Will of John Matson

of Dover, Kent

Item I Give Devise and Bequeath all that my Freehold House and Ground Situate and being in the Parish of Saint James the Apostle in Dover aforesaid together with the Garden and other the Premises thereunto belonging (and which I some time since purchased under a Decree of the Court of Chancery) unto William Minett of Fenchurch Street London Merchant and Charles Banaster of Lincolns Inn in the County of Middlesex Gentleman To hold to them and their Heirs and the Heir of the Survivor upon the Trusts hereinafter mentioned

I also give and bequeath all my ready Money Stock in Trade and Debts that Shall be Standing out and due to me at the time of my decease and all other my Personal Estate of what Nature or kind soever unto them the said William Minett and Charles Banaster and to the Survivor of them and to the Executors and Administrators of such Survivor upon the Trusts and for the uses and purposes herein also aftermentioned and set forth (that is to say)

I Will and impower my said Trustees to Sell and dispose of my said Freehold House Garden and Premises in Dover aforesaid And to Sell and dispose of all other my Goods and Effects Save and Except as herein after is mentioned in the best manner they are able and the Money arising thereby as well as from all other my Personal Estate after payment of all my Just Debts Funeral Expences and Money Legacies given by this my Will I will and direct them to lay out in the Purchase of Government or other Security as they shall Judge most Convenient And the Dividends Interest and Produce thereof to be paid and applyed by them as herein after is directed

Imprimis I give and bequeath to my dear and loving Wife Lucy Matson all her Rings Watch and Wearing Ornaments
And I also give to her during her Life only the Use of all my Household Goods Plate Linnen and Furniture (upon the Condition herein after mentioned) an Inventory being first taken thereof to be kept by my said Trustees
and I also give to my said Wife One Clear Yearly Annuity of Thirty Pounds to be paid to her half yearly by my said Trustees out of the Produce of my said Estate during her Life (upon the Condition herein after mentioned) the first Payment to be made her on the Twenty fifth of March or the Twenty ninth day of September which shall next happen after my Decease
but upon this Proviso or Condition that in Case my said Wife shall marry again then the Payment of the said Annuity shall cease and determine from that time and likewise in that Case She to have no longer the Use of my said Household Goods Plate Linnen or Furniture but the whole thereof to be Sold by my said Trustees and the Money arising by such Sale to be Applyed in the same manner as I have directed the Residue of my Estate to be paid and Applyed

Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Sawyer (commonly called Elizabeth Hunter) Daughter of John and Jemima Sawyer late of Dover aforesaid One Clear Yearly Annuity of Twenty Pounds to be paid to her half yearly by my said Trustees out of the Produce of my said Estate during her Life Provided she continues a Single Woman but if She marries then the Payment of the said Annuity to cease and determine the payment of which said Annuity to be made her on the Twenty fifth of March or the Twenty ninth day of September which shall next happen after my decease

Item I give and bequeath to Mary and John the Two Children now living of the said Elizabeth Sawyer (that is to say) Mary born on or about the 11th of August 1732 and Baptised and Registered in the Registry of the Parish of Saint George in the East as the Daughter of John and Elizabeth Hunter and John Born on or about the 14th of August 1734 and Baptised and Registered in the Registry of the said Parish as the Son of the said John and Elizabeth Hunter to each of them the Sum of Three Hundred Pounds which I direct to be paid in manner following (that is to say) the said Sum of Three Hundred Pounds so by me given to the said Mary to be paid to her upon her Attaining the Age of Eighteen Years or Marriage which shall first happen and the like Sum of Three Hundred Pounds so by me given to the said John to be paid him on his Attaining his Age of Twenty One Years
But in Case either or both of them shall happen to dye before his her or their respective Legacys shall become Payable then the Legacy of such so dying to be Void

Item I do hereby Will and direct that after Payment of the aforesaid Annuitys by me given my said Trustees do pay and Apply so much of the Residue of the Produce and Income of my said Real and Personal Estate in the Maintenance and Education of my daughter Susanna Matson as they together with my said Wife shall think Proper and in Case they shall think the Residue of such Produce not sufficient for that purpose Then I Will and impower my said Trustees and the Survivor of them from time to time as they or he shall see necessary to raise pay and Apply so much of the Capital of my said Estate as he or they shall judge proper for the better Maintenance and Education of my said Daughter untill the Residue of my said Estate shall become payable to her as herein after is directed but if the Residue of the Produce of my said Estate shall amount to more than what my said Wife and Trustees shall think proper to apply in the Maintenance and Education of my said Daughter Then I Will and direct my said Trustees to lay out the Overplus of such Produce in the same manner and for the same purposes as I have herein directed the Capital of my said Estate to be laid out and Applyed

And after Paying or Securing to be paid the aforesaid Two Annuitys by me given or after the determination thereof I Give and bequeath all the Rest and Residue of my said Estate as shall then be remaining unto my said Daughter Susanna Matson to be paid transferred or assigned to her Upon her Attaining her Age of Eighteen Years or Day of Marriage which shall first happen (Provided she Marrys with the Approbation and Consent in Writing under the hand of her said Mother and my said Trustees or the Major Part of them or the Survivors or Survivor of them
And in Case She shall Marry under the Age of eighteen Years and without such Consent then I give and bequeath one Moiety or half part of the Residue of my said Estate to be Equally divided between the said John and Mary the Children of the said Elizabeth Sawyer otherwise Hunter if both be then living or to the Survivor of them

But in Case my said Daughter Susanna Matson shall happen to dye before She Attains her said Age of Eighteen Years or be Marryed then I give and bequeath such Residue of my said Estate after Payment of the aforesaid Annuitys to be Equally divided between the said John and Mary the Children of the said Elizabeth Sawyer otherwise Hunter if both be then living and if either of them shall happen to be then dead the whole to the Survivor of them the said Mary�s Share thereof to be paid to her upon her Attaining the Age of Eighteen Years or Marriage and the said John�s Share thereof to be paid him on his Attaining his Age of Twenty One Years
But if they shall both happen to dye in the Life time of my said daughter Susanna Matson or shall afterwards dye before their attaining such Ages or Marriage.......
[The following page appears to be missing from the digitised copy Will]

Codicil
..... Part of my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke so much of my said Will as Directs the whole Residue of my Estate to be paid transferred and assigned to my said daughter Susanna Matson and instead thereof I do Will and direct William Minett and Charles Banaster my Executors and Trustees named in my said Will to pay transfer and Assign only one Moiety or half part of such Residue of my said Estate to my said daughter Susanna Matson at the times and upon the Condition mentioned in my said Will (In Case my said Daughter Lucy Matson shall be then living and unmarried)

And the other Moiety or half part of such Residue of my said Estate I do Will and direct my said Executors and Trustees to pay transfer and Assign unto my said Daughter Lucy Matson at such times and upon such Conditions as I have by my said Will directed the whole Residue of my said Estate to be paid transferred and assigned to my said daughter Susanna Matson
And I do also hereby Will and direct that there shall be the like allowance and provision for the Maintenance and Education of my said Daughter Lucy Matson as I have by my said Will directed to be made to my said daughter Susanna Matson

And I further Will and direct that in Case either of my said Daughters shall dye before the Fortune so provided for her becomes payable or Marrys without such Consent as is required by my said Will Then in either such Cases I Will and direct I Will and direct my said Executors and Trustees to pay transfer and assign the Share of my said Estate of her so dying or Marrying without such Consent to the Survivor of them
And in Case both my said Daughters shall happen to dye before their respective Fortunes shall become payable or shall Marry without such Consent as is required by my said Will Then I Will and direct my said Executors and Trustees to pay transfer and assign the whole Residue of my said Estate in like manner and for the same purposes as I have by my said Will directed the same In Case my said daughter Susanna Matson should dye before the Fortune so provided for her became payable or Marryed without such Consent as is thereby required

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the 23rd day of June in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and fifty Jno Matson
(Attestation Clause)
Tho: Broadley _ Tho: Broadley Junr _ Stepn Temple

29 December 1752 Administration with Will annexed to Lucy Matson the Widow the mother and guardian of Susanna Matson an infant and surviving legatee, the Executors having renounced
Proved at London 13 October 1763 on the Executors having retracted their renunciation by reason of the death of Lucy Matson

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