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Author Topic: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will  (Read 1426 times)

Offline castlebob

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Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« on: Monday 20 October 14 14:01 BST (UK) »
Can anyone confirm that the word 'friend' was sometimes used in 19th C wills to describe relatives? If so, was it commonly used?
Cheers,
Bob
Armstrongs of   Bedfordshire, England & Canonbie ,Scotland

Offline Bookbox

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #1 on: Monday 20 October 14 14:48 BST (UK) »
Which country? In English wills, I don't recall ever seeing it used for a blood relative, but I've sometimes found it for someone related by marriage - e.g. father-in-law, brother-in-law, husband of niece, etc.

Offline deebel

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #2 on: Monday 20 October 14 14:55 BST (UK) »
Possibly in Quaker wills
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Offline castlebob

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #3 on: Monday 20 October 14 14:58 BST (UK) »
I was told that English wills used it. I wondered if it covered distant relationships such as 3rd cousins?
Bob
Armstrongs of   Bedfordshire, England & Canonbie ,Scotland

Offline Bookbox

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #4 on: Monday 20 October 14 15:07 BST (UK) »
There weren't any hard-and-fast rules. I should think it might be used for a distant cousin.

Offline Koromo

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #5 on: Monday 20 October 14 15:31 BST (UK) »

One of my (English) lot wrote his will in 1880 and named his cousin and another man as executors.  He referred to them only as my friends.
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Offline castlebob

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #6 on: Monday 20 October 14 15:40 BST (UK) »
That's interesting. Was the cousin a blood relation (same surname)?
Bob
Armstrongs of   Bedfordshire, England & Canonbie ,Scotland

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #7 on: Monday 20 October 14 16:13 BST (UK) »
In Scots your "friens", friends, are your relatives by blood or marriage. As in "she had her friens up last night", still used.

Skoosh.

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Use of 'Friend' in 19th C Will
« Reply #8 on: Monday 20 October 14 17:05 BST (UK) »
From the OED Friend;  A close relation, a kinsman or kinswoman. In later use regional (chiefly Sc. and Irish English (north.)).

Stan
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