A Selection of Early Wills
The 1704 will of Ralph Woodhouse, yeoman, who owned property in both Dore and Totley
Date Written: 19 June 1704
Date Proved: 4 October 1704
Family members named: Alice, wife; Anthony Woodhouse, son; sons Robert, Ralph, William and John and daughters Mary and Hannah
Supervisors of will: Robert and Anthony Woodhouse, brothers
Executors: Anthony Woodhouse, son
Witnesses: Robert Woodhouse, Anthony Woodhouse, James Lee
In the name of God Amen the Nineteenth day of June in the Third yeare of the raigne of our Sov[er]aigne Lady Anne by the grace of God Queene of England [etc] Annoq[ue] d[omi]ni 1704 I Ralph Woodhouse of Totley in the parish of Dranfield in the County of Derby yeoman being of indifferent health of body but not in p[er]fect health and of good mind & memory praised be the name of God for the same doe make this my last Will & Testament in manor followinge Imp[r]imis I comend my soule to God which gave me when he first framed me hopeing in & thereto the merits & mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour to receive full and free pardon for all my offences & to be made p[ar]taker of everlasting blisse and my body to the earth when it shall please God to call me to be decently buried Imprimis my mind & will is that my due debts if any be and funerall charges shall be paid out of my p[er]sonall estate Item I give to Anthony Woodhouse my sonn and his heires All my Freehold Messuages & Lands lyinge & being in Totley aforesaid & Dore in the said p[ar]ish and County Upon Condic[i]on that he pay unto Mary Woodhouse his sister Twenty pounds of lawfull money of England Robert Woodhouse his brother Thirty pounds of the lawfull money of England Ralph Woodhouse his brother William Woodhouse his brother Hannah his sister & John his brother to each of them Twenty pounds a peice When & as they shall severally attain their Severall ages of one and Twenty yeares and if defalt thereof be made to any of them contrary to my will that then it shall & maybe lawfull to him her or them to whome defalt shall be made to enter to & have & hold the said Houses & Lands until they be satisfied and paid the said sum[m]es so by me given unto them as aforesaid And further give unto my said sonn Anthony Woodhouse my House with the appurten[ance]s at Totley aforesaid and my Farme there and my Tenante right to the same And my will further is that Alice my deare and loveing wife shall have her third paid her by my said sonne & his heires out of my freehold Lands & Tenements in Dore aforesaid in full of her claime thereunto And my mind and will is that my said wife and my youngest children (my said sonn Anthony Woodhouse hereby excepted) shall have all my p[er]sonall estate amongste them for and towards their mantenance untill they shall attain their said severall ages as aforesaid (if my said wife soe longe live and keep her selfe sole and unmarried) and if shee mary againe then my mind is shee shall have only Twenty pounds in full of her parte thereof And I make my said sonn Anthony Woodhouse Executor of this my said Will And I nominate Robert & Anthony Woodhouse my brothers supervisors of this my said Will and I desire them to be the same p[er]formed and to have a care of my Children In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale the day and yeare above said And my Will is that my said wife shall have the parlor & Chamber over it soe longe as she lives & keeps her sole & unmarried {blot} great parlor.
The mark of Ralph Woodhouse
Signed sealed and published in the p[re]sence of Robert Woodhouse Antho: Woodhouse
James Lee