The Will of Thomas Markham

 

Summary:
 

Testator:                    Thomas Markham (1) of Ollerton, Notts

Brother:                     George Markham (2), sole executor

Signed:                       9 May 1743

Witness:                     Edward Wilson (3)

Handwriting witness:   Teresia Pattinson

Probate:                     Granted at London 25 November 1743 to George Markham, sole executor

Notes:
 

1.	Testator was probably one of the twelve sons of the Thomas Markham (b 1665) of Ollerton by Catherine, daughter of Philip Constable of Houghton; Foster’s Yorkshire Pedigrees says that testator’s father died in 1743, probably due to being confused with his son;  I have not found a will for the elder Thomas, but he probably died before 1743 when he would have been seventy eight
2.	George Markham (1698-1760) was the only one of testator’s eleven brothers to have children; he married Mary (d 1776), daughter of Bryan Salvin of Croxdale, co Durham
3.	The will has all of the marks of being that of an unmarried young man of small means: he mentions no family other than his brother George, no wife and no children;  the will is exceptionally short and makes no bequests, not even to servants;  there is only one witness; and there is no mention of any real property

 

Source:

UK National Archives, Prob 11/730, Image 87

 

Text:

 

I, Thomas Markham of Ollerton, Esquire do hereby make my last will and testament as followeth:  I do give all my goods, chattels, and personal estate whatsoever unto my brother George Markham, Esquire and make him the sole executor of this my will, and it is my will that he shall pay all my just debts, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9^th May 1743  Thomas Markham  in the presence of Edward Wilson

 

25^th Nov: 1743

 

Which day appeared personally Teresia Pattinson of the Parish of Saint Ann’s, Westminster in the county of Middlesex, spinster, and by virtue of her corporal oath deposed that she was well acquainted with Thomas Markham, late of Ollerton in the county of Nottingham, Esq., deceased, for several years next before his death which as she is informed and believes happened in the month of May last past and also with the manner and character of his hand writing having several times seen him write and subscribe his name and having seen and carefully perused the last Will and testament of the said deceased bearing date the ninth day of May 1743 hereunto annexed beginning thus [I Thomas Markham of Ollerton, Esq.] and ending thus [In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9^th May 1743] and subscribed thus [Thomas Markham] do verily believe the name Thomas Markham subscribed to the said will to be all of the proper handwriting of the said Thomas Markham deceased – Teresia Pattinson  The same day the said Teresia Pattinson was sworn to the premised before me  Robt. Jenner, Surrogate

 

This will was proved at London before the Worshipful Robert Chapman, Doctor of Laws and surrogate to the Right Worshipful John Bottesworth, also Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted, on the 25^th day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty three by the oath of George Markham, Esquire, the sole executor named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased being first sworn duly to administer the same.