849 John Featherstone Kent 1809
In the name of God Amen
I John Featherstone of Minster in the Isle of Sheppey in the county of Kent
yeoman being in – indifferent state of bodily health but of sound and perfect
mind Memory and understanding praised be Almighty God for the same and
considering the uncertain ---passage of this mortal life and many hazards and
dangers that we fr—sh --- -- daily obnoxious? And liable to and being willing
and desirous to settle my disposable affairs whilst I have strength and capacity
so to do. Do make publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner
and form following [that is to say] First and principally of all I commend my
soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it me in all humble hopes and with
a firm assurance of its future happiness as in the disposal of a being
infinitely good and my body I commit to the earth when it shall please God to
take my life to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors
hereinafter named and as to such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to
bless me I give and dispose of the same in manner and form following That is to
say I give and devise all and every my messuages lands tenements and
hereditaments parts pinparts and shares of messuages lands tenements and
hereditaments situate lying and being in the parish of Minster aforesaid or
elsewhere within the said county of Kent unto my two sons John Featherstone and
Ephraim Featherstone their heirs and assigns for ever equally to be parted and
divided between them share and share alike and to take on tenants in common and
not as joint tenants I give and bequeath unto my grandson William Bliss the sum
of one hundred pounds of good and lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland innant? in Great Britain to be paid unto him by my executor
hereinafter named when and as soon as he shall attain his age of twenty one
years A d as to all my rest residue and remainder of my goods chattels rights
credits plate linen china ready money securities for money monies in the public
stocks or funds and personal estate and effects whatsoever and whatsoever and of
whatever kind sort or quality so ever the same shall be and consist at the time
of my decease from and after payment of all my just debts funeral expenses the
charges of proving this my last will and testament the said legacy by me
hereinbefore given and bequeathed and other incident charges and expenses I give
and bequeath unto my said sons John Featherstone and Ephraim Featherstone their
executors and administrators equally to be parted and divided between them share
and share alike I hereby make name institute and appoint my said son John
Featherstone and my said son Ephraim Featherstone [when and so soon as he shall
attain his age of twenty one years ] and my good friend William Burgess of the
borough of Queenborough in the said county miller executors of this my last will
and testament and I will and direct that my said executors or either of them
shall not be answerable or accountable for any more of my monies or effects than
what they or either of them shall respectively and actually receive or which
shall come to them or either of their hands by virtue of this my will nor with
or for any less or loses which shall or may happen to the same or any part
thereof so as such loss or losses happen without their or either of their wilful
neglect or default nor shall one of them be answerable or accountable for the
other or for the acts deeds receipts defaults or payments of the other or the
executors or administrators of the other but each of them for himself and his
own acts deeds receipts defaults payments only and also that my said executors
shall and may by and out of my said personal estate deduct retain pay reimburse
and allow himself and themselves all such costs charges damages and expenses as
they shall or may respectively sustain refund or be put to or oblige to pay in
the execution of this my will or any thing immediately retaking thereunto I
hereby revoke ------ and make void all former and other will and wills and other
testamentary dispositions by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this
only to be my last will and testament In witness whereof I the said John
Featherstone the testator have to this my last will and testament contained in
two sheets of paper and subscribed my name to the first and set and affixed my
hand and seal to the second and last sheet hereof this fourth day of April in
the forty seventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by
the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King
Defender of the Faith and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
seven John Featherstone Signed sealed published and declared by the said John
Featherstone the testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of
us the witnesses hereafter written who have at his request and in the presence
and in the presence of each other hereunto subscribed our names Robt Hinde Robt
Hinde jun Jas Taylor
The before registered will of John Featherstone died was proved the eleventh day
of September 1809 before the Reverend Joshua Dix Clerk Surrogate to the Right
Honourable Sir William Scott Knight Doctor of Laws Official General to the
Reverend the Archdeacon of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths John
Featherstone and Ephraim Featherstone the sons and two of the executors named in
the said will They being first sworn duly to perform the same power being
reserved to William Burgess the other executor when he shall apply for the same