James Blackburn of Eaton 1729 Will and Inventory
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives, Leicestershire Wills and Probate Records 1729
In the Name of God Amen I James Blackburn of Eaton in the County of Leicester (Blacksmith) being Weak of Body but of Sound Memory (Blessed be God) Do this Twenty third Day of August in the Year 1727 Make Ordain and Publish this my Last Will and Testament Revoking thereby both in Deed and in Law all former Wills and Testaments
First I commend My Soul into the hands of Almighty God My Maker hoping assuredly thoroughly the passion & Merrits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to be made partaker of Life Everlasting And I commend my Body to the Earth whereof it is made to be Buryed at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter Named
And as for my Worldly Goods wherewith it hath pleased Almighty god to posses me of I Bequeath as follows
Impris I Give & Bequeath Unto my Eldest daughter Ann Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Second Daughter Mary Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Third Daughter Elizabeth Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Fourth Daughter Sarah Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
To be paid by My Executrix (hereafter Named) of Good & Lawfull Money of Great Brittan in the Space of Twelve Months after my Decease and to be put out to Interest for my Daughter’s Use above Named by the Discretion of my Supervisor hereafter Named
Also I Give & bequeath Unto my four Eldest Daughters Over & above the Moneys before Mentioned all the old household Goods which were their own Mothers (my first wife) to be Equally Devided Amongst them at the Discretion of my Supervisor here after Named In twelve Months time after my Decease
And if it Should happen as any of my four Daughters Should Dye (as god Defend) before they shall be marryed then my Will is that her or their part of money & Goods before mentioned Shall Imediatly Descend and be Equally Devided amongst the Survivers or Surviver of my four Daughters above Named
Item I Give & bequeath Unto my Fifth Daughter Alice Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Sixth Daughter Esther Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Seventh Daughter Clemence Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
Item I Give to my Eighth Daughter Dorothy Blackburn the Sum of Ten pounds
To be paid by my Executrix here after Named of Lawfull English Moneys In Twelve Month after my Decease to be put forth to Interest by & at the Discretion of my Supervisor here after Named
And My Executrix to Receive the Interest of the four Last Mentioned Sums of Ten pounds Each as it shall become Due & payable towards the bringing Up of my four Daughters Last Mentioned
And if it Should So happen that any of My four Daughters last Named Should Dye (as God defend) before they Shall be Marryed then my Will is that her or their part of Moneys before Mentioned Shall Imediately descend to the Surviver or Survivers of them four
And My Will is that my four Daughters last Mentioned Shall as they come to years of Discresion Namely at the age of Sixteen years then to Receive the Interest as it shall become Due and payable of their part & parts and My Executrix to Desist Receiveing it any Longer
Item I Give and Bequeath Unto my Son James Blackburn all and Singular the Lands & premisses Lying within the Liberty’s & Town of Whitsundine in the county of Ruttland Now in the Occupation of Stephen Blackburn my father and as the said Lands shall Descend to me by Deed & Will so I give & bequeath it to my Son James Blackburn
And My Will is if the said Lands shall Descend to my son James before he accomplish the age of Twenty one years then My Executrix to Receive the Annuall proffit untill he shall accomplish the age of Twenty one years Towards Bringing of him Up & puting him to a trade when he shall accomplish the age of fourteen years According to the Discresion of my Supervisor hereafter mentioned
And My Will is if my wife Should Marry again that my Son James shall have of free … Sufficient Meat, Drink, washing, Lodging & cloathing Untill he shall accomplish the age of fourteen years And Also the Day of her Marriage I give & Bequeath to my son James Blackburn the sum of five pounds to be paid by my Executrix the Day of her marriage to my Supervisor hereafter named towards puting him my Son James to a trade or that my Supervisor shall think propper And My Supervisor shall from the Day of her marriage Receive the Annuall profit of the Lands before sd to & for the use of my Son Untill he shall accomplish the age of Twentyone years
And if it so happen my Son James Blackburn Should Dye without heirs (as God Defend) Then the sd Lands to be Equally Devided amongst all my Eight Daughters before named then Living Share & Share alike
Item all the Rest of my Goods and personall Estate what soever I Give and Bequeath to my wife Clemence Blackburn and I make and Ordain her my wife Sole Executrix of this my Will
And I make my beloved Brother John Blackburn of Whitsundine in the county of Rutland (Blacksmith) Supervisor and Overseer of this my will to take care and see the same perform’d According to my true Intent and Meaning And for his pains I Give him halfe a Crown to buy him a pair of Gloves
In wittness whereof I the sd James Blackburn have to this my Last Will & Testament Sett my hand & Seal the Day and year above written
James Blackburn
Signed Seald and Delivered by the sd James Blackburn as and for his Last Will & Testament in the presence of us who were present at the Signing and Sealing thereof
James Huckerby
Thos Hourd
Being it hath pleasd God of his Infinite Mercy & Goodness to take Three of my youngest Daughters to his Mercy since this my will was made Namely Esther, Clemence, & Dorothy; and then according to this my last will their parts or portion was to Descend to their sister Ailce the Survivor therefore now it is my will that the sd Ailce my fifth Daughter shall have but Ten pounds And the part or portions of my Deceased children I give to the Child or Children that my wife is now with child of (viz) if it be a Girll she shall have ten pounds and if a boy Twenty pounds and the Remainder to be Equally Divided amongst my Chilldren all share and share alike
Wittness my hand this 12 Day of Aprill 1729
James Blackburn
Wittness
Tho: Hourd
John Blackburn
Executrix sworn 29 July 1729
An Inventory of all & Singular the Goods Chattles & Creditts of James Blackbourn of Easton [sic] in the County of Leicester Lately Deceasd (Blacksmith) Taken & Apraised by us whose Names are hereunto Subscribed this 21st Day of Aprill In the Year Anoq Dom 1729
| £ | s | d | |
| Impris Purse and Apparrell | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Itm In the House Brass pewter Chairs table fire iron &c | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| Itm in the Parlor two beds & beding A Chest two Chairs | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Itm In the Chamber over the house one bed & beding & Chest | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Itm In the Chamber over the Parlor One bed & beding & Cubboard | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Itm in the Kitchen three tubs three Barrills and other Lumber | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Itm Some beans & hay in the yard | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Itm In the Shop two Anvills Bellows Fire Iron hammer & Coles | 8 | 13 | 0 |
| Itm A young Colt | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Itm four Cows & three heifers & one Calfe | 15 | 16 | 0 |
| Itm Eighteen Ews & Lambs ten Lamb hoggs | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Itm Book Debts Due to the Decd | 36 | 7 | 0 |
| Itm Casuall book Debts due to the Decd | 7 | 15 | 0 |
| Itm Things over Looked & forgot | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Totall | 92 | 18 | 0 |
Wittness our hands the Day & year above Written
John Blackburn
John Caunt
Stephn Blackburn
Tho: Hourd