Samuel
BENSTEAD 1837
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN
I SAMUEL BENSTED of
Exmouth Terrace in the Parish of Gillingham in the County of Kent Late
Quarterman of the Shipwrights in His Majesty's Dock Yard at Chatham
being in good health of body and sound mind memory and understanding do
make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that
is to say First I most humbly
bequeath my Soul to Almighty God my Maker his most gracious acceptance
of it I give my body to the Earth from whence it was taken As
to my Worldly Estate I give and bequeath as follows First
I give and bequeath unto my dear and beloved Wife ELIZABETH all
my plate Linen China Glass Wearing Apparel Household Furniture Books
with all my monies wages as may be due to me at the time of my decease
also to money from the Union Life Insurance Office Norwich for which I
have insured my life in the said Office debts owing to me or may be
owing at the time of my death all Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods
and Chattels belonging or appertaining unto me My
will and meaning is that I give the above Goods to my beloved Wife
aforesaid for her use and for the support of herself and after the
decease of my Wife above mentioned the Goods Chattels and etc etc
aforesaid that my Wife shall have remaining after her decease my will
and meaning is that my Plate Linen and Books I
give to my two Daughters SARAH ELEANOR RICKETTS and
ELIZABETH FRANCES GAMON share and share alike all
my household furniture etc etc etc shall become the property of my Son SAMUEL
WILLM BENSTED THOMAS MEAKINS BENSTED SARAH
ELEANOR RICKETTS and ELIZABETH FRANCES GAMON
share & share alike And I do
hereby nominate and appoint my Wife ELIZABETH BENSTED and
my Daughter SARAH ELEANOR RICKETTS Executrix of
this my last Will and Testamewhereof I have to this my said Will I have
set my hand & seal the twenty second Septr in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty five and in the fifth year of the
Reign of His Majesty William the Fourth of Great Britain etc etc etc SAMUEL
BENSTED Signed Sealed Published and Declared in the
presence of WILLIAM WHITTLE THOMAS
WILLIAM BULLBROOK JOHN LEFEURD
?
Proved 10th April 1837 Power reserved to ELIZABETH BENSTED
Headstone Formerly in the Churchyard of St Mary
Magdalene, Gillingham
(No 396 in my Monumental Inscriptions)
IN MEMORY
OF
MR SAMUEL BENSTED
LATE QUARTERMAN
OF HIS MAJESTY'S DOCK YARD CHATHAM
WHO DIED 13th MARCH 1837
AGED 75
ALSO OF
ELIZABETH
WIFE OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED 30TH OCTOBER 1838
AGED 78 YEARS
"Set thine house in order for thou
shall die and not live"
20th Chap Kings 1st Verse
ALSO FOUR DAUGHTERS WHO DIED
IN THEIR INFANCY
REAR
IN MEMORY
OF
LIEUT GEORGE RICKETTS R. N.
WHO WAS DROWNED OFF KILLALA
19th MAY 1827 AGED 39
ALSO CHARLES FREDERICK
SON OF THE ABOVE
BY HIS WIFE
SARAH ELEANOR RICKETTS
DAUGHTER OF
MR SAMUEL BENSTED
WHO DIED 14th MARCH 1830
AGED 5 YEARS