Description:Wills and their accompanying inventories of goods and chattels, are an excellent source of information for family, social and economic history. A will can provide all kinds of useful information about family relationships and the social and economic status of the testator, that is the person making the will. In addition before 1750, an itemised inventory of the goods of the deceased was drawn up by between two and five unbiased persons called appraisors, overseers or supervisors. The inventory includes all the moveable goods, including there appropriate household goods, clothing, stock-in-trade, farm stock, growing and cut corn, loose money and any rent and debts due but it does not include land.
“In The Name of God Amen I Thomas Redfearn of Sirlane Eadge In the Parish of Ipstons & County of Stafford Husband man being weak of Body but of Sound & disposing mind and memory Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in maner following that Is to Say calling to remembrance the uncertain Estate of this Transetory Life and that all flish must yield unto Death when it Shall Please God to call; and first I resign my Soul to its Creator In all Humble hope of its future happiniss as in the disposall of a being Infinitely Good, And first being penitint and Sorry from the bottom of my heart for my Sins past most humbly desiring forgiveness for the same in whom & by the merits of Jesus Christ I Trust to have full Remision and forgiveness of all my Sins and that my Soul with my Body at the Generall day of the Resurrecton Shall rise again with Joy; my Body to be burid at the Dascretion of my Executors hereafter named and as to my real & personll Estate I dispose thereof as follows and first my mind and will is that all my debts and funirall Expencs Shall be honestly paid and Satisfyed out of my personall Estate and I Give all my reall Estate to Such uses Intents & purposes as hereafter shall be named.
Imprimis
I Give to my Daughter Ann Redfearn all my reall Estate at my deceasese upon condition that She pay to my deare Wife Ellen three Pounds a yeare During her narturill Life and in default of payment of the said three pounds yearly it shall be Lawfull and my mind is for my Wife Ellen to Enter upon the Estate and inJoy it for her Life...”