24 September 1778 Will of Joseph Pyke of Cambridge, esquire (proved 15 March 1779)

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.

In the Name of God Amen
I Joseph Pyke of the Town of Cambridge in the County of Cambridge
Esquire do make and declare this to be my last will and
Testament in manner and form following First I give and bequeath unto my Nephew in Law
Thomas Halsted of Cambridge aforesaid Esquire my Gold Repeating
Watch Chain and seals my Mocoa Studs set in Gold which were
my late Fathers and my plain Gold Buttons to my shirt sleeves
my largest Diamond Ring my Gold headed Cane and all my Books
bound up or unbound Item I Give to Mr William Greenwood
son of Captain Greenwood twenty Guineas for Mourning Item I
Give to my undermentioned servants in Case they shall be living
with me at   my death the following Legacies namely
To Samuel Gilson twenty pounds To Lydia Betts twenty pounds
To Elizabeth Clements thirty Pounds To Susanna Cole ten pounds
to Sarah Gooch ten Pounds to John Pain Ten pounds and to
William Beezly ten pounds together also with Mourning for
all my said servants over and besides   their said several and
respective Legacies and the wages that shall be due to them
at my decease and likewise a Months Housekeeping for my
said servants Item I Give to my said servant Samuel Gilson 
if living with me at my death over and above what I have before 
given him) seventeen Guineas being the sum I received for my
little Bay Gelding and which I promised to give him in case
he should be living with me at my death and I Give likewise 
to the said Samuel Gilson if he shall be living with me at 
my death all my wearing Apparel (Linen excepted) Item as to
all my Monies and securities for Money Moneys in the 
Publick Funds Goods Chattels Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever
and wheresoever and of what nature kind or quality soever
(after payment of my Just Debts the above mentioned Legacies
and Funeral Charges) I Give and Bequeath the same and
every Part thereof unto my Niece Mrs Elizabeth Halsted
wife of the said Thomas Halsted Esqr and to her Executors 
  Administrators and Assigns And I do hereby Constitute and 
Appoint the said Mrs Elizabeth Halsted sole Executrix of this
my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making void
all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore 
made And with respect to my Funeral I leave the same 
to the discretion of my Executrix desiring to be put into a
Leaden Coffin and to be buried in Ichleton Church by my
late wife and that Mr Fisher the Elder of Cambridge aforesaid
may serve my Funeral And in Case my said Niece Elizabeth
Halsted shall happen to dye in my lifetime then and in such
Case I give and bequeath unto the said Thomas Halsted all
my Pictures Prints Plate China Linen and Household 
Furniture and all other my Personal Estate Chattels and
Effects whatsoever not consisting of Moneys or securities for
Money for his own use absolutely And as to for and concerning 
all my Monies and securities for Money whatsoever I do in
such Case give and bequeath the same unto the said
Thomas Halsted his Executors Administrators and assigns In


In Trust for his Son and Daughter Samuel Halsted and Martha
Halsted the Children of my said Niece Elizabeth Halsted equally
to be divided between them share and share alike each Childs share
to be Paid at his or her age of one and twenty years or Day
of Marriage which shall first happen together with such
Interest as can be made thereof in the meantime and
in Case of the death of either of the said Children under
Age or before Marriage as aforesaid then I give and bequeath
the Legacy or share of him or her do dying unto the Survivor
of them to be paid as aforesaid but if both such Children
shall happen to due under Age and before Marriage 
aforesaid then I give and bequeath the Whole of such
Moneys and securities for Money unto the said Thomas
Halsted his Executors Administrators and Assigns for his and
their own use absolutely And lastly I do in Case of the death
of my said Niece Elizabeth Halsted in my lifetime Constitute
and Appoint the said Thomas Halsted sole Executor of this my
Will In Witness whereof I the said Joseph Pyke have hereunto 
set my hand and seal the twenty fourth Day of September in the
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight
Jos Pyke  LS  signed sealed Published and declared by the said
Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence 
of Gilman Wall

This Will was proved at London the fifteenth Day of
March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
seventy nine before the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert Doctor of
Laws Master Keeper or Comissary of the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Elizabeth Halsted
Wife of Thomas Halsted Esquire the Niece and only next of kin
of the said deceased and sole Executrix named in the said will
to whom administration was granted of all and singular the
Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first
sworn by Commission duly to administer

On the twenty fourth Day of April in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and Eighty Administration with the will
Annexed of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of Joseph
Pyke late of the Town and County of Cambridge Esqr deceased
left unadministred by Elizabeth Halsted the Niece and only next
of kin of the said deceased and sole Executrix named in the said
Will now also deceased was granted to Thomas Halsted Esquire 
the Husband and sole Executor named in the Will of the said
Elizabeth Halsted deceased having been first sworn by Commission
duly to Administer

Last Modified: Saturday, 16-May-2020 15:34:46 NDT