Will of William Ashdown, yeoman, of the parish of Hellingly, Sussex, England dated - 1825 proved - 1830

Family History Library microfilm # 1,866,182 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This is the Last Will and Testament of me William Ashdown of the Parish of Hellingly in the County of Sussex, yeoman, touching the disposal of such temporal Estate and it hath pleased Almighty God of his goodness to bestow upon me. First I order and direct that all such just debts as I shall happen to owe at the time of my decease my funeral expences and the charges and expences of proving this my will shall be paid and discharged by my Executors hereinafter named, from and out of my Personal estate. I Give devise and bequeath unto my son Daniel Ashdown, All that my Copyhold Estate consisting of two Messuages or Tenements, buildings, Garden, Orchard, Lands and Hereditaments thereunto belonging containing about two Acres of Land little more or less situate lying and being at Hellingly aforesaid known by the name of Burlow and now in my own occupation To have and to Hold unto him the said Daniel Ashdown, His Heirs, Executors, Administrators and assigns for every Chargeable nevertheless and I do hereby charge the said Copy Hold Estate with the sum of Forty Pounds which I do hereby give thereout in Two Legacies namely to my son James Ashdown the sum fo Twenty Pounds thereof and to my son Jesse Ashdown the remaining sum of Twenty Pounds thereof which said legacies I do hereby order and direct to be paid to the said James Ashdown and Jesse Ashdown within one year next after the decease of my wife Ann Ashdown And with respect to my Personal Estate I hereby dispose thereof as follows

I Give unto my Daughter Phebe the wife of Joseph Seymour the sum of Ten Pounds. To my Daughter Emme the wife of Richard Haiselden the sum of Ten Pounds. To my Daughter Mildred the widow of James Heathfield the sum of Ten Pounds. To my Daughter Alley the wife of Isaac Burt the sum of Ten Pounds. And to the Six Children (or the survivors of them) of my Daughter Abigail late wife of Thomas Barnes the sum of Ten Pounds to be equally divided between and amongst the six of the survivors and survivor of them share and share alike.

I Give and bequeath to William Ashdown my Eldest son All and singular Remainders and Remainder of my Personal estate of what nature kind or quality soever the same may be found at the time of my decease and all my estate and interest therein to the said William Ashdown my son for his sole use and benefit. And if it should so happen that any or either of my said children shall die before his or her or their share or shares shall become payable, Then I order and direct the shares or several shares of him, her or them so dying shall be paid to their respective lawful issue to be equally divided between them if more than one in the same manner as before directed in respect to the children of my Daughter Abigail, deceased wife of Thomas Barnes. And my will and meaning is that none of the above mentioned Legacies shall be payable until one year after the decease of my wife the said Ann Ashdown. And my will is further, and I do hereby Charge my sons the said William Ashdown and Daniel Ashdown to support and maintain their Mother the said, Ann Ashdown at their Joint expence until the time of her decease and decently to bury her between or at their joint expence. And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint the said William Ashdown and Daniel Ashdown my sons Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and disallowing all former Will by me made and Declare this and this only to be my Last Will And Testament contained in two sheets of Paper. In Witness thereof I the said William Ashdown the Testator have to the first sheet hereof set my hand and to this second and last sheet thereof my hand and seal this twenty first day of February in the Year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and twenty five.

Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said William Ashdown the Testator as and for his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each the have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

James Bug

the mark of Steph. Piper

William Ashdown [seal]

Richard Power

On the 9th day of August 1830 were sworn William Ashdown and Daniel Ashdown the Executors on this will named To whom was committed the execution thereof And the said William Ashdown and Daniel Ashdown were also sworn that the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased were under the value of Three hundred Pounds. Under Caution by us John Scobrill Curr.