First and principally I commend my Soul to Almighty God who gave it me trusting to be saved through the alone merits of Christ Jesus my only Lord and Saviour and to inherit Everlasting Bliss and happiness with the saints and angels in heaven and my Body I committ to the Earth from whence it came (in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection) to be decently interred at the discretion of my dear and loving wife Elizabeth Wood whom together with my son Solomon Wood I do make Executrix and Executor of this my last will and testament
Item from and after payment of all my just debts Funeral charges and expences ---- about the probate of this my will I give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my Goods Cattle Chattells and Personal Estate whatsoever for and towards the maintenance and bringing up of my three Youngest children
Item as to my real estate I give and devise unto my said loving wife Elizabeth Wood one full moiety or half part of all and every my Messuages Lands tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever situate lying and being in the Parishes of Wormshill Frinsted Brumfeild Ulcombe Smarden and Headcorn in the said County of Kent or elsewhere to have and to hold unto her my said wife Elizabeth and her Assignes for and during the term of her natural life in lieu and full satisfaction of her Dower or right or title of Dower in or to my real Estate she from time to time allowing one full moiety or half part of the charges of keeping the same in good and sufficient repair and other incumbrances therein
Item I give and devise unto my Five Children, John Wood, Solomon Wood, George
Wood, Anne Wood and Benjamin Wood the other full moiety or half part of all and every
my Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments aforesaid to have and to hold unto them
my said Five children their Heirs and Assignes for ever (as Tenants in common and not as
Joint Tenants) equally to be divided ------ share and share alike
and I do also give and devise
the other Moiety or half part of my Real Estate (which is herein before given and devised
unto my said wife for her life as aforesaid) after her decease to my said Five Children their
Heirs and Assignes for ever in the same manner as the other half part is herein before given
and devised unto them
but my will and mind is that if either or any of my said Five children shall dye before he or she or they shall attain his her or their respective age or ages of one and twenty Years and without Issue of his her or their body or bodys (then living) that their the survivour or Survivours shall Have his her or their part or parts so dying equally to be divided between them as aforesaid
and my will and mind further is that my said Wife shall receive and take the Rents Issues and Profits of the parts and shares of my said three youngest Children given and devised unto them as aforesaid untill they shall respectively attain their ages (to witt) Sons Twenty Years and daughter twenty Years or day of marriage which shall first happen towards bringing them up Educating them putting them out apprentice and finding them in Apparel
and my will and mind further is that in case my said son John Wood shall go about to sell alien Mortgage or otherwise to dispose or Incumber that part of my real Estate which is herein before given unto him at any time or times (before his brother George shall attain his age of one and twenty years) that then my said son John shall forfeite and loose his part of my said Estate (given and devised unto him as aforesaid) and the same shall forthwith descend and go to his then surviving Brothers and Sister their Heirs and Assignes for ever equally to be divided between them as aforesaid and I do hereby give and devise the same accordingly
but my will and mind is and I do hereby impower my said Wife Elizabeth to receive the rents Issues and Profits of all my said Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments after my decease, untill she shall have raised sufficient to pay off all my debts (other than what are due on Mortgages) which I desire may continue and be paid out of my said Messuages and Lands) and pay my said debts therewith as soon as conveniently she can rather than she shall be obliged to sell and dispose of the household goods
and I do hereby revoke and make void all former wills and testaments by me heretofore made or Published
and do declare this to be my last will and testament (contained in two sheets of paper and this
part of a sheet have to the bottom of a sheet my hand and Seal the day and year first above
written Richard Wood Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said Richard Wood to be
his last will and testament in the presence of us who have thereunto Subscribed our names as
Witnesses in the presence of the said Richard Wood.
John Skeer, the mark of William Cox, William Backett
Probate 21May 1718
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of Richard Wood