The Kelsick Wood Journals.

 

The Kelsick Wood Journals.

(post in preparation).

The Will of John Wood of Maryport

 

A Transcription of The Will of John Wood (1717 - 89).

The Will is dated 28 September 1789.

(Post in preparation).

John Wood aged 36.

Inscribed on the back.

John * Wood

1754

AGED 36 Y

.................................

John Wood (1717 - 88).

Aged 49

Inscribed on the back 

I WOOD

1767

AGED 49

.........................

The photographs of this document were very kindly supplied by Peter Moon of the very excellent Moon's Bookshop, Lowther Street, Whitehaven.

I am very grateful to him.

For Moon's Bookshop a must for anyone visiting Whitehaven see -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/michaelmoonsbookshop

https://www.instagram.com/michaelmoonsbookshop/?hl=en

 http://samdjordison.blogspot.com/2005/09/moons-bookshop.html

My Transcription.

This is the last will and testament of me John Wood of Strand Street in Maryport in the Parish of Cross Cannonby in the county of Cumberland Gentleman whereby I do dispose of my Real and personal Estate and effects in manner and form following (that is to say) Imprimus, I do hereby give and devise and bequeath unto my son Wilton Wood all that my freehold messuage and tenement with the appurtenances situate lying and being at a place called Wilton in Hale in the said county commonly called and known by the name of Town End and Yew Tree now in the possession of Isaac Dixon as farmer thereof To hold until my said son Wilton Wood his heirs executors and assigns forever, upon the special trust and confidence that he the said Wilton Wood his executors administrators or assigns shall pay or cause to be paid there out the several respective legacies and sum and sums of money herein after immediately mentioned first I give to my son Thomas Wood the sum of twenty pounds Item I give to my other son John Wood the sum of five guineas, Item I give to my youngest son Kelsick Wood the sum of five guineas Item I give my daughter Sarah the wife of Joseph Fell of Maryport aforesaid Grocer the sum of Forty pounds and to my daughter Ann the wife of Robert Ferguson of Whitehaven in the said county merchant the sum of fifty pounds which said several legacys, thereby order and direct my son Wilton Wood to payor cause to be paid to the respective legatees at the end or expiration of twelve months after my decease and my will and mind is and do hereby order direct and declare it to be my real intention that the sum of one hundred pounds shall be paid to my son Wilton to my executrix herein after named by and out of my said estate at Wilton in Hale aforesaid at the end or expiration of twelve calendar months after my decease for and towards the paying off and discharging my just debts and which said sum of one hundred pounds I desire might be paid and applied towards defraying the same by my executrix and to and for no other use intent or purpose whatsoever and do order that the said several legacys so bequeathed to the several and respective legatees and the said sum of one hundred pounds so to be paid to my executrix as aforesaid shall be charged and chargeable upon my said premises at Wilton in Hale aforesaid Item I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Thomas Wood all that my messuage and tenement with the appurtenances situate lying and being at Egremont in the said county of Cumberland commonly called and known by the name of Seed Hill Houses and a field called Pigeon Coat Croft and a stint? in a field called Cow Field now in the several tenures or occupations of Isaac Gibson and John Braithwaite as farmers thereof to hold the said premises unto my said son Thomas his heirs and assigns for ever item I give and devise unto my said son Kelsick Wood all those messuages or dwelling house and premises with their and every of their rights members and appurtenances situate standing in and being at Egremont Town Head and also all those my lands and grounds situate lying and being at Egremont aforesaid commonly called and known by the several  and respective names of the Holms, Williams Field, Low Meadows Bristow Close, and Kell Trees and a stint in Cow Field aforesaid, and half a pew in Egremont Church now in possession of David Sanderson to hold the same premises under my said son Kelsick Wood and his heirs and assigns for ever, but in case my said son Kelsick should happen to die before he attains the age of twenty one years or without leaving issue of his body lawfully begotten then and in either case therefore order and direct said my  who is heir at law thereto son Wilton to pay or cause to be paid unto the remainder of my children that shall be living at the time of his death the sum of one hundred pounds to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike and do further charge the said premises with the payment thereof Item I give and devise unto my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Fletcher Mc Kenzie of Maryport aforesaid mariner all that my messuage or dwelling house with the appurtenances situate standing and being in Coats Lane, Whitehaven aforesaid in the tenure or occupation of Fowley Burnley as farmer thereof to hold the messuage or dwelling house unto my said daughter Elizabeth McKenzie her heirs and assigns forever. Item I give and devise unto my said daughter Ann the wife of the said Robert Ferguson all that my close enclosure piece or parcel of ground or land which was lately inclosed upon Bigg Rigg Moor within the township Townfields or precinct of Egremont aforesaid to hold the said premises unto my said daughter Ann and to her heirs and assigns forever.

Item I give and bequeath unto my said sons and daughters hereinafter named joint/ Wilton, Thomas, Kelsick, Sarah Fell, Ann Ferguson and Elizabeth McKenzie All that my tenth part or share of the Copperas or Copperas Works at the Gins near Whitehaven aforesaid and the rents houses produce and profits thereof. To hold to them the said Wilton Wood, Thomas Wood, Kelsick Wood, Ann Ferguson and Elizabeth McKenzie their executors administrators and assigns to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike and in such several shares and proportions as I shall herein after mention/ that is to say/one sixth part or share of my said Tenth part of the said Copperas Works to my said son Wilton also another sixth part thereof to my said son Thomas also another sixth part to my youngest son Kelsick, also another sixth part to my said daughter Sarah Fell also another sixth part to my said daughter Ann Ferguson and the remaining sixth part or share of my said tenth share of the said premises to my said daughter Elizabeth McKenzie, Item, I give and bequeath unto my said daughters also hereinafter mentioned/ Ann Ferguson and Elizabeth McKenzie each one third part or share of all that my twenty eighth share of the Low ship building yard, timber yard and stock in trade at Workington in the said county and the blacksmiths, shop ship yard and rope walk at Harrington Harbour, otherwise Bella Port in the said county together with all the rents issues/produce and profits thereof to hold to them the said Ann Ferguson and Elizabeth McKenzie their executors administrators and assigns to be equally divided between share and share alike Item, I give and bequeath unto my said other daughter Sarah Fell the rents issues produce and profits of all that my other third part or share of the said twenty eighth share of the said Low ship building yard, timber yard and stock in trade at Workington aforesaid and the blacksmiths shop, ship yard and rope walk at Harrington Harbour otherwise Bella Port aforesaid. To hold the said rents issues produce and profits thereof to her the said Sarah Fell and her assigns for and during the form of her natural life and from immediately after her decease then I give and bequeath the said third part the said twenty eighth share of the said last mentioned premises so herein given and bequeathed to my said daughter Sarah Fell to my three youngest grand children Martha Fell, Sarah Fell and Joseph Fell the son and daughters of the said Joseph Fell their executors administrators and assigns to be equally divided among them share and share alike, And my will and mind further is that in case the said sum of one hundred pounds so to be paid to my executrix for the purpose aforesaid be insufficient to pay off and discharge my just debts that then I order and direct the respective legatees of the several shares and proportions of my Low ship building yard, timber yard and stock in trade at Workington aforesaid and also the black smiths shop ship yard and ropework at Harrington Harbour otherwise Bella Port aforesaid to pay or cause to be paid there out to my said executrix equally amongst according to their several estates and interests therein so much and such parts as will sufficiently enable my said executrix to discharge my said debts fully Item I give and devise unto my said loving wife Sarah Wood al that my store house with appurtenances situate in Coats Lane in Whitehaven aforesaid in the several tenures of Abraham Reed and Misc? Nutter as farmers thereof, to hold the same premises unto my said wife and her heirs and assigns forever and I do hereby the guardianship care tuition and education of my said son Kelsick to my said loving wife during his minority and with respect to all the rest residue and remainder of my goods chattles personal estates and effects whatsoever and where so ever and of what nature and kind so ever whereof or wherein I shall be possessed of …. Unto or interested in at the time of my death I give devise and bequeath the same unto my said loving wife Sarah Wood who I do hereby make ordain constitute and appoint sole executrix and residuary legatee of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former and other will and wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this only to be my last will and testament and I also publish and declare that these three sheets of paper annexed together wrote on one side only and each of them by me signed and the last of them sealed with my seal to be the same Dated this twenty eighth of September in the twenty ninth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the third by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith and so forth and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine –

 

These three sheets of paper wrote (sic) on one side only were each of them signed by the said John Wood the said testator and the last of them sealed with his seal and were by him published and declared as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us and who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witness thereto.

William Wood (crossed through)

Illegible signature

Illegible signature (poss Isaac Martin).