1831 Will of William Pike of Church Knowle (proved 10 August 1833)

Source: TNA, PROB 11/1820

A transcript of the will of William's father Joseph can be found here.

A transcript of the will of William's wife Anne can be found here.

Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.

This is the last Will and Testament of me
William Pike of Church Knowle in the County of Dorset Merchant
I give devise demise and bequeath all my real and personal estate
unto my wife Anne Pike and Ralph Hammersley of Shelton in the
County of Stafford Potter and China Maker and in case of his death his
eldest son William Hammersley and in case of his death Titus Hammersley
in trust  In the first place it is my will that the said Trustees do dispose
of all my personal estate of what nature or kind soever it may be
except such as they ???? think it prudent to retain or business to
continue pa?????? my debts and funeral expenses and place the money
arising from such s???? at interest on good securities and out of
the sums provided yearly by the interest together with the sums
arising fromt he rents of my real estate or profits of the present business
it is my will and desire that two hundred and forty pounds p annum
shall be paid to my wife Anne Pike during her life which annuity
with the rent of an Estate called Lower Ranscombe in Chudleigh
Parish in the County of Devon settled on her by the will of my late
Father Joseph Pike of Chudleigh Merchant will be at her own disposal
during her life I also will devise and demise to my Trustees a power
to dispose of my real estate whichever of can be advantageously and
conveniently ???? and it is my will that that amount of the real estate and
the rest of my estate shall be equally divided amongst my children William
Anne, John, Henry and Warburton Pike when they attain the age of twenty
one and twenty seven years half at twenty one years of age and the other half
when they attain the age of twenty seven years  The Children to have equal
shares but reserving a sum to make good my wifes annuity during life I give
my wife all the Household Furniture Cloathes and Household Stock with the
best Draft Horse and Carr and C?g  I appoint my wife Anne Pike Guardian
of our Children together with Ralph Hammersley before mentioned and
Anne Pike my wife jointly with the other Trustee I will devise and demise
to them power to explain anything that may happen to be obscure in this
my last will and Testament and that their explanation shall be right and
also that they have power to provide for the subsistence and education of
my said Children during their ?????tly and also of placing them out to learn
Trades or Employments or Professions And also I give them my wife and the
other Trustee power of continuing any Business in which I may be engaged
at the time of my decease until such time as it may be expedient to
terminate the same or to relinquish the same to one or more of my sons
And I also give them my wife and the other Trustee and said Executors
power to shorten the time of the payment ofthe second part of their my
Childrens money being paid to them my children at the time they may
think best between the age 21 years and 27 years of age this refers to the
second half But in case it so happen ???????????????? and expert will



not be the case that the said Anne Pike my wife ?????????? should marry again ??????
is that my wife now called Anne Pike be ???????? from the ??????????????
and Guardianship of our Children and that h?????????? be thenceforth
reduced to One hundred pounds P annum besides the rent of Ranscombe
Estate left her by my late Father As long as my wife Anne Pike ????????
Guardianship of our Children my will and desire is that during their
vacations from their Education Apprentice or Clerkship or other method by
which it may be thought necessary for them to get their bread and future
bread but that during their vacation the said Children spend such
vacation with my wife if she consents to it and that my wife be allowed
a competent sum for their board and Cloathes and other sundry and
necessary expenses And my will and particular desire is that Anne Pike
our daughter should stay with her mother and that a competent sum
shall be allowed for board and cloathes and other necessary expenses
and that if she marry before the age of twenty seven years without my
wife and Guardians consent that then a competent Settlement shall be
made of her fortune on her and usual legal Settlement As for her fortune
in case she should marry after that time (after the age of twenty seven
years) I leave that to her own serious consideration I do hereby
appoint and constitute Anne Pike my wife and Ralph Hammersley
aforesaid his heirs Extors Admons or assigns Executors of this my
last will and Testament In witness I the said William Pike set my
hand and seal this 25 December 1831   William Pike  LS
witnesses Benjamin Warburton   Martha Hiscatt   James Ricks
In case my wife Anne Pike should die without appointing a Trustee
or Executor I give power to Ralph Hammersley aforesaid or in case of his
death to his son or sons to appoint another Executor in her stead or
in case my wife Anne Pike should marry again then I give power
to Ralph Hammersley or in case of his death his son or sons to appoint
another Executor This 25 day December 1831   William Pike   LS
witnesses Benjamin Warburton   Martha Kicatt   James Ricks
Signed sealed published and declared by the said William Pike the
Testator as and for his last will and Testament in presence of us who in his
presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto
subscribed our names as witnesses This 25 day of Decr 1831   William
Pike  LS   witnesses Benjamin Warburton   Martha Kitcatt
James Ricks

Proved at London 10th August 1833 before The Judge by the Oath
of Anne Pike widow the Relict and Ralph Hammersley the Executors to
whom Admon was granted having been first sworn by Comon duly to
administer

Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 12:35:22 NDT