Will of Samuel Veness, 1844 (abstract)

This is the last Will and Testament of me Samuel Veness of Burwash in the County of Sussex wheelwright made this tenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty four.

I direct my just debts Funeral, Testamentary and incidental Expences to be paid by any Executors hereinafter named.

Also I give and bequeath to my Nephew William Heathfield and to William Buss of Burwash ... Husbandman ... the sum of Fifty pounds sterling to be paid ... Upon Trust that they ... pay the interest and dividends thereof ... to ... the Providence Chapel lately erected and built in ... Burwash so long as the same Chapel shall be used for the independent denomination of Calvinistic Dissenters and that Doctrine shall be preached or expounded therein ... And I direct such Interest and Dividends to be ... applied for the purpose of keeping the said Chapel properly painted and whitewashed And if any surplus shall remain then the same to be applied in and towards other reparations ... But in case the aforesaid Doctrine shall be discontinued to be preached ... for the space of one whole Year ... I direct the said Sum ... shall fall into and form part of my Residuary personal Estate ...

Also I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew William Heathfield and the said William Buss ... All the Residue of my ready Monies and Securities ... Funds Goods Chattels Stock in Trade Debts Effects and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (except my clock) Upon Trust ... to sell and dispose of such parts thereof as shall be of a Saleable Nature. Also I give ... All and every of my Messuages or Tenements Buildings Gardens Orchards Lands Heridataments and Real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever ... that they ... shall and do soon after my decease ... sell and absolutely dispose of my said Messuages or Tenements Buildings Gardens Orchards Lands Heridataments and Real Estate together or in parcels by public Auction or by private Contract ... for such price or prices as can be reasonably obtained ...

And I do hereby give and bequeath the same ... to retain to each of them my said Nephew William Heathfield and the said William Buss the sum of Ten pounds sterling for the Trouble they will have in acting as executors and Trustees of this my will.

And upon further Trust to pay the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling unto and amongst all and every child and children of my late sister Ann Pettit living at my decease ... and the Issue of any deceased Child or Children ...

And upon further Trust to pay the sum of one hundred and thirty pounds Sterling less any Sum or Sums of Money advanced ... in my Lifetime to my Sister Mary Beney ... but in case she shall die in my lifetime then to ....all and every Child and Children ... (Except her son Samuel)

And upon further Trust to pay the sum of Twenty pounds sterling to John Veness now residing at Hastings in the said County the son of John Veness deceased who was a natural son of my said sister Mary Beney ...

And upon further Trust to divide and pay the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling amongst all and every Child and Children of my late Brother Thomas Veness ...

And upon further Trust to place out or invest the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds Sterling in Real or Government Securities at Interest in the Names of them the said William Heathfield and William Buss ... and pay the clear yearly Interest or Dividends thereof as the same shall be received into the proper Hands of my sister Elizabeth the wife of John Jenkins for her own sole and separate Use exclusive of her said Husband and to whose Debts ... or Engagements the same is not to be liable ... And upon further Trust from ... the decease of my said Sister Elizabeth Jenkins or after any act which she and her said Husband may do ... whereby her right ... to such Interest and Dividends would or might by Law ... become assigned or otherwise disposed of which shall first happen to divide and pay the said Sum of one hundred and fifty pounds unto and amongst all and every the Child and Children of her my said sister Elizabeth Jenkins ...

And upon further Trust to pay the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds Sterling less any Sum or Sums of money advanced ... to my sister Frances Honeysett ...

And upon further Trusts to divide and pay the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds Sterling unto and amongst Henry Heathfield the younger of Burwash aforesaid wheelwright and all and every the Child and Children of my late wife's late Sister Sarah Heathfield deceased ...

Also I bequeath to the said John Veness of Hastings my Clock ...

And I expressly will and declare that it shall be lawful for the said William Heathfield to do and perform all the Executorship Business to arise under this my Will ... and to be paid out of my said Trust ... his legal professional Charges as an Attorney for so doing the same as if he had not been appointed a Trustee and Executor of this my Will ...

And I do hereby nominate and appoint the said William Heathfield and William Buss joint Executors of this my Will and do revoke all former Wills and Codicils by me made ...

The Will of Samuel Veness late of Burwash within the Archdeaconry of Lewes Wheelwright deceased was proved the fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one ... Upon the oaths of William Heathfield and William Buss the Executor of the said Will ... Sworn also that the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased did not amount in Value unto one thousand pounds. Died 4 April 1851.

Notes:

• husbandman: either farmer or head of household (OED)
• tenements: freehold interests, not “owned” but “holden” (OED)
• messuages: dwelling house with outbuildings and adjacent land (OED)

Comparing costs, £1 in the mid 19th century is equivalent to some £60 in 2000; comparing wages, the increase would be more like 300 or 400 times, so £150 might be the equivalent of some £50,000 today.