I give devise and bequeath unto my Loving Children Susanna Comport, my Son William Comport my other Daughter Ann Swift Comport and my other Son Augustine Comport All and singular my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever real and personal to be divided among and between them in equal parts shares and proportions To hold to them their respective Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever as tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and to be a vested Interest in them when and as they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years
And in Case of the death or any or either of them my said Children under the said age of twenty one years Then I give devise and bequeath the part or share of him her or them so dying unto the Survivors and Survivor of them in like equal parts shares and proportions and proportions And as tenants in Common and not as joint tenants and to his her and their Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns respectively for ever
but under and subject nevertheless that they my said Children and each of them do from time to time from and immediately after my decease permit
and suffer without any the least molestation or interruption whatsoever my Executors hereinafter named peaceably and quietly to carry on the
business I am now engaged in if they shall so think fit until my said Son William Comport shall attain his age of Twenty six years for the use
benefit and advantage of my said Children
they my said Executors paying to my said Daughter Susanna Comport the Sum of Two hundred Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain (part of her share
of my said Estate and Effects) in case she shall intermarry with their consent after she shall have attained her age of Twenty one years
And I do hereby commit the Guardianship and Tuition Education of my said Children to my said Executors until they
shall respectively have attained their said age of twenty one years
And I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my Brother Michael Comport my Brother in Law James Hicks my Nephew George Comport and my good
Friend John Umphelby of Eltham aforesaid Farmer Executors of this my last Will and Testament
And I do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this only to be my last Will
and Testament
In Witness whereof I have to this my said last Will and Testament contained in on one side of one sheet of paper set my hand and seal this
twentieth day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety two
Willm. Comport
Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the above named Testator William Comport as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who
in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto
James Poinald of Eltham; Joseph Smithers of Greenwich; J. Cross of Southin?
Addendum: For the information of my Executors I have putt down in a Coppy Book the expences I have been at on the premises for improvements and also what fixture(s) belong to me in a House &c. which Book in will be found with my Will &c? in my Book Case Desk in the Best Parlour and also a Book relating to the Garden.
A Codicil to my Will made December the 20th 1792 – and to which I affix this my own hand writing by Seal at the Back of my Will
My particular desire in this is that I may be buried in North fleet Chancel in Kent and under the same stone with my dear Wife Susanna Comport
– a Blank side is left for that purpose – which I conjure my Executors by all that Sacred to see faithfully performed and that my Lockett which I
ware round my Neck be buried with me that my Bones may moulder by that dear Woman who I not only loved by found by fatal experience my whole
Earthly Happiness was centerd in her to who’s character I but bearly do Justice to say
As Woman
She was all that Man could Wish
or Heaven could Grant
My Funeral to be conducted in the same manner as my Wifes a Coach & four and Hearse & four with Velvits and Feathers and every thing as hers was
- my Undertaker to be John Selve Carpenter of Eltham if he should be alive at the time of my decease.
I also desire my dear Brother in Law James Hickes of Dartford in Kent, and my dear Freind John Umphelby of Eltham in the said County two of my Executors with the Reverend Hugh Jones and Mr. Will'm Weller of Deptford my Brothers in Law to follow my Corpse from Eltham where I could wish they may be joined by my dear Brother Mich'l Comport, my Nephew George Comport my two other Executors and my Brothers in Law Mr. Tho's. Naish of Gravesend & Mr. Henry Swift of North Fleet
I also give to my daughter Susanna Comport a Print of the Great Barn fram’d & Glazed which was work’d by her dear Mother and for whose sake I beg she will never part from it till death Also a Map of England and also Fram’d & Glazed worked by herself both Hanging in the Common Parlour
I also give to my two Daughters jointly the harpsichord which I desire may not be Sold but kept for their use – likewise I give to my Daughter Susanna Comport a pair of Paste Earrings with drops and to my Daughter Ann Swift Comport I give Two Rings one a Garnite Hoop the other two Mocos Stones in emblim of two hearts joined in one sett in Gold (which was the true Case of her Fathers and Mother) and for whose sake I desire she will keep them till death
I also give to my Son Willm. Comport my Gold Watch and Gold Seal with my Arms which as I valued while I lived I desire he will keep for my and
his dear Mothers sake till death – The Chain belonging to this Watch I give to my Daughter Susanna Comport
I also give to my Son Augustus Comport my Metal Watch my Best past(e) knee Buckel a Gold Shirt Buckell and my Garnite Stock buckel and my German
Flute that he may have something to remember me and that his dear Mother may not be forgot I also give to him my Silver Waiter which I had with
his Mother which I desire he will keep till death for our sakes
– the other tryffling of plate I have, I desire may be equally devided between my Daughters Susanna & Ann Swift Comport and my Son Willm. Comport
– as Books sold second hand fetch but little money I desire my Books may be equally divided between them my four Children except the Music Books
which are to go with the Harpsicord But if there is any Books which my Executors think unfitt for Youth to peruse amongth them – they are to
dispose of them as they think fitt
I also desire if its found necessary to dispose of my household Furniture that the cover of the two Stoles [Stools] standing in my Chamber Window
and the Covers of the Eight Chairs which were work’d by my dear Wife and standing in the best parlour may not be sold But given to my Daughter
Susanna Comport and also my Best Case of Knives with Green Handles tip’d with Silver in the form of a Scollop shell which I beg she'l not despose
of but keep for our sakes
and to my Son William Comport I give all my Cloaths of every sort but not to be sold but for his own use
My poor Old Chaise Horse known by the name Bob I desire may not be sold nor yet putt to hard Labour and in case the Farm is lett I desire he may be kill’d in as easy a manner as possible and buried in his skin
to which I affix my hand this 22 day of May 1793
Willm. Comport and Seal
8th May 1797
Appeared Personally James Hickes of Dartford in the County of Kent Farmer and John Umphelby of Eltham in the County of Kent Farmer and being
Sworn on the Holy Evangelist to depose the truth, made Oath as follows
That they knew and were intimately acquainted with William Comport late of Eltham in the County of Kent aforesaid deceased and also with his
manner and character of handwriting and subscription having seen him write and also subscribe his name and now viewing and carefully pursuing the
paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be and contain a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of the said deceased beginning: "A Codicil
to my Will made December 20th 1792" and ending thus: "to which I affix my hand this 22 day of May 1793" and subscribed thus: "Willm. Comport"
They these deponents say they verily and in their consciences believe the whole body series and contents of the said Codicil beginning ending and
subscribed as aforesaid to be all the proper hand writing and subscription of the said deceased
James Hickes; John Umphelby
Same day the said James Hickes and John Umphelby were duly Sworn to the truth of this Affidavit before me C. Coote Surr.
Jno. Shepard Not. Publ.
This Will was Proved at London with a Codicil the thirteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety seven before The Worshipful Charles Coote, Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne, Knight, also Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, lawfully constituted by the Oaths of James Hicks otherwise Hickes, George Comport the Nephew of the deceased and John Umphelby the Surviving Executors named in the Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the deceased having been first Sworn duly to Adm[iniste]r.
Notes:
William Comport & Susannah Swift were married by licence at Northfleet 29 July 1771.
William & Susanna had 5 children baptised at SS Peter & Paul, Shorne, Kent:
William n. 3 Oct 1775, bap. 2 Nov 1775; Anne Swift n. 4 Sep 1777, bap. 25 Sep 1777; Elizabeth Nash n. 24 Jun 1779, bap. 23 Jul 1779;
Octavius n. 20 Jun 1780, bap. 14 July 1780; Augustus bap. 7 Oct 1781.
Also at Eltham: Charlotte Swift Comport was baptised 4 June 1783
William Comport (from Eltham) was buried at St. Botolph, Northfleet, Kent on 9th March 1797.
Wife Susannah Comport (from Eltham) was buried there 15th June 1792.
Transcribed by Mrs. Shelagh Mason 14th June 2022
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of William Comport