Providing historical probate information for people from the Henley area

Will of Thomas Stevens

Occupation

  • 414: Status only, no stated occupation. Use for Widow, Gentleman, Esquire, Indweller etc., if no occupation is given.

Location

Gentleman of Henley upon Thames

Document reference: TNA PROB 11/568
First date: 07 March 1718/9
Probate date: 21 April 1719
Probate court: London

Executors, Witnesses and Court Officials etc.

Executrix: Mary Stevens
(Wife of testator. Name given in probate clause only.)
Witness: Francis Blandy
Witness: James Cary
Witness: John Parrott
Court Official: John Bettesworth
(Doctor of Laws of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury)

Bequests

To: John Stevens

I confirm the settlement of my houses in Henley after the death of my wife on my eldest Son [John Stevens]

Bequest Types

Location of property

Names

To: Children (Children)

As one hundred pounds part of my wife's portion lent before my marriage was lost, I confirm the settlement of the remaining nine hundred pounds after death on our children in equal shares. I acknowledge one hundred pounds of this nine hundred pounds to be in my hands.

Bequest Types

Names

To: John Stevens (Son)

I make no further provision for my son John [Stevens] as he has been well provided for by being residuary legatee of my brother John Stevens, although I give him my largest silver teapot to show that he has not displeased me and ask him to help his mother, brothers and sisters when required.

Bequest Types

Names

To: Mary Stevens

I give to my wife one hundred pounds for mourning for herself and children and funeral charges, and I give her my furniture and household goods in my own house.

Bequest Types

Names

To: Henry Stevens (Son)

I give to my son Henry [Stevens] all my books, papers and other goods in my study.

Bequest Types

Names

To: Henry Stevens (Son)

I give to my son Henry [Stevens] my leasehold estate at Ewelme and my lease of the Bailiwick of the Honour of Ewelme. He is to pay out of this fifty pounds each to my sons Cary [Stevens] and Thomas [Stevens] and to my four daughters, or to their respective guardians, within one year of my death.

Bequest Types

Location of property

Names

To: Children (Children)

As my brother John Stevens has given five hundred pounds to my younger children for me to distribute, of this one hundred pounds each is to be paid to my sons Cary [Stevens] and Thomas [Stevens] and to my eldest two daughters and the remaining one hundred pounds to be equally divided between my youngest two daughters in equal shares, or to their respective guardians. If any of them dies before they reach twenty one, then that child's share is to be paid to my youngest two daughters, to make their shares one hundred pounds each. Any remainder is to be divided amongst the survivors of my youngest six children.

Bequest Types

Names

To: Children (Children)

I give the residue of my estate to be equally divided between my sons Henry [Stevens], Carey [Stevens] and Thomas [Stevens] and my four daughters.

Bequest Types

Names

Transcript

0001: In the Name of God Amen
0002: I Thomas Stevens of Henly upon Thames in the County of Oxon
0003: Gent[leman] being weak in body but Sound in mind and memory do revoke
0004: all former Wills by me heretofore made and do make and declare this
0005: my last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say First I
0006: commend my Soul to Almighty God hopeing for pardon of my Sins
0007: and the Glorious Resurrecc[i]on through the Passion and intersession
0008: of Jesus Christ my Saviour I desire to be buried Privately tho[ugh]
0009: decently at the discrec[i]on of my Executrix herein after named I confirme the
0010: Settlement of my Houses in Henley upon Thames aforesaid after the death
0011: of my Wife on my eldest Son And Whereas One Hundred pounds part of
0012: my Wifes Portion lent before my Marriage was lost And the Nine
0013: hundred pounds residue of her Porc[i]on is Settled after death on our Children
0014: equally to be divided I confirme the same Settlement And I acknowledge
0015: One Hundred pounds of the said Nine Hundred pounds to be in my
0016: hands And whereas my Son John is amply provided for by being residuary
0017: Legatee of my brother John Stevens late dec[eas]ed for that reason only I make
0018: no further Provision for him but I give unto my said Son John my largest
0019: Silver Tea Pot as a token that he hath not in any thing displeased me
0020: desireing him to be aiding and Assisting to his Mother Brothers and
0021: Sisters as Occasion shall require and especially considering the fatigue
0022: trouble and expence which I have lately undergone for the Ascertaining
0023: and Settling my said Brothers estate for the benefit and advantage
0024: of my said Son John I give unto my loveing Wife One Hundred
0025: pounds for Mourning for her Self and Children and Funerall charges
0026: And I give her my Furniture and Houshold Stuffe in my now
0027: dwelling House I give unto my Son Henry All my Books Papers
0028: and other Goods in my Study I also give unto my said Son Henry
0029: my Leashold Estate at Ewelme and my Lease of the Bayliwick of the
0030: Honour of Ewelme and all my estate and Interest in the said
0031: Leases paying thereout Fifty pounds a peice to my Sons Cary and
0032: Thomas and to my four daughters or to their respective Guardians
0033: for their respective Uses within One Year after my decease And
0034: Whereas my Brother John Stevens hath given Five Hundred
0035: pounds to my younger Children to be disposed of by me I appoint
0036: One Hundred pounds a peice thereof to be paid to my Sons Cary
0037: and Thomas and to my [↑two] eldest daughters and the remaining One
0038: Hundred pounds to my two Youngest Daughters equally or to the
0039: respective Guardian of my said Six Younger Children for their
0040: respective Uses and in case any of them dye before their respective
0041: Ages of twenty One Yeares or before their respective Sum[m]es of One
0042: Hundred pounds a peice and Fifty pounds a peice be laid out for
0043: their respective Uses Then I appoint the remaining Share of him
0044: or her So dying to be paid to my two Youngest daughters to make
0045: up their Shares One Hundred Pounds a peice and the remainder
0046: if any to be divided amongt the Survivours of my said Six Younger
0047: Children I appoint my Wife Executrix of this my last Will and
0048: make her also Guardian of my last mentioned Six Younger Children
0049: and after payment of all my just debts and said Legacyes I give
0050: the residue of my estate to be equally divided between my said Sons
0051: Henry Cary and Thomas and my said Four daughters and
0052: desire my Executrix will as soon as conveniently may be after One
0053: Year after my death ascertain what the said Seven Shares will
0054: amount unto And as to my ExecutorShipp of my Brother John's
0055: Estate in case my Cousin Richard Turton again renounces I would
0056: not have my Executrix intermeddle therewith but let the further
0057: Administrac[i]on thereof be granted to my Son John or whome he
0058: Shall desire and to prevent any dispute concerning the Same I direct
0059: my Executrix to Assigne All the East India Stock in my Name unto
0060: my ... Son John with an Account of what I have received since
0061: my brother John's death deducting thereout the charges of his
0062: maintainance and educac[i]on from the same time I admit the receipt
0063: of Five thousand Four Hundred Pounds Mr ?E [illegible] First payment
0064: and therefore direct my Executrix to Assigne and deliver an Order
0065: and Tally of Loan for Four Hundred pounds on the Land Tax
0066: unto my Son John for his own use and an Order and Tally of Loan
0067: for One Thousand pounds on the Same Land Tax to him and others
0068: in discharge and Satisfac[i]on of my Brothers Legacy of One Thousand
0069: pounds for educac[i]on of poor Children And as for the other four
0070: Thousand pounds I deteyned four thousand Five Hundred and
0071: Fifty pounds and have paid away the rest in discharge of his
0072: Funeral Legacyes and Charity to Relations in want Except Some
0073: part of the Charity to Such relac[i]ons which my Executrix is to
0074: distribute as the Will directs In Witness whereof I the said Thomas
0075: Stevens have hereunto set my hand and Seale this Seventh day of
0076: March in the Fifth Year of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord
0077: George by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland
0078: King Defender of the Faith etc Annoq[ue] D[omi]ni 1718
0079:
0080: Tho[ma]s Stevens
0081:
0082: Signed Sealed Published declared and delivered by the said Thomas
0083: Stevens the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the
0084: presence of us and then Attested by us in his Presence
0085:
0086: Fran[cis] Blandy
0087: James Cary
0088: John Parrott

Preparation of this entry

Post status: Published
Transcript by: the author
Author: Tony Lynch
Checked by: Cynthia Robinson
Date posted: 01st March 2013
Date modified: 08th July 2014

Comments

In the Probate clause the testator's widow and executrix of his Will is named as Mary