William Boorman, Wheelwright of Staplehurst

This is an exact (insofar as I can make it and with many thanks to cousin Claudia for her help) transcription of the last will and testament of William Boorman.  It was written the 6th of February 1819 and the handwritten version was not always easy to read.  In addition, given the time it was written. some of the spelling and writing includes such anachronisms as “fs” where there is a double-s in a word, or “ff” for a capital F.  Punctuation was also done differently than we would today.  With these caveats, here is the will as it was recorded:

Left margin: William Boorman. 9.

This is the Last Will and Testament of me

William Boorman of Staplehurst in the county of Kent Wheelwright made

this sixth day of ffebruary in the year of our Lord 1819 ffirst I constitute and

appoint my wife Ann Boorman John Love of Wick ffarm in the parish of

Headcorn in the said County ffarmer and Jefore Chainey of Staplehurst aforesaid

ffarmer joint Executors of this my Will and I direct my said Executors in the first

place out of my personal Estate and Effects to pay all my just Debts which I

shall owe at the time of my decease and also my ffuneral Testamentary and

other expenses incident to the execution of this my will and I give to my said

Wife the Sum of ffive pounds to be paid to her by my said Executors in three

Calendar months next after my decease and I give and bequeath to my said

Wife the use and enjoyment of all my household Goods and ffurniture plate

Linen and China during her life also I give to my said Wife the Interest &

Dividends and annual produce of all the Residue of my Monies and Securities

for Money Goods Chattels Estates and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever for

her own use and benefit during the term of her natural life and from and

immediately after the decease of my said Wife I give and bequeath to my

Sons William Boorman David Boorman and Thomas Boorman the Sum

of ffive pounds each and no more they having already had a considerable

share of my property also I give and bequeath to my Daughter Ann Denman

Wife of William Denman now in North America the Sum of Thirty pounds

to be paid by my said Executors in twelve Calendar months next after the

decease of my said Wife and it is my particular wish and desire that my Son

Edward Boorman who now has the half part of my businefs of a Wheelwright

should take the whole of the same at the decease of my said Wife or sooner

if she shall be disposed to relinquish the same I do hereby direct my said

Executors to put off my half part of my said businefs to my said Son Edward

but upon such terms as my said Executors would put off the same to any &

indifferent person also I give to each of my Executors the Sum of ffive pounds

for their trouble in the execution of this my Will over and above all reasonable

charges and expenses which they shall incur in the execution thereof and

as to the remainder of my Goods Chattels monies and securities for money debts due

to me and personal Estate and Effects I direct my said Executors after the decease

of my said Wife to divide the same into six equal parts or shares and pay

and divide five equal sixth parts or shares thereof unto and amongst my

five Children next hereinafter named in manner following that is to say

one equal sixth part of such residue unto my Daughter the said Anne

Denman one other sixth part thereof to my Daughter Susanna Tamkin

the Widow of William Tamkin one other sixth part thereof to my Daughter

Jane Terry the Wife of William Terry and ^one other sixth part thereof to my Son

Edward Boorman and one other sixth part thereof to my Daughter Elizabeth

Boorman and to pay and divide the remaining sixth part thereof equally

between Sarah Boorman and John Boorman the two Children of my late

Brother ^Son John Boorman deceased to be paid to them as they ^shall respectively arrive

at the age of twenty one years and I do hereby direct that my said Executors

shall not be answerable or accountable for any lofs which may happen of

my said Estate and Effects or any part thereof by bad or insufficient Security

or otherwise provided such lofs be not occasioned by their or either of their

wilful neglect or mismanagement In Witnefs whereof I the said William

Boorman the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in

two sheets of paper set my hand and seal that is to say my hand to the first

sheet and my hand and seal to this last sheet thereof the day and year first

above written. W^m Boorman [initials LS surround by a circle] Signed Sealed published and Declared by

the said William Boorman the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament

in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnefses. Jas Ottaway

Staplehurst # Jas Muddle Clerk to Mr. Ottaway://.

Proved at London 10^th July 1824 before the Judge by the oaths of

Ann Boorman Widow the Relict John Love and Jefry Chainey the Executors

to whom admon was granted being first sworn (by Comon) duly to administer.//.