First I give unto my friend William Fowle of the said Town and Port of New Romney Gentleman all and every my Library of Books Collection of Papers Writings Writing Desks or Tables of or belonging to my Office whether the same be at the time of my decease in or out of it
And as to all and every the Estate I may die Seized or possessed of or in any ways intitled to both Real and Personal I give devise and bequeath
the same and every part thereof unto my Brother Charles Rolfe and the said William Fowle my Trustees and Executors herein after
named and to the Survivor of them his Heirs Executors and Admors Upon the several Trusts nevertheless and to the uses Intents and Purposes
following (that is to say) Upon Trust that they my said Trustees and the Survivor of them his Heirs Executors and Administrators do
and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease sell and dispose of my said Real Estate and call in collect and convert into Money All
and every my said Personal Property and the Monies arising therefrom in the first place to pay and discharge all my just Debts
Funeral Expences and the Charges of proving this my Will and after payment and full Satisfaction thereof Upon Trust to pay apply and dispose of
the Surplus of all such Monies (if any should remain)
unto and amongst the said William Fowle and my two Nieces Mary Rolfe Spinster and Hester the Wife of Nathaniel Collyer Gentleman equally
share and share alike
And I do hereby nominate and appoint them the said Charles Rolfe and William Fowle joint Trustees and Executors of this my last Will and Testament
And Lastly I do hereby direct that the Receipts of my said Trustees or the Survivor of them shall be from time to time sufficient discharges to
all and every purchasor and Purchasors for the Sums contained therein respectively without their being obliged to look to
or answerable for any misapplication or non application thereof
And I also direct that it shall and may be lawful for my said Trustees and the Survivor of them his Executors and Admors
by and out of the said Trust Monies to reimburse and pay him and themselves all such Costs
and Expenses as they shall necessarily and reasonably expend and be put to in the Execution
of the aforesaid Trusts And that they or either of them or their Representatives shall not be
answerable or accountable for the loss of any of the said Trust Monies happening by any
misfortune or accident and not arising from their own wilful neglect or default nor for any
more of the said Trust Monies than shall actually come to his and their respective hands and
possession neither shall they my said Trustees or their Representatives be answerable or
accountable the one of them for the other of them or for the Acts Deeds Defaults Receipts or
Payments of the other of them but each of or Payments of the other of them but each of them
for his own Acts Deeds Defaults Receipts and Payments only
In Witness whereof I the said John Rolfe have to this my last Will and Testament contained in this and the preceding Sheet of Paper set my Hand and Seal to wit my hand to the first Sheet and my hand and Seal to this the second and last Sheet this twenty first day of November one Thousand seven hundred and ninety one. J. Rolfe (LS)
Signed Sealed published and declared by the above named John Rolfe as and for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence
and in the presence of each other have hereunto Subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto,
John Gillett, Geo. Horne, Thos: Pinkaman.
This Will was proved at London the eleventh day of February in the Year of Our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety two before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Charles Rolfe the Brother of the Deceased and William Fowle the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased having been first Sworn by Commission duly to administer.
Notes:
John Rolfe died 30 January 1792 aged 66 years and was buried St Mary in the Marsh. He was the son of
Nicholas Rolfe (d.1749) and Mary Fowle (d.1762) - they married 23 December 1716, Dymchurch.
John married Elizabeth Quested 6 November 1750, Lympne and had one daughter Elizabeth (1754-82) who married Benjamin Cobb 1774.
For greater biographical details about the Rolfes and the Cobbs, see https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147632925/john-rolfe.
Return to Kent GenealogyWill of John Rolfe