Wills are generally written without any punctuation or abbreviations. There is often alternative spelling of some words and using upper case letters which do not always mean the start of a new sentence. Neither are they divided into paragraphs but are continuous lines of writing This can make documents difficult to read or understand.
This post shows the Will exactly as it was written with no attempt to break it down into paragraphs. Done in this way it shows exactly how the original document is written. As the documents are sometimes very large each line of writing in the document sometimes takes up two lines when it is transcribed in to the web site.
1 Will
2 Neal Joseph
3 Wivenhoe
4 Proved the 9th August 1803
5 Under £600
6 In the Name of God Amen I Joseph Neal of Wivenhoe
7 in the County of Essex Mariner being sick and weak in body but
8 of sound and disposing mind and memory ( thanks be to God for the same )
9 Do make this my last Will and Testament in manner following to
10 wit I resign my soul to God who gave hoping for pardon and forgive
11 ness thro Jesus Christ my Saviour and my body to be decently buried
12 at the discretion of my Executors herein after appointed and my
13 Worldly Estate I dispose of as follows that is to say I direct my Executors
14 herein after named and appointed with all with all convenient speed after my
15 decease to Sell and dispose of All my \\\\\\\\\\\right and Interest iof and in the
16 Fishing Smack or Vessel called the Mary of Colchester of the burthen of
17 forty eight tons or thereabouts and of and in all the Taclle Rigging
18 and Materials whatsoever of which Vessel my Son in Law William
19 Heath now goes Master and is intitled to one fourth part and Share
20 therein and the other three fourths are my own property And my desire
21 is that the most money may be made of the said three fourth parts
22 that can be had or gotten for the same And I give one third part of
23 the money arising by my said share unto my said Son in Law william
24 Heath and the other two fourth parts of the said money arising from
25 such sale unto my Son in Law William Moulton of Wivenhoe
26 aforesaid Carpenter And I further direct my said Executors to make
27 Sale and dispose of my half part of the Vessel called the May
28 Flower and of and in all the Rigging Tackle Materials and other
29 appurtenances thereto belonging for the most money that can be made
30 of the same And outy of the money arising from such last
31 mentioned Sale I give the Sum of twenty pounds to my Grandaughter
32 Mary Neal to be paid to her at her age of twenty one years and the
33 remainder of the same money I give to be equally divided between
34 my said two Sons in Law William Heath and William Moulton
35 share and share alike And my will is that the purchaser or
36 purchasers of the said parts or share of and in my said Vessels or either of them
37 or any part thereof shall not be answerable or accountable for
38 the Mis application or Non application of the purchase money or
39 of any part thereof But that the Receipt or Receipts of my said
40 Executors or the Survivor of them shall be a good and sufficent
41 Discharge or Discharges for such purpose money or so much
42 thereof for which the same Receipt or Receipts shall be given
43 And as to all and every my Goods Chattles Furniture Plate
44 Linen Apparel and other effects together with all my ready money
45 Debts due and owing to me Security and Securities for money
46 and all other my personal Estate and Effects whatsoever wheresoever
47 (from and after payment of all my just Debts Funeral charges
48 the expenses of proving and executing this my Will the aforesaid
49 Legacy of twenty pounds to my said Grandaughter and other incidental
50 expenses I give and bequeath the same and every part therein unto
51 my said two Sons in Law William Heath and William Moulton equally
52 to be divided between them share and share alike And I do hereby
53 Nominate and appoint the said William Heath and William Moulton
54 Executors of this my Will And I direct that neither of them shall
55 be answerable for any more monies or effects than what shall actuall
56 shall come into their respective hands by virtue of this my last Will nor for any loss
57 that may happen of the same without their wilful default Nor shall
58 either of them be answerable for the acts or Deeds of the other but each
59 of them for his own acts and Deeds only And hereby revoking all other
60 Wills by me made I declare this only to be and contain my Last Will and
61 Testament In Witness whereof I the said Joseph Neal have hereunto
62 set my Hand and Seal this twenty third day of march in the Year of
63 our Lord One thousand eight hundred and three
64 Signed Sealed published and declared by
65 the said Testator Joseph Neal as and for his
66 Last Will and Testament in the Presence
67 of us who have hereunto subscribed our
68 names as Witnesses thereto in his presence
69 at his request and in the presence of each other
70 Joseph Cole
71 William Parish
72 Twenty third day of July 1803
73 appeared personally William Heath and
74 William Moulton the two Executors within
75 named were sworn to the truth of this Will
76 & to the due Performance thereof
77 before me
78 John Smythies Surrogate
79 And that the value of the Effects are
80 under 600£
81 John Smythies Surrogate
82 Joseph Neal died in the Parish of
83 Wivenhoe on or about the 17th of May 1803
84
85 Proved on the 23rd day of July 1803
86 before the Revd John Smythies Clk Surrogate by the Oath of
87 #Main1Willm Heath and Willm Moulton the Exectrs to whom Admon
88 was granted they being first sworn duly to Administer
No Comments
Add a comment about this page