Granville Wheler-72 Will

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This is a transcript of the registered copy will of Reverend Granville Wheler of Ottendon Place, Kent. He wrote his will on 2nd May 1770. 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 good and the writing legible. Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned in the Will:

Reverend Granville Wheler, Testator

John Davys, friend and Joint Executor

Granville Wheler, son of Testator

William Duggesson, previous owner of property Stalesfield

Thomas Fosbrooke of Furnivals Inn, Holborn, London

Francis Barrell of the Parish of Saint Margarets, Rochester

George Sayer of Bitte in the County of Kent

William Sharp , nephew

James Sharp, nephew

Granville William Wheler Medhurst, grandson

Cathorine Maria Stuart-Menteth, granddaughter

Frances Wheler, daughter

Selina Margaretta Wheler, daughter

Lady Catherine Hastings, first wife

Mrs Rebecca Wheler, cousin

Jane Wheler, Rebecca’s daughter

Widow of the late Charles Wheler, sister in law

Charles Granville Wheler, son of the late Charles Wheler

John Lowther, witness

Henry Coulter, witness

Henry Chapman, witness

Andrew Colter, proved will

George Day, proved will

The National Archives reference PROB 1119581109

Page 1 (folio 109 recto)

This is the Last Will and Testament
of me the Reverend Granville Wheler of Otterden Place
in the County of Kent Esquire made this second day of May in
the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy
first my will and desire is that I may be buryed in my own
family vault in the parish Church of Otterden and I direct that
my funeral may be private and with no more expense than
decency requires and I direct that there be none but Underbearers
to whom I give one Guinea each and desire that I may be
put into a lead coffin and as concerning my Real Estates that
are not already Settled to my Mind and my personal Estate
and Effects I give and dispose of the same in manner and
form following that is to say

I do hereby ^give and devise unto
my friend John Davys of Rempstone in the County of
Nottingham Gentleman his Heirs and Assigns forever all
that my Cottage or Tenement together with the Barn and
other Outhouses, and five, several pieces or parcells of Land and
Ground thereunto belonging containing together by Estimation
Sixteen Acres or thereabouts be the same more or less situate
lying and being in the Parish of Stalesfield in the said
County of Kent and which I lately purchased off William
Duggesson Esquire for one hundred and twenty five pounds
To have and to hold the said Cottage Tenement Outhouses

Page 2 (folio 109 verso)

pieces and parcels of Land, and premises here before devise
and mentioned so to be with these Appurtenances unto the
said John Davys and his Heirs forever to the use of him
and his Heirs upon the Trusts and under and subject to
Such and the like powers provisos and Limitations as are
expressed limitted and declared of and concerning my Manors
and other my Real estates within the said County of Kent
in and by one Indenture of Release of five parts bearing date
the ninteenth day of January in the Year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and sixty and made between me
the said Granville Wheler of the first part my son
Granville Wheler of the second Thomas Fosbrooke of Furnivals
Inn Holborn London Gentleman of the third the said
John Davys of the fourth Francis Barrell of the Parish
of Saint Margarets Rochester Esquire and George Sayer
of Bitte in the County of Kent Esquire of the fifth part it
being my will and desire that the said John Davys and his
Heirs shall stand seired of the said Cottage or Tenement
lands, and purtenances as that the paye shall from time to
time go with and be held and enjoyed by the person and
persons who shall for the time being be possessed of and
entitled to my said Manors and other my Real estates
in the said County of Kent under and by virtue of the
Limitations mentioned and declared in and by the said in
part recited indenture of the ninteenth of January of
one thousand seven hundred and sixty and to and for no
other use situation or purpose whatsoever and to the
Intent that all my just debts and Funeral Expenses and the
Legacies hereinafter mentioned may be paid and discharged

I hereby give devise and bequeath unto my loving
Nephews William Sharp of the Old Jury Londen Surgeon
and James Sharp of Leadenhall Steet London Ironmonger
there Heirs and Assigns forever all those my dwelling house with
its adjacent buildings and the lands appropriated to the use of the household
Lands purtuements Wharfs and Hereditaments whatsoever
situate and being in Channel Row otherwise Canon
Row in the parish of Saint Margaretts within the
Libertye of the City of Westminster and all other my Lands
Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever within the
Kingdom of England which are not hereinbefore by me
devised or are already settled by some deed or deeds of
settlement to my mind to have and to hold the said last
mentioned Messnages Lands tenements Wharfs
hereditaments and premisses with the Appurtenances
unto and to the use of the said William Sharp and James
Sharp their Heirs and Assigns In trust nevertheless
and to and for the intent and purposes following that
is to day, I Trust that they the said William Sharp and
James Sharp or the survivor of them or the Heirs or Assigns
of such Survivor and shall so soon as Conveniently may
be after my decease sell and
dispose of the same Lands and
premises either together or in parcels for the Best part or
parts that can be got for the same and I do hereby order

Page 3 (folio 110 recto)

bill and direct that the moneys arising by such Sale and
sales shall by the said William Sharp and James Sharp or
their Heirs [be paid] into the hands of my Executors hereinafter named
and be by them my Executors added to the Moneys that shall
arise by sale of my Household goods Furinture plate and
stock and the Rest of my personal Estate and effects and to be
applyed by my Executors to and for the Several Uses and
purposes hereinafter mentioned and for the making a
further provision for the payment of my debts and the
Legacies hereinafter by me devised.

I do hereby give
devise and bequeath unto my said Son Granville Wheler
and to the said John Davys their Heirs Executors
Administrators and Assigns respectively all my Goods
Chattels Stocks Funds Plate Moneys Mortgages and
Securities for Money Books and all other my personal
Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of whatever kind
or Quality soever the same be or Consists not by me
otherwise already disposed of or hereafter to be disposed
of by this my Will and every part thereof and all my Estate
and Interest therin upon trust that they my said son
Granville Wheler and John Davys or the survivor of
them his Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns
shall and do as soon as Conveniently may be after my
decease sell and convert into ready money all such
part or parts thereof as shall not consist of Money or
Securities for Money and shall and do call receive and
get in all such part and parts thereof as Consists
in Moneys and Securities for Money and shall and
do thereapon or with all Convenient speed then afterwards
by and out of the same and with the Moneys to arise
by Sale of my said Messuages Lands and Tenements so by
me directed to be sold as aforesaid for the purposes
aforesaid In the first place pay and discharge all and
every my just debts whether upon Specialty or Simple
contract and my Funeral Expenses save and except a
certain, Mortgage for twelve hunded pounds or
thereabouts charged on two of my houses in London one
in Milk Street Cheapside and the other in Aldgate Street
and which Mortgage I do hereby expresly order Will
and Direct shall be paid out of the Houses and Lands
upon which the said Sum of twelve hundred pounds
stands charged and not out of my Personal Estate or
out of the Moneys arising by sale of my said Houses and
Estates in Channel otherwise Cannon Row notwithstanding
any Law or Equity or Custom in Law or Equity to the Contrary
and in the next Place to Pay out of the said Trust Moneys
the several Legacies following that is to

I give to each
and every of my Nephews and Neices that shall be living
at the time of my decease Fifty pounds a piece so
Mourning

Also I give to my Grandson Granville
William Wheler Medhurst one hundred pounds also I
give to my Grandson and Granddaughter Stuart-Menteth

Page 4 (folio 111 verso)

Menteth son and daughter of my Youngest Daughter
Cathorine Maria Fifty pounds apiece

Also I give unto my
said son Granville Wheler and to the said John Davys
my Executors one hundred pounds apiece

Also to each of my
servants that shall be living with me at my decease and
that shall have so lived with me for the Term of one
whole year before that time I give one years Wages
exclusive of what may be owing to them for such there
service

And I do order and direct that the said several
Legacies before by me devised to such of my Legatees as
are of age shall by my Executors hereafter named be
paid to them within twelve Months next after my
decease or so soon after as moneys shall be received
by them for that purpose and that such of my Legatees
as shall not be of age at my decease I do hereby order
and direct that their legacies shall be paid to their
respective parents whose Receipts shall be to my said
Executors a legal discharge for the same and I do hereby
Will and Direct that my Family pictures India Screen
and my India Cabinet shall not be Sold but that the same
shall remain and be kept in my Mansion House at
Ottenden Place and be considered as Heirlooms and that
such other things as are standing and being in the
same house as are usually seemed to be Heirlooms
shall remain there as such and not be sold it being my
desire that the same shall go with and remain in the
said Mansion House for the Benefit of the Person and
persons who for the time being shall be entitled to the
same under and by virtue of any Deed or deeds of
settlement that have been herefore made of the same

And I do hereby make constitute and appoint my said
son Granville Wheler and the said John Davys Joint
Executors of this my this my last Will and Testament
and my further Will is that they my said Trustees and
Executors or any of their Heirs or any of their Executors
or. Administrators shall not be charged or Chargeable
with or Accountable for any more of the aforesaid
Trust Moneys Estates and premises than they respectfully
shall actually receive or shall issue to their respective
hands by virtue of this my Will nor with or for
any loss which shall happen of the same Estates Moneys
and Premisses or any part thereof so as such loss
happen without their Willfull default nor with Either
of them for the other of them, but each of them only for his and
their own Acts Deeds Expenses or Disbursements and
also that it shall and may be lawful for them my said
Trustees and Executors and each and every of them their and
Each and every of their Executors and Administrators in
the first place by and out of the aforesaid respective Trust
Estates Moneys and premisses to deeut and reimburse
him and thereselves respectively all such loss Charges and
Expenses and also all such Sum and Sums of Money as they

Page 5 (folio 111 recto)

any of them shall respectively sustain expend or be put
into or reasonably deserve to have for their loss of time aud
Trouble for and by Reason of the said several Trusts
hereby in them reposed in Relation to the same premd
Estates and Moneys respectively or the Management
and Execution thereof or any other matter or thing in
any wise relating thereinto and as to all the rest resone
and remainder of the said Moneys arising by such sales
as aforesaid and all other my Personal Estate and Effects
not alreddy by me otherwise disposed of after and subject
to the payment of my said just debts and Funeral charges
and the several Legacies Bequests and Appointments by
me given bequeathed or made.

I give devise and bequeath
the same and every part thereof unto my two Daughters
Frances Wheler and Selina Margaretta Wheler to be
equally divided between Them, and Share alike having
already made provision for my two other daughters
upon their respective Marriages and whereas in and
by my Marriage Settlement made upon Lady Catherine
Hastings my first wife a power was thereby vested
in Trustees for raising the sum of three thousand pounds
out of my Manor Farms Lands and Premises therein
particularly mentioned at Charing in the said County of
Kent for and towards making a provision for my
Younger Children by that marriage with a power
thereby also reserved in me after the decease of my said
wife Lady Catherine that it should and might be lawful
for me by any deed or deeds in writing or by my last
Will and Testament in Writing by me duly attested and
attested to order direct and appoint how and in what
manner the said three thousand pounds should be paid
and applyed unto and amongst such my younger
Children by that Marriage and for as much as my
Oldest and youngest daughters have as is before mentioned
received their Fortunes upon their respective Marriages
and my said daughter Frances having also heretofore
received from me the sum of one thousand pounds in
part of her Fortune and my other daughter the said
Selina Margaretta having yet received any other
fortune from me I do think it but equitable and right
that the Sum of one thousand pounds only part of the
said Sum of three thousand to be received out of my said
Estates at Charing after my decease as aforesaid shall
be paid to my said daughter Frances Wheler, and that the
remaning two thousand pounds shall be paid to my said
daughter Selina Margaretta Wheler and by virtue of and
in pursuant of such Power vested in me as aforesaid by
the said Marriage Settlement and of all other Powers
reserved to me thereby in respect of the same Premises
do hereby order will direct and appoint that the said
sum of one thousand pounds part of the said Sum of three
thousand pounds shall when raised be paid to my said

Page 6 (folio 112 verso)

Daughter Frances Wheler and that the remaining two
thousand pounds the other part thereof shall be paid to
my said daughter Selina Margaretta Wheler accordingly
and that in the mean time and with the same is raised I
do hereby order will and direct that the Interest directed
by the said settlement to be paid for the said sum of three
thousand pounds until raised shall be paid to my said
two last mentioned daughters in proportion to the above said
sums hereby by me directed to be paid to them as aforesaid.

And I do recommend to my son Granville to take care of my
Cousin Mrs Rebecca Wheler of Charing aforesaid and her
daughter Jane Wheler during the life of my said cousin
Rebecca Wheler by permitting them to live in the House
they now live in of mine at Charing rent free and
paying them twenty guineas a year by four Quarterly
payments during the life of the said Rebecca Wheler as
aforesaid

And I do also recommend it to my said son
Granville to take care of my Cousin Wheler the
Widow of the late Charles Wheler and of Charles
Granville Wheler her son by allowing each of them
forty pounds a year by four Quarterly Payments for
there respective lives being the same as I allow them
at present.

In Witness whereof I the said Granville
Wheler the Testator have to this my last Will and
Testament contained in this and the other preceding
skin of parchment set my hand and seal to wit my hand
to the bottom of the first skin and my hand and seal
to this last skin and my seal at the Top of the said first
Skin where both the said Skins are fixed, together the
Day and Year first above written Granville Wheler
His writing contained in this and the other Preceding
skin or parchment was signed and sealed by the above
named Granville Wheler and by him Published and
declared as and for his last Will and Testament in the
presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our
Names as Witnesses thereto at his Request in his
presence and in the presence of each other. John Lowther
Henry Coulter Henry Chapman

This Will was proved at London the thirtieth day
of May in the year of our Lord one thousaid seven hundred
and seventy before the Worshipful Andrew Colter Jurarel
of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipful, George Day
Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the
Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by
the Oaths of Granville Wheler the Son of the deceased an
John Davys the Executors named in the said will to whom
Administration was granted of all and Singular the Goods
Cattels and Credits of the deceased having been first
sworn duly to administer.