Will and Inventory of Thomas Brunt of Bucknall, 7th November 1716

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Date:Not Recorded

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 Brunt of Bucknall in the Parish of Stoke upon Trent in the County of Stafford Blacksmith being weak of body but of perfect memory praised be God for the same and taking in Consideration the Frailty of life & the uncertainty of the time of death do make and ordaine this my present last will & Testament in writing in manner and forme following That is to say first & principally I comend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator who gave it me in a Sure & certain hope of Eternall life by the Mercy of God through my Lord & only Saviour & Redeemer Jesus Christ my body I committ to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executors herein after named And as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me that no differrence arise concerning the same after my decease my will & meaning is that the same be enjoyed & bestowed as hereafter in and by this my last will is mentioned & declared And first I do hereby revoke renounce make null & void all former & other wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare Publish and appoint this only to be my last will and Testament Item I do hereby Give and bequeath One Halfe of all my horses Cows Swine Sheep and one halfe of all my quick Goods togeather with all my debts to me due & owing from any person whatsoever togeather with all my Blacksmiths tools, a Coffer, a Bed with Blanketts and other things thereunto belonging unto William Brunt, Thomas Brunt, Mary Rowley the wife of Thomas Rowley and Ellen Whitehurst the wife of Emanuel Whitehurst being my Sons and Daughters equally to be divided amongst them share & share alike (only my Daughter Mary Rowley to have the summe of Five pounds over and above her equall share so given as aforesaid) after payment of half of Michaelmas Rent last and the summe of three pounds (being part of what was heretofore advanced by my Son James Brunt on account of keeping up the Stock) unto my said Son James Brunt and all debts and Funerall expences ......”

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