Ancestors of Mandy Willard

The Will of

Joseph PETTITT (c1710-1773)

In the Name of God Amen I Joseph Pettitt of Wadhurst in the County of Sussex Yeoman being in good health and of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praised be God for the same but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and the short duration thereof Do this twenty fifth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy two make publish and declare my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say first I charge all my Estate both real and personal with the payment of all such just debts as I shall happen to owe at the time of my decease and being so charged I give and devise unto my loving wife Margaret all that my messuage or Tenement Farm and lands with the appurtenances called or known by the name of Bosbridgehill Farm and also all that my messuage or Tenement Farm and Lands with the appurtenances (late Baldocks) situate lying and being in Wadhurst aforesaid and in the Occupation of Thomas Baldwin To hold to her my said loving wife Margaret and her assigns for an during all the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the said messuage or Tenement Farm and lands with the appurtenances called Bosbridgehill Farm unto my son Thomas Pettitt of Wadhurst aforesaid Yeoman his heirs and assigns for ever and the said messuage or Tenement Farm and lands (late Baldocks) with the appurtenances I give and devise unto my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Robert Stickland of Wadhurst aforesaid Yeoman for and during all the term of her natural life and from and after her decease of my said daughter Elizabeth I give and devise the said messuage or Tenement Farm and lands (late Baldocks) aforesaid with the appurtenances unto my Grandson John Stickland (son of my daughter Elizabeth) to hold to him my said Grandson John Stickland his heirs and assigns for ever Also I give and devise unto my said loving wife Margaret all that my messuage or Tenement and Blacksmiths Shop with the appurtenances situate lying and being at Couseley Wood in the parish of Wadhurst aforesaid late in the occupation of John Ballard And also all that my messuage or Tenement Farm and lands with the appurtenances (which I lately purchased of Thomas Waterhouse) situated lying and being near Cousely Wood aforesaid now in my own occupation to hold to her my said loving wife Margaret and her assigns for and during all the term of her natural life and from and after her decease I give and devise the said messuage or Tenement and Blacksmiths Shop with the appurtenances situated at Cousely Wood aforesaid unto my said son Thomas Pettitt to hold to him his heirs and assigns for ever And the said messuage or Tenement Farm and lands with the appurtenances situated near Cousely Wood aforesaid I give and devise unto my Granddaughter Margaret Reed daughter of my daughter Margaret late wife of Fullagar Reed late of Wadhurst aforesaid Yeoman deceased To hold to her my said Granddaughter Margaret Reed her heirs and assigns for ever Also I give and bequeath unto my said son Thomas Pettitt the sum of three hundred pounds to be had and taken by him within six months next after my decease But it is my Will and Meaning the he do account with my said wife whom I have made joint Executor with him in the Execution of this my Will for all moneys due and owing from him to me at the time of my decease And I do hereby order and direct my said wife to deduct and retain such debts out of such Legacy accordingly Also I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth the wife of the said Robert Stickland the sum of three hundred pounds to be paid to her within six months next after my decease by my Executors But it is my Will and Meaning that my said Daughter shall account with my Executors for all Moneys owing from her or her said husband to me at the time of my decease and that it shall and may be lawful for my Executors to deduct and retain such debts out of such Legacy accordingly Also I give and bequeath unto my said Grand Son John Stickland the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to him within six months next after my decease by my Executors Also my Will and Meaning is and I do hereby order and direct that my said loving wife Margaret and Son Thomas (whom I have herein after made joint Executors of this my Will) Do share out the sum of three hundred pounds at interest upon such good Security or Securities as they in their Direction shall think proper which Interest of the said sum of three hundred pounds I give and bequeath unto my said loving wife Margaret for and during all the term of her natural life (if she so long remain my Widow) And from and after her decease then my Will and Meaning is and I do hereby further order and direct that my said son Thomas his Executors or Administrators do immediately after the death of my said wife call in the said sum of three hundred pounds and do pay and divide the sum unto and between my Grandson Joseph Reed and Samuel Reed (sons of my said Daughter Margaret late wife of the said Fullager Reed deceased within six months next after the decease of my said wife equally between them share and share alike and I give the same to them my said Grandsons accordingly But in case my said wife shall happen to intermarry again Then I do hereby further order and direct and it is my Will and Meaning that my said Son Thomas his Executors or ? Do forthwith (upon my said wife's intermarriage call in the said sum of three hundred pounds and do pay the same unto my said Grandsons Joseph Reed and Samuel Reed within six months next after my said wife's intermarriage And in such case I give the same to them then accordingly And whereas I have lately received the Shares of my Grand Children the said Joseph Reed Samuel Reed and Margaret Reed of the Estate of their late father deceased who lately died Intestate which I apprehend will be insufficient to bring up Educate and Maintain my said Grand Children I do therefore by this my Will give and bequeath unto my said Grand Children Joseph Reed Samuel Reed and Margaret Reed the further sum of one hundred pounds the same to be paid out and expended by my Executors hereafter named for and towards my said Grand Children's Maintenance Education and Cloathing until they arrive to their respective Ages of twenty one years And I do hereby order and direct that my Executors shall not bring to account any Moneys for my said Grand Children's Maintenance Education and Cloathing but what shall actually become due from my decease And also that my said Executors shall not bring to account or deduct any Money out of the said Legacy of one hundred pounds by me given to my said Grand Children for their Maintenance Education and Cloathing till such time as their shares of their late father's Estate shall be fully laid out and expended for their Maintenance Education and Cloathing Also my Will and Meaning further is that if any Moneys which I shall happen to have at Interest upon Security or Securities at the time of my decease shall happen to be lost by the person or persons giving such Security or Securities becoming insolvent or otherwise unable to pay the same Then I do hereby order and direct my Executors hereafter named to deduct as well out of their Legacies as also out of the several other Legacys by my giving by this my Will except the Legacies to my said Grand Children Joseph Reed Samuel Reed and Margaret Reed All such sum and sums of Money as shall happen to be lost by any bad Security or Securities by me taken at the time of my decease such deduction to be made in the proportion the several Legacys over to each other it being my intension that my Executors shall bear only a proportionable part of such loss All the Rest Residue and Remainder of my Personal Estate I give and bequeath unto my said loving wife Margaret and son Thomas Pettitt to their own proper use and ? equally to be divided between them share and share alike And lastly I make constitute and appoint my said wife and son joint Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament and do revoke all former Wills by me made and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament In witness whereof I the said Joseph Pettitt the Testator to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper have to the two first sheets hereof set my hand and to the last sheet my Seal also the day and year before written - Joseph Pettitt - signed sealed published and declared by the said Joseph Pettitt the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto William Gurr - Mary Gurr - John Farmer

Notes

The Witnesses

William Gurr married Mary Beale by Licence on 10 May 1749 in Wadhurst.  The Will of William Gurr Yeoman of Wadhurst was proved on 12 January 1789 by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.  A copy of his Will can be downloaded from The National Archives web site.

Farmer - don't for the moment know of John Farmer, but a John Pettett married Elizabeth Farmer by Banns on 9 February 1706/7 in Mayfield.  He was of Mayfield and she of Rotherfield.  Might John and Elizabeth have been the parents of:

1. Robert Pettitt married Ann Dolloway by Banns on 24 April 1733 in Mayfield.  They were both of Mayfield.  He may have married for a second time to Mary Bexhill by Banns on 24 December 1741 in Mayfield.

2. Joseph Pettitt (c1710-1773)

3. John Pettitt, junior married Mary Dolloway by Banns on 29 December 1736 in Mayfield.  They were both of Mayfield.

4. Thomas Pettit married Rachel Vitler on 12 June 1738 in Dallington.  He was of Mayfield and she of Ticehurst.

5. Elizabeth Pettit married John Crowhurst by Licence on 6 November 1742 in Withyham.  They were both then of Mayfield.  Another Elizabeth Pettit married Thomas Ansell by Banns on 12 February 1744/5 in Mayfield.  She was of Mayfield and he of Firle.

6. Mary Pettet married Richard Rose on 17 April 1744 in Rotherfield.  She was of Rotherfield and he of Mayfield.

PETTITT