William Martin's Will


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Will of William Martin of Spratton in the county of Northamptonshire, taylor, being weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory, praise be therefore, give to Almighty God    etc
I give to my wife Grace all that half quarters of a yard land which my father John Martin gave unto me being in the field of spratton and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, during the term of her natural life and after her decease I give the same half quarters of a yardland unto my two youngest sons William and Peter share and share alike.
Item I will that my son John shall give unto my daughter Grace £3 to be paid at decease of said wife. If daughter Grace dies before this with no heirs son John shall give said £30 to my youngest sons William and Peter.
Residue of personal estate to loving wife Grace, sole executive
signed 8th March 1    William Martin
witnesses Henry Gammage, X William Frost, John Hobey

8th April 1732 probate granted to Grace Martin

Inventory of Wm Martin, taylor
Money in his person and apparel                                                                                       10/ 0
In the first room - brass, pewter items, tables, chairs and firegrate and other utensils       £3 / 0l 0
In the parlour - One bedstead, bedding and drawers and one table and chairs                £1 /18/6
In the shop room tables and other lumber                                                                            8 / 6
In the buttery 2 barrells and lumber    7 / 6
In the chamber over the fire room one bedstead with bedding, one chest,                        £3 /9/6
                        grain thrasher, malt and other lumber   
Item in the chamber over the parlour, 2 bedsteads with bedding, one                                £4/0 / 6
chest and chairs   
In the barn, grain unthrasht                                                                                                £1/01/ 0
2 horses                                                                                                                            £9/10/0
2 cows                                                                                                                              £5/0/0
1 pigg                                                                                                                                    15/0
Items from the shop                                                                                                           £2/5/6
one cart, one plough, pne harrow and other implements of husbandry                                £4 /0/ 6
house timber and firewood                                                                                                £1/ 0 /0
Item dung in the yard                                                                                                        £1/ 0/ 0
Item, the crop growing                                                                                                      £14/0/ 0
                                                                                                    SUMMA TOTALIS    £53/7/ 0
Approved at Spratton, april 1st 1732

Indente 13 April 1715
between William Martin of Spratton, taylor, and Jonathan Soling of Coome, Warwickshire yeoman and Peter Martin of Hollowell, Guilsborough.
5l- paid to wm Martin on sale to second parties of cottage, tenements + appurtenances situate in Spratton , late in tenure of Wm Martin, his assigns or undertenants, which cottage Wm Martin lately purchased to him and his heirs for ever from John alien the elder of spratton cordwayner and Mary (Allen) his wife and John alien the younger of Spratton cordwayner. Also several pieces and parcels of arable lad and ley meadows and pasture within the parish fields, liberties etc of Spratton, late in tenure or occuation of    which said quarters of a yardland said Wm Martin lately purchased to him and to his heirs for ever from his brother John Martin, plus houses, outhouses, outbuildings, barns, stables, yards, orchards, etc
sold to Jonathan Sodin and Peter Martin
sealed and delivered
witnesses Thomas Lucas, Eliz Lucas
a true copy of the original lease examined 6 February 1821

The above transaction is part of the preparation for the provision of a dower for Grace Smith on the occasion of her marriage to William Martin, Taylor of Spratton in 1715

   

Acknowledgements

Most of the material on the Martins comes from Glenis Crocker, with help from Robyn Lawther and Helen Millward. Glenis's material prepared for the Martin reunion she organised has been quoted directly here. They have traced the family back to the 16th century, by a lot of detective work on old wills.
Also Len Martin produced an excellent  book on Charles Henry Martin, Hannah Martin's brother


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