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 Simon Ames of Burton upon Trent in the County of Stafford Ironmonger beinge Sick and weake but of Sound and perfect mind and memory doe make my last Will and testament as followes: First my body I comitt to the earth to bee buryed at the discresion of my Executors hereafter named And my wordly estate I dispose as followes: First I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann All that my Moity or one halfe of the messuage or tenement in Horninglow that I hold by Lease from the Right honourable the Lord Pagett for the terme of 99 yeares if Shee lives So long live, to hold to her her Executors Administrators and assignes if Shee or any issue of her body So long continue, And in case Shee dye without any issue of her body, Then from and after her decease I give and bequeath the Same and all my estate title terme and interest therein to and amongst my now wife Jane and Such child or children as I now have or shall or may have by her to bee hold and enioyed by them equally dureing Such time as my Said now wife shall continue a widdowe and my name, and from and after Such time as Shee Shall marry againe, then I give and bequeath the Same to Such child or children as Shee now hath or shall or may have by mee and to his her and their Executors Administrators and assignes. And all the rest of my goods Chattells and personall estate I give and bequeath the Same to my Executors hereafter named In trust, that they shall and doe in the first plase pay and discharge All my debts and funerall charges and Such reasonable charges and expenses as they shall lay out and bee put unto by reason or occacon of this my will, And after those are paid and Satisfied, in trust that they shall pay and distribute all the rest and residue thereof to and amongst my now wife and Such child or children as Shee now hath or shall or may have by mee begotten, at the times followeing videlicet to my wife Jane one third parte two yeares after my death, my debts and funerall charges beinge first paid and Satisfied and the other begotten to Such child or children equally as Shee hath or shall or may have by mee as aforesaid when they Severally attaine the age of one and twenty yeares, and till the times of payment my desire is my wife and her children shall thereout bee maintained and provided for, And what shall remaine to my childen by my present wife my will and desire is that dureinge their minority shall by my Executors bee carried on and disposed of in trade or at interest to Such person or persons and in Such manner as they or the major parte of them actinge therein Shall thinke fitt and decente dureinge the Minority of my children. I doe appoint my father in law Mathew Cox and my mother in law Ellen Wright Guardians of my daughter Ann And my wife Jane dureinge her widdowhood.........”
Copyright: Lichfield Record Office, P/C/11 1711 Ames, Simon
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.