The Will of William Pike 1798 Edington

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Edington, Wiltshire, England
Surname/tag: Pike

The Will of William Pike, Carpenter, of Edington, Wiltshire written on 27 August 1797 and proved on 15 February 1798.^[1]
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. ff is rendered as F. Abbreviations are expanded and additions noted in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks (where added) and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading.

Beneficiaries and relatives mentioned in the Will:

• George Pike otherwise George White (son of William Pike & Dennis White)
• Thirza Pike otherwise Thirza White (daughter of William Pike & Dennis White
• Dennis White
• Ann Millard (granddaughter)
• William Earl (son)
• Mark Pike (of Trowbridge, friend?, executor)
• Thomas Wright Lowe (friend, Westbury, surgeon, executor)
• Betty Millard (daughter)

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[Page 1]
In the Name of God AmenI William Pike of Edington
in the County of Wilts Carpenter being of sound Mind memory and understanding
Do make and declare this to be my last will and Testament in manner following First I
recommend my soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it hoping and
believing a Remission of my Sins through the Merits and Mediation of our Blessed Lord
Jesus Christ and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion
of my Executors herein after named and as to the worldly Estate wherewith it hath
pleased God to bless me I dispose thereof as follows. I give and devise unto my
natural or reputed son George Pike otherwise George White (son of Dennis White), All
That my freehold Cottage or Tenement with the appurtenances situate lying and
being in Edington aforesaid against Bolters Lane now in the Tenure or Occupation of
John Newman To hold to him the said George Pike otherwise George White his Heirs and
Assigns for ever I also give and bequeath unto the said George Pike otherwise George
White all my Wearing Apparel and all my working Tools of every sort and description
and also a Bed, Bedstead and Furniture at the House of the said Dennis White I also
give and devise unto my natural or reputed Daughter Thirza Pike otherwise Thirza
White Daughter of the said Dennis White All That my freehold Cottage or Tenement
with the appurtenances (formerly James Kicks’s) situate lying and being at
Edington aforesaid and in the Tenure or occupation of William Bayley To hold to
the said Thirza Pike otherwise Thirza White her Heirs and Assigns for ever But I
hereby will and declare that the said Dennis White shall live and reside in the
said Cottage and premisses so as aforesaid given to the said Thirza Pike otherwise
Thirza White during the natural life of the said Dennis White (with her said daughter)
[signed] W^m Pike

[Page 2]
or in Case the same premises shall be let during the natural life of the said
Dennis White, that the said Dennis White shall receive one half of the Rents
and profits thereof during her life provided also and my will is that in Case either
of them my said reputed or natural children George and Thirza shall happen to die
before he or she shall attain the age of twenty one years Then I give and devise
the premises herein given and devised unto either of them so dying unto the Survivor
To hold unto such Survivor his or her Heirs or assigns for ever I give devise
and bequeath unto my Grand-daughter Ann Millard All Those two Cottages or
Tenements with the Appurtenances situate lying and being at Little London in
Edington aforesaid in the occupation of John Stokes and William Carr To
hold to her the said Ann Millard her Heirs and Assigns for ever And I direct that
my Trustees herein after named do receive the Rents and profits thereof during the
minority of the said Ann Millard and pay and apply the same towards her
Maintenance and Education I give and bequeath to my natural or
reputed Son William Earl the Sum of Two Guineas of lawfull money of
Great Britain to be paid to him immediately after my decease I give and
bequeath unto my Friends Mark Pike of Trowbridge in the County of Wilts Carpenter
and Thomas Wright Lowe of Westbury in the said County Surgeon the Sum
of Fifty Pounds of lawful money of Great Britain Upon Trust that they or the
survivor of them his Executors or Administrators do and shall as soon as
conveniently may be after my decease put and place the same out on good
and sufficient Security and pay and apply the Interest thereof for and towards
the Maintenance and Education of my said Grand daughter Ann Millard until she
[signed] W^m Pike

[Page 3]
shall attain the age of twenty one years and when my said Grand daughter Ann
Millard shall attain the age of tweny one years then I give and bequeath the said
Sum of Fifty Pounds to her the said Ann Millard her Executors and Administrators
I also give and bequeath to the said Mark Pike and Thomas Wright Lowe
the further sum of Twenty Guineas Upon Trust that they may put and place the
same out at Interest on good Security and pay and apply the Interest thereof
towards the bringing up of my said natural children George amd Thirza until
they attain the age of twenty one years and when my said natural children
George amd Thirza shall attain their said ages of twenty one years then I give and
bequeath unto them the said sum of Twenty Guineas equally to be divided between
them share and share alike but if either of them shall die before he or she shall
attain the said age of twenty one years then I give and bequeath the same unto
the Survivor his or her Executors or Administrators I devise and bequeath all other
my freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in Tinhead Erdington or elsewhere
unto the said Mark Pike and Thomas Wright Lowe To hold to the said Mark Pike and Thomas
Wright Lowe their Heirs and Assigns Upon Trust that they or the Survivor of them his Executors or
Administrators do and shall permit and suffer let and set the same for the most Rent that can
be got for the same and pay and apply the Rents and profits thereof to my daughter Betty
Millard for and during the term of her natural life And from and immediately after her decease
I give devise and bequeath all and singular the said freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and
Hereditaments unto all and every the children of my said Daughter Betty Millard by her
present or any future Husband or Husbands To Hold to them their Heirs and Assigns
for ever as Tenants in Common and not as Joint tenants But in Case my daughter
the said Betty Millard shall not leave any Child or Children who shall live to attain
[signed] W^m Pike

[Page 4]
the age of twenty one years or leave Issue then I give devise and bequeath the aforesaid
freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments unto my said reputed or natural children
George and Thirza To hold to them their Heirs and Assigns for ever as Tenants in Common
and not as Joint tenants All the rest Residue and Remainder of my Goods Chattels Debts Credits
Securities for Money Household Goods and all other my personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever
I give and bequeath unto the said Mark Pike and Thomas Wright Lowe Upon Trust that they and
the Survivor of them and the Executors or Administrators of such Survivor do and shall as soon as
conveniently may be after my decease sell and dispose of such Part thereof as shall not at my
death consist of money and with the money arising therefrom (together with my ready money) do and
shall put and place the same out at Interest on Government or freehold Security and pay and apply the
Interest and dividends thereof unto my said Daughter Betty Millard for and during the term of her natural
life And after her death I give and devise the same to all and every the Child and Children of my
said Daughter equally between them share and share alike but in Case my Daughter should not leave
any Child at her death then I give and bequeath the same unto my said natural Children George and Thirza
equally between them But in case my said Daughter shall chuse to take and Part of my household
Furniture, then I direct my said Trustees to let her have the same free of expence And I hereby direct
that my Trustees shall not be answerable or accountable for any more than they shall
actually receive by Virtue of this my will and that they may out of the trust monies
Reimburse themselves all Costs and Expences which they may sustain by acting in the
Trusts hereof And I also declare that what I have herein before given to my said Daughter
shall not be subject to the Debts Controul Managements or Engagements of her present or any
future husband but her Receipt alone shall be sufficient discharge for any Money received
And I hereby constitute and appoint my said Friends Mark Pike and Thomas Wright Lowe
Executors In Trust of this my will hereby revoking all former wills In Witness whereof I
the said William Pike the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in
four sheets of Paper set my hand to the first three sheets and my hand and seal to this last
sheet the twenty seventh day of August one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven.
[Signed] W^m Pike [LS]

Signed sealed Published and Declared by the said William Pike
the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
who in his presence at his Request and in the presence of each other
have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto
Timothy Brown
John Brown
Will^m John [S?p]

Sources

1. ↑ Probate: "Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858"
   Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre; Chippenham, Wiltshire, England; Wiltshire Wills and Probates; Reference Number: P2/P/1190; Reference Number: P2/P/1190
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 61333 #107948 (accessed 27 September 2022)
   William Pike probate in 1798.