John Needham of Eaton 1740 Will and Inventory
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives, Leicestershire Wills and Probate Records 1740
In thee Name of God Amen I John Needham of Eaton in the County of Leicester yeoman Being weak in Body but of Sound and perfect mind & memory (praised be Allmighty God) Do make and Ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner & form following
First I Comend [“my” missing] Soul to Allmighty God Hoping thro’ the meritorious Death and Passion of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be joyfully Received at my Resurrection and my Body to be decently Burried in the Parish Church of Church=yard of Eaton aforesaid at the Expences of my Executor & Executrix hereafter mentioned
And as for my Goods Cattles Chattles & worldly Estate I Dispose of in manner & Form following
First of all I give & Bequeath to my Son in Law John Caunt two two year old Colts and a four year old Riding mare and a three year old Carting mare to be by him Sold within the Term of Six Months after my Decease
Also I give to my youngest Son Joshuah the Sum of thirty Pounds
Also I give to my Daughter Mary the Sum of twenty Pounds to be paid to Each of them at the Respective Age of One and twenty years without any Deduction or Demand of Board or any thing Else from Either of them before they Accomplish the Age of One & twenty years
My Debts my Legacies my Funeral Charges being first paid & Disharged Then all the Rest of my Goods Cattles Chattles and what=Ever Else unbequeathed I give & Bequeath to my Loving Wife Mary and my Eldest Son John making and Ordaining them full Sole and joynt Executor and Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament and my Will and Comand further is that if Any of my Children Shou’d Decease before they Accomplish the Age of One and twenty years then the Survivours of Survivour to have and possess the Deceased’s part or portion here assigned and I Desire that Thos Wright & John Caunt my Son in Law will after my Decease come Home and assist my Widow in taking Care that my Children may be maintained with all necessary Food and Raiment and may be Educated with Learning fit for Children of their Rank and Degree
And I appoint Thos Wright & John Caunt as Guardians or Trustees to see that my Children may have their Respective portions here assigned Hereby Revoking all former Wills by me made
In Witness whereof The Testator hath hereunto Set his Hand & Seal this twentieth Day of June Anno Dom: 1740
John Needham his mark
Signed Seal’d & Deliver’d by the Testator in the presence of us
Thomas Wright
John Hoe
Mary Needham executrix sworn 13 October 1740, power reserved for executor
June the 26 1740
This is true perfect & intire Inventory of the Goods Cattles & Chattles &c of the moveables belonging & appertaining to the House & Farm & Mill of John Needham of Eaton lately deceased as they are appraised or Valued by us whose names are hereunder written
Thomas Wright
John Cont
| £ | s | d | |
| Purse & wearing Apparel | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Goods in the best Chamber | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| The Corn & Goods in the Chamber over the Mill | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| The Goods in the Mill | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| The goods in the House | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| The goods in the Kitchen & Kitchen Chamber | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Wood cut out for me upon the Ground | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Two Carts a plow & harrow & geers & collars | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| The Crop of Barley & wheat upon the Land | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| The Horses & beasts & pig | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| The Sheep & Lambs | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| The Debt that stands in the Book | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| For all other things unseen & forgot | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 85 | 0 | 0 |