Text of his will
Will of Zachariah Stafford (384) 1723 (executed 1723)
In the Name of God Amen, I Zachariah Stafford of Laughton in the County of Leicest Grazier, do make this my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following that is to say, first I bequeath my soul to Almighty God in hopes of a joyfull Resurection, thro’ the Merits of Jesus Christ; and my Body to this earth do be buried at the discretion of my Executores hereafter named. Next I give and bequeath unto my loving Wife that Bed and all the Beding belonging to the same which was hers before I marryed her; and I give her one Cow which she shall have liberty to chuse out of all the stock of cows I shall be possesed of at the time of my death, I also give her eight pounds in Money to be paid her at the end of one year after my decease, I also give my Wife One iron pott my less or Brass Kettle and two chairs.
Item.
I give to my son in law Edward Bosworth ten shillings, and to my Daughter Knight’s three children five shillings each.
Item.
I give and bequeath unto my two sons Thomas Stafford and Francis Stafford my house at Westerby with all its Apertenances which I give unto them and their Heirs forever, they honestly paying and discharging the Debt or Mortgage which is now due upon the same.
Item.
I give all my houshold goods, except thos above disposed of to my loving Daughter Hannah Stafford, and I nominate and appoint my said Daughter Hannah my executor and my son John my executor joyntly, and to them, my said Daughter Hannah and son John, I give and bequeath all the rest of my stock in Cattle, and all my worldly substance whatsoever, and Revoking all Wills by me formerly made, I declare this to be my last Will and Testament this twenty ninth day of july in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty three.
Signed sealed and declared by the within mentioned testator Zach Stafford to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of Will Vincent
Ana Clark Zachariah Stafford his mark
?
? Fawks
her mark
An Inventory of all the Goods and Chattels of Zacharaiah Stafford late of Loaton in the County of Leic. Deed taken and appraised the 13th Day of August 1723 by us whose hands are underwritten.
£ S D
Imprimis purse and apparell 01 0 0
Item sixty sheep at 8s and 6d pr sheep 25 10 0
Item twenty two lambs at 5 0 0
Item eleven cows and a bull 22 0 0
Item seven Stunhui Heifers 7 0 0
Item Four Calves 1 10 0
Item Four poshett piggs 3 10 0
Item for two Hay Cochs 5 0 0
Item for one more 4 0 0
Item for a Carter 0 5 0
Item for a Crop upon the Groud 5 0 0
Item for pewter and shovels and straps 1 10 0
Item for a Clock 0 5 0
Itme for two beds and bedding 1 0 0
Item one Loome 0 10 0
Item for Tubbs and Barrells and pails 0 10 0
For one table and chairs and coffers and
The rest of the lumber 0 15 0
The totall Sum £ 84 05 0
Witness our hands who are appraisers
Daniel Simper
John Reusle
Photocopy of the will
|
Property in Shearsby
In the Northamptonshire Record Office is an Indenture Conveyance (B(G) 265) from Edward Spring of Sheasby (sic), yeoman to Richard Freer of Sheasby, husbandman. This concerns the transfer of property in Sheasby the value of which was £37 and it is dated 6th May 1686.
In the text of this the property is described as follows:
Situate standing and being in Sheasby aforesaid late in the ottuxiation (?) of Zachariah Stafford weaver assigne or assigned together with all and singular houses outhouses edifices buildings barns stables ….
It is possible that this refers to Zachariah (384) the father of Francis Stafford who had 4 children baptized in Shearsby between 1689 and 1696. Another possibility is that it was perhaps his father who was called Zachariah.
The implication is that the property in question had been bought by Edward Spring.
|
