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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: GingerVicky on Sunday 27 September 15 22:46 BST (UK)
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Hi there,
Would anyone be able to decipher this will from 1859. I am not very good at reading old writing. I am trying to work out if he mentions his son James William in the will at all. As far as I can tell he doesn't but I could be wrong. If anyone could transcribe it for me I would be most grateful.
Thank you
Vicky
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Just reading it through, he doesn't mention any one apart from his wife Harriet and his brother in law Mr Edward White (both executors). He leaves everything to his wife for her sole use and for the purpose of bringing up his children until they arrive at an age capable of maintaining themselves. If she dies the money etc is to be shared between his three? surviving children of her body. None are named.
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I have done the two main paragraphs. The remainder is just formalities.
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I hereby give and bequeath to my Dear Wife
Harriett Whitehead the whole of my Effects
consisting of all my Goods, Chattels, Plate etc, as also
the amount of Assurance effected upon my life
in the London Life Associations, in the Year
1849 - and such other properties to which I may have
been entitled at the time of my decease, for her
sole use, and for the purpose of bringing up such
portions of my children untill they arrive at an age
capable of maintaining themselves - (subject to the
payment of all my just debts, Funeral and
Testamentary expences)
It is furthermore my desire (that in the event
of the decease of my dear wife the aforesaid
Harriett Whitehead) that whatever property may
remain it shall be equally divided amongst my then
surviving children of her Body Begotten
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Thank you so much for your help both of you. Much appreciated. What is the London life association do you know?
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It was an insurance company - ie he had a life insurance to pay out on his death.
http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=18664&inst_id=118&nv1=search&nv2=
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Great thank you
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I cannot see amy specific mention of him but he is presumably one of the surviving children....
The more wills that i read the more people that you would expect to be mentioned by name, are not!
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It sounds from the way the will is phrased that when it was written all his children were still minors, so therefore he would, as he stated, expect their mother, his wife, to take care of them. Is the son you were hoping to see mentioned one of those children, or is he an older one that you were hoping to see?
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The son , my ancestor, was his son from his first marriage I think the only surviving son from the first. He would have been about 40 when his father died but im not sure he was alive either as I think he died around that time but can find no death record for his son so the mystery still remains. Was hoping the will might shed some light on it.his second wife had lots of children dome very young
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It certainly doesn't provide for any children from a first marriage, as he makes that very clear when he says that if his wife, Harriet, dies his money and property are to be divided amongst his surviving children of " her body begotten " Thus effectively stopping any other children claiming.
If you want to give his son's name and date of birth, someone might be able to find him for you.
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Thanks for your help. I think someone on the London and Middlessex forum may have found his death but his name is James William Whitehead born 1821 in St Marylebone. Died between 1855 -1871 if you can find any different.
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not sure the one on the other forum is the right death record so still a mystery as to when he died.
found one in Italy but not sure if its him or not.
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Here is the link to the other thread so people can check and things don't get repeated
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=731806.0