Amanuensis Monday: The Will and Inventory of Katharine Read – 1713

Amanuensis Monday is a blog theme started by John Newmark on his blog Transylvanian Dutch, in which he is transcribing letters, newspaper articles, audio tapes, and a war diary etc., concerning his family.

John explains Amanuensis as “a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another”.

The Will I am transcribing today is that of my 8 x great grandmother Katharine Read (nee Lovjoy).  She was born in Caversham, Oxfordshire in 1649, married John Read in Caversham in 1669 and they had 8 children.  Katharine was buried in January 1713 also at Caversham, so she spent all her 64 years in the one place!

The Will of Katharine Read

 

Copy of Will (obtained from the Oxfordshire Record Office) in my private collection - copyright 2011

 

 

and the

Inventory of the Goods and Chattells of Katherine Read – 1715

Copy of Inventory (obtained from the Oxfordshire Record Office) in my private collection - copyright 2011

 

 Transcript of the Will of Katharine Read  –  1713

In ye name of God Amen I Catherine Read of the parish of Caversham in the County of Oxon widdow being weake of body but of sound and perfect memory praised be God And to avoid all difficulty that may happen to Arise amongst my Children after my decease concerning my Goods and Chattels which I shall leave be-hind me do make this my last Will and Testament in writing forsaking all other Wills whether written or nuncupative heretofore by me made And this is my last Will as followed. ffirst I comend my Soul to Almighty God who gave it Trusting and hopeing for Everlasting salvation Through the merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer and my Body to be Buryed by my Executors herein-after mentioned ffirst my will is that my Executor herein-named shall pay the several Legacies following within Two Years after my decease; ffirst, I give and bequeath to my son John Read the sum of  Ten Pounds of Lawfull money of Great Brittain. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Katherine Glover wife of Will: Glover the sum of Ten Pounds Ittem I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel Butts wife of John Butts the sum of one shilling Item I give and bequeath to my son Will: Read the sum of one shilling. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary White wife of William White the sum of one shilling Ittem I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Read the sum of Ten Pounds of like Lawfull money And I doe make my son Edward Read ffull and Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament And I doe give and bequeath unto my said son Edward Read all my Goods and Chattles of which nature and kind soever besides what is as above disposed of In Witness whereof I ye said Katherine Read have hereunto set my hand and seal the 16 day of December 1713 and in the Thirteenth year of Queen Ann of Great Brittain.

Signed sealed published and declared by the sd  Katherine Read to be her last Will and Testament in ye presence of All ye Blanks first filled up

Tho. Brigham

…… (?) Brigham

Catherine Read

 

her mark

Probat  21 May 1715 …

and the transcript of the Inventory for Katharine Read – 1715

An Inventory of the Goods and Chattells

of Katherine Read widdow lately deceast

of the Parish of Cavarsham alias Casum

in the County of Oxon Taken & apraised

by us whose names are hereunto subscribed

as followeth

Imprims Her Apparrell          05 – 00 – 00

Item in money                            00 – 07 – 00

                                                           05 – 07 – 00

John Bishop

John Norman

His mark

Exhibiter 21 May 1715

p Edwardum Read filium Tr.