In the name of God Amen, I Sarah
James of the parish of Lanover Upper in the County of Monmouth and Diocese
of Llandaff widow, being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind memory
and understanding thanks be God for the same do make and ordain this my last
Will and Testament (all other Wills made or directed to be made by me
heretofore being null and void) That is to say, First I resign my soul into the
hands of Allmighty God and my body to be decently buried by my executor
hereinafter named according to the custom of my family. Secondly I give, devise and bequeath unto my
eldest son William James and his heirs for ever all my freehold estate
in the parish of Lanover Upper aforesaid subject to the legacy’s hereafter
expressed, to be paid by him at the end of twelve months after my decease as
follows, that is to say. To my eldest
daughter Cecelia Joshua thirty pounds, to my second daughter Martha Davies
the like sum of thirty pounds, to my second son Isaac James the like sum
of thirty pounds. And
also to my third son Edward James the like sum of thirty
pounds. I also give and bequeath unto
my beloved grand daughter Cecelia James daughter of my deceased son Thomas
the sum of twenty pounds, the same to be paid her when she comes of age, but in
the case of her dying before that period the same to be paid unto her mother at
present the wife of David Hughes of the parish of Trevethin, labourer,
which is also to be paid out of my real estate. It is also my further will and desire that my said eldest son William
do grant unto my two other sons Isaac and Edward a certain
portion of waste land, part of the said freehold estate, mearing and abutting
to the High Road leading from Pont Rhyd y Mynydd Vain towards Garn Llech and
being situate opposite the meadow below the dwelling house on the said freehold
estate being in length twenty yards and in breadth five yards for the purpose
of building a house or houses by his said brothers Isaac and Edward. And it is my further will that the said
grant shall be fulfilled and made good by my said son William and for
the purpose of making the said grant more secure to my said two sons Isaac
and Edward that at any time after my decease at their request and desire
that my said son William shall grant them a proper title to the said
parcel of waste land by the original deeds of the estate to them and their
heirs for ever but nevertheless the same to be conveyed to them by such deed or
deeds at the joint expence or expences of my two said sons Isaac and Edward. And I hereby lastly appoint my said son William
to be sole executor of this my last Will and Testament. And my will is that the expences attending
my funeral shall be by him paid out of my personal estate, and if there should
be any overplus remaining after the payment of my funeral expences I hereby
direct that my said son William shall divide and pay the same equally
between the whole of my sons and daughters which shall be then surviving. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and twenty seven. The
mark of Sarah (X) James
Signed sealed
delivered published and declared by the said testatrix Sarah James as
and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence
and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as
witnesses thereto. Jas Thomas of
Pontypool; Edward Jenkins of
Penygarn
23rd day of
July 1828. William James the
lawful son of the deceased and sole executor in this Will named was duly sworn
as such and that the goods chattles and credits of the deceased are under the
value of twenty pounds. Before me Hugh
Williams, Surrogate
NOTE: On the Title page to this
Will, the above is given as Lanvachva Upper (presumably Llanvrechva
Upper). DW
Diocese of Llandaff In the
Consistory Court. In the Goods of Mrs Sarah
James deceased,
Appeared
Personally William James of the parish of Trevethin in the County of
Monmouth, yeoman the Executor
named in the last Will and Testament of
the said Sarah James late of
the parish of Lanover Upper in the County aforesaid widow deceased, who died in the month of July 1827 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 twenty
pounds Pounds, to the best of
this Deponent’s knowledge, information,
and belief. And 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 (if any) to the best
of this Deponent’s knowledge, information and belief
The mark of William (X) James
Sworn before me Hugh Williams, Surrogate
NOTE: I
have used a proforma for the above document.
DW
Transcribed from a
photocopy by Dave Woolven, 2 Aspen Way, Malpas Park, Newport, South Wales. NP20 6LB
Tel 01633 858 359
7 January 2003