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Wills of 19th Century Chatham Shipwrights
Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) Wills  (Pre 1858)

William STIGANT proved 1837

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of me William Stigant of Brompton in the Parish of Chatham in the County of Kent Shipwright which I make in manner following I nominate constitute and appoint my dear Wife Susan Stigant Executrix and my Son William Stigant the younger and Brother in law Robert Davies of Maidstone in the said County Pawnbroker Executors hereof and I give and bequeath to them my said Son and Brother in law Robert Davies the sum of ten pounds each as an acknowledgement for the care and trouble they will have in and about the execution of this my Will and the trusts thereof And I do hereby give and bequeath All my household goods and furniture plate linen & china unto her my said Wife for her to have the free use and enjoyment thereof for and during the term of her natural life without being accountable for any loss spoil or diminution that may happen to the same or any part thereof And I give and devise unto them the said Susan Stigant William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies All those my freehold messuages tenements or dwelling houses with the yards gardens ground & appurtenances thereunto respectively belonging situate in or near Middle Street Brompton and in the Parish of Chatham aforesaid as the same are now in the occupation of myself and under tenants And all other my messuages or tenements lands hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever To hold the same unto and to the use of them the said Susan Stigant William Stigant and Robert Davies their heirs and assigns Upon the Trusts hereinafter expressed and declared concerning the same And I give and bequeath all my goods chattels stocks securities moneys and other Personal Estate and Effects ( except and subject to the specific bequests of parts thereof herein before contained ) unto them the said Susan Stigant William Stigant and Robert Davies their executors admons and assigns according to the nature and quality thereof respectively And I do declare that my said real and personal Estate herein before devised and bequeathed to them the said Susan Stigant William Stigant and Robert Davies their heirs executors admons and assigns as aforesaid are so devised and bequeathed Upon and for the trusts intents and purposes hereinafter expressed and contained of and concerning the same respectively that is to say Upon trust with all convenient speed to call in and convert into money my said Personal Estate or such part thereof as shall not consist of money or good securities and stand possessed of the moneys to arise therefrom and of and in the stocks funds and securities I shall be possessed of at the time of my decease Upon Trust and out of the same in the first place to pay and satisfy all my just debts funeral and testamentary charges and expenses and the pecuniary legacies therein before bequeathed And subject thereto Upon trust that they my said Wife and the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies and the survivors and survivor of them do and shall lay out and invest the residue of the moneys so to arise as aforesaid in their his or her names or name in the purchase of stock in the Pubic funds of Great Britain or at interest on real or Government Securities And do and shall pay or otherwise permit and suffer my said Wife to receive and the the rents issues and profits of my said messuages or tenements land hereditaments and premises and the dividends interest and annual produce of all and every the said stock funds and securities so to be purchased or of which I may die possessed and of all other my Personal Estate for her own use and benefit for and during the term of her natural life subject nevertheless as to the said messuages tenements buildings and premises to her keeping the same in good and tenantable repair order and condition And upon further trust from and immediately after the decease of my said Wife that they the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies or the survivor of them his heirs executors admons or assigns do and shall make sale and absolutely dispose of my said freehold estate either entirely and together or in parcels by public Auction or private Contract to any person or persons willing to become the purchaser or purchasers thereof respectively for such price or prices as to them the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies or the survivor of them his heirs executors admons or assigns shall seem reasonable And for promoting and facilitating such sale or sales do and shall enter into make and execute all such contacts agreements covenants conveyances and assurances which he or they may deem necessary And I declare that the receipt or receipts of them the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies and the survivor of them his heirs executors admons or assigns for any money or monies to arise by such sale or sales as aforesaid shall effectually discharge the purchaser or purchasers paying the same therefrom and from being answerable or accountable for the loss misapplication or non application thereof and from being obliged to see to the application thereof or of any par thereof or to enquire into the necessity pr propriety of any such sale And it is my mind and will and I do hereby direct them the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies and the survivor of them and the executors admons and assigns of such survivor by and out of the moneys which can be first and most readily obtained from my Personal Estate or from the sale or sales herein before directed of my said freehold estate to pay unto each of my three youngest Daughters namely Susan Stigant Caroline Stigant and Mary Stigant the sum of One hundred pounds for her use & benefit Nevertheless in case either of them shall then be under the age of twenty one then I direct my said executors or the survivor of them his executors or admons to retain ? such legacies respectively amounting together to the sum of three hundred pounds in such stocks funds or securities as the same shall be standing in at the time of the decease of my said Wife or otherwise to invest the same in their names or in the name of such survivor of them his executors or admons in the purchase of stock funds in the Public funds or at interest upon real or Government securities and that they and he do and shall stand and be possessed of the said stock funds and securities constituting the said legacies or which shall be purchased and taken as last mentioned Upon trust to pay and apply the dividends interest and annual produce thereof as and when the same shall from time to time arise and become due for and towards the support and maintenance of such my three youngest daughters respectively and the survivor and survivors of them until the youngest or ? surviving or only surviving one shall attain the age of twenty one years and from that event Upon trust to pay to each of them the said Susan Stigant Caroline Stiganr and Mary Stigant her said legacy or sum of One hundred pounds for her own use and benefit And in case any or either of them should depart this life under the said age then I direct the legacy of each one so dying shall sink into the residue of my Personal estate and go as I have herein after bequeathed the same And subject to the payment or due provision ?, for the legacies last mentioned then from and after the decease of my said Wife Upon trust and I do hereby give devise and bequeath the moneys to arise from the sale of my said freehold estates and all and every the said trust stock funds and securities And all the rest residue and remainder of my real and personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever unto and equally between such of my dear Sons and Daughters Sally the now Wife of John Fareham Thomas William Stigant the said William Stigant Edward Stigant Catherine the now Wife of William Taylor Elizabeth the now Wife of John Death Harriet Stiganr George Stigant Eliza Stigant John Stigant and the said Susan Stiganr Caroline Stigant and Mary Stigant who shall be living at the time of the decease of my said Wife and the lawful child or children Girls as well as Boys of any or either of them who may then be dead and their respective heirs executors admons and assigns in and by equal parts and shares as tenants in common and not as joint tenants such child or children of each one of them so deceased taking only per stripes and not per capita (and if more than one equally between them as tenants in common) the part of share which his her or their Parents would have taken if living Provided always and I do direct that from and after the decease of my said Wife and until my messuages or tenements and hereditaments shall be disposed of as aforesaid that they the said William Stigant the younger and Robert Davies and the survivor of them his heirs executors admons and assigns shall stand and be possessed of the same and the rents issues and profits thereof upon and for the same trusts intents and purposes upon and for which the said trustees or trustee for the time being would in pursuance of this my Will be possessed of and invested in the moneys to arise from the sale thereof or as near there unto as may be Provided also and I do declare that if the trustees appointed in this my Will or to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned any or either of them their any or either of their heirs executors admons shall die or be desirous of being discharged from or refuse or become incapable to act in the trusts hereby in them respectively repose before the said trusts shall be fully executed then and in that case and when and so often as the same shall happen it shall ans may be lawful to and for the surviving or continuing trustees or trustee or the executors or admons of the last surviving or continuing trustee by any writing or writings under his or her hands and seals or hand and seal duly executed but only by and with the consent and approbation of my three eldest Children or three eldest surviving Children not being trustees of this my will to be testified by some writing under their respective hands to nominate and appoint a person or persons to be a trustee or trustees in the stead or place of the trustee or trustees so dying or desiring to be discharged or refusing declining or becoming incapable to act as aforesaid And when and so often as any such or trustees shall be so nominated and appointed all the trust estates stocks moneys and premises the trustee or trustees whereof shall so die or desire to be discharged or refuse decline or become incapable to act as aforesaid shall be thereupon with all convenient speed conveyed assigned and transferred in such sort and manner and so that the same shall and may be legally and effectively made   ?  , in the   ?   person or persons so to be appointed as aforesaid either solely or jointly with the surviving or continuing trustee or trustees as occasion shall require to the uses   ?  , and inpowering   ?  , for the trusts intents and purposes herein before expressed and declared of and concerning the said estates moneys and premises of such of them as shall be then subsisting and capable of taking effect and the person or persons so to be appointed as aforesaid shall have all the power and authorities of the trustee or trustees in whose room he or they shall be substituted And I hereby declare that the said trustee or trustees so he is by ? or to be appointed as aforesaid shall not be answerable one for another nor for involuntary losses and shall be allowed therein reasonable costs and expenses occasioned in the execution of the trusts of this my will And lastly I revoke all former Wills by me made and o declare this only to be and contain my last Will and Testament contained in five sheets of paper written on one side thereof only set my hand to the first sheet thereof and my hand and seal to this the fifth and last sheet this twelve day of February in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four Wm. Stigant Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Stigant the Testator as and for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereto J. Stephens the mark X of William Record E. B(a)rber?

Proved 24th June 1837 The name Robert Davies, as written in the will, is actually Robert Davis

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