Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The Will of

Sarah EDSAW (?-1766)

Many thanks to Ros Dunning for the following transcript:

In the Name of God Amen I Sarah Edsaw of Holme Street in Pulborough in the County of Sussex Widow Do make this my last Will and Testament as follows I Desire my ffuneral may be Private and the Expences thereof Moderate as may be with Decency and after Payment of my Just Debts and ffuneral charges I Give and Devise unto my Son Thomas Edsaw all my ffreehold Estate called Potland otherwise Pothill with its Appurts situate and lying in the Parish of West Grinstead in the County of Sussex and now in the Tenure or Occupation of John Allen And also all my Leasehold and other Personal Estate wheresoever that I shall Dye possessed of (Except what is herein otherwise bequeathed) To hold my said ffreehold Estate unto  my said Son Thomas Edsaw his heirs and assigns for ever and To hold my said Leasehold and other Personal Estate unto my said Son Thomas Edsaw his Executors Admors and Assigns during my Term and Estate therein upon this Special Trust and Confidence, that is to say, In Trust to Pay the Clear Rents Issues and Profits of my said Real and Personal Estates unto my Son John Edsaw by Quarterly Payments, that is to say, on Lady day, Midsumer day Michaelmas Day and Christmas Day in every Year during the Term of his Natural life to be always paid into his own hands and his Receipt alone to be a Sufficient Discharge to my Trustees for the same, the first Payment to be made at the next Quarter day after my Decease and from and after the Decease of my said Son John Edsaw in Case he shall Dye without having any lawful issue living at the time of his Decease Then I Give Devise and bequeath all my said Real and Personal Estate unto my said Son Thomas Edsaw his Heirs Executors and Admors and Assigns To the only Proper Use and behoof of the said Thomas Edsaw his Heirs Executors Admors and Assigns for ever for ever. But in Case my said Son John Edsaw Shall have any lawfull Issue of his Body living at the time of his Decease then In Trust to be Released and Conveyed to and amongst such his lawful issue Male and female equally Share and Share alike To the only Proper use and behoof of them their Heirs Executors Admors and Assigns for ever To hold as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and in case my said Son John Edsaw shall have only one such child living at the time of his Decease and in Case my said Son John Edsaw Shall have only one such Child living at the time of his Decease Then In Trust to and for such Child his or her Executors Admors and Assigns To the use and behoof of such Child his or her Executors Admors and Assigns for ever And I do hereby Direct that my said Trustees shall be at Liberty to grant Leases of my said Real and Personal Estates or any Part thereof from time to time at the best Real Rent he can get for any Term  not Excluding the Term of Twenty one Years and to commence in Possession and not in Reversion And it is my Will that my said Son Thomas Edsaw shall and lawfully may Cut down Timber now Growing upon the said ffarm called Pothill for Repairing the same as he shall think necessary as often as Occasion shall require I Give to my said Son Thomas Edsaw my Gold Watch and all my Rings and also Twenty Guineas to buy Mourning form himself and his Wife I Give to my said Son Thomas Edsaw all my Plate Linnen Household Goods and ffurniture whatsoever that I shall be possessed of at the time of my Decease Upon condition that he shall pay to my Son John Edsaw the sum of ffifty pounds within six months after my Decease But in Case my said Son Thomas Edsaw shall refuse to pay my said Son John Edsaw the said Sum of fifty pounds then I Give the said Plate Linnen Household Goods and ffurniture unto my said Son John his Executors and Admors for ever I Give my said Son John Edsaw Twenty Guineas for Mourning And my Will and Mind is and I do hereby Direct my said Son Thomas Edsaw whenever he shall think proper to cut down the Timber now Growing upon my said ffreehold Estate called Pothill (leaving sufficient for repairs) and Sell and Dispose thereof and put and place out the Money arising therefrom as Interest for the Use and benefit of my said Son John Edsaw And my Will and Mind is that if my said Son John Edsaw shall at any time or times hereafter set up or Claim any Right Title or Interest either at Law or in Equity to the Leasehold or other Personal Estate of his late ffather Deceased or any part thereof or Commence or Present any Such either at Law or in Equity or elsewhere alone or with any other Person or Persons whatsoever against my said Son Thomas Edsaw his Executors Admors or Assigns for or in respect of the same or any part thereof that then and in such Case I Revoke and make Void the Several Devises and Gifts herein before made and Instead thereof I Give my said Son John Edsaw only one Shilling and I heartily recomend to my said Son John Edsaw to be Governed and advised by his Brother and I do Intreat my said son Thomas to Give him his best Advise and Assistance And I hereby nominate Constitute and Appoint my said Son Thomas Edsaw Sole Executor of this my Will hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal the Twenty fifth day of ffebruary in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and sixty seven Sarah Edsaw  

John Reynolds

Avice Jupp

Sarah Scutt  

Proved at London 6 June 1768 PCC Prob11/940

Contributed by Ros Dunning

Sarah Edsaw was buried on 6 April 1766 in Pulborough.

Thomas Edsaw married twice, firstly to Ann Whitebread by licence on 7 February 1711/12 at St. Martin's in Chichester, Sussex.  Their marriage licence was issued on the same day by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It recorded that Thomas was yeoman of Fittleworth and Ann a spinster of Ashurst.  Surety for the licence was provided by Thomas himself, William Edsaw a yeoman of Fittleworth and Francis Page a gent of Chichester.  As a widower of Fittleworth he married Sarah Smith on 27 October 1725 at St. Benet and St. Peter Paul's in London.  Sarah was a spinster of Marylebone, Middlesex.

John Edsaw married Sarah Skinner by licence on 3 November 1720 in Thakeham, Sussex.  Their licence was issued on 29 October 1720 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It recorded that John was a bachelor and malster of Stopham, whilst Sarah was a spinster of Thakeham.  Surety was provided by John himself and George Skinner a malster of Chichester.

Thomas Edsaw married Sarah Sandham by licence on 20 December 1759 in Fittleworth, Sussex.  Their licence was issued by the Archdeaconry of Chichester on 19 December 1759.  It recorded that Thomas was a 23 year old bachelor and gent of Fittleworth.  Sarah was a 21 year old spinster of Petworth.  Surety for the licence was provided by Thomas himself and John Taylor a watchmaker of Petworth.

Avice Jupp married John Caplin by licence on 15 October 1768 in Pulborough.  Their marriage licence was issued on 13 October 1768 by the Archdeaconry of Chichester.  It recorded that Avice was a 35 year old spinster of Pulborough (5 years) and John a 35 year old bachelor and servantman of Pulborough (3 days).  The witnesses to their marriage were John Baker and Susanna Baker.

Avice Jupp was baptised on 17 July 1733 in Wisborough Green, Sussex.  She was the daughter of John Jupp and Avice.