Estate Duty Office Will of Grace Heath late of Cullompton, Widow (1843)
© Crown Copyright
Devon Heritage Centre 1078/IRW/H/671
Transcribed by Art Ames
Proved 14th Novr 1843 in the Archdeaconry Court of Exeter
Appeared personally Gideon Baston of Cullompton in the county of Devon dyer and William Plumpton of the same place plumber and glazier the joint executors named in the last Will and Testament of Grace Heath late of Cullompton aforesaid (the wife of William Heath of Wilmonton but now of Southleigh in the said county of Devon miller) deceased who died on the thirty first day of October 1843
This is the last Will and Testament of me Grace Heath late of Bradninch but now of Cullompton in the county of Devon wife of William Heath of Wilmonton in the said county miller
Whereas Jane Neal of Bradninch aforesaid widow by her last Will and Testament in writing bearing date on or about the fifth day of May one thousand eight hundred and thirty five gave and bequeathed unto Mr Henry Bowden of Bradninch aforesaid surgeon whom she thereby appointed executor of her said Will all her ready money and all such sums of money as should be owing to her at the time of her decease upon mortgage or simple contract and all and singular her other personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever upon trust that he the said Henry Bowden his executors and administrators did and should with all convenient speed after her decease call in and compel payment of all such part of her personal estate as should consist of money owing upon securities or otherwise and did and should sell and dispose of and convert into money all such part or parts thereof as should not consist of money and her Will and will was that the said Henry Bowden his executors and administrators did and should by and with and out of the money so raised by the way and means thereinbefore mentioned pay into the proper hands of me her sister the said Grace Heath or to such person or persons as I the said Grace Heath should from time to time by any writing signed with my hand direct or appoint to receive the same
And her will and meaning further was that no part of her estate should be subject or liable to the debts management or controls of my present or any after taken husband but that every part thereof should be at the disposal of me the said Grace Heath
And whereas the said Henry Bowden hath duly proved the Will of the said Jane Neal in the proper ecclesiastical court and whereas the said personal estate of my said sister the said Jane Neal so far as the same can at present be ascertained consists of sixty pounds and interest in the hands of the said Henry Bowden the sum of eighty pounds secured on mortgage of certain dwelling houses and premises situate in Cullompton aforesaid the sum of fifty pounds subject to certain expenses to be deducted thereout due from George Webber the executor of the late John Webber late of Bradninch aforesaid deceased together with certain household goods and furniture
Now I the said Grace Heath pursuant to and by virtue of the power or authority to me for this purpose given or reserved by the said recited Will of my said deceased sister Jane Neal and of every other power or authority in any wise enabling me in this behalf do by this my last Will and Testament in writing signed with my own hand direct and appoint that all the said personal estate of my said sister Jane Neal or such parts thereof as shall not be expended by me in my lifetime shall go remain and be payable and paid received and taken and I do hereby give and bequeath the same unto Gideon Baston of Culompton aforesaid dyer and William Plumpton of the same place plumber and glazier their executors administrators and assigns subject to the payment of all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and the expense of seeking to obtain possession of the said personal estate or any part thereof
Upon trust to pay unto my said husband William Heath the sum of five pounds and Frederick Abraham Enworthy the son of the present wife of the said Gideon Baston the sum of nineteen pounds unto John Webber son of John Webber the sum of ten pounds unto my two nieces Sophia Collard and Mary Collard both of Shepton Mallet Somerset the sum of five pounds each
All the residue of my personal estate I give to the said Gideon Baston his executors and administrators and I appoint him and the said William Plumpton joint executors of this my Will and I hereby revoke all other Wills by me at anytime made and do declare this present writing to be my only last Will and testament In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand the day and year below mentioned
Grace Heath
Signed by the said Grace Heath the testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the joint presence of us who in her presence have subscribed our names as witnesses this twenty ninth day of July one thousand eight hundred and forty one
Robt Burrow attorney at law Cullompton William Mitchell Edwards his clerk