The Will of William Stephens

 

The last Will and Testament of me William Stephens of Great Milton in the County of Oxford Esquire that is to say Whereas I sometime since contracted with

Mr Henry ...mmett of Little Milton for the purchase of two Acres of Arable Land more or less in Great Milton for the sum of One hundred pounds and paid such Purchase Money to him although no conveyance of such land has yet been made to me Now I do therefore give and devise all my Equitable right title and Interest in the said premises or to Money paid for the same to my dear Wife Caroline Stephens and to her heirs Executors and Administrators Also I give and bequeath unto my Brother Charles Loder and to the Reverend Henry Mears late of Little Bookham in the County of Surry the Sum of One thousand pounds upon trust as to the Sum of two hundred pounds part thereof to pay the same within the space of six Months after my decease unto Ann Hyde Spinster now residing with me for her own use and benefit and as to the sum of Eight hundred pounds the residue thereof upon trust that they the said Charles Loder and Henry Mears shall with all convenient speed after my decease invest the same in the purchase of an Annuity to be secured either on Government or real Security for the life of the said Ann Hyde as they my said trustees shall deem most advantageous And I do hereby declare that I make the provision for her in consideration of her care and attention to me during a long and severe illness And I direst that my said trustees shall deduct and retain all charges and Expences out of the said trust Monies which they shall be put to or sustain in the Execution of the trusts hereby in them reposed And I give and bequeath to my Brother the said Charles Loder my March horse a double  barrelled gun formerly in the possession of George Warner Esquire and two paintings vizt one a Portrait of myself by Hextein and the other a painting by ........ a Horse called Miss Watt with the Dog....and Cat To and for his own use & benefit Also I give and bequeath to my Nephew Charles Loder Stephens the Gold Watch formerly belonging to his grandfather Stephens and given to me by his Will Also I give and bequeath to Captain Edward ffairfield of the 3^rd ffleet Guard my Silver Chaser Cup given to me by Charles Leigh Esquire but my said Wife shall have the use of it during her life should she be so inclined Also I give to my Godson William Mears the Son of the Reverend Thomas Mears of Southampton the two pair of high silver Candlesticks which belonged to my ffather but my said Wife shall have the use of them during her lifetime in case she shall  she be so inclined Also I give to my good friend The Revd Walter Kerrish late of new College my double barrelled gun by Wilkinson To the said Henry Mears my single barrelled gun by Twigg and my favourite Sussex horse To the Revd Peter Stacey of New College my doubled barrelled gun by ffenton and To my Servant Edward Ling now living with me my single barrelled gun by Luke and also my Wearing Apparel of every denomination linen excepted Also I give to my Godson Henry Stevens the Son of Thomas Stevens of Kencot the sum of ten pounds to be paid to him immediately after my decease Also I give to my Brother John Stephens my Silver Jew Watch and the Painting containing the Portrait of his late Brother in Law Richard Welles a shooting peice and to my Neice Charlotte Tuckwell Hume’s History of England in eight Octavo Volumes bound in calf and lettered All the rest and residue of my personal Estate and Effects subject to any disposition thereof by any testamentary paper under my own hand and subject to my debts and funeral Expences I give and bequeath to my dear Wife Caroline Stephens to and for her own proper use and benefit And I do hereby appoint her sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I have to this my Will contained in three sheets of Paper to the first sheets set my hand and to the last sheet my hand and seal the second day of ffebruary in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and twenty four Wm Stephens

 

(Attestation Clause)

 

G Gordon of Great Milton Esquire   Thomas Tomkins of Great Milton Grocer  William Calcutt Servant to Mr Stephens of Kencott

 

Tea Kettle and Stand & Silver Mug to J.S Cruet Stand large ffish sauce My Epargne Sup tray Mrs ff  pair of Silver Candles my Godson W Mears

 

Silver Teapot Miss P Coffee Sugar Bason and Cream Jug ½ doz large& small to Ann Hyde fforks and spoon and little Silver teapot Wine Stand to Edwd 2 spoons to C H Jackson

 

I George Jenner of Doctors Commons London Notary Public do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and ffaithful copy of a codicil to the last Will and Testament of William Stephens late of Great Milton in the County of Oxford deceased written in pencil the same having been carefully collated and found to agree with the said codicil this first day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and twenty four George Jenner Notary Public

 

On 1^st July 1824 Administration with the Will and Codicil annexed of the Goods of William Stephens late of Great Milton in the County of Oxford Esquire a Widower deceased was granted to Charles Loder Esquire heretofore Stephens the Brother and next of Kin being first sworn duly to Administer Caroline Stephens the Wife of the Testator sole Executrix and Residuary Legatee died in his life time and John Stephens Charlotte Gwilt (Wife of Charles Gwilt) Sarah Kenn (Wife of John Kenn) and Jane Hawkins (Wife of the Reverend John Hawkins)the Brothers and Sisters only other next of kin and Mary Ann Pickering Widow the Neice and respectively with the said Charles Loder the only persons Entitled to the undisposed Residue of the personal Estate and Effects of the said deceased having first consented

 

PCC Prob11/1688