jenkins, proved
1693, P3/IJ/154
Text:
Will:
In the name of God,
Amen. I, Joan Jenkins
of Bremhill in the
county of Wilts, widow,
being weak in body but
in perfect mind and
memory, thanks be to God
for it, do make this my
last will and testament;
Imprimis, I give and
bequeath my soul into
the hands of Almighty
God, trusting for
salvation through his
mercy and the merits of
his only son my dear
saviour Christ Jesus;
Item, I commit my body
to the earth whence it
?came to be decently
buried by my late dear
husband at the
discretion of my
executrixes hereafter
mentioned;
Item, I give and
bequeath to my daughter
Joan, wife of John
Tompson the sum of five
shillings;
Item, I give and
bequeath unto the
children of my son
Richard Jenkins, ?clerk,
the sum of five
shillings each
Item, I give and
bequeath unto my
daughter Jane Jenkins
the sum of twenty
pounds;
All the rest of my goods
and chattels I give and
bequeath unto my
daughters Jane Jenkins,
Margaret Jenkins and
Elizabeth Jenkins, whom
I make joint executrixes
of this my last will and
testament;
Lastly, I desire that my
son-in-law Robert
Jenkins of Melksham,
gent and Richard Jenkins
my son, of Frome Selwood,
clerk, be overseers of
this my last will and to
see it ?truly executed
and be as guardians to
my children, the joint
executrixes herein
mentioned, to whom I
give ten shillings
apiece to buy them
rings;
Item, I give unto my
daughters-in-law, Anne,
the wife of Robert ?Haxy,
and Mary Jenkins five
shillings apiece
In witness whereof I
have hereunto set my
hand and seal the twenty
third day of January
Anno Domini 1690 //
Mary Jenkins, her sign
//
Signed, sealed and
published in the
presence of //? Henry
?Willen // Francis
Edmonds, his sign //
Probate:
You shall swear that the
paper writing or
schedule to these
presents annexed both
contain the true last
will and testament of
Mrs. Joan Jenkins,
widow, late of Bremhill
in the county of Wilts,
and so far forth as you
know or believe that you
will faithfully execute
and perform the same
will and well and truly
administer all and
singular the goods,
chattels and credits of
the said deceased by
paying her debts and the
legacies therein
bequeathed, so far forth
as her goods, chattels
and credits will thereto
extend and the law shall
charge you in that
behalf, that you will
exhibit a true and
perfect inventory of all
and singular the goods,
chattels and credits of
the said deceased at the
time of her death which
have or shall come to
your hands, possession
or knowledge and ??? an
account of your
administration when the
law should require, so
help you God. Kiss the
Book.
The oath above written
was administered to the
above named Jane
Jenkins, Margaret
Jenkins and Elizabeth
Jenkins this twentieth
day of October Anno
Domini 1693
By me // John Wilson
//
Inventory:
An inventory of all and
singular the goods,
chattels and debts of
Mrs. Joane Jenkins the
elder, late of Bremhill
in the county of Wilts,
widow, ??? taken and
valued and praised the
[blank] day of October
in the fifth year of the
reign of our sovereign
Lord and Lady William
and Mary, by the grace
of God of England,
Scotland, France and
Ireland, King and Queen,
defenders of the faith,
etc, Anno Domini 1693,
by Mr. Rob: Harris, Mr.
John King and Mr. John
Tompson
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|
£ |
s |
d |
|
Imprimis, her
wearing apparel |
5 |
00 |
00 |
|
In the
Hall |
|
|
|
|
Item, two table
boards and two
carpets, seven
joint stools,
two chairs, five
turkey cushions,
a glass
cupboard,
wainscot about
the room, two
iron andirons,
fire pan and
tongs, two
velvet cushions
and some benches |
5 |
00 |
00 |
|
In the
chamber over the
Hall |
|
|
|
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Item, one
standing
bedstead, one
feather bed, two
feather pillows,
two bolsters
covered with
tyke [ticking],
three blankets
and green rug
and curtains and
valances, one
pair of iron
dogs, tongs, one
little chair,
four worked bed
stools and
cupboard |
7 |
15 |
00 |
|
In the
chamber over the
Whitehouse |
|
|
|
|
One bedstead,
one flock bed
and one bolster,
two coverlets,
three blankets,
two milk
tankards, one ?sbreene,
one form with
other lumber |
3 |
05 |
00 |
|
In the
White house |
|
|
|
|
One cheese
press, one ?siltwove,
two butter
churns, four
pails, five
keeves [vats],
one cheese cowl,
one form, two
brewing kyves
[keeves], two
brewing tubs and
one washing tub
[illegible line]
three shelves,
two shelves more
with other
lumber
|
3 |
00 |
00 |
|
In the
kitchen |
|
|
|
|
Five chamber
pots, two pewter
candle sticks,
one pewter salt
cellar, two iron
candle sticks,
two wooden
candle sticks,
thirty pewter
dishes, one
pewter still,
one pewter
flagon, two
pewter cups, six
wooden
porringers with
other pewter |
6 |
10 |
00 |
|
More in
the kitchen |
|
|
|
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One brass
chafing dish,
one brass
?furnace, five
brass pans, five
brass pots,
three brass
kettles, two
brass skillets,
one warming pan
[remainder of
page missing] |
mi |
ss |
ing |
|
In cattle |
|
|
|
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Seven cows and
one heifer |
21 |
00 |
00 |
|
Item, in
linen |
|
|
|
|
One pair of
Holland sheets,
five Holland
pillowbeers, two
pair of fine
Dowlas sheets,
two pair of fine
Dowlas
pillowbeers,
three pair of
coarse towels,
pillowbeers, six
pair of flaxen
sheets, five
pair of canvas
sheets, five
fine table
cloths, three
dozen table
napkins, three
sideboard
cloths, four
towels fine and
others coarse,
two fine
cupboard cloths,
two canvas table
cloths with
other linen |
17 |
03 |
00 |
|
Item, one
English bible
and other books |
00 |
10 |
00 |
|
Item, the
executrix’s year
for the three
copyholds in
Bremhill |
40 |
00 |
00 |
|
Items in
the Cheese Loft |
|
|
|
|
One table board
and frame,
shelves,
fourteen cheese
???, one hundred
odd cheeses,
scales with an
iron beam with
several weights
and a
considerable
quantity of
boards overhead |
10 |
00 |
00 |
|
In the
Chamber |
|
|
|
|
One bedstead and
feather bed, two
pillows, two
bolsters covered
with tyke, two
blankets, one
?red rug,
curtains and
valances, one
bed case, one
chair, one side
table board, one
coffer, one
chest of drawers |
07 |
05 |
00 |
|
In the
Chamber over the
entry or passage |
|
|
|
|
One bedstead,
one feather bed,
two pillows, one
bolster of
feathers, one
flock bolster,
two pair of
blankets, one
rug and
coverlet,
curtains and
valance, one
trunk, two
cupboards, a
basin, a frame,
one coffer, one
chest, two boxes
|
05 |
10 |
00 |
|
In silver
plate |
|
|
|
|
One tankard, one
bottle, one
bowl, spoons
four |
09 |
10 |
00 |
|
In the
wool loft
Chamber |
|
|
|
|
One standing
bedstead, two
truckle
bedsteads, three
flock beds, one
red rug, four
coverlets and
blankets nine,
three bolsters,
seven pillows,
one chest, one
press with two
cupboards, one
trunk, one splat
chair, two
coffers, seven
boxes, one desk,
one beating
hurdle, one malt
tub, one pistol,
loose boards
with other
lumber |
10 |
10 |
00 |
|
Item, in ready
money in her
house |
32 |
00 |
00 |
|
Item, debts
desperate |
55 |
00 |
00 |
|
Hopefull a
considerable
debt on account
one ??? Mr.
Robert Jenkins,
son of the
deceased, not
yet fully stated
– the ??? of
which we crave
him to add
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John King
Robert Harris |
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