The following information was provided by my cousin Ann.
The
Last will and testament of Nicholas Foreman 1647-1718
Nicholas Foreman the elder of the parish of Hernhill in the County of Kent
Carpenter being in good and perfect health of body and sound and perfect of
memory God be praised knowing that it is appointed for all men to dye and
not knowing how soon the hour do make and ordain this to be my last Will and
testament in the manner following (that is to say) first and principally I
commend my soul to the hands of God my maker hoping and assuredly to be saved
by and through the only merits death and passion of Jesus Christ my blessed
Saviour and Redeemer. And as for my body after this my painful life ended,
I will it to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter
mentioned. Item I will and give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Margaret
Foreman during only her natural life, she keeping to herself a widow all my
goods, chattels and household stuff , whatsoever and wherever.
He then goes on to give (on his widows death or remarries)(in fact she died first)his sons John twenty six pounds, Thomas twenty one pounds, Edward twenty one pounds, daughter Margaret (Turner) twenty pounds and to Nicholas having given him sufficient portion before five shillings and his house and lands
The last will and testament of Nicholas Foreman 1675-1721
In the
name of God Amen, I Nicholas Foreman of the Parish of Hernhill in the County
of Kent, being sick in body but of sound and perfect memory and understanding,
praise be to God, do make and ordain my last Will and Testament in manner
and form following ( that is to say) first and principally I commend my soul
into the hand of Almighty God that gavest it, hoping for salvation thro (---------------)
of our blessed and only Saviour Jesus Christ and my body to the earth to be
decently interred at the discretion of my executor hereinafter named. And
as to the estate that it has pleased God to bestow on me.
He then goes on to leave all his land and buildings in Goodenstone, Hernhill
or anywhere in Kent to his wife (Ann) until her death or remarrige. Then the
land and property in Goodenstone goes to his son John, whilst the land and
property in Hernhill goes to his daughters Martha and Mary.
The
last will and testament of Edward Foreman (1756-1866)
Brother of James.
In the
name of God Amen, I Edward Foreman, Clerk of the Parish of Hernhill in the
County of Kent being in perfect health of body and of perfect mind and memory
thanks be to glory unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body and
knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this
my last Will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of all I
give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and
my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian Burial
at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but that at the general
resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And
as touching such worldly estate that it has pleased God to help me in this
life I Give and Devise and Dispose of the same in the following manner.
He then divided his estate into nine equal parts and gave them to;
1 The children of his late sister Mary Carter
2 The chidren of his late brother Nicholas
3 The children of his late sister Sarah Holland's
4 John Foreman or his children if he has died
5 The children of his late brother William
6 The children of his late sister Elizabeth Curling
7 His late wife's brother Harry Tilley
8 His late wife's brother John Tilley
9 His late wife's sister Ann Brown
The
last will and testament of Nicholas Foreman (1751-1820)
Brother of James this is a very complex will and I have just summarised it
breifly.
This is the last
will and testament of me Nicholas Foreman of Hemhill in the County of Kent
Yeoman made the twenty ninth day of June in the year of our Lord eighteen
eleven. First I constitute and appoint my wife Elizabeth Executrix and my
brother William Foreman Executor of this my last Will and Testament
He leaves all his property in trust to his wife for the rest of her life unless
she remarries and then in trust to his brother William or his heirs. They
were instructed to have the estate valued and give his eldest son the chance
to buy them, or if he refused then his other sons in order of senority. If
no one bought the estate it was to be sold, stocks and shares bought and sold
and finaly the estate divided equally between all his children.
This is followed with a codicil saying that he had given his daughter Elizabeth
West of Sittingbourne several sums of money and that this should be deducted
from her share.
What I have summarised fills nearly two pages of A4 and is very difficult
to understand