Will of John Axon late of Cullompton, Yeoman
Proved 19 June 1804
© Crown Copyright
National Archives Catalogue Reference PROB 11/1409/294 Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Heseltine Quire Numbers: 334 -389
Transcribed by Art Ames
I John Axon of Cullompton in the county of Devon yeoman do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following
In the first place I resign my soul into the hands of that beneficent being Almighty God who gave it me hoping and trusting by his mercy and the intercession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I shall be pardoned of all my sins and transgressions
And as to such worldly effects as God has been pleased to give me I give and dispose thereof as follows
I give and bequeath unto my dear wife Susanna Axon all my household goods and furniture of whatever denomination to and for her sole use and benefit
Also I give and bequeath unto my friends John Voisey schoolmaster and Thomas Bowditch shopkeeper all my monies securities for money whatsoever and wheresoever and do hereby appoint them joint executors of this my Will upon trust that they the said John Voisey and Thomas Bowditch or the survivor of them and the executors and administrators of such survivor do and shall pay thereout all my just debts and funeral expenses
And by the interest and produce of the remainder to pay and apply for and towards the maintenance and support of my children during their respective minority but it is my will and mind and I do hereby order and direct that in case the said interest and produce thereof shall be insufficient for thatpurpose it shall be lawful for my said trustees to apply such part or parts of the remainder of the principal money as shall in their discretion be thought necessary towards such maintenance and support of my said children as aforesaid regard being had to the several legacies by me hereinafter given to my said children
And upon my sons William Axon and John Axon arriving at and attaining their respective ages of twenty one years to pay them the sum of thirty pounds each
And also to pay and apply the sum of ten pounds to bind out my daughter Elizabeth an apprentice and also to pay her the sum of twenty pounds at the attainment of her age of twenty one years
Provided always and it is my will and mind that in case any or either of my said children shall die before the attainment of their said age of twenty one years that the legacy or legacies of him her or them so dying shall go and be paid to the survivor or survivors of them share and share alike
And in case all my said children shall die before their said age or ages of twenty one years then I give to my brother William Axon and my sisters Elizabeth Axon and Joanna Laws the sum of five pounds each if living at that time
And from and after the payment of the said legacies to my said children at the attainment of their respective ages of twenty one years as aforesaid that then my said trustees and executors in trust or the survivor of them and the executors or admors of such survivor do and shall pay the surplus and remainder of my said monies and effects unto my said wife Susanna Axon to and for her own use and benefit to whom I give and bequeath the same desiring my said trustees to detain and retain thereout all such costs charges and reasonable expenses which they shall sustain or be put unto in and about the execution of the trusts aforesaid
And lastly I do hereby revoke and make void all former Will and Wills by me heretofore made and declare this to be my last
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four
John Axon
Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Axon as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names at his request as witnesses hereto
Elizabeth Searle William Searle Thos Searle
This Will was proved at London the nineteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four before the Right Honorable Sir William Wynne knight Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oaths of John Voisey and Thomas Bowditch the executors named in the said Will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods chattles and credits of the deceased having been first sworn by commission duly to administer