Quaker Family History Society

Will of Joseph KNIGHT, Draper of Chesham, Buckinghamshire

Will 19 August 1836   Probate 2 February 1843

Summary.

Biographical Notes.

·         Parents: Joseph Knight (1725-1783) and Hannah (nee Harvey)(c.1740-1795) of Felsted, Essex, Farmer and Maltster.

·         Date of Birth: 19 October 1773 at Felsted, Essex.

·         School: Friends’ School, Ackworth, Yorkshire from 1785 to 1787.

·         Profession: Linen Draper

·         Marriage: Sarah Bunker on 19 March 1812 at Friends’ Meeting House, Chesham, Buckinghamshire.  They did not have any children.

·         Meetings: Felsted MM then Chesham, Upperside MM.

·         Date of Death: 29 August 1842 at Chesham, Buckinghamshire.

·         Buried in Friends’ Burial Ground, Chesham.  Exact date unknown.

·         After his death, Sarah continued to run the Drapery business, assisted by her nephew Charles Bunker, until her death in 1864.  The witness Mary Ginger was a servant, who had lived with them since at least 1841 and continued to live with Sarah for the next twenty years.

Highlights of Will

·         Name of Executors:  Sarah Knight, wife, Charles Knight, nephew of Fore Street, City of London, Cheese and Butter Factor, and Alfred Watson, of Hemel Hempstead, Draper.  Sarah and Charles were both Quakers.

·         He left his wife Sarah all his estate and property together with his business for her lifetime.

·         He left his brother William Knight 2 shillings per week for his lifetime.  William died in 1841 so did not receive his bequest.

·         He left his sister Sarah Harding 2 shillings per week for her lifetime.  She died in 1852.

·         After his wife Sarah’s death he left his estate to be divided between his brother Samuel, the children of his brother John Knight, the children of his brother William Knight, and the daughter of his sister Hannah Hills.  His brother Samuel died in 1845 so did not receive his bequest.

Transcriber’s and Editor’s Notes

This is one of a number of linked Knight family wills, including his wife Sarah Knight and brother John Knight.  

Will as transcribed from a copy of the original document

(Original line and page breaks preserved as far as possible)

This is the last Will and Testament

of me Joseph Knight of Chesham in the County of Buckingham

Draper being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do by

this my last Will and Testament constitute and appoint my dear Wife Sarah

Knight mine Executrix jointly with my nephew Charles Knight of Fore

Street London Cheese and Butter Factor and Alfred Watson of Hemmel

Hempsted in the County of Hartford Draper who I appoint mine Executors

thereunto And I give devise and bequeath unto them my said Wife and

Executors the whole of my real estates stock in trade shop fixtures and book

debts upon trust for and during the term of the life of my said Wife Sarah

Knight Provided nevertheless I give them full power to sell and dispose

of the same or any part thereof but the monies arising therefrom shall form

and be a part of my personal estate and a portion of it be applied for the pur-

pose of discharging my just debts but the remainder shall be applied as

hereinafter directed I give devise and bequeath unto my said Wife Sarah

Knight the whole of my household furniture fixtures (those in the shop

excepted) plate linen china glass books & my wearing apparel Also all my

stock of wines liquors fuel lumber etc etc for her own use and benefit Also I

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direct mine Executors to pay my brother William Knight of Coggeshall Essex

and my sister Sarah the wife of Thomas Harding Cheshm. two shillings Pr:

week each out of the general income from the day of my decease during the

term of their natural lives And I give unto my said Wife Sarah Knight

all the income arising from my Real & Personal Estates (save & except

the two weekly payments before named) for her own use & benefit Provided

nevertheless if the nett balance should prove insufficient to maintain my

said wife comfortably after she has declined business then it is my will that so

much should be annually drawn from the principal as will make up her

Income not exceeding one hundred pounds a year to be paid to her quarterly

from the time of her declining business and from & immediately after the decease

of my said Wife and the aforesaid William Knight and Sarah Harding

I direct my said Executors to sell all the residue of my real & personal estates what-

soever and wheresoever Also that they use their speedy endeavours to collect my

outstanding debts and to place out such monies at interest in their names (after

discharging all debts and funeral expences) untill the time of division amongst

my relatives as hereafter directed that is to say equally between such as may

then be living of the following namely my brother Samuel Knight six children

of my brother Johns Hannah Sarah Charles Peter John Harvey & Samuel

Three of  brother Williams Abigale Samuel & Mary, sister Hannah’s

daughter Mary Ann Cook within twelve months after the decease of my

said wife William Knight and Sarah Harding also I authorise mine

executors to retain to themselves all costs and reasonable expences in the

execution of this my Will In witness whereof I the said Joseph Knight

have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of the eighteth

Month one thousand eight hundred and thirty six /-/ Joseph Knight

(seal) /-/ Signed sealed & published in the presence of us who have set our

hands as Witnesses thereof /-/ Joseph White Jr. /-/ John Cook /-/ Mary

Ginger.  

Proved at London the 2^nd Feby. 1843 before the worshipful William

Calverley Curteis Doctor of Laws and Surrogate by Sarah Knight Widow the

Relict and Alfred Watson two of the Executors to whom Administration was

granted the said Sarah Knight having first made a solemn and sincere

declaration or affirmation according to act of Parliament and the said

Alfred Watson having been first sworn duly to administer. Power reserved

of making the like grant to Charles Knight the nephew the other Executor

when he shall apply for the same.

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