I John Edmonds of the parish of Cwmcarvan in the County of Monmouth, farmer, do hereby revoke all my former will or wills at any time or times heretofore made and do declare this to be my last will and testament. I give and devise unto Walter Nicholas and William Blower both of the said parish of Cwmcarvan, farmer, all my messuages farms lands hereditaments and premises situate lying and being in the several parishes of Cwmcarvan and Mitcheltroy in the County of Monmouth aforesaid or elsewhere to hold the same with their respective rights numbers and appurtenances unto the said Walter Nicholas and William Blower and their heirs to the uses following (that is to say) to the use of my dear wife Sarah Edmonds and her assignees during her natural life if she continues my widow and unmarried and from and after her decease or intermarriage I give and devise all those my lands and hereditaments which I purchased of Henry Jones late of Chepstow, chandler, since deceased and situate in Cwmcarvan aforesaid unto the said William Blower during his natural life and after his decease I give the same with their appurtenances unto all and every the children (if more than one) of the said William Blower and to their heirs for ever as tenants in common and if but one child then to that child and to his or her heirs for ever but if the said William Blower shall die without issue lawfully begotten then I give and devise the said last mentioned lands and hereditaments unto my nephew John Bigham and his heirs for ever I also give and devise unto the said John Bigham all that my farm lands and hereditaments called Bailey Glaze situate in Cwmcarvan aforesaid and also all those pieces of land and premises (adjoining to Bailey Glaze) purchased by me of William Nicholas and Thomas Charles To hold the same with their appurtenances unto the said John Bigham and his heirs for ever (subject to my said wife’s estate therein as aforesaid) and also subject to and chargeable with the payment of one hundred pounds apiece to Frances Hall and Mary Herbert sisters of the said John Bigham and to be paid them at the expiration of twelve months after my wife’s decease or intermarriage. I also give and devise unto John Hall son of my nephew John Hall all that my paternal estate called Graig y Dorth with the lands and hereditaments thereto belonging and also all those several pieces of land and hereditaments purchased by me of Amos Willetts, William Willetts, Francis George and William George to hold the same with their respective appurtenances subject to my wife’s estate therein as aforesaid unto the said John Hall the younger and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and in default of such issue I give and devise the same unto my nephew James Hall and his heirs for ever charged and chargeable nevertheless with the payment of the sum of sixty pounds apiece to my nephews James Digwood and Joseph Hall within twelve months after my wife’s decease or intermarriage and I hereby declare my will and mind to be that my said wife shall be at liberty to cut or fell timber for necessary repairs for the farmhouses and outbuildings but for no other purpose. Also I give and bequeath unto my said trustees Walter Nicholas and William Blower all and singular my personal estate of whatsoever nature quality or description to hold to them and the survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor upon trust nevertheless to permit and suffer my dear wife to receive and take the interest and annual produce thereof for her life or so long as she remains my widow and unmarried and I do direct that my said trustees as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to make an inventory of all my farming stock implements of husbandry household furniture and other utensils in and about my dwelling house and farm at Graig y Dorth and to permit and suffer my dear wife to use and enjoy the same during her life or until her intermarriage and from and after her decease of intermarriage upon trust to sell and dispose either by public auction or private contract of all my said farming stock implements of husbandry household furniture and other farming utensils (subject to the ware [sic] and tare [sic] thereof during my wife’s life or till her intermarriage) and to collect in and receive all sum and sums of money that shall be due and owing to me at the time of my decease and after such sale and receipt as aforesaid and paying my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and all costs that my said trustees may be put to in carrying my will into execution to pay and apply the balance that shall then remain in the hands of my said trustees or the survivors of them after my said wife’s decease or intermarriage unto and among all and every my sister’s children who may be living at the decease or intermarriage of my said wife (except the before mentioned John Bigham and John Hall) in equal shares and proportions to and for their own use and benefit. And I hereby nominate and appoint my said wife Sarah Edmonds the said Walter Nicholas and William Blower executrix and executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said John Edmonds the testator have to this my will contained in three sheets of paper set my hand to the first two sheets and my hand and seal to the this sheet this twenty first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen. John Edmonds
Signed sealed and published by the said testator John Edmonds as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto. Isaac Pask; Walter Jenkins; Thos A Williams.
12th day of October 1819. Sarah Edmonds widow, the relict of the deceased and Walter Nicholas, the executrix and one of the executors in this will named were duly sworn as such and that the personal estate and effects of the deceased are under the value of three hundred pounds. Power being first reserved for making the like grant to the other exor. before me, Charles Powell Arch, Surrogate
Transcribed from a photocopy of a neat typescript of the original by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359