Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The Will of

John FREEMAN (c1689-1777)

This is the Last Will and Testament of me John Freeman of Westgrinsted in the County of Sussex yeoman made this Twenty Fourth Day of May in the year of our Lord 1775 as follows (that is to say) Imprimis I will order and direct that all my Just Debts funeral Expenses and probate of this my last Will and Testament be fully paid and satisfyed by my Executor hereinafter named Item I give and devise to my faithfull Servant Jane Hills all my Messuage Farm Lands and Premisses called little Tuckmans wherein I now live and also all the household goods and Chattles whatsoever which may be in the said house and premisses at the time of my decease To hold to the said Jane Hills and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life without Impeariment of or for my manner of Waste And from and Immediately after her decease I give devise and bequeath the said Farm and Lands called little Tuckmans and also all the household Goods and Chattles whatsoever unto William Mansbridge of Shipley in the said County husbandman and his heirs To hold to the said Willam Mansbridge and his heirs and Assigns forever Also I give and devise to the said William Mansbridge all that my Copyhold Messuage & Lands holden of the manner of Clayton in the said County of Sussex To hold to the said William Mansbridge and his heirs and Assigns forever according to the Custom of the said manner Item I give and bequeath to my Sisters husband Edward Wickerson the sum of One hundred and Fifty pounds which he now ows me and I will order and direct that the Note of hand which I have for the same shall be Delivered to him Immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath to my Sister Kinsmen and Kinswomen Jane Rutter widow Richard Freeman the Elder John Goacher ~ William Goacher ~ Thomas Goacher ~ Elizabeth Clowser ~ John Peters ~ William Peters and the widow Coles the sum of Five pounds a piece to be paid to them respectively within Twelve Months next after my decease by my Executor hereinafter named Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Goacher the summ of Fifty Eight to Mary Wilson the sum of Four pounds to Elizabeth wife of Richard Butcher Eight Pounds to Richard Freeman the younger the sum of Fifty pounds to be respectively paid to them within Twelve Months next after my decease by my said Executor hereinafter named Item I give and bequeath to William Mansbridge the younger the sum of Forty Pounds to be paid him within Twelve months next after my decease by my Executor hereinafter named And the Several and respective receipts of my Several and respective Legatees notwithstanding the nonage (if any should not then be of age) shall be a full discharge to my said Executor for the same As to all the rest residue and remainder of my Estate whatsoever both real and personal which I may die possessed of I give devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto Daniel Goacher the Elder for and during the term of the Natural Life of the said Jane Hills In trust Nevertheless out of the rents [---] and profits thereof to pay the said Jane Hills the sum of Thirty Pounds a year yearly and every year and payable quarterly for and during the term of her Natural life and from and immediately after the death of the said Jane Hills I devise all that my messuage or Tenament Farm Lands and Premisses situate lying and being in the parish of Ashurst in the said County called by the Name of Costides and Costling now in the tenure or Occupation of John Freeman his undertenants or assignes unto the said John Freeman and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten and in default of such [---] I give and devise the same unto my kinsman Richard Freeman the elder and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten and in [---] of such [---] I give and devise the same unto Richard Freeman the younger and his heirs and Assigns forever And all the residue of my personal Estate after the Death of the said Jane Hills as aforesaid I give and bequeath unto the said Daniel Goacher his Executor and Administrators And Lastly I do Nominate Consititute and appoint the said Daniel Goacher Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made In Witness whereof I have to this my last will and Testament contained in Two sheets of paper set my hand and seal to the top of the first sheet where the same are affixed together and my hand at the bottom thereof and my my hand and seal to this last sheet the Day and year above written The mark and Seal of John Freeman Signed Sealed published and Declared by the said Testator as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other (the words nevertheless and payable quarterly being just Interlined and the words Estate Whatsoever being first wrote on Erasure) M Ellis ~ Wm Ellis ~ John Collins 

This Will was proved before Mr Richard Tireman Clerk M A Surrogate On the Fourteenth Day of July in the year of our Lord 1779 By Oath of Daniel Goacher Nephew of the deceased and Sole Executor thereinnamed To whom [---] well & truly sworn saving

WSRO ref. STC1/43 - transcribed by Mandy Willard on 3 January 2007

Notes

Thomas Hill married Jane Beard on 17 December 1719 in Steyning, Sussex.  He was then of Henfield and she of Steyning.  Jane may have been baptised on 20 March 1687 in Woodmancote and have been the daughter of Thomas Beard and Jane Hill.  Thomas and Jane had 1 known daughter:

1. Susan Hill was baptised on 5 October 1720 in Henfield.

Thomas Beard and Jane Hill married on 14 May 1685 in Woodmancote.  She was then of Bilsberry.

John Freeman's wife was Susan Beard, whom he married in 1719.  She was born in 1689 and was the daughter of Edward Beard and Ann.

Edward Beard may have been baptised on 17 June 1651, the son of Richard Beard, or on 11 June 1664, the son of Edward Beard, both baptisms took place in Woodmancote.

Thomas Beard may have been baptised on 26 June 1656, the son of Richard Beard, or on 7 September 1659, the son of Edward Beard, both baptisms took place in Woodmancote.

An Elizabeth Clouser had an illegitimate daughter baptised on 10 September 1775 in Steyning, Sussex.  Was Elizabeth the one mentioned in the above will?  And did she then marry Richard Hanson by licence on 19 October 1775 in Steyning.  They were both aged 21 years and upwards.  Elizabeth was a spinster of Steyning and Richard a bachelor and gent of Mickleham, Surrey.  And might Elizabeth have been the daughter of Richard Clowser and Susan Scott who married by licence on 25 September 1755 in Storrington.  They were both aged 21 years and upwards.  He was then a bachelor and husbandman of Thakeham and she a spinster of Storrington.

FREEMAN