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 Jane Chaulton of Ashley in the County of Stafford widdow beinge in health of body And of sound and perfect minde and memory thanks be given to god therefore And callinge to minde the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof have thought fitt to dispose of that temporall Estate which it hath pleased Allmighty God to bestowe upon me And therefore doe make this my last will and Testament concerninge the same in manner & forme followinge
Imprimis I give & bequeath my soule to Allmighty God my Creator assuredly hopeinge for the pardon and forgiveness of all my sins through the meritts of Jesus Christe my Saviour And my body in hopes of A joyfull Resurrection I comitt to the Earth to be decently buried in the Church yard of the parish Church of Ashley afforesaid att the discretion of my Executor hereafter herein named And as for my worldly Estate and goods I give and dispose thereof in manner and forme followinge that is to say First I will that all my debts which I owe to any person be fully payd and satisfied Item after my debts payd and funerall expenses are discharged I give and bequeath unto my three daughters Martha Katherine and Mary All my Estate right title and terme of yeares benifitt and demaund whatsoever which I have of in and to the house messuage or Tenement wherein I now dwell in Ashley afforesaid together with all buildings barnes Stables Cowhouses Malthouses Outhouses hempbutts gardens Orchards and Backsides which now are in my holdinge and possession and belonginge to the said house or Tenement And all my Estate Right title terme of yeares interest claime and demand whatsoeverof me the said Jane Chaulton of in and to all those two Closes pastures or parcells of Land called by the names of the Oldcote feild and Marlepitt Croft allsoe of in & to one Butt in A comon feild belonginge to Ashley called the little feild All the said buildings and premises to be equally divided amongst them together allsoe with all my household goods husbandry ware Cattle and personall Estate whatsoever and not heretofore by me given and settled upon my other children or any of them Item my will & mind is that all
my debts and funerall expenses be payd and discharged by my said three daughters out of the said Estate to them given and bequeathed within convenient time after my decease And in case they shall neglect the same Then my will and minde is That The same shall be payd and discharged by my Executor hereafter named out of my said Estate and goods Item I give unto my sonnes Thomas Chaulton & John Chaulton & to my daughters Rebecka Grimes and Anne Bolton, the some of Twelve pence apeice in full for their childs parte and portions Item I doe hereby make and ordaine my said son Thomas Chaulton to be my full & sole Executor of this my last will and Testament desireinge him to see the same faithfully performed And lastly I doe hereby Revoke and renounce all former wills & testaments by me heretofore made & declared & doe declare this my last will & Testament as afforesaid In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seale the Eight & Twentith day of March In the Third yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord James the second by the grace of god of England Scotland france Ireland kinge defender of the faith etc Annoque domini 1687”
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office, B/C/11 1693 Chaulton, Jane
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.