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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: ctrunfree on Sunday 06 November 16 01:39 GMT (UK)
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Hi people
I've found a will of my 4g grandfather Job TAYLOR, made while he was (presumably dying) with the Royal Artillery in Lisbon in November 1812. I might make a couple of posts as its a fairly long one.
For the first bits I have :
"Know all Men (then?) by those (present?) …..& Job Taylor Staff Sar… in the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers…of the Parish of Earl Shilton in the County of Leicestershire do ? and appoint my (true?) and lawful wife (Lucy?) Taylor to be my sole (heir ?) and Executrix….of my property both….chattels…every thing…may at that (time?)..of the above (Lucy?) Taylor will be good enough to perform as following …first to pay all debts ..by my poor (Gran?) Mother to..in Earl Shilton or in any other place provided they are ……to give my ..Sister …(the said Lucy? Taylor) may think proper but it must not ..the sum given to my brothers that is twenty pounds & so appoint Staff Sarjeant (?) William Pillon (?) as an Assistant to my beloved wife in settling my ….immediately on my (passing?) ..to my dearly beloved wife to discharge all… as soon as possible & directly after to make a widow’s will….property…may at that time ..."
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The first half:
Know all men by these presents that I Job Taylor staff Sargeant in the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers & of the parish of Earls Shilton in the County of Leicestershire do constitute & appoint my true & lawful wife Lucy Taylor to be my sole heir & executrix as my servant(?) to the whole of my property both funded(?) cash bonds chattels comprehending every thing we may at that time be possessed of the above Lucy Taylor will be good enough to perform the following requests(?): First, to pay all debts contracted by my poor dear Mother previous to her death in Earls Shilton or in any other place provided they are proved correct; Second, to give my Mothers ____ & Richard twenty pounds each & to my Sister Eleanor what she (the said Lucy Taylor) may think proper but it must not exceed the sum given to my mother, that is twenty pounds; 3rd....
Steve
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Great stuff Steve!
I can add a bit more to your effort..
The first half:
Know all men by these presents that I Job Taylor staff Sargeant in the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers & of the parish of Earls Shilton in the County of Leicestershire do constitute & appoint my true & lawful wife Lucy Taylor to be my sole heir & executrix as my servant(?) to the whole of my property both funded(?) cash bonds chattels comprehending every thing we may at that time be possessed of the above Lucy Taylor will be good enough to perform the following requests(?): First, to pay all debts contracted by my poor dear Mother previous to her death in Earls Shilton or in any other place provided they are proved correct; Second, to give my Brothers James & Richard twenty pounds each & to my Sister Eleanor what she (the said Lucy Taylor) may think proper but it must not exceed the sum given to my brothers that is twenty pounds; 3rd...
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The next bit is really hard...
that in …?.. death in this Country Portugal … and so appoint Staff Sarjeant (?) William Pillon (?) as an Assistant to my beloved wife in settling my ..may be able to….immediately on my (passing?) ..to my dearly beloved wife to discharge all… as soon as possible & directly after to make a widow’s will….property…may at that time
J. Taylor Staff Sargeant R.A Drivers (?) Witness to the Signature Will’m Pillon (?) Staff Surgeon ? Sanderson Staff Surgeon
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One correction to my first reply:
It should read "executrix at my decease" not "as my servant"
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And the last bit, referring to the approval of the will in 1815....
"On the 26th April 1815 (wife will..?) of the goods… of Job Taylor late staff or Quarter Master Sarjeant in His Maj Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers was granted … Taylor & Eleanor Taylor Baillie (?) wife of Ensign (?) Ballieu the bro & sister & two of the next of kin of ?? being first born only to ? Lucy Taylor (the wife of ??) …..in his lifetime (or by Acts of Court approval?)"
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Items 3 and 4.
...3. that in case of my death in this Country =
Portugal I wish & do appoint Staff Surgeant William [Pilton?] as
an Assistant to my beloved Wife in settling my Accounts & getting
my Business righted that she may be able the sooner to proceed
to England ffourth - That immediately on my decease ^[?]^ I recommend ^it^ to
my dearly beloved Wife to discharge all Legacies as soon as
possible & directly after to make a widow's will securing the property
we may then have in the ffunds or in such [manner?] as she
may at that time think best but I recommend it to her to let her
ffather & Mother (if then living) have the Interest of one thousand
pounds in the ffunds during their lives which I hereby engage [to?]
do myself in case of my dear wife's demise before me...
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Probate section:
On the 26th April 1815 adm(inistratio)n (with will ann(exed)?) of the Goods &c of Job Taylor
late Staff or Quarter Master Serjeant in his Majs Corps of Royal Artillery
Drivers at Sea deced was granted James Taylor & Eleanor Taylor Baillie
(Wife of Jno Baillie) the Bro(the)r & Sister & two of the next of kin of sd deceased
being first sworn duly to adm(iniste)r Lucy Taylor (the wife of the sd deced) ^the^ sole Ex(ecu)trix
& Residuary Legatee dying in his life time (as by acts of Court appear)
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Looking back at Steve's reply #1, I agree with ffunded and requests.
ADDED:
Regarding the signatures and witnesses, I fairly sure the flat-looking H is how the PCC copyists indicated a testator or witness who made a mark.
Sanderson's initial is possibly a G?
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Thanks people.
A few things I'm curious about:
-what is a PCC copyist?
-how did Job come to die at sea (or does this mean, "overseas"?)
-how long did it usually take to grant probate? I'm trying to establish a rough date of death for Job.
Many thanks
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One more question if I may? Does the probate section of the will indicate that Lucy had pre-deceased Job in the intervening period since the will was made?
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1. The commonly available wills from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (such as this one) are registered wills. This means that most of the original documents - the signed testament, any extra depositions taken by the court and the grants made by the court - are copied, by hand, into register books. Nothing you see on the registered will is original.
2. My interpretation is that he did die at sea rather than merely overseas. If he died in Portugal it would normally say so (if it said anything). Anything beyond that is guesswork.
3. Anywhere from a couple of days to many years. Most were within one or two months.
Note: One of the big companies (FindMyPast?) has registers of deaths at sea. I'm not sure what is the period covered.
4. Yes. She died between the completion of the will and his death. The reference to Acts of Court suggests that something relating to her estate (perhaps an administration) may be on record somewhere.
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Thanks Horsley, that's excellent information.
A lot more research required. Funny how answering one question usually creates half a dozen more!
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There's a bit in the paper
26 February 1814 - Royal Cornwall Gazette - Truro, Cornwall
that the late Mr. JOB TAYLOR, Ser- ?? of the Royal Artillery Gunner-Drivers, (who was drowned on tue 14th of 'last month, when the Queen, transport,...
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There's a bit in the paper
26 February 1814 - Royal Cornwall Gazette - Truro, Cornwall
that the late Mr. JOB TAYLOR, Ser- ?? of the Royal Artillery Gunner-Drivers, (who was drowned on tue 14th of 'last month, when the Queen, transport,...
Fantastic Willsy! Is the rest of the article on line somewhere?
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It's on F** and I looked through my library access to view as well, not sure if it's indexed right or I have gone blind as I can't find the article on the page, I was looking hoping someone might spot it!
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OK, thanks. I have an Ancestry membership but not F**. Might think about getting a one month sub.
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Found the article in another newspaper
Exeter Flying Post 27 April 1815
They both died at sea together, will pm you
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Just a thanks to all those who helped with Deciphering the Will, and to finding out what subsequently transpired to Job and Lucy.
Just by way of a postcript: Job TAYLOR survived the rest of the war, but was drowned along with his wife Lucy and many others when returning to England when the transport The Queen broke up during a storm in Falmouth Harbour on 14 January 1814.
This incident led to a celebrated legal case where the court had to decide whether Job's estate had passed at any point to Lucy (and therefore subsequently to her family) or should go to Job's family. The latter prevailed.