11-0570-398_AlexanderKenton_1719
In the name of God Amen; I ALEXANDER KENTON of the parish of Mary Magdalene Bermondsey in the County of Surrey, Mariner, being in good health of body and of sound mind and memory thanks be given to Almighty God for the same but considering the uncertainty of the time of my decease do therefore make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner as follows: that is to say, first and principally I commend my immortal soul into the hands of Almighty God my heavenly father hoping that through the alone merits death and passion of my blessed saviour Jesus Christ to obtain full pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and to inherit everlasting life; and as for my body I commit to the Earth to bee decently buried at the discretion of my executrix hereinafter named; and as touching the disposition of such real and personal estate as it has pleased Almighty God of his goodness to bestow upon me, I do hereby give devise direct and bequeath the same as follows (after all my debts and funeral expenses paid and satisfied): whereas my jointure deed of settlement made upon my marriage with my now loving wife MARGARET KENTON I have thereby a power to leave to my said wife at the time of my decease the sum of eleven hundred pounds to be laid out in purchasing of bonds of inheritance of fifty pounds per annum being to be for the jointure of my said wife during her natural life together with her jointure duties mentioned in the said deed of settlement; and after her decease to and for such child or children and for such use intent and purpose as in and by the said deed of relation being thereunto had may more at large appear, now I the said Alexander Kenton (in pursuance of my covenants and agreements in the said deed of settlement contained) do give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Margaret Kenton the sum of eleven hundred pounds part of my shares of the capital stock of the lottery annuities transferable at the Bank of England pursuance to an act of Parliament for that purpose made and provided anno tertio Georgii Regis and do hereby order and my will is that the said sum of eleven hundred pounds remain out at interest therefore else that my said executrix does apply the same in purchasing lands pursuant to the before recited deed of settlement; and that the interest and produce thereof be from time to time received by my said wife Margaret Kenton and her assigns to and for her own proper use during her natural life and no longer; and from and after her decease I do hereby give devise and bequeath the said sum of eleven hundred pounds and to all and every my children that shall be then living to be equally divided between them pursuant to the said deed of settlement. Item; I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Margaret Kenton the sum of four hundred pounds being further part of my said share of the capital stock of the lottery annuities aforesaid. Item; I give and bequeath unto my said wife Margaret Kenton all my household goods (my plate only excepted) to hold unto my said wife Margaret Kenton her executors administrators and assigns for ever but my further will and mind is that my said wife shall and may have the free use and command of my said plate during the time she continues widow and unmarried and no longer; and after my said wife’s decease or marriage I do give devise and bequeath all my plate unto my son PETER KENTON his executors administrators and assigns for ever. Item; my mind and will is and I do hereby direct and appoint my said wife Margaret Kenton to have the care management education and bringing up of my children viz: Peter Kenton MARGARET KENTON MARY KENTON and ANN KENTON now born and every after born child or children and such child or children as my said wife shall happen to be ensient with at the time of my decease for and during the minority of any of my said children that then my will and mind is and I do hereby earnestly request and desire my friends my sister SUSANNA KENTON and Peter Omer (who I do hereby appoint to be guardians for all my said children from and after my said wife shall happen to die or marry as aforesaid and trustees to see this my will duly and truly performed) and the survivor of them to take upon them the care management and education of all my said children and of their estates in such manner as hereinafter is mentioned; and I do hereby order and direct that my said wife Margaret Kenton and her executors or administrators or some of them shall deliver unto the said Susanna Kenton and Peter Omer or the survivor of them all and every the estate of what nature or kind soever belonging to my said children with a just and true account of the proceeds and increase thereof and how managed and disposed of to the time of my said wife’s marriage or death which shall first happen. Item; I give and bequeath unto my son Peter Kenton the sum of five hundred pounds stock in the South sea company and that when he shall attain to the age of fifteen years that he may be put out apprentice and what money my executrix or guardians shall agree to be given with my said son when he is bound apprentice I do hereby appoint the interest issuing of the said five hundred pounds to be applied for that end and purpose that shall be due and in a rear at the time he shall so attain to the age of fifteen years as aforesaid; but if the interest then due and in arrears will not be sufficient I do hereby order that so much as shall be wanting be taken out of the principal sum of five hundred pounds and the residue to be continued at interest for my said sons [advantage] use and benefit. Item; I give and bequeath the interest of one hundred pounds stock in the South sea company for ever for and towards the educating for poor boys of the parish of St Mary in Dover in the County of Kent to be paid by my executrix or her assigns quarterly and my mind and will is that the said interest money be from time to time applied as well for putting the said boys to school to learn to read right and cipher as for buying books for the said boys. Item; I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my said children Peter Kenton Margaret Kenton Mary Kenton and Ann Kenton and to such after born child or children as my said wife Margaret Kenton is shall or may be ensient with at the time of my decease all the rest and residue of my real and personal estate be it of what nature or kind soever the same now is or hereafter shall or may be in England or elsewhere or in any part or parts beyond the seas and all my estate right title and interest in any ship or ships hoy or hoys smack or smacks or any of the lesser vessels whatever or wheresoever and all and all manner of debt or debts upon any manner of security or securities goods chattels or any other estate whatsoever to be equally divided between them share and share alike and paid unto them as they shall severally attain unto their several and respective age or ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen; to hold unto all my said children and their executors and administrators for ever share and share alike and if any of my said children shall happen to marry before they respectively arrive at their several ages or ages of one and twenty years without the consent and approbation of my said wife Margaret Kenton and Susanna Kenton that then the legacy apart and share of such child or children so marrying shall not be paid unto him her or them until he/she or they attain unto their several and respective ages of one and twenty years as aforesaid and not before; and my further will and mind is that if my said son or any of my said daughters or such after born child or children as my said wife shall or may be ensient with at the time of my decease shall happen to die before he/she or day attain to their several and respective age or ages of one and twenty years as aforesaid that then and in such case the legacy part and share of such child or children so dying shall descend and come to and be divided equally amongst the survivors and survivor of my said children share and share alike when and at the time the legacy part and share of such child or children so dying shall become due and payable as aforesaid; and further my will and mind is and I do hereby direct and appoint that the interest increase and profits of the separate legacies hereinbefore devised unto all or any of my said children be from time to time applied and appropriated by my said executrix for and towards the maintenance and education of all and every my said children that then my will and mind is that the increase interest and premises of the said legacies be from time to time applied and appropriated by my said trustees and the survivor of them for and towards the maintenance and education of my said children as aforesaid and to and for no other use intent or purpose whatsoever; and further my will and mind is that if all and every my said children begotten all that shall be begotten by me on the body of my said wife shall happen to die before they marry by and with the consent of my said executrix and Susanna Kenton or before they attain unto their several and respective age or ages of one and twenty years that then and in such case I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Margaret Kenton (if she be then living) the interest increase and profits of the several legacies devised to my said children as aforesaid for and during her natural life and no longer, and from and after the decease of my said wife Margaret Kenton and sister Susanna Kenton (provided all and every my said children being dead as aforesaid) I do hereby give devise and bequeath the several legacies hereinbefore devised unto my said children in manner as aforesaid unto my cousin SIBELLA KENTON her executors administrators and assigns forever; and I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife Margaret Kenton my full and sole executrix and I do hereby appoint the said Susanna Kenton and Peter Omer trustees for my said children to see this my last will and Testament duly and truly performed, hereby declaring this to be my only last will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper and hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills all wills by me at any time heretofore made published or declared. In witness whereof I the said Alexander Kenton have at the bottom of two sheets of paper hereunto fixed subscribed my name and hereunto set my hand and seal the sixteenth day of September in the fifth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith etc., A.D. 1718 – Alex Kenton – signed sealed published declared and delivered by the said Alexander Kenton as and for his last will and Testament and by him subscribed at the bottom of the two sheets of paper hereunto fixed in the presence of us who in his presence subscribed and names as witnesses hereto: Thos [Palan], Thomas Walts, Zacharias Denny
Know all men by these presents that whereas I Alexander Kenton of the parish of St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey in the County of Surrey, Mariner, have by a deed of settlement or jointure made upon and before my marriage with my now loving wife Margaret Kenton settled all my estate right and title being a master or one fourth part of in and to a farm called the Grove situate lying and being at Woodnesborough near Sandwich in the County of Kent and then and now in the possession of Richard Sillow his undertenants or assigns upon my said wife for and during her natural life and after her decease unto and amongst all and every my children and their heirs share and share alike or to some such or the like uses as in and by the said recited deed of settlement may more fully and at large appear; and whereas I the said Alexander Kenton have by my last will and Testament in writing bearing date the sixteenth day of September last past configured the said settlement to all my said children viz. Peter Kenton, Margaret Kenton, Mary Kenton, and Ann Kenton, but upon further and better consideration and that in regard that Margaret Kenton and Mary Kenton are my eldest children and daughters have thought fit by these presents which I do hereby intend to be as and for a codicil to my said will do give and bequeath my said daughters Margaret Kenton and Mary Kenton out of my personal estate the sum of two hundred pounds apiece to be paid to them by my executrix named in my said will at the age of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen upon this express condition nevertheless aforesaid sign seal and execute unto and to the use of the said Peter Kenton and Ann Kenton and their heirs and to the survivor of them his and her heirs a good conveyance as Counsel shall reasonably devise or advise of their estate right title and interest of in and to the said court or fourth part of the said farm or of any part thereof against them and their heirs for ever or otherwise the gift and bequest of two hundred pounds apiece unto the said Margaret Kenton and Mary Kenton to be void and of no effect anything hereinbefore contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding and my further will and mind is that what is here in contained shall be as part of my said will to all intents and purposes and shall be so adjudged and esteemed in all courts civil ecclesiastical law or equity. In witness whereof I have here to set my hand and seal this third day of August in the sixth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith, etc.; A.D. 1719 – Alex Kenton – signed sealed published declared and delivered by the said Alexander Kenton as and for a codicil to his will in the presence of us who in his presence subscribed and names as witnesses hereto: David Griffin (servants to Mr William Rous, a Cooper), (the Mark of) Susanna Bradfield (servants to captain Kenton), Richard Humphreys
Proved 14th October 1719 by Margaret Kenton, relict and executrix.
Marginal notes: on 20 March 1737/8 issued forth a command to Peter Kenton and MARGARET COUSE (wife of JOSIAS COUSE) the natural and lawful children and two of the residuary legatees named in the last will and Testament of Alexander Kenton late of the parish of St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey in the County of Surrey deceased to administer the bonds chattels and credits of the said deceased answering to the tenor and effect of the said will and codicil left unadministered by Margaret Kenton widow, the relict and soul executrix named in the said will being first sworn duly to administer, the said Margaret Kenton dying intestate.
Bank of England Will Extract:
London 1719:
Memorand that Captain Alexander KENTON late of St Mary Magdalen Bermondsey deceased dies possessed of five thousand three hundred and ten pounds ten shillings lottery annuity stock and by his last will and testament dated 16th September 1718 appointed his wife Margaret KENTON to be his executrix and bequeathed part of his said stock in the following manner: vizt. “I do give devise and bequeath unto my wife Margaret Kenton the sum of eleven hundred pounds part of my share of the Capital Stock of the Lotteries Annuities Transferrable at the Bank of England, Pursuant to an Act of Parliament for that purpose made & provided anno tertio Georgij Regus and do hereby order & my will is that the said sum of eleven hundred pounds remain out at interest therefore else that my said executrix does apply the same in purchasing lands pursuant to the before recited deed of settlement; and that the interest and produce thereof be from time to time received by my said wife Margaret Kenton and her assigns to and for her own proper use during her natural life and no longer; and from and after her decease I do hereby give devise and bequeath the said sum of eleven hundred pounds and to all and every my children that shall be then living to be equally divided between them pursuant to the said deed of settlement. Item; I give devise and bequeath unto my said wife Margaret Kenton the sum of four hundred pounds being further part of my said share of the capital stock of the lottery annuities aforesaid.
… ITEM; I do hereby give devise and bequeath unto my said children Peter Kenton Margaret Kenton Mary Kenton and Ann Kenton and to such after born child or children as my said wife Margaret Kenton is shall or may be ensient with at the time of my decease all the rest and residue of my real and personal estate… to be equally divided between them share and share alike and paid unto them as they shall severally attain unto their several and respective age or ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage or with the consent of my said wife Margaret Kenton and sister Susanna Kenton but if any marry without consent then not until the age of 21 years and if any of my children shall die before his her or their legacy or legacies shall become due then the said legacy or legacies to be divided equally between the survivors, and if they all die then before my said wife then the interest or profits thereof to go to my said wife Margaret Kenton during her life and no longer, and after the death of my said wife then the interest unto the said Susanna Kenton for her life and after her decease (provided all the said children be also dead) then the principal and interest of all my estate to descend to my cousin Sibella Kenton her executors and assigns forever. And I do appoint my said wife Margaret Kenton to be executor and guardian of my children… during her life or widowhood. And my friends vizt my sister Susanna Kenton and Peter Omer trustees for my said children to see this my said will executed.”
Which will was proved in the Prerogative Court in Doctors Commons London 12th October 1719 – registered this 4th November 1719 – L. Crouch
No. 658 – witness John Hawley
FOOTNOTE: £400 part is absolutely at the disposal of the said executor; the remainder not disposable without consent of the said trustees.
Comments or questions are welcome.