Will of Mary Rock

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Walsall, Staffordshire, England
Surnames/tags: Rock, Dadford wills

SECOND DRAFT – WORK IN PROGRESS

Will of Mary (Dadford) Rock, Widow of Walsall, Staffordshire
This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Mary Rock of Walsall, Staffordshire. It was written on 22 April 1848 and proved at London on 11 July 1849. ^[1]

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, the obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F.
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was poor and parts illegible due to bleed-through.

Persons mentioned, in order of appearance

• Mary Rock widow, Testatrix
• Joseph Rock, my late husband
• Thomas Dadford, my late father
• William Dadford, my brother
• Anthony Lane, friend
• James Marsh the younger, friend
• Ann Dadford, the widow of my late brother Thomas Dadford
• my son Samuel (no legacy)
• my son Joseph (no legacy)
• my son John, legatee and executor
• my daughter Mary (no legacy)
• my daughter Frances, legatee
• my daughter Ann, residue legatee and executrix
• Witnesses: T.? Hawksford .. W. Hampton – Henry Marlow Manufacturer

Transcription

Mary Rock
20.

[Page one]

This is the last Will and Testament
of me Mary Rock or Walsall in the County of Stafford Widow of Joseph
Rock late of the same place Factor deceased and daughter of Thomas Dadford
late of Wolverhampton in the same County Gentleman deceased

Whereas the
said Thomas Dadford duly made and executed his last will and testament in a
writing bearing date the twenty eighth of July one thousand eight hundred and
nine Whereby after directing the payment of his just debts funeral and testam-
entary expenses and bequeathing a legacy of ten pounds to Mary the wife of
Robert Bill therein mentioned he gave devised and bequathed unto his friends
Anthony Lane of Wolverhampton aforesaid Gentleman and James Marsh the
younger of the same place Factor their heirs executors administrators and assigns
all and singular his messuages lands tenements hereditaments and real estate
whatsoever and wheresoever being with their appurtenances also all and singular
his household effects Navigation shares and other personal estate and also all
messuages lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever which at the time
of his decease should stand conveyed de....ed or assigned to him by way of mort-
gage together with all such sums due on such mortgages and also upon any
bonds notes or any such securities and all other his personal estate whatsoever
and wheresoever to hold the same to them the said Anthony Lane and James
Marsh their heirs executors administrators and assigns upon trust that they
the said Anthony ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Lane and James Marsh or the survivor of them his heirs executors administra-
tors or assigns should either suffer the money due upon such security or securities ..
remain thereon? or at their discretion call in sell and dispose of and convert into
money all and singular his personal estate as soon as might be after his decease
and should place ... .. ... such moneies upon good real or government securities
and should pay the interest dividends and proceeds arising from two hundred and
ninety six pounds fourteen shillings and six pence part thereof unto his daughter
in law Ann Dadford the widow of his late son Thomas during her natural life
by half yearly payments to be calculated from the twenty fifth of March the
last past and subject thereto as to the interest dividends and proceeds arising from
the said trust monies and also the rents issues and profits of his said real estate
upon trust to pay the same as they should come in and be received unto me
his daughter Mary then the wife of Joseph Rock of Walsall in the said
County of Stafford Factor for and during the term of my natural life or until
his son William Dadford or the lawful issue of his body should have returned
from America and in case of his or their return, within seven years from his

[Page two]

decease or his said trustees? within that period should hear or learn any satisfactory
account of his being alive or having left issue who should be alive then upon ..
trust to pay only one moiety of the rents and profits interest and dividends of his
said real and personal estate unto me his said daughter and not to my assigns but
for my separate and peculiar use and disposition and which should not be subject to
the control or engagements of my then present or any after taken ....and and after
my decease upon trust to pay the same (subject to the contingency of his said son
William or his issue as aforesaid) unto the said joseph Rock during his natural
life or so long as .. should continue a widower and after his decease or second mar-
riage which should first happen upon trust that his said real estate should be sold
as therein mentioned and as to one moiety of the monies to arise therefrom and
also to one moiety of the aforesaid trust monies (subject to the investment of the
said two hundred and ninety six pounds fourteen shillings and six pence and pay-
ment of the interest thereof during the life of the said Ann Dadford as aforesaid) ..
upon trust in case testators grandchildren should be minors to place or continue
out upon Government or real secutiry until they attained twenty one years and
during their minorities to apply the interest and dividends in their maintenance
education or apprenticing any or either of them and as they should severally ..
attain that age upon trust that they the said Anthony Lane and James Marsh
or the survivor of them his executors administrators or assigns should call in the
said? moiety of the aforesaid monies and pay the same unto such child or
children of me his said daughter Mary Rock as I should notwithstanding over-
ture by any deed or deeds writing or writings with or without power of revocation
to be by me duly signed sealed and delivered in the presence of two or more witnesses
or by my last will and testament in writing or any writing purporting to be or
in the nature of my last will and testament (illegible or deleted) to be by me signed sealed and published
as in the presence of and attested by the like number of such? witnesses direct limit
or appoint give or bequeath the same and as the other moiety of the monies
to arise from the sale of the said testators real estate and of the said trust monies
so directed to be invested as aforesaid the said testator gave and bequeathed the?
same to his said son William Dadford but in case he or his issue should not have
returned to England or any satisfactory account had of him or them within
seven years after .. testators decease as aforesaid then upon trust that the said
Anthony Lane and James Marsh or the survivor of them his executors admi-
nistrators or assigns should stand possessed of the said last mentioned ....(illegible)
half part of the proceeds of the said real estate and of the said trust property to
for and upon the like .... trusts and benefit for me his said daughter Mary my
said husband and our family and subject to the same restrictions and power of
disposition as are thereinbefore mentioned concerning the said first mentioned?
moiety of the product of the said real estate and trust monies and the said tes-
tator appointed me his said daughter Mary Executrix and the said Anthony Lane
and James Marsh Executors of his said will and whereas the said Thomas Dadford
the testator made and duly published? (several illegible lines due to bleed through)
... thirteenth day of September one thousand eight hundred and nine? ... (illegible)
noticing? the disposition of the personal estate .. in his said will ....... and
that his .... (illegible)

(several illegible lines)

... the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
on the twenty first day of March one thousand eight hundred and ....
whereas the said testators son William Dadford or his issue have not ....

[Page three]

heard of since the death of the said testator and the said Ann Dadford (the widow
of the said testators late son Thomas) ... and my said husband Joseph Rock are
both long since dead and whereas I have not hitherto exercised the power of limita-
tion or appointment gift or devise so reserved to me in and by the said writed will of
my said father Thomas Dadford deceased And whereas I have six children namely
Samuel, Joseph, John, Mary, Frances and Ann all of whom have attained their res-
pective ages of twenty one years Now I the said Mary Rock in pursuance and by vir-
tue and in exercise and execution of the power or authority to me for this purpose
reserved or given in and by the said writed will of my said father the said Thomas
Dadford deceased and of all other power and powers authority and authorities what-
soever enabling me in this behalf so by this my last will and testament in writing
or writing purporting to be or in the nature of a will signed sealed and published
by me in the presence of and attested by the two credible persons whose names are
hereunto subscribed as witnesses direct limit and appoint that the said Anthony Lane
and James Marsh the younger or the survivor of them or the trustees or trustee
for the time being of the said writed will shall stand possesed of the monies to
arise from the sale of the said testator's real estates and also of the said testators
personal estates and monies so directed by his said will to be invested as aforesaid
In trust to pay three sixth parts thereof unto my said daughter Ann Rock to and
for her absolute use and benefit two other sixth parts thereof unto my said son
John Rock to and for his absolute use and benefit and the other one sixth ......
part thereof unto my said daughter Frances to and for her absolute use and benefit
to whom respectively I hereby give and bequeathe the same

I give and bequeath
all my household goods furniture plate linen china glass and all other house-
hold effects together with my wearing apparel and gownes unto my said daughter Ann for her own absolute use

I give and bequeathe all my stock in trade shop tools
books debts and all other the Residue of my personal estate unto my said
son John for his absolute use and Lastly I nominate and appoint my said
daughter Ann executrix and my said son John Executor of this my last
will and testament In witness whereof I the said testatrix Mary Rock have to
this my ^^last will and testament contained on five sheets of paper set my hand and
seal this twenty second day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and forty eight –– Mary Rock –– ... Signed sealed published
and delivered by the testatrix Mary Rock and for her last will and testament
in the presence of us who at the same time in her presence at her request and in
the presence of each other have hereunto set and subscribed our names as witnesses
T.? Hawksford .. W. Hampton – Henry Marlow Manufacturer Walsall

Proved at London 11^th July 1849 before the Judge by the oath of Ann
Rock Spinster the daughter and John Rock the son the executors to whom admon
was granted having been first sworn by court? duly to administer.

Research Notes

Thomas Dadford wrote a will dated 28 July 1809, proved in London on 21 March 1810
His will is much easier to read and can shed light on most of Mary's will.
Thomas died about 1810 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England. His will passed probate on 21 March 1810.^[2]

Mary married Joseph Rock on 1 September 1800 in Wolverhampton, St Peter, Staffordshire, England.^[3]

Witnesses: Phoebe Rock and Thomas Ri...

Mary married Joseph Rock in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Mary Rock

   Reference: PROB 11/2096/356

   Description: Will of Mary Rock, Widow of Walsall , Staffordshire

   Date: 11 July 1849

   Held by: The National Archives, Kew

2. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858", database with images, The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1509, Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #359478 (accessed 15 August 2023), Will of Thomas Dadford, granted probate on 21 Mar 1810. Died about 1810 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England.
3. ↑ Marriage: "Staffordshire Marriages", database with images, Reference: D1157/1/1/28; Page: 415, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 15 August 2023), Mary Dadford marriage to Joseph Rock on 1 Sep 1800 in Wolverhampton, St Peter, Staffordshire, England.
4. ↑ Marriage Bond: "Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield & Coventry Marriage Allegations And Bonds, 1636-1893", database with images, Archive: Staffordshire Archives, FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 15 August 2023), Mary Dadford marriage to Joseph Rock in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England.