1787 Will - Joseph Reeve
Introduction
Dated: 19 Nov 1787, Bocking, EssexProbated: Archbishop of Canterbury: Peculiar of Deanery of Bocking, 12 Nov 1790
Transcript
In the Name of God Amen I Joseph Reeve of Bocking in the County of Essex Esquire being in Health of Body and of a sound and disposing mind memory and understanding (thanks be given to God for the same) Do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)First I give devise direct declare limit and appoint All that my messuage or tenement and Farm called Willowbys with the lands grounds hereditaments and premises to the same belonging with the appurtenances which I purchased of John Thomas Baynes Gentleman And also all that my messuage or tenement and farm called Harveys with the lands grounds hereditaments and premises to the same belonging with the appurtenances and also all that my messuage or tenement wherein I now dwell with the outhouses Buildings Barns Stables yards gardens lands grounds and premises to the same belonging commonly called Fletchers with the appurtenances and also all that my manor and farm called Boones with the messuages lands tenements Hereditaments and premises to the same belonging with their appurtenances and also all that my messuage or tenement and farm called Fletchers Tye otherwise wheelers with the lands grounds hereditaments and premises to the same belonging and formerly the estate of John Reeve deceased late my Bailiff And also all those my Fields or parcels of land and premises late the estate of Anthony Foster and all those my fields or parcels of land and woodground called Cheswicks and also all that my messuage or tenement and farm called the Iron Peartree with the lands Grounds and premises with the appurtenances which I purchased of John Reeve Tallowchandler and also all that my messuage or tenement and farm lands grounds Brick-kiln and premises with their appurtenances called the Wyles or otherwise which I purchased of Jonathan Reeve and also all that my messuage or tenement with the outhouses yards and appurtenances thereto belonging called the Hare and Hounds, and the piece of arable land lying near or adjoining to the same, together with the cottage or tenement with the appurtenances standing and being near to the said last mentioned messuage And also all that my capital messuage or tenement and farm called Barretts otherwise High Garrett with the Lands Grounds Tenements Hereditaments and premises to the same belonging with their appurtenances which I lately purchased of the said Jonathan Reeve and also all that my messuage or tenement orchard yard Garden and premises to the same belonging commonly called the Red Lyon which I purchased of Lazarus Holmes, all which said several messuages or tenements manor farms lands grounds woodgrounds hereditaments and premises are situate lying and being in Bocking aforesaid and Gosfield in the said County or in some other Parish or Parishes thereunto near or adjoining and now are or late were in the several tenures or occupations of myself John Walles John Ellis John Hansley, John Mott Robert Smith Michael Reeve James Digby John Long Richard Porter, the said Jonathan Reeve, David Beckwith, Henry Gentry the younger and Edward Harridance or some or one of our assigns or undertenants and all other my real estates whatsoever and wheresoever the same are situate lying and being in the Kingdom of England, unto Sarah my loving wife and her assigns for and during the Term of her natural Life without impeachment of or for any manner of waste (except destruction in Houses and Buildings and falling of Timber under ten feet in each tree, unless for necessary Repairs, which I hereby will shall be deemed waste) and from and after the decease of the said Sarah my wife I give devise direct declare limit and appoint all and every my said several messuages or tenements manor farms lands grounds woodgrounds hereditaments and premises and all other my real estate whatsoever and wheresoever with their and every of their several and respective appurtenances (except all that messuage or tenement with the yards gardens and premises now in the tenure or occupation of the said Richard Porter and all that piece or parcel of pasture ground lying near or adjoining to the same messuage or tenement and premises containing by estimation two acres more or less and now in my own occupation and also all that the said messuage or tenement with the outhouses yards and appurtenances to the same belonging called the Hare and Hounds, and the said piece of arable land lying near or adjoining to the same containing by estimation two acres more or less, which premises are now in the tenure or occupation of the said James Digby his undertenants or assigns And also all that the said cottage or tenement with the appurtenances standing and being near the said last mentioned messuage called the Hare and Hounds, now in the occupation of the said John Long - And also all that messuage or tenement with the yards gardens and premises now or late in the tenure or occupation of David Beckwith and purchased by me of the said Jonathan Reeve with the said capital messuage or tenement and Farm called Barretts otherwise Highgarrett) unto Joseph Reeve, son of my Kinsman Michael Reeve of Bocking aforesaid yeoman, and the Heirs of the Body of the said Joseph Reeve lawfully to be begotten and for default of such issue I give and devise direct declare limit and appoint all and every the said several messuages or tenements manor farms lands grounds woodgrounds hereditaments and premises (except as aforesaid) unto Richard Reeve, another son of my said Kinsman Michael Reeve, and the heirs of the Body of the said Richard Reeve lawfully to be begotten And in case there shall be no issue of the Bodies of the said Joseph Reeve or Richard Reeve Then I do hereby authorize and impower the survivor of them by his last Will and Testament to give and devise the said several messuages or tenements manor farms lands grounds woodgrounds Hereditaments and premises (except as aforesaid) in fee simple or otherwise to such person or persons of the Family of the Reeves as he shall think most likely to keep ad improve the same And I do hereby declare my mind and will to be and do hereby order and direct that the said Sarah my wife shall and do as soon as conveniently may be after my decease, demise lease and let unto my said kinsman Michael Reeve his executors and Administrators all and singular my said Messuage or tenements and farms lands grounds and premises with their appurtenances herein before by me given to his said son Joseph Reeve from and after my wife's decease (except my messuage wherein I now dwell with the lands and premises to the same belonging and my said captial messuage and farm called Barretts otherwise Highgarrett with the lands and premises to the same belonging) for such term of years to commence from the twenty ninth day of September next after my decease, as shall expire on the twenty ninth day of September next after his son the said Joseph Reeve shall attain his age of twenty one years, At the yearly rent or sums the said premises were last letten for, and for which I now stand rated in the poor rates, in which lease I will and direct shall be contained covenants from the said Michael Reeve to pay the rent half yearly to the said Sarah my wife, maintain and keep the premises in good and tenantable repait and for his managing and occupying the lands and premises in due course of Husbandry according to the custom of the Country, and all other Covenants and Restrictions usual in such leases. And in such case I will that an inventory and appraisement shall be had and taken of all my farming stock of cattle and implements and utensils of Husbandry which shall be upon the said Premises so by me ordered and directed to be demised and leased as aforesaid And the use of which I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said Michael Reeve to enable him to carry on the Business of the said Farms. Upon condition that he the said Michael Reeve shall and do well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said Sarah my wife Interest at five per cent per annum for the amount the said inventory and appraisement for and during the term of her natural life by two equal half yearly payments And I do hereby subject and charge the said farming stock and implements of Husbandry with the Payment thereof accordingly, And in case the said Michael Reeve shall not be willing to take the said Farms as aforesaid, Or shall neglect or refuse to pay the said Sarah my wife interest for the said Farming Stock Implements and utensils unto the said Sarah my wife for her own proper use and Behoof. Bit if the said Michael Reeve shall take and carry on the Business of the said Farms and well truly pay my said wife such interest as aforesaid, Then at the Expiration of such lease to be given as aforesaid, I do give and bequeath the said Farming stock implements and utensils unto such Person or Persons as shall then be intitled to the Freehold and Inheritance of the said Premises so by me ordered and directed to be demised and leased as aforesaid. Also I give and devise unto my nephew the said Richard Porter and to his heirs for ever, imediately after the decease of the said Sarah my wife All that my said Messuage or Tenement with the yards Gardens and premises now in the tenure or occupation of him the said Richard Porter and also all that my said piece or parcel of pasture ground lying near or adjoining to the same messuage or tenement and premises containing by estimation two acres more or less and now in my own occupation, and also all that my said messuage or tenement with the outhouses yards and appurtenances to the same belonging called the Hare and Hounds, and the said piece of arable land lying near or adjoining to the same containing by estimation two acres more or less, now in the tenure or occupation of the said James Digby his undertenants or assigns and also all that my said Cottage or tenement with the appurtenances now in the occupation of the said John Long ..and standing and being near to the said last mentioned messuage or tenement called the Hare and Hounds. I also give and devise unto Jonathan Reeve the younger (son of the aforesaid Jonathan Reeve) and to his heirs for ever, imediately after the decease of the said Sarah my wife All that my said messuage or tenement with the yards gardens and premises now or late in the tenure or occupation of the said David Beckwith Also I give and bequeath unto Mary Reeve (who now lives with me) Daughter of the said John Reeve Tallowchandler, the sum of two hundred pounds, to my nephews Edward Barron and Henry Bee Barron the soum of seventy pounds a piece, To Mary the now wife of the said Jonathan Reeve the elder the sum of ten pounds, to John Tweed, Thomas Littell Tweed and Robert Tweed, the sons of John Tweed late of Bocking aforesaid surgeon, the sum of twenty pounds a piece, to the two sons of my late sister Mary Jackson deceased the sum of ten pounds a piece of good and lawful money of Great Britain to be paid out of my personal estate by my executrix and executors herein after named within twelve months next after my decease. I also give and bequeath unto my said nephew Richard Porter the sum of one hundred pounds of like money to be paid to him by my executrix and executors within six months next after my decease I also give and bequeath unto such of the children of the said Richard Porter as shall be living at the time of my decease the sum of twelve pounds a piece of like money to be paid to them respectively when and as they shall severally attain their respective ages of twenty one years by my executrix and executors but without any interest for the same Also I give and bequeath unto William Mihill, son of my late nephew John Mihill deceased, all such sums of money as the said John Mihill stood indebted unto me at the time of his decease, or that at the time of my decease shall be due to me for or on account of the same I also give and bequeath unto the said Richard Reeve (son of my said Kinsman Michael Reeve) the sum of one hundred pounds of lawful British money to be paid to him when he shall attain his age of twenty one years and I will that until he shall attain the said Age of twenty one years the said legacy or sum of one hundred pounds last mentioned shall be placed out at interest by my executrix and executors and that my said wife shall receive the interest thereof during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I will that the interest thereof shall be paid and applied for the use and benefit of the said Richard Reeve
I Also give and bequeath to all such servants as shall be living with me at the time of my decease as menial servants of my dwelling house, the sum of ten pounds a piece of lawful British money to be paid unto them out of my personal estate by my executrix and executors within three months next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto such of my poor workmen as shall be by me employed to or at the time of my decease the sum of twenty pounds of like money to be distributed amongst them within one month next after my decease by my executrix and executors in such shares and proportions as they shall think fit. All the rest and residue of my goods chattles farming stock plate jewells ready money and securities for money and all other my personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever or of what nature or kind soever which I shall or may die possessed of or entitled unto (after payment of my just debts my funeral charges, the probate of this my will and all charges attending the execution hereof, the aforesaid legacies, and the lacy or sum of fifty pounds which I give and bequeath to William Simpson my executor herein after named for his trouble in acting as executor of this my will) I give and bequeath unto the said Sarah my wife to and for her own proper use and Behoof. And I do hereby make nominate constitute and appoint the said Sarah my wife and the said William Simpson and Michael Reeve jointly executrix and executors of this my last Will and Testament, And Lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other wills by me at any time or times heretofore made and I do hereby declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Reeve the testator have to his my last Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper, set my hand to each of the first four sheets thereof, and to this fifth and last sheet, my hand and seal, the nineteenth day of November in the year of our Lord One Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty seven.
Jos Reeve
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Joseph Reeve the }
Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, }
and by us attested as witnesses thereto, in his Presence and at his }
request, and in the presence of each other, the interlineation of the }
word "said" in the second sheet, and the interlineation of the words }
"a piece" in the fourth sheet, being first made.
Ezekiel Wood Junr
Henry Gentry Junr
Henry White