Martha Fann of Scalford 1782 Will
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1782/74
In the Name of God Amen I Martha Fann of Scalford in the County of Leicester Spinster being in perfect Health and of Sound Mind Memory and Understanding but Considering the uncertainty of this Life Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)
First of all I Give my Soul to Almighty God who gave it me and my Body I Commit to the Earth to be decently Interred at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named and as for my Worldly Estate which hath pleased God to bless me with I Give and Dispose thereof as follows
In the first place I Give and Devise All that my Messuage Cottage or Tenement Hereditaments and premisses with the Appurtenances situate Standing and being in Scalford aforesaid And now in the Tenure or Occupation of Richard Beat his Assignee or Assigns And also all that new Inclosed piece or parcel of Land with the Appurtenances lying and being within the Manor or Lordship or Scalford aforesaid Containing by Estimation four Acres or thereabouts (be the same more or less) the New Inclosed Land lately purchased of mee by John Cox of Scalford aforesaid Cordwainer lying on the East side thereof and the New Inclosed Land of Edward Clementson lying on the West side thereof and now in my own Tenure or Occupation unto my Kinsman John Forster of Scalford aforesaid Farmer for and during the Term of his Natural Life and from and Immediately after his Decease Then I Give and Devise the said Messuage Cottage or Tenement New Inclosed piece or parcel of Land Hereditaments and premises unto Mary Forster an Infant the Daughter of my said Kinsman John Forster her Heirs and Assigns for ever But my mind and will is that in Case the said Infant Mary Forster shall happen to Dye before she Attains her age of Twenty one Years without Issue of her Body Lawfully begotten Then and in such Case I Give and Devise the said Messuage Cottage or Tenement New Inclosed piece or parcel of Land Hereditaments and premisses unto my said Kinsman John Forster his heirs and Assigns for ever to be Disposed of by him to and amongst his Child or Children as he shall think Fit and Convenient
Also I Give and Bequeath all my Chest of Linen unto the said Mary Forster and Elizabeth Chester to be equally divided between them Share and Share alike when and as soon as they respectively attain their respective Age and Ages of Twenty one years or day of Marriage to be delivered to them by my Executor hereinafter named
And Lastly all and Singular my Household Goods other Goods Stock Cattle Chattels Implements of Husbandry Rights Credits and personal Estate of what kind or Nature soever (my Debts Legacies and Funeral Charges being first paid and discharged) not herein before by me specifically Given and Bequeathed I Give and Bequeath the same unto my said Kinsman John Forster for his own Use and Benefit whom I do hereby Appoint full and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made
In Witness whereof I the said Martha Fann the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and Seal this Third day of October and in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty one
Martha Fann
Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Martha Fann the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of Us the Witnesses under Written who have at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other Set our Names as Witnesses to the due Execution of this her said Will and that the Erazure and Inter lineations were done before the Publication hereof
Edwd Stokes
Geo. Holmes
Thos. Brewster Junr Clk to Mr Stokes
On the 8th day of May 1782 John Forster the sole Executor within named was sworn to the due Execution hereof and at the same time made oath that all the Testatrix’s personal Estate at the time of her death did not amount in Value to the sum of three hundred Pounds
Before me W Beville Surrogate
