The Wills of John Cannon 1689 Cookham and Elizabeth Cannon his wife 1699

Date: 1689 to 1699
Location: Cookham, Berkshire, England
Surname/tag: Cannon

The Wills of John Cannon, Cookham, Berkshire, England, written on 17 September 1687 and proved on 31 May 1689^[1] and Elizabeth Cannon his wife, written on 15 April 1699 and proved on 13 Nov 1699^[2]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. Capital F is rendered as F rather than ff. 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.

People mentioned in John's Will

• Elizabeth (wife)
• John (son)
• Sarah (daughter)
• Mary (daughter)
• Robert (son)
• William (son)
• Joseph Cannon (son)
• Elizabeth Hewes (daughter)
• Katherine Ray (daughter)
• Witnesses: John Harman, Will Whetston

People mentioned in Elizabeth's Will

• (4 sons & 4 daughters, not all named)
• John (son)
• John Smith son of Jonathan Smith of Cookham
• Mary Lock (grandaughter)
• William (son)
• Elizabeth Hues (daughter)
• George Townson (friend)
• Witnesses: George Townson, Anne Gray, Tho Hobbs

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John's Will

In the name of God Amen
I John Canon of the Parish of Cockham in the County of Berks being Sick
and

[Page 2]
and weake in body but perfect in memory this my last Will and Testament Item
I doe bequeath to my Wife Elizabeth Canon and John Canon my sonn the Lease
of the Farme they now dwelleth in equall one with the other with the Rent and
he the said John Canan shall enter with his Mother at S^t Michaelmas the Arch
Angell which will begin in the yeare of One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Seaven
and he the said John Canan shall have seede to Sowe the said Lands that he shall
have occasion for the First yeare Winter Corne and Summer Corne and his mothers
Teames to Sowe the said Lands -- Plowing and Harrowing with all Charges
whereunto sett my hand and Seale Dated Seaventeenth day of September one thousand
Six Hundred Eighty Seaven Sealed and Delivered in the presence. Witnesse Item I
give to my Daughter Sarah Canan Ten Pounds at the fall of the underwood to be
paid by her Mother and her Mother shall have to wood to her selfe Item I give
to my Daughter Mary Canan Five pound to be paid at the end of my Exec[ut]er
yeare Item I Give to my sonn Robert Canan Ten shillings to my sonn William
Canan Ten shillings To my sonn Joseph Cannan Ten shillings to be payd by
their Mother Item I give Elizabeth Hewes my Daughter Twenty shillings
to my Daughter Katherine Ray Ten shillings The marke of John Canan
Witnesse John Harman the marke of Will Whetson

[Probate in Latin Administration granted to Elizabeth Cannon the Relict 1 May 1689]

Elizabeth's Will

In the Name of God Amen
I Elizabeth Cannon of the Parish of Cookham in the County of Berks
Widow being sick and weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and
memory praise be therefore given unto Almighty God do make and ordain
this my present last Will and Testament in manner and form following.
vizt First and principally I com[m]end my Soul into the hands of Almighty
God my Creatour trusting through the merits death and passion of my blessed
Saviour and Redeemer to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my
Sins and to inherit eternall life And my body I com[m]it to the Earth to be
decently buried at the discretion of my Executor here^ⁱⁿafter named And for
such personall Estate as it hath please God to bestow on me I give and
dispose thereof as followeth Item I give and bequeath my best Feather bed
bolster bedsted nest Rugg and the bedding thereunto belonging together
with three pair of Sheets and one Tablecloth and Six Napkins the Table in
the Hall and Forme belonging to it the Cupboard unto my loving Son John
Cannan to his own proper use and behoofe Item I give and bequeath unto
John Smith son of Jonathan Smith of the Parish of Cookham aforesaid
Labo[u]rer the Rugg lying on my Son Johns Bed Item I give and bequeath
unto my Grandaughter Mary Lock my Box standing in the Chamber I
lye in Item I give and bequeath the Sum[m]e of Five pounds that my Son
William Cannon oweth unto me Forty shillings thereof unto my loving
Daughter Elizabeth Hues and twenty shillings more of the same unto my
said Grandaughter Mary Lock and Forty shillings more residue thereof
unto my said Son William Cannon Item all the rest and residue of my
goods chattles personall Estate whatsoever not herein before given I give
and bequeath equally between my four Sons and four Daughters desireing
them with love and unity to part the same and to live lovingly one towards

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The other and to be helpfull to each other and pray God Almighty to bless
preserve and keep them And I do hereby make and ordain my loving friend
George Townson of the Parish of Cookham aforesaid Yeoman to be my full
and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament desireing him to see
the same duely fullfilled according to the true meaning thereof And I do
hereby revoke disanull and make void all former Wills by me heretofore
made In Witness whereof I the said Elizabeth Cannan to this my last Will
and Testament have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Fifteenth Day of
April in the Eleventh year of the reign of King William the Third of
England &c Annoq[ue] D[omi]ni One thousand Six hundred ninetynine ./. The
marke of Elizabeth Cannan ./. Signed Sealed and published by the said
Elizabeth Cannan to be her last Will and Testament in the presence of us.
The marke of George Townson the marke of Anne Gray Tho: Hobbs

[Probate in Latin: Proved in London 13 November 1699 with Administration granted to George Townson]

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 395
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #777395 (accessed 27 March 2023)
   Will of Johannis Cannon, granted probate on 31 May 1689. Died about 1689 in Cookham, Berkshire, England.
2. ↑ Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 453
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #770068 (accessed 27 March 2023)
   Will of Eliza Cannon, granted probate on 13 Nov 1699. Died about 1699 in Cookham, Berkshire, England.