This is the last Will and Testament
of me James Herbert Hodges yeoman of the parish of Magor in the County
of Monmouth. Firstly I request that my
just debts and funeral expences be paid.
I give devise and bequeath to Thomas Dowle of the parish of Ifton
and Elizabeth Hillier of the parish of Magor twenty pounds in trust to
apprentice John Smith son of Ann Smith of the parish of
Landevenny or apply it in any other way they (TD) may think fit for the
benefit of the said John Smith.
The rest and residue of my real and personal property I give devise and
bequeath to my four sisters namely Ann Baker, Sarah Dowle, Elizabeth
Helier and Frances Temperance Hodges in equal proportions share and
share alike but not subject to the control or liable to the debts or engagements
of their husbands but entirely at their own control disposal and lastly I
nominate and appoint Thomas Dowle and Elizabeth Helier to be
joint executor & executrix of this my last Will and Testament hereby
revoking and making void all former will or other will or wills by me at any
time heretofore made in witness wherof I set my hand and seal this 30th
day of Nov’r 1851. The mark of James
Herbert Hodges (X)
Signed sealed published and declared
as and for his last Will and Testament in our presence who at his request in
his presence and in the presence of each other subscribe our names as
witnesses Wm Jones, Vicar of
Undy; Samuel B Jones
26th day of April
1852. Thomas Dowle and Elizabeth
Hillier (the wife of Joseph Belcher Hillier) the lawful daughter
of the deceased and the executor and executrix named in the annexed Will were
duly sworn as such and that the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased
are under the value of two thousand pounds and that the testator died on the 30th
Novr 1851 before me Hugh Williams,
Chancellor
NOTE:
This Will is a mess with much crossing out & a lot of
interlinations. Re the 3rd
line down, it is possible that Thos Dowle was of Magor & Elizth Hillier of
Ifton. The various spellings of
‘Hillier’ are as per the document. It
appears that the Will was made on the 30th Nov & the testator
died that day, which may explain why the Will seems to have been written in a
very hurried manner. DW
Diocese of Llandaff, In the Consistory Court, In the goods of James
Herbert Hodges deceased.
Appeared
personally Elizabeth Hillier (the wife of Joseph Belcher Hillier
of the Lower Grange in the parish of Magor in the County of Monmouth, farmer,
and Thomas Dowle of Ifton in the said County, farmer, the executrix
and the executor named in the last Will
and Testament of the said James Herbert Hodges late of the parish of
Magor in the said County, yeoman, deceased, who died on the thirtieth day
of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and fifty one and made Oath that the Estate and Effects
of the said deceased, for and in respect of which, a probate of the said Will
is to be granted, exclusive of what the said deceased may have been possessed
of or entitled to as a Trustee for any other person or persons, and not
beneficially, and without deducting any thing on account of the Debts due and
owing from the said deceased, are under the Value of two thousand pounds, to the best of this Deponent’s knowledge,
information, and belief. And they lastly made Oath that the said deceased did
not die possessed of any Leasehold Estate or Estates for years, either absolute
or determinable, on a life or lives to the best of these Deponent’s knowledge, information
and belief. Elizabeth Hillier; Thomas Dowle
Sworn on the twenty sixth day of April in the Year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and fifty two before me,
Hugh Williams, Chancellor
NOTE: I have used a proforma for this
document. DW
Appeared
personally the Reverend William Jones of Undy in the County of Monmouth,
Clerk, and made oath that the paper writing hereunto annexed purporting to be
the last Will and Testament of James Herbert Hodges late of the parish
of Magor in the said County, yeoman,
deceased bearing date the thirtieth day of November one thousand eight
hundred and fifty one was wholly drawn and written by and with the proper
handwriting of Samuel Baker Jones pursuant to the directions and
instructions given him by the deceased for that purpose. And he also saith that the several words
‘devise’ between the fourth and fifth lines, the words ‘and Elizabeth
Hillier of the parish of Magor’ between the fifth and sixth lines, the
words ‘rest and residue’ between the tenth and eleventh lines, the words
‘desire’ between the twelfth and thirteenth lines, the word ‘with’ between the
thirteenth and fourteenth lines, the word ‘temperance’ between the
fourteenth and fifteenth lines, the word ‘but’ between the fifteenth and
sixteenth lines, the words ‘debts or’ between the sixteenth and seventeenth
lines and the word ‘controul’ between the seventeenth lines of the first page
of the said Will and the word ‘joint’ above the first line and the word
‘heretofore’ between the fourth and fifth lines of the second page of the said
Will were sequently? so made and interlined before the said Will was …? by the said deceased. And he further saith that the said Will and all
the interlineations read over and explained by him this deponent to the said
deceased who appeared perfectly to understand the same and expressed his
approbation thereof and put his cross or mark at the foot or bottom of the said
Will in the presence of this deponent and of the said Samuel Baker Jones
both of whom were present at the same time and who respectively subscribed
their names to the said will as witnesses to the due execution thereof at the
request and in the presence of the said testator and of each other. Wm Jones.
Sworn before me
Hugh Williams, Chancellor
NOTE:
The Chancellor was using a proforma but with so many comments to make,
he was rapidly running out of room to write, resulting in writing one line on
top of another. DW
Transcribed from
a photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359
27 December 2002
2002