Stone Will 1778

Will of Michael Stone

of Marden, Kent


Source: Rochester Consistory Court (RCC) Ref.: DRb/PW61
Submitted by Jane Brooker
In the Name of God Amen I Michael Stone of Marden in the County of Kent Yeoman being Infirm in Body but of Sound and disposing Mind Memory and Understanding (praised be God for the same) Therefore do this Twenty ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Seventy five make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say)
First and principally I Commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God my Maker and Redeamer hoping thro’ the Merits Death and Passion of my blessed Lord and Saviour to have full and free Pardon and forgiveness of all my Sins and to Inherit Eternal Life My Body I Committ to the Earth to be decently Buried at the Discretion of my executrix hereinafter named And as to the Disposition of such Temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with I Give and dispose thereof as follows

First I Will and desire that all my Just Debts Funeral Expences and Probate of this my Will be first paid and discharged by my Executrix hereinafter named
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Dear and loving wife Hannah all the rents Issues and profits that shall Arise Accrew or become due and payable out of and from all those seven several Messuages or Tenements with the Gardens and Appurtenances Scituate in Rochester in the County of Kent for during and untill the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five with full power and Authority for her my said wife Hannah to Distrain for any Rent [that] shall be behind or unpaid And the Distress and Distresses there had and taken to have receive and take to her own proper use and behoof for the Support of herself and Dear Children

And from and immediately after the Twenty second Day of January which will be in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my Son Thomas Stone All that one Messuage or Tenement with the Appurtenances Scituate in Saint Nicholas in the City of Rochester aforesaid and being one of the seven Messuages above mentioned To hold to him my said Son Thomas and to his Heirs and Assigns for ever

Subject to one Annuity or Yearly rent charge of Thirty shillings payable to my Daughter Hannah now abroad by four Quarterly payments in the Year (that is to say) Seven shillings and Sixpence per Quarter the first payment thereof to begin and to be made at Lady Day one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five And that her receipt alone notwithstanding her Coverture shall be a Sufficient Discharge for the same And which Annuity shall remain and continue to be paid for the Space of Ten Years and then to Cease and be utterly void frustrate and of no Effect

But in Case my said Son Thomas shall happen to Die or depart this Life before the said Twenty second day of January one Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Six and without Lawfull Issue of his Body Then and in such Case and not otherwise I Give and Bequeath the same Messuage and Premisses unto my said loving Wife Hannah and to her Heirs and Assigns for ever Subject to the same Annuity as my said Son Thomas is in Case he live to the said Twenty second Day of January one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five and become possessed thereof

And as for and concerning the other six several Messuages or Tenements with the Appurtenances Scituate in Nag’s Head Lane in the Parish of Saint Margaret Rochester from and Immediately after the First day of January which will be in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five I Give Devise and Bequeath the same Messuages and every part thereof unto my said loving Wife Hannah and to her Heirs and Assigns for ever which said Messuages last mentioned I also Charge with one Annuity or Yearly Rent of Thirty shillings payable also to my said Daughter Hannah now abroad by four Quarterly payments in the Year (that is to say) Seven shillings and Sixpence per Quarter the first payment thereof to also begin and to be made at Lady Day one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty five
And that her receipt alone notwithstanding her Coverture shall be a Sufficient Discharge for the same And which Annuity shall remain and continue to be paid for the Space of Ten Years and then to likewise Cease and be utterly void frustrate and of no Effect any thing to the Contrary notwithstanding

All the rest and residue of my Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever after payment of all my Just Debts and Funeral Expences as aforesaid I also Give and Bequeath unto my said Wife Hannah whom I do hereby make and Ordain full and Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and do hereby revoke and make Void all former and other Wills by m at any Time heretofore made and Declare this only to be my last Will and Testament

In Witness whereof I the said Michael Stone the Testator to this my last Will and Testament contained in two Sheets of Paper have to the First sheet thereof set my Hand and to the Last Sheet thereof my Hand ad Seal the Day and Year first above Written
Michael Stone ©

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Michael Stone the Testator as and or his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of one another have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witness:
Mary Walter - John Aust. Walter - Jos. Williams

This Will was proved at Rochester on the Nineteenth day of May 1778 before the Reverend Richard Husband Clerk and Surrogate by the Oath of Hannah Stone Widow the Relict of the Deceased and Sole Executrix in the said Will named to whom was Granted Administration she having been first Sworn duly to Administer.

Transcribed by Shelagh Mason 28th January 2021


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Will of Michael Stone
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