RootsChat.Com

Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: castlebob on Monday 20 October 14 14:01 BST (UK)

Title: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: castlebob on Monday 20 October 14 14:01 BST (UK)
Can anyone confirm that the word 'friend' was sometimes used in 19th C wills to describe relatives? If so, was it commonly used?
Cheers,
Bob
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Bookbox on Monday 20 October 14 14:48 BST (UK)
Which country? In English wills, I don't recall ever seeing it used for a blood relative, but I've sometimes found it for someone related by marriage - e.g. father-in-law, brother-in-law, husband of niece, etc.
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: deebel on Monday 20 October 14 14:55 BST (UK)
Possibly in Quaker wills
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: castlebob on Monday 20 October 14 14:58 BST (UK)
I was told that English wills used it. I wondered if it covered distant relationships such as 3rd cousins?
Bob
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Bookbox on Monday 20 October 14 15:07 BST (UK)
There weren't any hard-and-fast rules. I should think it might be used for a distant cousin.
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Koromo on Monday 20 October 14 15:31 BST (UK)

One of my (English) lot wrote his will in 1880 and named his cousin and another man as executors.  He referred to them only as my friends.
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: castlebob on Monday 20 October 14 15:40 BST (UK)
That's interesting. Was the cousin a blood relation (same surname)?
Bob
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Skoosh on Monday 20 October 14 16:13 BST (UK)
In Scots your "friens", friends, are your relatives by blood or marriage. As in "she had her friens up last night", still used.

Skoosh.
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: stanmapstone on Monday 20 October 14 17:05 BST (UK)
From the OED Friend;  A close relation, a kinsman or kinswoman. In later use regional (chiefly Sc. and Irish English (north.)).

Stan
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: castlebob on Monday 20 October 14 19:16 BST (UK)
Thanks so much, Stan.
That's exactly what I was looking for. It also fits as my ancestors were Scots & Irish etc.
Cheers,
Bob
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Koromo on Tuesday 21 October 14 09:31 BST (UK)
It's good to see that OED definition because I have a couple of other wills where it is not obvious that a named friend might be a relative — must go back and study them again.

CastleBob: yes, the testator was a first cousin (same surname) and his own and his executors' full London street addresses were very helpfully included so I was never in any doubt. 

K.

PS.  I don't know if the fact that the will appears to have been drawn up in Scotland has any bearing on the useage of friend. (The witnesses' addresses are both in Aberdeen).
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Skoosh on Tuesday 21 October 14 10:08 BST (UK)
This isn't some obsolete legal term it's common usage, I use it and I'm not obsolete yet!  :)

Skoosh.
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: castlebob on Tuesday 21 October 14 10:20 BST (UK)
I found an old scribbled ref from some similar research a few years ago that 'friend' in Latin is 'amicus'. It seems amicus is both kinsman & friend. I'd guess that, yet again, the Latin gives the clue.
(I am nearly obsolete, according to my wife!)
Title: Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
Post by: Skoosh on Tuesday 21 October 14 10:35 BST (UK)
My faither used to say "A pound's yer best freen!", don't think he was far wrong.  ;D

Skoosh.