Sussex-Statewide County DE Archives Wills.....Westcott, John April 11, 1694
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
James Hearn Hearn263@va.metrocast.net January 22, 2017, 2:19 pm

Source: England & Wales Prerogative Court Iof Canerrbury Wills, 1384-1858
Written: April 11, 1694
Recorded: 1696

The Will of John Westcott, Brother and sister respectively of Thomas and Mary 
Westcott.
In regards to obtaining verifiable proof that Mary Westcott was both the wife 
of William Hearne, Merchant of St. Kitts/Nevis & Somerset Co., MD and secondly, 
she was the second wife of Joseph Gray of Somerset Co., MD; I present the 
following LAST WILL & TESTAMENT OF JOHN WESCOTT or Westcott of London, England; 
brother of Mary Westcott & Thomas Westcott (note: Thomas & John Westcott from 
the УLetters of Wm. Freeman Ц 1678-1685Ф & from the Ledger of Wm. Hearne 1684-
1688.) You will note on the second page of the Will I have starred in red where 
the names of William Hearne and Mary Gray are mentioned! .................... 
The Will of John Wescott/Westcott, spelled both ways in the Will reads as 
follows ЕЕЕЕЕ "IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I John Westcott Citizen and Apothecary 
of London being in good health of body and of sound and perfect mind and memory 
thanks bee given to God for the same but considering the certainty of death and 
the uncertainty of the same therefore doe make and declare my last and will and 
testament in manner as follows (viz.) Ffirst and principally I recommend my 
soule into the hands of Almighty God my master and creator trusting and 
assuredly believeing that by and through the merrits of my Saviour Jesus Christ 
I shall receive pardon of all my sins and life everlasting in the world to come 
and my body I remmitt to the earth to be decently buried att the discretion of 
my Executors hereafter named and to be very frugall in the managm.t thereof And 
as remembering that temporall estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me 
and give and dispose thereof as follows Ц (vis.t) Е.. Imprimis I give unto the 
poor of AllHallows Barcking London wherein I now dwell five pounds to be 
distributed amongst them att the discretion of the church wardens of the said 
Parish Е.. Item I give and bequeath to the poor of Ham in the Parish of 
Kingston upon Thames forty shillings to be distributed amongst them att the 
discretion of the Overseers in the same village Е.. Item I give to Mary my most 
beloved wife the sume of two hundred pounds and the profit of my last yeare of 
my house I now live in being free as will appear of the lease Е.. Item I give 
and bequeath unto my said wife my house and ground with the appurtences and 
household goods thereto belonging situate lying and being in Ham in the Parish 
of Kingston aforesaid in the County of Surry part whereof is now in the 
possession of Daniell Needham, Maultman and the other part whereof in my own 
occupation and all those my two houses situate and being in Shot Lane London as 
they now are in the severall Tenures or occupations of Henry Sutton, Turner and 
Hugh Davis, Painter their indentured or assigned to have and to hold the said 
severall houses and ground with their more appurtenances unto the said Mary my 
wife for and during the tenure of her naturall life and from and after her 
decease I give and devise the said several houses and ground with their more 
appurtences unto my sonn Samuell and his heirs and assignes forever Е.. Item I 
give and bequeath unto my said wife all the silver and plate to be had and 
enjoyed by her for her life and afterwards to be disposed of by her amongst my 
children as shee shall thing fit Е.. Item I give and bequeath to my said son 
Samuell and his heirs forever all that my Messuage Tenement or Inn with the 
Appurtenances Commonly called and known by the signe of the Gull Inn in 
Kingston in the County of Surry as the same is now in the tenure or occupation 
of ___ widow and all those my lands and houses in Ham in the Parish of Kingston 
in the said County of Surry and the same now are in the same tenures or 
occupations of John Walter Sew Ruthall Gent their undertenants or assigned upon 
this house and residence nevertheless and to the intent and purpose that my 
said son Samuell doe and shall pay and satisfy unto his three sisters hereafter 
mentioned the severall portions and sumes of money herein after proportionally 
expressed that is to say to my three (daughters) .................... 
(Reference: England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, 
PROB 11 Will Registers, 1688-1696, Piece 435: Bond, Quire Numbers 220-264 
(1696), Images 132-133, John Wescott)
Note that I have highlighted with red star where John Westcott mentoned Mr. 
William Hearne as well as his sister, Mary Gray .................... The Will 
of John Westcott continues as follows: ЕЕЕЕЕ "Daughters Anne Sarah and Mary the 
sume of five hundred pounds apiece when they shall respectively attaine their 
respective ages of one and twenty yeares and in the meane time doe and shall 
pay them interest fore the same all the rate of five pounds per cent per Annum 
which shall go toward their maintenance and improve of their portions and my 
mind and will is that if any of my three daughters shall happen to die before 
they attaine unto their respective ages of one and twenty yeares that then the 
portion of her or them soe dying shall come unto and be equally divided among 
the survivor or survivors of them And if my said sonn Samuell shall happen to 
die before he attaine to the full age of one and twenty yeares then my mind and 
will is and I doe hereby appoint and direct that my said three daughters or 
such of them as shall be alive shall be coheirs and shall have equall Rights to 
all and singualer my houses and lands given and bequeathed unto my said sonn 
Samuell paying unto my said wife Mary the sume of thirty pounds per Annum 
during her natural life over and above what I have already given her provided 
always nevertheless that if my said daughters persons shall not be paid att 
their respective ages of one and twenty yeares Then my will and mind is and I 
doe hereby direct and appoint that my said Estate soe given and devised unto my 
said sonn Samuell and doe such thereof as shall raise my said daughters portion 
shall be sold and disposed of by my Executor here undernamed for the most 
valluable consideration he shall gett for the same and he shall pay my said 
daughters portions out of such money and the same shall be sold for and the 
remainder to be kept to his own use Е.. Item I give and bequeath to my mother 
in LawMrs. Mary Chamblett to Mrs. Elizabeth Devon to Mr. Will: and Mr. Thomas 
Bloom to Mrs. DeberraCamblett To Mr. ____ Camblett to my sister Elizabeth 
Gunstone and Sarah Sharpe the sume of foure pounds apiece for _____ Е.. Item I 
give and bequeath to my said two sisters Elizabeth Gunstone and Sarah Sharpe 
the sume of three pounds a yeare apiece to be paid tax free on the twenty fifth 
of March and the feast of St. Michaell the Archangel by even and equall 
portions viz ninty shillings each feast Nevis theday Е.. Item I give and 
bequeath to my brother Mr. Thomas Wescott of the Isleland of Nevis the  sume of 
Tenn pounds sterling And whereas I have a bond of Wm. Hearne, deceased, of one 
hundred and forete foure pounds principall money bearing date the sixteenth of 
December One thousand six hundred Eighty foure my will and pleasure is that my 
Executor doe not put it in suite against my Sister Mary Gray of Maryland in 
Virginia except God bless her with a plentifull and increase of Riches to 
oblidge herself Concerning all the rest and residue of my goods chattles ready 
money and all other my Estate whatsoever both reall and personall my plate and 
silver herein being given to my wife and children only excepted my due debts 
being first paid and funerall expenses discharged I wholy give and bequeath 
unto my said sonn Samuell whom I make and ordaine Executor of this my last Will 
and Testament and during the minority of my sonn Samuell I doe make and appoint 
my loving brother in Law Mr. William Bloome Executor in trust for my said sonn 
Samuell and entrust his care to preserve my Estate for the good of my children 
and to give my wife and sonn the best advise and _____ in managing all things 
hereunto belonging to whom I give and bequeath one Guinea to buy him a Ring in 
memory of mee And lastly I doe hereby revoke disannull and make void all former 
wills and legacies and bequests by me att any time heretofore made given or 
bequeathed and doe reaffirm this only to bee my last Will and Testament In 
witness thereof I the above names John Wescott have hereunto sett my hand and 
seale the eleventh day of Aprill Anno Domini one thousand six hundred ninty 
foure and in the fifth yeare of our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary 
by the permission of God King and Queen of England Scotland Ffrance and Ireland 
defender of the faith etc. ЕЕЕ. John Westcott Signed Sealed Published and 
Declared for and as his last Will and Testament in the presence of John Jackson 
Franciss Collinwood servants to Mr. S___ Coffeeman in Exchang Ally 
London./. .................... (Reference: England & Wales, Prerogative Court 
of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, PROB 11 Will Registers, 1688-1696, Piece 435: 
Bond, Quire Numbers 220-264 (1696), Images 132-133, John Wescott) 


 Whether William married Mary Westcott / Wescott in England at this time or 
after returning to the Islands or a subsequent trip to London prior to leaving 
for Maryland is unknown. I suspect he married on or before his last trip to 
London, as he borrowed a large sum from John Westcott, brother of his wife 
Mary, which could have been to help finance his trip to America and go into the 
tobacco business, of which there was a large demand in England at the time. 
Ref: Will of John Westcott.


Additional Comments:
John Westcott, of London  was the brother of Mary Westcott Hearne Gray.
Another brother Thomas Westcott, of St. Christopher, worked with William Hearne 
while he was in Nevis and St. Kitts. Mary Hearne's Estate was handled by Joseph 
Gray, whom she married soon after William Hearne's Death. References available 
at: "www.highlanderglory.net/index.html" 

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