Will of John Convers on the ship Thomas and Anne, 1654

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Convers

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of John Convers. ^[1] John made his will while travelling on the ship "Thomas and Anne" to Virginia in November 1653. He was then sick, and probably died shortly afterwards. References are made to the goods to be disposed of on the ship (including three "servants" probably slaves), the cabin, the hold and the various crew. He nominated Captain John Fox as his overseer and Attorney, and called him "my loving friend" implying that this journey was not the first time they had met. The will was not proved until the following May (1 May 1654) in Westminster, Middlesex, England, presumably as the ship did not return to England during the winter.

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included Struck out
The text was originally in one block of text. Paragraph breaks at change of bequest (Item), and bold text are added for ease of reading.
ff has been rendered as F
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
The image quality was acceptable, and the handwriting readable.

Persons mentioned:

• John Convers Testator
• Susannah Convers Testator's current wife
• Lucy Convers Testator's deceased wife mother of daughter Lucey Convers
• Lucey Convers Testator's daughter with his first wife
• Thomas Convers Testator's son deceased, and brother to Lucey
• Mr Edward Bushell a merchant, holds the money bequeathed by Lucey's grandmother
• my Sonne John Convers Testator's son, does not name the mother.
• Captain John Fox Captain of the ship "Thomas and Anne", overseer of the will, nominated attorney to sell Testator's goods in Virginia.
• Mr Will: Lowfield appears to be business partner
• Mr John Cutting appears to be business partner
• Mr John Convers appears to be business partner. Relationship not stated. Was not the son John Convers who was only 8 years old at the time.
• Geromiah Testator's personal servant, may be an enslaved person as money will change hands for him on landing.
• Mr Henry Lee of Yorke River the recipient of the servant Geromiah
• Mrs Elizabeth Fox probably related to Captain John Fox, no relationship given
• my sister Mary Jordaine Testator's sister and unnamed children
• my brother Will: Convers his children Testator's brother and unnamed children
• my Cozen Garman Anthony Phillips Germain (full blood) cousin of Testator
• Geromiah Rawlings / Jeremie Rawlins on board the ship, witness to will, recipient of Testator's clothes
• Judah surname not given, may be a female servant
• Geo Johnson on board the ship, witness to will
• Richard Hopkins on board the ship, witness to will
• John Flood on board the ship, witness to will

[Folio 263 verso]
In the name of God Amen the 2°
of Nov[em]b[er] Anno 1653 I John Convers being sicke and weake in body, but
of sound and perfect memory, prayse be given to god for the same, and being
desirous to settle things in order Doe make this my last Will and Testament
in manner and forme followinge (That is to say) First and principally I comend
my soule to Almighty God my Creator, assuredly beleiveinge that I shall
receive full pardon and free remission of all my Sinnes: And be saved by the
pretious death and meritts of my blessed saviour and redeemer Christ Jesus.
And as touching such worldly estate as the lord in mercy hath lent me, my
will and meaneing is the same shall be imployed and bestowed as hereafter by
this my Will is expressed. And first I doe revoke, renounce, frustrate and make
voyd All Wills by me formerly made: And declare and appoint this my last
Will and Testament:

Item I give and bequeath my loveing wife Susannah
Convers to be my full and whole Executrix of all my estate whatsoever. Item
I give unto my daughter Lucey Convers, the daughter of my late wife Lucy
Convers Deceased, the money that will be due to her by the death of her Grand
mother. Also the money that his due to her by the death of her brother Thomas
nowe lieinge in the hands of Mr Edward Bushell Marchant: Alsoe this
little Ringe upon my finger: And all the plate that is marked w[i]th her owne
Mothers marks and mine.

Item I give to my sonne John Convers this seale Ringe
upon my finger.

Item I give unto my loveing freind Capt John Fox Five
pounds to buy him a Ringe, ordayninge him to be my Overseer of this my last
Will and Testament, As alsoe my lawfull Attorney to receive all my debts in
Verginia, And dispose of this my Cargoe of goods in the shipp called the Tho:
=mas And Anne Amounting to Three hundred seaventy Nine pounds
fifteene shilling and fowre pence And three servants amounting to Thirtie
pounds which is in all 409^Li: 15^s: 4^d As you may find by Invoyce, and by bill
of loding: These goods are upon the Accompt of Mr Will: Lowfield, Mr John
Cutting, and Mr John Convers: Alsoe I doe allowe my loveing freind Capt.
John Fox to chuse another Attorney or more, whom he shall thinke fitt to
helpe him mannage this busienes, and to allowe him Sallery after Tenn
p[er] cent : Alsoe I allowe him my said Attorney to doe whatsoever is lawfull
in the premisses, as if I were p[er]sonally present and alive: And that my said
Attorney doe dispose of Sixe Cases of Waters marked I.C:E. And two of
my owne marked I:C: whereof one I disposed of for wyne at Yarmouth
upon the p[or]table Accompt. Alsoe my desire is that my Clothes and my Chest
of Medisons, and all other things whatsoever, that is upon my owne Accompte
may be disposed of for my Executrix My desire is that you will allowe my
wife for the service of Geromiah what you shall please for he hath beene a
very chargeable servant to me, And if he should returne home againe
he would prove a very chargable servant to my Executrix, because he
is charged upon the portable Accompte Therefore I shall desire you to
dispose of him to Mr Henry Lee of Yorke River for he will be a fitt Master
for him:

Item I doe give and bequeath unto Mrs Elizabeth Fox Twentie
shillings to buy hir a Ringe: The said Twenty shillings with the five pounds
I desire may be taken out of this money here aboarde, and the rest to be given
to my wife.

Item I give to my sister Mary Jordaine Eleaven shillings
peice of gould which I desire my Executrix to give to her as a Token of my

[folio 264 recto]
love: Item I give to her children Twelve pence apeece. Item I give to my
brother Will: Convers his children Twelve pence a peece.

Item I give to my
Cozen Garman Anthony Phillips a peice of Eight to buy him a payre of
Gloves. Item I give to Geromiah Rawlings my ould black suite and one paire
of gray Breeches with fancies one Russett Cloth Coate in my Cabbin, and
two old Casters, one payre of Bootes and spurres.

Item I give Judah as much
Cotton out of my Chest as will make her A petticoate, And alsoe two of my
fowle shirts

Item I give to the Capt and his two Mates, and to the three
men in the Cabbin, And the Minister and his wife a Case of Sacke: And
every one of them a payre of Cordivant Gloves out of my great Chest in
the Hould to be had at the day of my buriall: And the Seaymen a Case of
Waters out of my Eight, to be dranke amongst them on that day, This being
my last Will and Testament I doe here sett my hand and seal Jo: Convers
Sealed signed and delivered in the presence of us : Geo Johnson, Richard
Hopkins, John Flood, Jeremie Rawlins

This will was proved at Westminster before the Judges for pro=
=bate of Wills and granting of Ad[mini]st[ra]cons &c the first day of May 1654
by the oath of Susannah Convers the Executrix named in the said will
To whom Ad[ministra]scon was Comitted of all the goods Chattells and debts of the
said Deceased She being first sworne truely to Ad[mini]ster the same. /

Sources

1. ↑ Will of John Convers 1654: "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: 240: Alchin, Quire Numbers 357-409 (1654) folio 263
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #370732 (accessed 26 April 2022)