Will of Abraham Taylor of Bath, 8 May 1764

I Abraham Taylor, late of the City of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania, America, but now of the city of Bath in the County of Somerset, Esquire, do make, publish and declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner following, that is to say:

I will and devise that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be first paid.

I give to my dear wife Philadelphia an annuity of the yearly sum of two hundred and twenty pounds for and during the term of her natural life – which annuity I order and direct to be paid to her by four quarterly payments, fifty five pounds in each payment to be made to her in her own house and to and for her own use, disposition and benefit for and during the term of her natural life without any deduction or abatement on any amount whatsoever and in lieu and bar of power.

And I would have the first payment made to her within one month after my decease

Item I give to my said wife the use of as much of the furniture of my house as amounts to the sum of two hundred pounds and desire she may have the Liberty of choosing such parts thereof either in plate Goods or other things as she thinks proper to take at the prices they were charged to me when they were bought which I said she should have the use of for her life and after her life to go to my son John Taylor

All my Messuages Lands Lots of Ground Tenements and Hereditaments Houses Stores Warehouses Coach Houses Stables Outhouses Gardens and all other appurtenances to any of them belonging or in any wise appertaining situate wither in the City of Philadelphia or in any part of the province of Pennsylvania or in any of the three lower counties of Newcastle Kent or Sussex upon Delaware or in the province either of Maryland or of East or West new Jersey or elsewhere in America or in England whereof or wherein I have any Estate Right Title or Interest in possession Reversion Remainder or Expectancy together with all Rights privileges Emoluments advantages and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining I give devise and bequeath to my dear son John Taylor his heirs and assigns for ever subject nevertheless to and charged and chargeable with the payment of the annuity before mentioned

Item all my ready money Securities for Money Rights Credits Stocks in the Public Funds Goods Chattels and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever (not before given and disposed of to my wife) I give and bequeath to my said son John Taylor except the capital or Principal sum of six thousand pounds lying in the four per cent Bank Annuities which sum I would have continue in the same fund as a further security for my wife’s Annuity until my son shall secure the aforesaid annuity to his mother either by Government Security or in some other manner to her Satisfaction and as she with the advice of Council learned in Law shall advise and direct and when such security is given as aforesaid it is my will and intent that all Limitation be taken off my Lands and Estates aforesaid as also from the said sum of money in the fund before mentioned and that my whole real and personal estate of every kind whatsoever subject to the annuity before mentioned and except the use of the furniture likewise before mentioned shall be at the sole disposal of my said son John Taylor whom I make and appoint to be sole Executor of this my will and I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made in writing whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal this eighth day of May in the fourth year of the Reign of his Majesty King George the third of Great Britain and so forth and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty four

Abraham Taylor

Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Abraham Taylor as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who are witnesses of the same in his presence subscribe our hands

Robert Brigdon Favell Atty at Bath
John Brooke Brooke
William Hooper

Codicil of Abraham Taylor of Bath, 25 Jul 1766

Whereas I have in my will directed that six thousand pounds which was lying in the four per cent Bank annuities should remain and continue in the same fund as a further security for my wife’s annuity until my son shall secure the said annuity to his Mother in such manner as in my Will is mentioned and directed and since the Execution of the said Will I have sold the said six thousand pounds and have purchased in lieu thereof two thousand seven hundred pounds East India Stock now the intention of this Codicil is that the said two thousand seven hundred pounds East India Stock as also with the rest of my Estate both Real and personal shall be and continue Chargeable with and subject to the payment of my wife’s annuity in the same manner as the six thousand pounds Bank Annuities was subject in my will aforesaid until security be given by my son to his Mother in the same manner as in my said will is mentioned and directed

Abram Taylor, July 25th 1766

Codicil of Abraham Taylor of Bath, 16 Aug 1766

Whereas I have met with some disappointments in America so that I cannot conveniently settle upon my wife the annuity of two hundred and twenty pounds as mentioned in my will aforesaid it is nevertheless my will and desire to give and settle upon her an annuity of two hundred pounds in lieu thereof to be paid and secured as directed in the Body of my Will aforesaid together with the use of as much of my furniture as is therein directed and it is my desire and intention that whatsoever money I may have in any of the Stocks or Public Funds may be and continue so Chargeable with and subject to the payment of my wife’s annuity of two hundred pounds in the same manner as was first directed in my Will aforesaid until security be given by my son to his Mother in the same manner as in my said Will is mentioned and directed

Given under my hand at Bath this sixteenth day of August one thousand seven hundred and sixty six

Abram Taylor

This will was proved in London with two Codicils the tenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy two before the Worshipful George Harris Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipful George Hay Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully Constituted by the Oath of John Taylor Esquire the son of the deceased and sole Executor named in the said will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn only to administer.