Estate Duty Office Will of John Bodley Frost late of Cullompton, Victualler (1826)
© Crown Copyright
Devon Heritage Centre 1078/IRW/F/460
Transcribed by Art Ames
Proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Exeter the 22nd of December 1826
Appeared personally Samuel Melhuish and John Rowe both of Cullompton in the county of Devon yeoman two of the executors named in the Will of John Bodley Frost who died in September 1826
This is the last Will and Testament of me John Bodley Frost of Cullompton in the county of Devon innkeeper
First I give devise and bequeath unto my brother Richard Frost of Cullompton aforesaid cabinet maker Samuel Melhuish of the same place farmer and John Rowe also of the same place farmer all my stock in trade household goods and furniture and all my effects of what nature kind and quality the same be requesting them as soon as convenient after my decease to take an inventory of all I may die possessed of in trust in manner following (that is to say)
To allow my wife Mary provided she remains my widow to be in possession of all my stock in trade until my daughter has Nancy has attained the age of twenty one years and six months
Then I give and bequeath unto my said daughter the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds I also give and bequeath unto my said daughter two silver table spoons eight silver teaspoons and one pair of silver sugar tongs marked J. B. F.
I give and bequeath unto my son William the sum of one shilling to be paid him immediately after my decease
And from and immediately after the decease or intermarriage of my said wife then I give and bequeath unto my two daughters Mary Anne Bodley and Elizabeth share and share alike
And in case either of my said daughters Nancy Mary Ann Bodley or Elizabeth should die before she has attained her age of twenty one years and without issue then I give and bequeath her share unto my surviving daughters share and share alike
I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Mary Ann Bodley my family Bible with my name on it
And it is my request that my trustees will at all reasonable times when they may consider it necessary see that everything is done by my said wife for the benefit of my children
And I do hereby constitute and appoint them the said Richard Frost Samuel Melhuish and John Rowe executors in trust of this my Will and I do hereby direct that my said executors and trustees shall each of them be answerable for his own act and receipt only and not the one for the other of them and that they shall not be answerable for any loss by any security or securities that may happen in or about the execution of the trust nearby in them reposed and also that they shall retain all their costs charges and expenses out of the effects in them respectively vested in and by this my Will and the trust therein contained
In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in one sheet of paper set my hand and seal this tenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and twenty six
Signed sealed published and declared by the said testator John Bodley Frost as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us the words “in trade” being first interlined in the eighth line
William Webber Henry Hill