This is the last will and testament of me Luke John of the Lower Meend Farm in the parish of Penalt in the County of Monmouth, farmer. I give and bequeath to my trustees hereinafter named all the farming stock crops implements of husbandry household furniture and other effects which shall at the time of my decease be upon my farm called the Lower Meend Farm aforesaid and all the rest of my personal estate upon trust to allow my wife Elizabeth John to carry on my said farming business and to employ therein the said stock crops and effects and all other my personal estate for her own use and benefit during her life and from and after the decease of my said wife I give and bequeath my said farming stock crops and implements of husbandry household furniture and other personal estate unto my son Luke John absolutely. And as to my farm aforesaid I devise the same unto my said trustees upon trust for my said wife for the term of her natural life and after her decease upon trust to have a valuation of the said farm made by some competent valuer and to offer to sell the same at the amount of the said valuation to my eldest son Luke John if then living and if my said son Luke John shall accept such offer upon trust to convey the said farm to him accordingly but if the said Luke John shall decline or neglect for the space of two calendar months after such offer shall have been made to him to accept such offer then upon trust to offer the said farm on the same terms to my second son William John and so on successively according to seniority to my third and fourth sons and to convey the said farm to such one of my said sons as shall accept such offer and upon trust to pay and divide the amount of the purchase money to be received by my said trustees for the said farm after deducting the expenses of such valuation unto and equally between my eight children hereinafter named but in case neither of my said sons shall accept the said offer then my said trustees shall hold the said farm upon trust for all or such of my said eight children as shall be living at my decease namely Elizabeth John, the said Luke John and William John and Louisa John, Helen John, Alathea John, Harold John and Thomas John as tenants in common. And as to any of my said children who may be minors I empower my said trustees to hold and manage their respective shares of the purchase money of my said farm or of the said farm as the case may be for the benefit of my said infant children during their respective minorities and to apply the income of such shares for their maintenance or otherwise for their benefit as my trustees in their absolute discretion may think fit. And as to rest of my real estate (if any) I give and devise the same unto and equally between my said children share and share alike. And I appoint Thomas Gilbert Prosser of Saint James’ House, Monmouth, Surgeon and Charles Prichard of Glyncote, Whitebrook, farmer to be trustees and executors of this my will and guardians of my infant children hereby revoking all former or other wills. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of May one thousand nine hundred and two.
Signed by the said testator Luke John as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses. Luke John;
Geo B Adamson, 83 Monnow St, Monmouth, clerk to Messers WCA Williams & Tweedy, Solicitors, Monmouth
T Ryall, clerk to WCA Williams & Tweedy, Solrs, Monmouth
On the 2nd day of July 1902 Probate of this will was granted at Llandaff to Thomas Gilbert Prosser and Charles Prichard, the executors
Transcribed from a photocopy of a typescript by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB Tel 01633 858 359 4/5 April 2001